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I am having trouble with my paint code on my newly aquired 1971. The trim code is 420 (saddle leather)however the paint code reads "special 123". According to the 1971 Corvette restoration guide I received from Chevy "Exterior color quantity total is 499 short of total production". I can only assume that my car is among the 499 since it doesn't have a production paint code. My question is how in blazes am I going ot figure out what this code means? Any resources or tips would be appreciated tremendously. Ideally I want to restore the paint to stock if I can ever figure out what it is
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Re: My 1971 has a non-production paint code
I have heard that there were some vehicles in the early 70's that were delivered in primer. I have not seen any production numbers but that would have to be a special order to be delivered in primer.
Do you have any history on the car that would support a special aftermarket paint? Sometimes cars were ordered as promotional cars for advertisers and were subsequently painted in acordance with the ad campaign or something on that line.
In the old GM order days you could order a car just about any way you wanted it including a paint delete. In today's computerized system of PEG groups and order compatability it is impossible to do a special order unless you have a contact at the manufacturer that can override the stops in the system. -
Re: My 1971 has a non-production paint code
they can use a spectrometer if you still have a sample of the paint to find out the compostion. having had several GM cars including corvettes painted non stock colors the dealers had a book with all the colors that were available from GM and if you can find one for 1961 your color should be in there.Comment
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How short sighted of GM...
to not document the COPO and special order cars. Ford was remiss in this, too. I once helped a guy figure out a '69 428CJ mach1. Stripping the car of red paint, he kept finding metallic purple, couldn't believe it. Seems the car was special ordered in 1969 Thunderbird Midnight Orchid. Bet it was the only one made. Didn't the Shriners order a batch of purple 'Vettes once?Comment
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Re: How short sighted of GM...
Yes the 62 Shrine cars were a kinda purple color with red interiors. It was a Caddy color. Most people didn't like the combination. I did. GLComment
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Saw an odd one this year...
undergoing restoration: burgundy exterior with red interior- documented. Only one I've ever seen. Ya either love it or hate it. The 60's were a gas, though, not all "packages" like today, you could pick and choose individual options. And then there were those special order cars, like the truck stop chain owner in TX, who ordered a 66 GT Mustang FB in international (life jacket) orange, to match his company color. Truly one-of-a (yech) kind.Comment
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my 69 Z-28 was painted evening orchid(purple)
a buick riviera color and my 62 corvette was painted chevy anniversary gold. i never checked the corvette trim tag but the camaro had a "X" in the paint blockComment
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a lot of GM colors in the book were fleet colors. *NM*
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Re: my 69 Z-28 was painted evening orchid(purple)
clem: a 62 vette with trim tag? typo or senility setting in. regards, mikeComment
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Re: my 69 Z-28 was painted evening orchid(purple)
back then i never was intrested in things like that i just assumed there was some type of tag that listed the paint color on corvettes. i just bought them,modified them drove and raced them and then sold them to get the next one. my total interest in corvettes was in front of the firewall,behind the rad and between the front fenders.Comment
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Re: Saw an odd one this year...
--------I worked for a pretty high volume used car dealer in the summer of 71,and he had ordered 3 or 4 1971 Corvettes that year in prime because he wanted to paint them black.This was on Cape Cod,and Im not sure what dealer he was working with,but that wasnt the only year he did that.He did complain a bunch about the quality of the bodywork on the primer cars.It definetly wasnt a "pull it in the paint booth and squirt it" deal!If anyone out there has a car that they cant quite figure out and it has a Massachusetts history,this might be part of the answer..........Bill SComment
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Re: That's why you were known as "MOTORMAN" *NM*
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Re: My 1971 has a non-production paint code
Pat On the NCRS judging field you will need original paper work to prove the color was put on at the factory. If you don't have the paper work or you find it was shipped in primer that is how it must be shown. Even if you find the original overspray and figure out the color you need proof of where it was appiled. LyleLyle
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