What color should the "A" pillar covers be for a 442/Cutlass in 1970, 1971, & 1972 with white/pearl interiors. I think the 1970 models had white "A" pillar covers, while the 1971 & 1972 models had black covers. Just want to be certain before installing the covers.

I have a set of original white "A" pillar covers which I believe were from our old 1970 Cutlass "S" with a Pearl/White interior. I thought our 1971 442 with a pearl/white interior also had white "A" pillar covers, but from photos I could find on-line, it seems 1970 models did have the white "A" pillar covers, while the 1971 & 1972 models changed to the black "A" pillar covers.

Another good trivia question for Oldsmobile buffs, if it can be confirmed.

Thank you, Anthony

 

I would like someone else to confirm as well but with a pearl/white interior the only items that are white are seat covers, seat backs, seat sides, headrests and door panels. The floor carpeting, door panel carpeting, dash, column, steering wheel, visors and A-pillars are all black. White/Pearl is unique in that way that almost everything but the seats and door panels is black.

 

With an Ivory interior:

The interior pillars on convertibles are black.

The interior pillars on hardtops and coupes are Ivory.

See section 0, page 43 of the assembly manual.

My 70 442 with Ivory interior has Ivory pillars.

 

My '70 hardtop has pearl painted metal pillar covers and pearl painted pebble grained metal rear seat fillers.

 

My 71 442 hardtop with pearl interior has black painted pillars. They must have changed in 71. I did not realize 70s were white. My headliner is white along with the visors.

 

Thank you for the responses.

Wonder if anyone knows why Oldsmobile changed from white "A" pillar covers in 1970 to black covers for 1971 & 1972 - for white/pearl interiors?

Another minor difference between 1970, 1971, and 1972, in addition to the high beam indicator color, door locking operation, interior hood lock operation, etc....

Anthony

 

glad others chimed in as mine is a convertible. I wouldn't doubt that the white was changed to black just to minimize some parts, but who knows.

 

You are probably right about minimizing parts and production costs - I was thinking possibly vision/glare issues with white pillars.

 

at one point someone replaced my visors with white ones and on a convertible I thought they looked awful, I'm sure in a hardtop with a white headliner they blend in and look fine but they stick out like a sore thumb on a convertible - I replaced them with black.

 

The '71 442 assembly manual list one white interior: It is code 3988 Ivory.

Is this a pearl/parchment white or a straight shade of white?

 

It is pearl white. That is what is in my 71 442.

 

Forgive me, I don't mean to be pessimistic, but is pearl white the same as what was called parchment on the older models or is it a regular shade of straight white?

 

No, they are not the same. Parchment , I believe was a slightly off white, and is a solid color. The 71 Pearl white is like the diamond white on new cars, it has a distinctive pearlescent sheen, for lack of a better description. Bottom line, there was parchment in the earlier years, pure white and pearl white. You maybe able to confirm this by going to Legendary's website, the company that does the reproduction interiors. Hope this helps.

 

Hey Rocketbrian,

I appreciate your help, thank you.

I have observed the difference between the colors. The '71 assembly manual list only one white available on the 442, which is the code 3988 "Ivory".

I have one, and it looks like a straight shade of white, it is not pearly looking and is sure does not look like the parchment color that Legendary has on its web site that they call "202G Pearl White".

So my question is, what was the one color white that came on the '71 442?

Was it a straight shade of not pearly looking white, or was it a pearly gold looking white that can be called "Pearl" or "Parchment"?

 

My 70 supreme hardtop had pearl white A pillars, sun visors, headliner, seats and door panels. It had black dash, center console, seat belts and carpet. My 70 supreme convertible has pearl white seats and door panels and black A pillars, sun visors, dash, console seat belts and carpet.

 

My 72 Cutlass has white interior but black A pillars.

 

My 72 Base model has black pillars and the Orange 72 442 W30 that Inline Tube had at Lansing had an all white interior including headliner but the dash was black and the A pillars were black also .

 

My 70W30 (34487) with Ivory interior (937) has Ivory pillars.

Sam