paint codes - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

bucket · 11-09-2005, 11:25 AM

is there a source for interpreting factory paint codes? my glove box says my paint number is 4541AD. Looking at paint books i expected it to read 506 for medium blue.

Rod · 11-09-2005, 12:06 PM

Listing the year of your truck would make it easier to find for someone with a dealer data book and let you know.

bucket · 11-09-2005, 12:06 PM

sorry....1967 c20

ChevLoRay · 11-09-2005, 12:50 PM

In my '69 Truck Data Book, the following information is found, in reference to paint colors. I'll just list that for the light blue for that year ('69).

Chevrolet RPO number is 507
Du Pont number is 4537-L
Rinshed-Mason number is A-1688
Ditzler number is12486

Do you suppose that the number you cited, is specifically the manufacturer's number, as opposed to the RPO number you expected to find? Did you get the number from the data plate in the glove box? I would think that the RPO number would show on the data plate, but strange things apparently happen in the manufacturing process. It may be that the person who was in charge of creating the data plates used the paint manufacturers' number, instead of the RPO number...but, that is speculation on my part.

Rod · 11-09-2005, 12:45 PM

The 541 in the middle is the paint code..which is a two tone code which would mean your truck has medium blue ( metallic) and white.
The 506 code is same color just a single color paint job.....yours is 2 tone that's why the different number.

Rod · 11-09-2005, 12:47 PM

The info I supplied is from the 67 dealer data book. I have all the years 67-72 in dealer data books.

Rod · 11-09-2005, 12:49 PM

RPO's are sometimes done in 5 character codes..its no biggy once you learn to see what numbers letters actually matter. Only 3 matter mostly in these years.

Rod · 11-09-2005, 12:54 PM

That was strange...I saw your posts coming up 3 times there ChevLoRay..deleted the multiple posts and then got it back to one reply..strange, cause my replies were in time before yours but your replies were listed in time before and after mine..the times were messed up. Oh well looks better now.

bucket · 11-09-2005, 12:56 PM

sweet. thanks fellas! You are right Rod....the truck is two-tone. so if i have the 506 blue, what is the code for the white?

chevloray, the code was found on glovebox sticker in the box labeled "paint"

ChevLoRay · 11-09-2005, 01:51 PM

Rod, I didn't find specific codes listed for two-tone, as in anything but a three digit number in my '69 book. Unless the number I listed is for a specific paint manufacturer, I find nothing but 3-digit RPO codes. Where did you get the five-digit number, and how did you know that only the three center digits matter? I'm only asking to learn how to decode the info in the book.

On page 5, of the Cabs, Bodies & Colors section, dated November 8, 1968, my book lists color options for series 10-60 conventional cab and series 10-20 Chevy Van models. In all cases, as far as I can tell, the secondary color is always white. I am understanding that in the case of Black, a solid color truck would be an RPO 500, while a conventional two-tone (black/white) would be RPO 530. The Special Two-Tone code would be RPO 586....and ONLY if it had RPO BX2 custom side lower mouldings or RPO Z84 Custom Sport Truck. So, two-tones meant that only the top color was white in a convention two-tone, and the top as well as the lower body portion (beneath the lower side moulding) were white, at least in '69 and (I'm guessing) for '70.

Anyway, it's a good post and very informative reading.

Rod · 11-09-2005, 10:06 PM

521 is the white.

As for 5 didgit codes..well its just developed learning I guess. If you study enough option stickers you'll see the prefix and suffix letter do change betwen assembly plants, so its not a standard practice IIRC.
As for the paint codes in 69 the top being white was called conventional two tone.

Rod · 11-09-2005, 10:13 PM

I would like to get further into paint codes but not tonight too buzy.

It gets more confusing and I dont want to confuse people. Just a note that conventional two tone paint as a phraze means different things in different years and its different between blazer / suburbans and truck. Conventional two tone means different things. In 1970 Conventional two tone on a truck means white top, while conventional 2 tone on a blazer or sub means medium tone of main color used for secondary color.

I'll see if I can back to this post tomorrow.

bucket · 11-09-2005, 10:14 PM

thanks again.

Ron · 12-06-2005, 11:16 AM

Here's one for you. My paint code is 04514AA, truck is a 67 C-10. What colour is it called and was it two tone? Thanks

**Captkaos** · 12-06-2005, 01:50 PM

514 was simply called "Red"
http://autocolorlibrary.com/cgi-bin/...truck-pg01.jpg

junkyarddog1956 · 12-06-2005, 06:16 PM

Mine is 514 ...PPG calls it " Signal Red " ... kinda looks like a Stop Light ...lol... Joe

11-09-2005, 11:25 AM	#1
bucket Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 923	paint codes is there a source for interpreting factory paint codes? my glove box says my paint number is 4541AD. Looking at paint books i expected it to read 506 for medium blue.

