The first year for two-tone paint?

[StoningtonQB]

So... I know that my '70 is a repaint. But what was OFFICIALLY the first year for the two-tone paint scheme? White roof, with the CENTER white paint. The resto catalogs seem to suggest 1970. Other sources say 1971. I see a lot of '70s with this paint. Are any of them original? What is the real truth?

[jmj4]

70 had white below lower molding. 71 started the white between belt and lower molding.

[StoningtonQB]

Is it possible 1970 had both combinations?

[jmj4]

anything is possible as we've discovered several inconsistencies between plants occurring during the same model year.

[70cst]

Factory two-tone paint .... 1970

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by StoningtonQB

So... I know that my '70 is a repaint. But what was OFFICIALLY the first year for the two-tone paint scheme? White roof, with the CENTER white paint. The resto catalogs seem to suggest 1970. Other sources say 1971. I see a lot of '70s with this paint. Are any of them original? What is the real truth?

You might try clicking through the various generic info packets located in the GM Heritage Center archive:

http://www.gmheritagecenter.com/gm-h...tion-kits.html

They will show any and all option content for the various model years. That would eliminate any guesswork (for those that seek the truth).

K

[StoningtonQB]

These can't ALL be fakes...

[StoningtonQB]

Here's a '71 with the so-called "67-70" two-tone:

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by StoningtonQB

These can't ALL be fakes...

Yes they can! The 400 series style paint is very often added to trucks to dress them up. I've even seen Cheyenne Supers deemed to be fakes because they didn't have the optional Deluxe Two-Tone paint.

So to break things down again (I get to do this a lot),

The two principle secodary colors were code 526 Ivory/Off-White (67-68), 521 White (69 only) and a slightly different white 521 White (70-72). In almost any case a quick check of the SPID will tell you the original colors and the paint configuration.


67-72 Conventional Two-Tone, White roof in the industry classic two-tone scheme. The three basic variations were 67 only in Ivory/Off-White from the drip rails up and back, 68 full upper cab in Ivory/Off-White and 69-72 full upper cab in White.


69-70 Special Two-Tone, White roof and rockers (below the lower bodyside molding). Think WHITE/GREEN/WHITE. It was also used on the 50th (code 551) trucks in 68 with the 526 Ivory/Off-White. This may have been offered on early 71 trucks, if you have one please get me the SPID codes. Finally, it was heavily used on Suburbans 69-72.


70-72 Custom Two-Tone, Select contrasting color other than white on the roof only. Think DARK BLUE/MED BLUE or BLACK/HUGGER ORANGE. Looks just like the basic Conventional Two-Tone but without White (see post #5).


71-72 Deluxe Two-Tone, (400 series, 4XX paint code) White roof and between the body side moldings. Think WHITE/BLUE/WHITE/BLUE.


To help illustrate these different paint schemes I have added a color chart from a series I'm working on. This particular chart is applicable to 71-72s with the 510 Medium Blue primary body color

[leftybass209]

Well, there's the period to end the sentence! It's nice to have some valid information to help clarify these things. Learn something new every day, but today has challenged my memory retention!

[StoningtonQB]

This should be stickied! I figured those 3 junkers had original paint, especially the one with all the patina.

So is it possible this could have been a special order in 1970 and would not have been offered normally from the factory, thus the lack of the 400 paint code?

[bruceman1968]

What's the paint code on your SPID? Whatever it is, that's how your truck was originally painted.

[tommys72]

[QUOTE=StoningtonQB;6697206]This should be stickied! I figured those 3 junkers had original paint, especially the one with all the patina.

The green and white one has "patina" on the hood cause the engine caught fire

[SS Tim]

Originally Posted by StoningtonQB

...So is it possible this could have been a special order in 1970 and would not have been offered normally from the factory, thus the lack of the 400 paint code?

To reiterate what Bruceman said the SPID paint code is your key.
My guess is your truck has a 5XX code.

If it was by some stretch a factory "special paint" it would have a notation as such on the SPID.

Most likely it was added as the current configuration of your tailgate would indicate.


Back to a general timeline.

Here is a February 70 dated sales bulletin covering the then available Two-Tone schemes and the codes for the newly released Custom Two-Tones.

As far as an early release,
If you look the 71 brochure dated August of 70 it shows a Deluxe Two-Tone truck and is the earliest I can recall coming across. The 71 GM sales data download I have is dated March 15,1971 and it shows a change to the Deluxe Two-Tone indicating it was offered before that point. The change was likely to add or price update the Cheyenne Super application due to Super's late 71 release.

[House13]

I will have to dig out a pic of the SPID, but I was the second owner of a
white top/white center Dark Gold 1970 Custom...

[bruceman1968]

Originally Posted by House13

I will have to dig out a pic of the SPID, but I was the second owner of a
white top/white center Dark Gold 1970 Custom...

Please post a picture of your SPID when you can, Thanks

[brown7373]

What designates 2 tone? Side and bed? 1957 Cameo, and 1956 similar.

[House13]

Looks like my truck had a 541 code that isn't listed above.
It also doesn't have a Special Paint code, but has the D89 Paint Stripe
that my 71 had, but it was the double pinstripe on that truck. Hmm...
I do know that the original owner was the Sales Manager at the dealership
and he ordered it exactly how he wanted it, but that doesn't quite pan out.
Maybe an order change after the SPID was printed?

[bruceman1968]

House13, thanks for posting your SPID. RPO Code 541 is the conventional two tone code for 527 DK. Gold Poly and 521 White. When your truck left the factory it had a white roof and A pillars and a DK. Gold body. There was no white in the center or below the rockers. Sounds like the dealer had the truck painted, center white, in the body shop, at the dealership . Or the first owner had the center painted 521 white. But from the factory it was a conventional two truck.
BTW that's a very nice looking truck you have there. And the yellow 67 your looking at is a real sweetheart. Definitely grab that 67 if you can.

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by House13

I do know that the original owner was the Sales Manager at the dealership
and he ordered it exactly how he wanted it, but that doesn't quite pan out.
Maybe an order change after the SPID was printed?

Nope. The SPID is printed as the truck is going down the final part of the assembly line (well after the truck has been painted).

K

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by brown7373

What designates 2 tone? Side and bed? 1957 Cameo, and 1956 similar.

Out of bounds.

I assume the topic here is specific to '67-'72 model years.

K

[House13]

Originally Posted by bruceman1968

BTW that's a very nice looking truck you have there. And the yellow 67 your looking at is a real sweetheart. Definitely grab that 67 if you can.

Thanks, unfortunately I sold it a couple of years ago for dirt cheap.
The '67 is still sitting there, and I am still trying to buy it...
It also is owned by the original owner, but his kid is "going to fix it up some day".

[ole dollor]

house 13 : your truck was a brother to the 1969 cst I had , it was the same paint top to bottom as yours, I do not know if mine came that way but I bought it in 1971 and it was painted that way. I have no idea if it was painted on the side before I got it or it came from the factory , but I like the two tones a lot... sold it in 1988 so no spid available...

[SS Tim]

House13's truck is a perfect example of a post-production modified truck.
The side panel was painted white and the upper/belt molding was added.

As I said before many trucks were paint/repainted in the Deluxe Two-Tone style to mimic a factory offering and still are.

[House13]

Oddly enough, it must have been done at the dealer prior to delivery,
because I was told it looked that way the day he brought it home...