I've done auto interior work for many years and have done countless full interiors. The latest is my own chevelle, but never have I detected what I'd call that "new car smell" like I still have in my 2002 Silverado truck and have experienced in many other cars. It seems that smell can last for years, but with my experience with all sorts of interior components, I can't think of any materials that actually smell like that! I think that there must be some "new car smell" scent (and I'm not talking about the kind you buy at Autozone to hang from your mirror) that the manufacturers apply. It's probably a closely guarded secret, but is there anyone here that may have worked in the auto industry that knows anything about this? (can you get me some?)
Thanks,
Rich

As a matter of fact, the last thing they do before a car leaves the plant is to have a guy run over to Autozone... :)

Rich, you been sniffing too much, LOL

Don't know of any additives they give but in a conference I attended for BMW, that question came up. The smells are from the outgassing of the PVC's, other plastics, and glues in the car.

I have alot of outgassing too:D Thats how I ruiend the (New Car Smell) in my truck I guess, LOL

Ya Know I've Worked For G.m. For 32 Yrs. Never Saw Them Spray Anything In A Car Or Truck. I Think Its Just The Leather, New Carpet, Everything All Together. I Used To Custom Vans As A Side Job In The Late 70's Early 80's. They Came To Me What I Called A Bone Box. Nothing But New Metal And One Seat Inside. But After. A Couple Of Weeks Putting In The Interior. It Smelled Like A New Car. Well Thats What They Used To Tell Me

The smells are from the outgassing of the PVC's, other plastics, and glues in the car.

Is this good for us?!?! Doesnt sound too healthy!

Its been happening for over 100 years only problem with out gassing are probably with wives/girl friends from their men

I like OLD car smell! nothing like that musty old car smell when you hop into some old time capsule. my Velle has it and i hope it stays when i redo the interior.

"The smells are from the outgassing of the PVC's, other plastics, and glues in the car"........Saw an article that calls for auto makers to stop using those glues etc in the next 5 or 10 years as they say the smell is damaging to our health. I hope thats not so as the smell is intoxicating....

"The smells are from the outgassing of the PVC's, other plastics, and glues in the car"........Saw an article that calls for auto makers to stop using those glues etc in the next 5 or 10 years as they say the smell is damaging to our health. I hope thats not so as the smell is intoxicating....sure beats the distinctive mold smell and rodent pellets of my camaro.

Hey, Back from the dead, that reminds me-I actually like the OLD car smell too! And, maybe it's just me, but I've noticed that the interior of an old (preferably unrestored) '66-'67 Chevelle has a different smell than say, a 55 Chevy or a '66 Mustang. It's kind of like the cozy feeling you get when you go up to the attic in an old house and smell the wood that's been there for 70+ years. And you know, they say odors are the best means to bringing back old memories, so if you grew up in an old house, you know what I'm talking about
Rich

I have alot of outgassing too:D Thats how I ruiend the (New Car Smell) in my truck I guess, LOL

are you sure it wasn't a quarter stick of dynamite? :D

It's the same with all new products, That Formaldahyde smell in new mobile homes, the new plastic smell in alot of new cars. They all give off different floracarbons, and NO, they aren't good for you. Kinda like that plasticizer goo that comes out of the '71-up plastic 4 spoke steering wheels. All these components give off some chemicals, that you can smell or feel.

I have noticed my Chevelle smells a lot like other 60's GM cars. Brothers 65 Skylark smells just like my 66SS.

I think there is also the scent of fresh leather in those models and luzury cars that smell like that just for that very reason. The leather is new and fresh. Smells just like walking into a nice shoe store or a store that sells leather apparel, motorcycle jackets, cowboy boots, etc.

Formaldahyde and outgassing from PVC's, plastics and glue could explain my lack of memory from 1967 to 1970. I owned three new car during that period('67 GTO-'68 442- '69 cyclone CJ428). And all this time I thought it was the drugs... :sad:

thumbs up to the chevelle smell ! same smell in every 66 i've rode in, i even saw where a former editor of hot rod talked about the chevelle smell in his 66

I like OLD car smell! nothing like that musty old car smell when you hop into some old time capsule. my Velle has it and i hope it stays when i redo the interior.
I agree. The new car smell is mostly from plastics, our old cars don't have that much of it. That dusty, burned insulation, gassy and burnt oil smell, the raw gas in the exhaust, is what it's all about for me.

That dusty, burned insulation, gassy and burnt oil smell, the raw gas in the exhaust, is what it's all about for me.


Man,I ditto that 100%,smells like mine!

60's GM cars had a smell peculiar to them. When I first got my '66 Elco and opened the door, the smell brought back a lot of memories.
I think in this case it is the vinyl polymer that GM used on the door panels and headliner.

On that thought about outgassing of pvc's.....Do you know how many rolls of that stuff I have in my shop? and how many years I've been in this business??? So many, I can't remember! (Uh, Oh)
Rich