I tried searching the forum and have been searching the internet already without much luck. So hopefully someone here has an idea that I haven’t thought of yet.
I’m trying to find what colors where available for different years / makes & models of cars from the factories.
In other words, I know that in 1970 a Buick GSX 455 could only be had in Apollo White or Saturn Yellow with black or saddle interior.
But if I go to - Auto Color Library (which is a very nice site by the way), they only list “their” replacement colors and they don’t always list the correct factory colors - 1970 Buick Ditzler PPG Colors
Any ideas on how to find color options without having the color codes or manufactures spec sheets?
Try a local automotive paint store or a auto parts store that has a paint department. They usually have books with color charts and/or chips of the paints used in the different model years. Secondly, try a search for a forum regarding the cars make/model you are interested in. They may have the information posted or will respond to your question.
I would say try and find a brochure or factory/ dealer literature. Depending on the subject you could find the more common ones on ebay. I agree, message forums are a good start too.
I’ve been in the automotive field for many years and have tried many common avenues, such as checking with the paint departments (need paint code to match to the color chart LOL) and searching for factory / dealer info.
It’s getting harder to get information regarding specific colors that were available for certain models, finding what colors were available for the make & year is easy.
I was hoping maybe there was a quicker way of researching this subject. Quess I’ll continue on my slow mission of internet searching and forum postings.
Let’s see… 78 cars at one week of research per car, means in a year and a half I’ll be able to spray my last one. [:O]
Have you tried a little “mom & pop” style body shop??? When I was a body man, my old boss kept paint color chip books forever. We had a little room dedicated to keeping all of these old books. The books would list all of the colors used for a particular year, and usually what models that color was used on. For example, one color might have been used on Buicks and Olds, where another might be Corvette or Camaro only…
I’m originally from CT and had a lot of contacts, mostly from those mom & pop shops along with car restoration enthusiast. But since I moved up here to NH a few years ago, I’m searching from the beginning again.
I am finding some places that kept such information for just certain makes / models and year spans, examples: Chevy Bel Air and Impala’s from 1950 to 1960 or Chevy Camaro RS & SS only from 1970 to 1980… their favorites I quess.
I did talk to someone that I met last summer at the local track. He remembers looking through a book at Borders, or some book store, that dealt with American Muscle History. He said it listed cars from the early 1950’s to the 1970’s or 80’s. He said it listed options, model specific color schemes, cost, performance, almost everything someone would need to know about the cars, including detailed pictures. Now if he can only remember what book it was…
