Re: Caribbean trim codes

Posted by BH On 2011/3/30 21:55:25

Quote:
...and 291, 294 and 295 for hardtops?

The gaps in the sequence of Trim Set numbers for the '56 Caribbeans does suggest that additional combinations might have been proposed, but were never approved.

While there are bean counters who will tell you that things like part numbers should never be assigned with any significance, in and of themselves, I can tell you that's not true in actual practice. Ford and Honda have long embedded the group number (base code) in their part numbers. GM assigned block of parts numbers to their various divisions, such that - at least 30 years ago - I could look at the first couple of digits of the number on the package and often tell you what division supplied the part. It's not uncommon practice to assign P/N's to RH-LH parts with a consistent even-odd (or odd-even) cadence. Yet, I digress...

Looking at trim set assignments and bulk trim listings, I am starting to see some pattern, which might be the brilliance of Ed Cunningham at work. That said, I would like to suggest the following:

91 (291) = LIGHT GRAY GENUINE LEATHER AND WHITE GENUINE LEATHER REVERSIBLE TO GRAY CLOTH AND WHITE GENUINE LEATHER - that is, white with light gray leather insert and dark gray band, which reverses to white with gray boucle insert and light gray band (dark gray dash and carpet).

94 (294) = TURQUOISE GENUINE LEATHER AND WHITE GENUINE LEATHER REVERSIBLE TO GRAY CLOTH AND WHITE GENUINE LEATHER - that is, white with turquoise leather insert and black band, which reverses to white with gray boucle insert and turquoise band (turquoise dash and carpet).

95 (295) = BLACK GENUINE LEATHER AND WHITE GENUINE LEATHER REVERSIBLE TO GRAY CLOTH AND WHITE GENUINE LEATHER - that is, white with black leather insert and dark gray band, which reverses to white with gray boucle insert and black band (black dash and carpet).

Mind you, that's just my best guess; only the designer's notes would tell the tale.

Now, I wonder what (if any) additional paint combinations might have been intended, for use in conjunction with these Trim Sets.