1981 color

[Rodney Rice]

My 1981 was repainted before I got it and the trim plate changed. The color now is the Maroon Metallic color. The trim plate is as follows

B0C106652
181 80l 80 U E

Can anyone tell me how to track down what the original color was?

[Joe L.]

Re: 1981 color

Rodney-----

I don't know what the trim plate on the car now is or why anyone would have affixed it. It is configured totally unlike any 1981 Corvette trim plate that I am familiar with. In any event, if it's been changed, it certainly won't provide any information as to what the original color was.

A few ways to get some information regarding original color are:

1) Check to see if the car still has a tank sticker on it (upper driver's side surface of the fule tank). If present, you will have to lower the tank to remove or inspect it. However, this will tell you a LOT of original information about the car besides original color. A duplicate of this sticker can sometimes be found up under the dash;

2) Look under the carpets for signs of paint. The car was origianlly painted before the carpets were installed. Some of the paint usually got on the floorboards, especially around the door openings. It's unlikely that the carpets were removed prior to a re-paint but, even if they were, you should still be able to find signs of the original color on the floorboards.

[Harmon C.]

Re: 1981 color

If your 1981 Corvette was built in Bowling Green the National Corvette Museum has the records and will make you a copy for a fee if you can't find the tank sticker. All they need is the VIN .

[Joe L.]

Re: 1981 color

Rodney and Lyle-----

Yes, that's great advice; I had not thought of that. In case Rodney doesn't know, he can tell where the car was built by looking at the VIN number on the driver's side windshield pillar, under the windshield glass. If the 11th digit is an "S" the car was built in St. Louis and no records are available. If the 11th digit is a "5", then he's in luck and can get a copy of the original window sticker from the NCM. St. Louis-built car owners (1954 through mid 1981) just wish that it was so easy for them!