The 1960 - 1966 Chevrolet & GMC Pickups Factory Correct Restoration Thread

[Blake985]

Not when I got it but who knows??

[kippnidaho]

Ok can any body tell me if this is a stock paint scheme. 1966 Base model fawn interior brown dash and grey glove box ashtray and radio delete.
Going through the truck and wondering how to paint the interior.
Thanks

[66pnl]

Don't know about the gray but dark fawn dash is correct for 66.

[Brad54]

What color was the factory primer on our '60-66 trucks?
I'm getting ready to start a '62 K-10 long-step project, and while it'll be a frame-off rebuild, it's not going to be concours... and in fact, I plan on using the truck. I've got some out-of-the-way hunting and fishing places, and it's going to see a construction site or two as well. It's also going to have the factory tailgate chains, and even with rubber tubing over them, they'll scuff the paint badly and the hook holes will grow rust.
I'm planning on single-state dark blue (factory color), but even so, scratching that up is going to kill me... so I'm going to "patina" the truck (good Lord I hate that...) and half-buff through the paint on the high-contact areas and tops of surfaces.
So, what'd the factory use? Red oxide or black primer?

[60-66]

Sounds like a fun truck Brad. On every OG paint truck I've had or seen, the bed was painted over black primer. Cab and doors red oxide. All front end sheet metal was painted over black primer. This was seen on many of the Lambrecht trucks

[Brad54]

Originally Posted by 60-66

Sounds like a fun truck Brad. On every OG paint truck I've had or seen, the bed was painted over black primer. Cab and doors red oxide. All front end sheet metal was painted over black primer. This was seen on many of the Lambrecht trucks

That's weird that they'd paint them with two different primer colors.
Thanks!
While buffing through the outer paint, I think it'd need to be the same color primer on the cab as the rest of the body, or it just isn't going to look right... even though technically it will be right.

Like I said, I hate "fake patina" trucks, but I've got a '76 Dodge 4x4 that's nice, and the paint is getting killed from driving to the hunting spots, and that's really killing me.

If the Chevy is nice from bumper-to-bumper, practical, reliable, and solid, having it as a nice around-town truck would be fine... but then I'd never want to take it hunting. I've got other stuff I can make pretty.

-Brad

[Tazimafied]

I think I can put a cap on this engine color problem everyone is having. There were several colors used to paint GM engines. Three of them are available at local part stores. The widely known blue and orange and most recently making its way to the shelves is Detroit Diesel/Alpine Green. The gray is not as available but Eastwood seems to be selling the least expensive quart. I have yet to find anyone reproducing the other colors but I am sure Eastwood would be willing to match a chip. In my searching around while writing this post I also found a 'new to me' resource for parts and information called The Filling Station. They have a few oddball parts and paint colors in their inventory that I haven't seen elsewhere.

This is the most extensive list of correct engine colors for GM I have found. The article has also been posted on Jim Carter's website.

I hope this helps everyone out.

[Tazimafied]

For those of you trying to figure out what you have sitting in your yard/driveway LMC has complete VIN listings in their catalogs.

[factorystock]

Originally Posted by Tazimafied

I think I can put a cap on this engine color problem everyone is having.

Unfortunately, the problem has been ongoing for a long time. Nobody reproduces the correct engine colors for '63-'66 pickups yet. You can get close, but they are not dead on. The engine paint color application chart has been on here before, it is not accurate in many cases. Very low mileage original trucks are our best source for correct colors, however you must factor in discoloration effects from heat, the environment, steam cleaning and time. A new update on 292-327 green. It appears some 60's Buicks used the same color. They are having the same problem matching engine paint as well.http://forums.aaca.org/topic/75012-e...en-for-66-401/ I agree with post #8, Ford Green, IMO, is the closest match out there. Alpine green (AKA Detroit Diesel green) is too light.

[Mikeextrafast]

With my truck being 505 green and fawn inside what color would the seat cover be ? And did the trucks come with kick panels around the fresh air vents ?

[oem4me]

Originally Posted by Mikeextrafast

With my truck being 505 green and fawn inside what color would the seat cover be ? And did the trucks come with kick panels around the fresh air vents ?

The standard seat was fawn too. No vinyl or cardboard kick panel treatment, just fawn painted side panel and black vent door/grill.

[bhc41051]

I wonder if the quality control was so strict that GM would specify an exact shade of engine paint. This old TSB simply states "Red" as a new color for the 265 V-8

[factorystock]

Info for GMC enthusiasts. '64-'65 GMC 230 and '66 GMC 250 engines are painted red, just like the 305's V6's, not Chevy orange.

[60-66]

, Factorystock , do we know of any close engine paint colors for these engines ?

[factorystock]

Chrysler Red Dupli-color engine enamel DE1632 is a good match.

[60-66]

Originally Posted by factorystock

Chrysler Red Dupli-color engine enamel DE1632 is a good match.