11-09-2005, 12:06 PM	#2
Rod Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Eastern - Manitoba Canada, Winnipeg Posts: 4,369	Re: paint codes Listing the year of your truck would make it easier to find for someone with a dealer data book and let you know. __________________ Senior active founding member. 70 3/4 ton GMC Suburban 4x4 250/4 spd. 71 1/2 ton Suburban Chevy 4x4, 350/350 72 Chev 1 ton tow truck 402BB w/Holmes 440 wrecker on propane 2005 FLSTSCI Harley Springer 85 FXSB Harley Lowrider 72 Triumph 650 Bonneville 5spd "Poor people don't have hobbies" Quote from wife.

11-09-2005, 12:06 PM	#3
bucket Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 923	Re: paint codes sorry....1967 c20

11-09-2005, 12:50 PM	#4
ChevLoRay Old Skool Club Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Benton, AR "The Heart of Arkansas" Posts: 10,880	Re: paint codes In my '69 Truck Data Book, the following information is found, in reference to paint colors. I'll just list that for the light blue for that year ('69). Chevrolet RPO number is 507 Du Pont number is 4537-L Rinshed-Mason number is A-1688 Ditzler number is12486 Do you suppose that the number you cited, is specifically the manufacturer's number, as opposed to the RPO number you expected to find? Did you get the number from the data plate in the glove box? I would think that the RPO number would show on the data plate, but strange things apparently happen in the manufacturing process. It may be that the person who was in charge of creating the data plates used the paint manufacturers' number, instead of the RPO number...but, that is speculation on my part. __________________ Member Nr. 2770 '96 GMC Sportside; 4.3/SLT - Daily driven....constantly needs washed. '69 C-10 SWB; 350/TH400 - in limbo The older I get, the better I was.

11-09-2005, 12:45 PM	#5
Rod Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Eastern - Manitoba Canada, Winnipeg Posts: 4,369	Re: paint codes The 541 in the middle is the paint code..which is a two tone code which would mean your truck has medium blue ( metallic) and white. The 506 code is same color just a single color paint job.....yours is 2 tone that's why the different number. __________________ Senior active founding member. 70 3/4 ton GMC Suburban 4x4 250/4 spd. 71 1/2 ton Suburban Chevy 4x4, 350/350 72 Chev 1 ton tow truck 402BB w/Holmes 440 wrecker on propane 2005 FLSTSCI Harley Springer 85 FXSB Harley Lowrider 72 Triumph 650 Bonneville 5spd "Poor people don't have hobbies" Quote from wife.

11-09-2005, 12:47 PM	#6
Rod Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Eastern - Manitoba Canada, Winnipeg Posts: 4,369	Re: paint codes The info I supplied is from the 67 dealer data book. I have all the years 67-72 in dealer data books. __________________ Senior active founding member. 70 3/4 ton GMC Suburban 4x4 250/4 spd. 71 1/2 ton Suburban Chevy 4x4, 350/350 72 Chev 1 ton tow truck 402BB w/Holmes 440 wrecker on propane 2005 FLSTSCI Harley Springer 85 FXSB Harley Lowrider 72 Triumph 650 Bonneville 5spd "Poor people don't have hobbies" Quote from wife.

11-09-2005, 12:49 PM	#7
Rod Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Eastern - Manitoba Canada, Winnipeg Posts: 4,369	Re: paint codes RPO's are sometimes done in 5 character codes..its no biggy once you learn to see what numbers letters actually matter. Only 3 matter mostly in these years. __________________ Senior active founding member. 70 3/4 ton GMC Suburban 4x4 250/4 spd. 71 1/2 ton Suburban Chevy 4x4, 350/350 72 Chev 1 ton tow truck 402BB w/Holmes 440 wrecker on propane 2005 FLSTSCI Harley Springer 85 FXSB Harley Lowrider 72 Triumph 650 Bonneville 5spd "Poor people don't have hobbies" Quote from wife.

11-09-2005, 12:54 PM	#8
Rod Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Eastern - Manitoba Canada, Winnipeg Posts: 4,369	Re: paint codes That was strange...I saw your posts coming up 3 times there ChevLoRay..deleted the multiple posts and then got it back to one reply..strange, cause my replies were in time before yours but your replies were listed in time before and after mine..the times were messed up. Oh well looks better now.

