Mystery 74 paint code
Can anyone tell me what color "68L" would translate into on a 1974 corvette ? I looked at a friend's recently purchased 74 coupe and the trim/paint tag has this code next to the word PAINT. When I look in the black book all the paint code #'s for 74 are three digits starting with the number 9. The car has been painted a silver color but there are lots of places that show evidence of a red color underneath. Could this be some kind of special order paint code ? Beside the word TRIM the code is 416 which indicates saddle leather. Also above the word PAINT on the tag is stamped " E 21" , can someone tell me what this means. Any help is much appreciated, thank you, Jim
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Re: Mystery 74 paint code
68 is dark brown which is probably why it was repainted some time in it's life. The books are incorrect by showing the 9xx paint codes for '74. Starting that year, the codes were two digit with the suffix L. Two tone cars in other GM lines had U and L to designate Upper and Lower sections of the body.
E21 is the date the trim tag was manufactured and attached to the body. E21= December 21. The cars were generally completed a day or two later in most cases. Maybe the colour and completion date indicates a special order for Randolph* the Brown Nose Reindeer?
*Not to be confused with Rudolph, his identical twin brother with better brakes. -
Re: Mystery 74 paint code
Michael; Thanks for enlightening me on the 74 paint codes. We will now know what to look for under the silver/under the red . Does this mean if you forget about the first digit (9) of the paint codes in the black book they are correct for the colour listed. The Dark Brown is listed as "968". Thanks also for the "E 21" meaning. The Dec. 21 assembly date makes sense with the block casting date of "K 19 3" . Would you be able to tell me what intake and carb this engine came with ? I know this is the L82 engine with the 4spd tranny (CLR suffix), block casting is 3970010. It now has an edlebrock intake and a holly carb. Thanks again for the info, JimComment
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Re: Mystery 74 paint code
...Jim a 1974 L-82 4spd car will have a cast iron intake #340261 and Q-Jet carb #7044211.
...I've probably viewed over 500 1974 Trim Tags and have neven seen a "9xx" paint code. These include first day production to last day production 1974 Corvettes and in between.
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Re: Mystery 74 paint code
Thanks for the info Paul and the great pic of your car. She is a beauty ! Can you tell me if the 74 L82's had the letter L and #'s 82 on the hood ? I have alot to learn about these C3's. Thanks, JimComment
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Re: Mystery 74 paint code
Hi Jim, I'm sure these guys will correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't think the 74's had the L82 emblem on the hood.Tom Hendricks
Proud Member NCRS #23758
NCM Founding Member # 1143
Corvette Department Manager and
Specialist for 27 years at BUDS Chevrolet.Comment
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Re: Mystery 74 paint code
...the L-82 hood emblem did not come out until 1975, even then not all '75 L-82 cars received one. It was very common for '73/'74 L-82 owners to add the emblem to their hood. Seems I see more '73/'74 L-82 cars with the emblem than without.
...Thanks for the comment on my '74. She has 48K miles on her now. Bought her in 1989 with 26K original miles on it.Comment
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Re: Mystery 74 paint code
Paul, I love your picture too !! I love those cars !
Tom Hendricks
Proud Member NCRS #23758
NCM Founding Member # 1143
Corvette Department Manager and
Specialist for 27 years at BUDS Chevrolet.Comment
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Re: Mystery 74 paint code
Mike, Paul and Tom; Thanks for all your comments and help with my questions on this 74. I know now that my friend has a pretty good original car to work on restoring. Hopefully one day it will come close to Paul's beautiful 74 . Just to be sure on these #'s , the code 416 is beside the word TRIM on the Trim/Paint tag . Going buy my old black book (which I don't trust anymore) it says this should be the saddle tan/leather combo. Is this correct ? The interior on the car now is black, carpets,dash, seats,door panels etc. Most of it is covered with some kind of black suede stuff. We have not tried peeling any of it off yet to see if there is tan leather underneath. If we do need to order the new interior, is Al Knoch still the way to go ? Also Paul, is there any chance you could send my a few pic's of your dash?, someone has done some mod's to this dash that are just plain ugly and it would be nice to see what an original looks like. Thanks again guys and have a safe News Years. Best regards, JimComment
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Re: Mystery 74 paint code
416 is indeed the medium saddle deluxe interior. That means there should be wood grain inserts on the door panel and the centre console. Carpet should be cut pile with matching trim pieces on the lower door panels.
Here's more or less what this colour and config looks like- ignore the incorrect mirrors and missing stickers on the door.
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Re: Mystery 74 paint code
The 74 paint code issue has been a topic of conversation for many years. The Chevrolet documentation is of the form 9xx (where xx is a two digit code denoting the color).
I have also examined many 74 trim tags (earliest VIN was in the 200 range) , and all have the paint code form of xxL.
1974 was the year that Chevrolet went to two tone cars, and associated paint codes. A number of Chevrolet cars for that year will have two paint codes, of the form xxL and yyU. I maintain that this represents the Lower and Upper paint codes on two tone cars.
Those 1974 cars that have a single color (like all 1974 Corvettes) have a single paint code of the for xxL, which I maintain simply represents Lower as a single color.
Somewhere out there is a Chevrolet document that explains the 1974 paint code issue. It has yet to surface.Comment
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Re: Mystery 74 paint code
...my '74's interior is also 416 Medium Saddle Leather.
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Re: Mystery 74 paint code
Ed, I also have the original broadcast sheet for my car and on the right side, about midway down it says under where the front springs are denoted...
80L LOWER ORANGE
80U UPPER ORANGE
XXX CUSTOMER ORDER
...if you remember, you judged my car at the 1996 Corvettes @ Carlisle NCRS Regional event that year. The driver's side head, where you can look down and see the cast date with the valve cover cap off, says like "V223" and I remember you saying "What the hell month is "V" supposed to be?"
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Re: Mystery 74 paint code
Paul;Ed, I also have the original broadcast sheet for my car and on the right side, about midway down it says under where the front springs are denoted...
80L LOWER ORANGE
80U UPPER ORANGE
XXX CUSTOMER ORDER
...if you remember, you judged my car at the 1996 Corvettes @ Carlisle NCRS Regional event that year. The driver's side head, where you can look down and see the cast date with the valve cover cap off, says like "V223" and I remember you saying "What the hell month is "V" supposed to be?"
I remember that car well. I am still puzzled by that date code. My best guess is an upside down A, but I don't recall how that would work with your car date wise.
The other judge that I was teamed up with that day was Maureen Milner (now Maureen Waller). That is the only time she ever judged at an NCRS event. We had a great time, looking at some great cars.
That broadcast sheet if VERY interesting, and would seem to confirm my theory. Any chance you can post a picture or scan of the broadcast sheet.
Thanks again Paul.Comment
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