Thank you Factorystock !

[aotte1]

SM420 transmission and Rockwell T221 color, 1964 K10.


Trying to determine the original color of my 1964 K10 SM420 trans. Was it a reddish color? Looks like their may be a little black on another '65 SM420 I have???

The T221 looks kind of red/maroon.

Where would they have been painted? If supplied to factory from off site would they more likely be painted if not Alu. metal. That was typical for other Chevrolet vehicles for this time period.

Any photos of them being shipped/ stored?

Thanks,
Les

[60-66]

Originally Posted by aotte1

SM420 transmission and Rockwell T221 color, 1964 K10.


Trying to determine the original color of my 1964 K10 SM420 trans. Was it a reddish color? Looks like their may be a little black on another '65 SM420 I have???

The T221 looks kind of red.

Thanks,
Les

The transfer case was like a red oxide primer color. That's what's on my 4x4s. The trans , I only have one good picture from the 1700 mile 1962 GMC and it was definitely black but that was a 3 speed. I'm seeing traces of black paint on my 4x4 4 speeds also.

[LT1 Burb]

So in doing some research and looking at original pictures, it appears the mirror arms are body color and the heads are black, am I correct. Also does anyone have a paint code for the black behind the grill and under the hood.

[oem4me]

Originally Posted by LT1 Burb

So in doing some research and looking at original pictures, it appears the mirror arms are body color and the heads are black, am I correct. Also does anyone have a paint code for the black behind the grill and under the hood.

Correct, at least for 62 or 63 and up. Lots of pics in the following thread show the black heads. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=455059

Jon (60-66) recently suggested the earlier trucks may have had black bases too. Found a pic in the same thread supporting the earlier black base idea.
Also note most (not all) promo pics show the offset mirror heads hung with the bulk of the head BELOW the stud.

[60-66]

Originally Posted by oem4me

Correct, at least for 62 or 63 and up. Lots of pics in the following thread show the black heads. http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=455059

Jon (60-66) recently suggested the earlier trucks may have had black bases too. Found a pic in the same thread supporting the earlier black base idea.
Also note most (not all) promo pics show the offset mirror heads hung with the bulk of the head BELOW the stud.

Thats Correct Bruce. Im finding the black arm only on 1960 Chevy so far. 1961 1962 Cast arms painted body color as are 1963-1966. Bolts-screws nuts are silver cad or zinc plated .

Then GMC comes along , For 1960-1962 was a White cast arm and white mirror and 1963 for sure, EDIT : 1966 was a silver , same thin mirror and white stamped steel arm. Heres NOS RH examples.

[LT1 Burb]

Thx Bruce, I was going off of your truck and it has a black mirror head so I will do mine black.

[Brad54]

Can anyone tell us how the beds were painted?
Specifically, were they assembled as bare metal and then primed and painted body-color, or were the individual panels primed, bolted together and then painted body-color, or were they all painted and then assembled?

How about the tail gate and its mounts in the build/paint order?

-Brad

[jbgroby]

I'll take a guess, but I can't imagine that the bed parts were painted as separate pieces. This has as much to do with speed of the assembly process as greater chances of scratch and dent issues. We all have ample time to assemble and paint, but on the Assembly Line, things were a poppin'.

[60-66]

Originally Posted by Brad54

Can anyone tell us how the beds were painted?
Specifically, were they assembled as bare metal and then primed and painted body-color, or were the individual panels primed, bolted together and then painted body-color, or were they all painted and then assembled?

How about the tail gate and its mounts in the build/paint order?

-Brad

Chevrolet and the GMCs built at Chevy plants. Bed floor was assembled and we think painted or final painted as an assembly. The evidence of this comes from runs dripping to the passengers side on a few survivors with less that 2000 miles. The sheetmetal was dipped in black primer, then completely assembled. The Bed floor was then added to the sheetmetal and rear cross sill welded to the bedsides. The floor was covered in paper BEFORE it was assembled to protect the black finish of the wood. Then the sheetmetal was painted body color in Enamel as a complete unit. The evidence of this is, On Chevys when you take originals apart the black primer is still showing in overlapping seams . Of the 2-3 super low mile trucks the paper was still there that the floor was covered with. Also on Chevys ALL the body/bed bolts to assemble the sheetmetal are painted body color.

GMCs, this, so far, is for the trucks with Black inner fenders in the bed. These trucks were painted in pieces. Each bed side etc was painted body color separate, then assembled. Floor was painted as a unit like above. Then the freshly painted sheet metal was assembled on to the bed floor . The evidence of this is, on these trucks ALL the body assembly bolts are silver cad plated on the front bed panel on both sides, same with tailgate pivot hardware and rear cross sill. These GMCs, the rear lower body colored cross brace was just bolted in and not welded like the Chevys above were.

The exact timing of assembly is still unknown but you get a good picture of what Im saying.