James71Cutlass

Which numbers in my vin are the paint code for my ‘71 Cutlass S car.

Thanks.

Vintage Chief

There are no paint codes in a VIN. You'll need to provide the cowl tag information numbers located below the windshield on the driver's side in the engine compartment - just below the dash.

Vintage Chief

This is a representative (example) cowl tag (I stole from another member's post). Look for this tag and post a picture (best).

no1oldsfan

VIN does not tell you paint color. Paint code is under the hood on the body tag. Pop the hood. Top right corner. Second line down on the right. Two digit number. One for upper body color and one for lower body color.

Vintage Chief

Additionally, if you'd like to attempt this yourself, this site is now back up and running.

http://datatagdecoder.com/

no1oldsfan

This is on an older car. Yours will be on top by the wiper arm. Ish.

James71Cutlass

Tough spot to take a picture. Here’s what I could take.

Vintage Chief

Here is my cowl tag from a 1971 CS.

no1oldsfan

24 24 is your paint color.

James71Cutlass

Thanks everyone for your help.

Vintage Chief

That image won't help anyone decide. Take an image in focus.

James71Cutlass

So according to this my paint is Nordic blue.

http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcod...ar=1971&con=yo

Vintage Chief

Ooops....oldsfan got it. good deal.

James71Cutlass

lol it’s in the garage and I was holding a flashlight with the other hand.

Vintage Chief

No worries. Heck, I couldn't see it. Oldsfan got it though.

no1oldsfan

Funny how we all were posting at the same time. Cheers to helping Oldsmobile people. 🍻

Vintage Chief

Hell yes....he found the cowl tag and the paint code.

no1oldsfan

That cowl tag looks like it has seen a couple coats of paint.

James71Cutlass

Thanks again. Glad I posted. I thought the code was in the vin number so I thought it was a different type of blue. Nordic blue seems a lot close to what the car looks like now even though it was painted about 20 years ago.

James71Cutlass

It does. Not too sure why they just wouldn’t take the time and tape it off.

Vintage Chief

Knuckleheads comes to mind.

James71Cutlass

Is there another number that goes with the 24 paint code? Or should I just go in and ask for Nordic blue. I see there are a bunch of signer paints that year that are 24. I called a parts store that does spray bombs and gave them olds paint code 24 for a 1971 Olds. Picked it up today and it said Cascade blue met. Didn’t think much of it(which was a mistake. Get it home and it’s darker. I needed Nordic blue or the gm name Ascot blue.

hurst68olds

all the GM divisions used paint code 24 in 1971 ..... they are all the same color just different names

BUICK - Cascade blue metallic
CADILLAC - Zodiac blue metallic
CHEVROLET - Ascot blue metallic
OLDSMOBILE - Nordic blue metallic
PONTIAC - Adriatic blue metallic

the label probably shows "cascade blue" because BUICK is first alphabetically

the problem with color match is a decades old problem
* how accurate is the existing 20 year old repaint on the car? faded?
* different manufacturer's will not all be the same shade/color
* the original paint & formula is obsolete

James71Cutlass

Thanks for the information. Didn't realize they were all the same. The paint I bought yesterday is a lot darker. My paint is a bit faded but this spray bomb is pretty different. But as you listed, lots of different factors that could be causing it.

I've looked on google and from the pictures I see Cascade does seem a little darker then Nordic.

rocketraider

Take the car to the paint store and have them do a computer scan of the paint. That will take any fading and weathering into account and match what's on the car.

If car has been repainted, entirely possible the paint wasn't matched correctly at that time esp if it was a victim of the 1980s Imron craze. There was limited color availability with Imron back then and "kinda close" was about as close as you'd get.