11-09-2005, 12:56 PM	#9
bucket Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 923	Re: paint codes sweet. thanks fellas! You are right Rod....the truck is two-tone. so if i have the 506 blue, what is the code for the white? chevloray, the code was found on glovebox sticker in the box labeled "paint"

11-09-2005, 01:51 PM	#10
ChevLoRay Old Skool Club Join Date: Jun 2001 Location: Benton, AR "The Heart of Arkansas" Posts: 10,880	Re: paint codes Rod, I didn't find specific codes listed for two-tone, as in anything but a three digit number in my '69 book. Unless the number I listed is for a specific paint manufacturer, I find nothing but 3-digit RPO codes. Where did you get the five-digit number, and how did you know that only the three center digits matter? I'm only asking to learn how to decode the info in the book. On page 5, of the Cabs, Bodies & Colors section, dated November 8, 1968, my book lists color options for series 10-60 conventional cab and series 10-20 Chevy Van models. In all cases, as far as I can tell, the secondary color is always white. I am understanding that in the case of Black, a solid color truck would be an RPO 500, while a conventional two-tone (black/white) would be RPO 530. The Special Two-Tone code would be RPO 586....and ONLY if it had RPO BX2 custom side lower mouldings or RPO Z84 Custom Sport Truck. So, two-tones meant that only the top color was white in a convention two-tone, and the top as well as the lower body portion (beneath the lower side moulding) were white, at least in '69 and (I'm guessing) for '70. Anyway, it's a good post and very informative reading. __________________ Member Nr. 2770 '96 GMC Sportside; 4.3/SLT - Daily driven....constantly needs washed. '69 C-10 SWB; 350/TH400 - in limbo The older I get, the better I was.

11-09-2005, 10:06 PM	#11
Rod Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Eastern - Manitoba Canada, Winnipeg Posts: 4,369	Re: paint codes 521 is the white. As for 5 didgit codes..well its just developed learning I guess. If you study enough option stickers you'll see the prefix and suffix letter do change betwen assembly plants, so its not a standard practice IIRC. As for the paint codes in 69 the top being white was called conventional two tone.

11-09-2005, 10:13 PM	#12
Rod Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Eastern - Manitoba Canada, Winnipeg Posts: 4,369	Re: paint codes I would like to get further into paint codes but not tonight too buzy. It gets more confusing and I dont want to confuse people. Just a note that conventional two tone paint as a phraze means different things in different years and its different between blazer / suburbans and truck. Conventional two tone means different things. In 1970 Conventional two tone on a truck means white top, while conventional 2 tone on a blazer or sub means medium tone of main color used for secondary color. I'll see if I can back to this post tomorrow. __________________ Senior active founding member. 70 3/4 ton GMC Suburban 4x4 250/4 spd. 71 1/2 ton Suburban Chevy 4x4, 350/350 72 Chev 1 ton tow truck 402BB w/Holmes 440 wrecker on propane 2005 FLSTSCI Harley Springer 85 FXSB Harley Lowrider 72 Triumph 650 Bonneville 5spd "Poor people don't have hobbies" Quote from wife.

11-09-2005, 10:14 PM	#13
bucket Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Shawnee, KS Posts: 923	Re: paint codes thanks again.

12-06-2005, 11:16 AM	#14
Ron Registered User Join Date: Feb 2000 Location: Zillah Wa. USA Posts: 394	Re: paint codes Here's one for you. My paint code is 04514AA, truck is a 67 C-10. What colour is it called and was it two tone? Thanks __________________ '69 SWB '76 International "Terra" "Hooked on holiday beer"

12-06-2005, 01:50 PM	#15
Captkaos www.73-87chevytrucks.com Join Date: Dec 1999 Location: Birmingham, AL Posts: 6,935	Re: paint codes 514 was simply called "Red" http://autocolorlibrary.com/cgi-bin/...truck-pg01.jpg __________________ Chris Lucas 1973 Chevy C-10 1978 GMC Jimmy (2WD) - SOLD 1987 R10 twin turbo LS 1991 R3500 SRW CrewCab 1985 K5 diesel swapped project 1989 K5 2WD conversion w/ Vette susp Project Captkaos Customs 73-87chevytrucks.com Last edited by Captkaos; 12-06-2005 at 01:50 PM.



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12-06-2005, 06:16 PM	#16
junkyarddog1956 Registered User Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Thorntown , Indiana Posts: 231	Re: paint codes Mine is 514 ...PPG calls it " Signal Red " ... kinda looks like a Stop Light ...lol... Joe __________________ 69 Chev C-10 ... painted and ready to reassemble ( for sale ) 82 Custom Deluxe ( have parts to restore )

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