The Official 356Talk Forum

We're getting ready to order new carpet for our '65 Togo Brown /Fawn SC coupe. It has Tan carpet in it now, but I'm not convinced that Oatmeal might look better. Does anyone know what color carpet was typically installed with Fawn interior?
Thanks for any help.

Ned: I can't answer the question of what color carpet came with fawn interior (but I suspect tan). I think the oatmeal might work as the brown in it might tie into the exterior color. I'd get a decent size sample and compare it to tan against the fawn. I know some upholsterers will slightly darken the oatmeal with coffee.

As with the discussions about what color you should paint your car, a consistent opinion is, what color do you want to see when you look at your car? Case in point, the original interior color of my slate gray coupe was red but, due to an accidental spill of white paint on the rear seats, a previous owner changed it to black with charcoal carpet. I like the look so during restoration, kept those colors.

Hi Ned
Here is a 65SC with original interior, fawn leather with light carpet according to the KARDEX.
It does not say light carpet but the existing is original.
If you need more pix let me know.
John

Thanks John. Based on your pics we've decided to go with Oatmeal.

Mike Wilson wrote:Ned: I can't answer the question of what color carpet came with fawn interior (but I suspect tan). I think the oatmeal might work as the brown in it might tie into the exterior color. I'd get a decent size sample and compare it to tan against the fawn. I know some upholsterers will slightly darken the oatmeal with coffee.

As with the discussions about what color you should paint your car, a consistent opinion is, what color do you want to see when you look at your car? Case in point, the original interior color of my slate gray coupe was red but, due to an accudental spill of white paint on the rear seats, a previous owner changed it to black with charcoal carpet. I like the look so during restoration, kept those colors.

Thanks Mike. I kind of lean toward painting cars their original color. Actually, I like a nice Togo Brown, and the car should be stunning when we're done. With its rarity, it will be the only Togo Brown car at a show for sure.

I hear ya, Ned. It seems like the uncommon colors definitely have eye appeal.

Tan

In the projects section there is a link to 356 photos posted elsewhere. In that thread John Lewenauer has a link to his Togo Brown C Coupe you might want to look at.

My 62' T6 with the same Tan seats and other vinyl pieces also came with Oatmeal square weave .

Ned,
Oatmeal is the correct choice I believe based on pictures I collected of a very original SC in the same interior and exterior color scheme. See attached pictures.
Dick Milstead

According to AI and Autobahn that is the correct carpet, but their name for the color is beige. Oatmeal was only used for late 356A carpet and has large clumps of both very pale and darker tan. Sorry but but my 356A sunroof does not have oatmeal carpet, nice no picture.
bill

The Fawn/Tan issue, does confuse me somewhat. It maybe the images we see and the amount of light used, but they can look similar. My 62-built Champagne Yellow T6 was originally sold in Australia with a Tan interior and came to me with an original Oatmeal carpet that was oily, dusty and on the side panels breaking up when I bought the car from the original owner. Even after careful cleaning, I found that I had to replace the carpet and Tony Garcia offered me the same Oatmeal square weave, but admittedly it was a slightly lighter overall colour (more white in it IMO). Tan carpet was the alternative for me at the time (below). The interior vinyl is still Tan and original except the front seats had to be recovered in the (available) Tan Porsche vinyl. The Tan vinyl on the door cards and rear, etc., is reasonably dark and the effect of Australian sun over 55 years may have something to do with that.

In my case Tan vinyl and Tan carpet might have been a bit too much, so it stayed Oatmeal.

Original passenger seat:

Thanks to everyone for the pics and advice. We are going with Oatmeal.