Question on deluxe door panels

[X33RS]

My 69 is originally equipped with white deluxe houndstooth, still original and unrestored and intact.  I've had a complete deluxe interior kit wrapped up for years, I had planned to replace all the interior.  I unpackaged it the other day to find out the deluxe door panels have black carpet along the bottom.
 
My original door panels on the car have a houndstooth pattern along the bottom that matches the seat inserts, it's not black carpet.

I never really paid that much attention to it until now.  I'm pretty certain this interior has never been tampered with.  So which is correct?

I've looked around at door panels and can't seem to find them with houndstooth on the bottom.  Any insight is appreciated.
Thanks.

[KevinW]

In a white interior car, the carpet is black.  The deluxe door panels would then match the carpet (black).  I have never heard or seen any other fabric than carpet in that area.  Pics?

[X33RS]

I can attempt to post some pics later this afternoon or early evening, heading to an archery tournament this morning.

Funny, never really paid attention to it, car has been sitting since the mid 80's untouched until now I'm finally digging into this thing.  The new interior kit is also about that old and I never unpackaged it until now and just noticed the black carpet on the bottom of the panels on the new kit.   I rarely ever see white deluxe houndstooth Camaros in person so comparing is nearly impossible around here.  Matter of fact I can't remember the last time I saw one, most Camaros have black interior.  But I'll say with certainty this car hasn't been touched in 30+ years so if the lower door panels were tinkered with it would have been very early on.

Wish I could track down the original owner and ask some questions.

[cook_dw]

I would like to see a pic.  It sounds like someone added the houndstooth to the panels.  If it was done well then I would keep it.  IMO that is apart of the interesting add-ons done along the way.  I see nothing wrong with this because it was done early on..

[69Z28-RS]

I can't recall ever seeing any 1st gen Camaro with houndstooth on the door panels.   For '69, a houndstooth interior car is a deluxe interior car, and would have the 'deluxe door panels'..  No houndstooth.. 

[ko-lek-tor]

I would like to see a pic.  It sounds like someone added the houndstooth to the panels.  If it was done well then I would keep it.  IMO that is apart of the interesting add-ons done along the way.  I see nothing wrong with this because it was done early on..

I am in agreement, adding that for some reason I see "period" mods as acceptable and telling of the car's history and the culture's taste BITD. Yet, newer mods, to me, are unacceptable. That is why paisley and psychedelic, to my generation, will always be associated with the 60's. It just reflects a time period that is consistent with a car's early life. As much of a 'purist' that I try to be with my restorations, I leave some things "as-is" that may show the history and individuality of the car, especially 'bolt-ons' & decals that can be easily removed. An example of something I would leave is the underside of this hood. The temptation is to remove them to some, but I leave things that define the car.

[bcmiller]

I have never seen door panels like you describe.

Untouched since the mid 80s sometimes doesn't mean a lot.

Back in the 70s and 80s the fabric for seats was a lot easier to find. If the door panels are still in good condition, you should consider keeping them in the car. 

I would like to see a pic too.

Good luck at the tournament. I hope you shoot a Hoyt bow like I do. 

[X33RS]

Okay I'll give this a shot.  I'm not good at taking pics and even worse at posting so I hope this works.

Thanks for the heads up, I feel better now that I don't think I have to go out and buy yet another set of $500 door panels.  Here at first glance I thought they were wrong, lol.  Now looking closer at the current panels, that houndstooth does feel squishy as if there might be carpet underneath.
    Don't mind the missing dash pad, it was broken so it's sitting on the roof, I have a new one going in, and I'm fixing the lock on the glove box.  From there I think the plan is going to be leaving the interior alone, just pulling it all out for a good cleaning.  Driver seat bolster has a tear and some wear.  Since the plan right now is to let my wife drive and enjoy it, I'm going to leave all the new interior boxed up and save it for the restoration.  Just going through the drivetrain, brakes etc..so it drives again, and enjoy it for a while before it's restored and becomes another fixture in the garage like the rest of my junk.  It's been sitting long enough, we want to have some fun with it for a while.  Unfortunately my time with it is slow as I'm too busy with customer cars.  Hope this helps clear up the confusion.
 

[bcmiller]

You might be shocked at how good those seats would look with some light cleaning. 

[Sauron327]

That's not the original material in the seats or the door panels. The pattern is different from the factory.

[bcmiller]

You may be right. Hard for me to tell on the screen of a phone.

[bcmiller]

OK, on a laptop screen now.  On the door panels, yes, you can see that was added. Note the material above the chrome strip.

And yes, that's not the right hounds tooth. Here is original.  Photo credit, 69Pace.

http://www.69pace.com/interior729.htm

[X33RS]

I'll have to dig the new covers down again and have a close look.   These are covered in 30 years of AZ dust and dirt but I think you're right, they'll clean up okay, well enough to drive and enjoy for a while.

[X33RS]

OK, on a laptop screen now.  On the door panels, yes, you can see that was added. Note the material above the chrome strip.

And yes, that's not the right hounds tooth. Here is original.  Photo credit, 69Pace.

http://www.69pace.com/interior729.htm

Give me a few and I'll climb the mezzanine and see what I have in the box.

[X33RS]

Bryon,  What I have matches you pictures, so I feel better knowing that when I do restore the car I have the stuff to make it what it should be.  (somehow going through my stuff I wound up with 2 complete headliner kits, but oh well) Thanks for the extra effort and posting pics.