How can I find out the original paint color of the 71 Cutlass I just purchased. I called the GM Dealer and give them the vin and was told they could only go back to 1990 please help

 

Paint code should be on the cowl tag when you open the hood. It will be a 2 digit number.

 

More specifically, it will be two numbers, not next to each other but spaced a little bit, and/or letters, and the numbers could be one or two digits. Paint codes, depending on the year, could be letters or numbers.

No VIN from that era contained color information (I don't think VINS do even now), so even if your dealer had records going back before 1990, it would have been of no help.

The best thing you could do is post a clear photo of your car's body cowl tag. These things are often misread in the translation if you just try to copy what's on it and post it. Where the characters appear on the tag can matter, too.


Here's an example of a cowl tag from a 1970 Chevy. Note the two numbers to the left of the letters "PNT" on the right side. The numbers are "48" and "6", with the 48 being the lower body color and the 6 being the upper. With a proper reference, these numbers can be decoded.

 

The cowl tag is located above the brake power booster and looks like this for a 1971:

1971W30VIKINGBLUETRIMTAG.jpg

Here's how to read it:

 

Can try this:

http://paintref.com/paintref/index.shtml

 

Or this

http://www.tcpglobal.com/aclchip.asp...obile-pg01.jpg

 

I assumed the O.P. was asking how to find the paint code on the car, not what it meant, but we don't know.

 

Yes sir, between the info provided between all of us he should be able to decipher and find his original paint code. Unless of course it was a special order paint and shows - - on the tag.

 

I think we know. From what he said in his initial post, he thought the paint color might be contained in the VIN, which we have pointed out is wrong.

Yes, I think we've now given him six ways from Sunday in terms of how to decipher the paint codes. What we need, if he's willing to provide them, are the paint codes themselves, if for no other reason that to satisfy our own curiosity.

 

I found it guy THANKS

 

Viking Blue with a white painted top.

 

Beautiful combo

 

How about showing the entire tag?

 

Actually, I read the original question as "can a dealership provide the original paint code from a VIN?", which is not quite the same a asking if the paint code is contained in the VIN. This is sort of like making a new key from the VIN, which is possible on newer cars.

 

Built in Arlington, TX.

 

You have one of the more rare things - a two tone car from the factory. Most of them were same top/bottom colors, or had vinyl roofs. The trim that separates your upper lower color is the same that was used for the vinyl roof cars.

BTW, your car was built in Arlington TX, Body number 965 so I'm guessing it was built in 1970. The last 2 digits of the model show 77 so it's a Cutlass S 'Sports' aka 'Post' model.

 

Joe, you and I seem to take turns beating each other to the Send button by about 5 minutes.

 

Clearly BOTH of us need to spend more time actually working while in the office...

 

HA! I don't have to go to no stinkin office anymore....so you enjoy that while big brother still monitors you....

 

Sorry for the late reply, here is a better picture of the tag

 

Where? :-)

 

Sorry guys not a real good picture

 

I can't read that pic but if you post the info like it is on the tag one of us can decode it for you.

 

that's an understatement. Try removing some paint layers with paint stripper and a small wire brush, NOT sandpaper. These cowl tags are made with a lightweight aluminum and can be damaged quite easily.

 

Actually, because the tag is so difficult to read, it is even more imperative that he not try to transcribe it but rather post as clear a photo of it as possible. People so often make mistakes in trying to read and jot down what these tags say, even when their legibility is pretty good, that it's almost a given that mistakes would be made in this case.

 

No disrespect to the OP intended, but....

Maybe if he took a horizontal picture of the horizontal tag and not a vertical pic of the horizontal tag it would help. Or maybe a vertical pic of a vertical tag (if that last one was a VIN, I can't tell).

Again, no harm intended.

 

Or maybe a pencil rubbing of the tag if it's too difficult to clean it up or to get a good photo of it, and then he could post a scan or photo of the rubbing.

 

I can read part of the tag but it's a strain...Here's what it looks like to me:

ST 71 - 1971 production
3 - Oldsmobile
36 - V8 model: Cutlass S (since it's a 77 body style)
77 - body style (sports coupe, aka post coupe)
R - Arlington Fisher Body Works
BDY - 00365?
TRM - 943: Blue
Can't see a Time Build code anywhere
PNT - 26/11?: Viking blue lower, White upper. This was a two tone car from the factory
048182 - Fisher Body reference numbers.

Does this sound like your car? FYI since it's an Arlington produced car there is the possibility you may find a build sheet in the car somewhere or on top of the fuel tank.

 

Allan, you can read all that in that photo? Impressive. You remind me of Linus in this Charlie Brown strip, one of my all-time favorites. In looking at the photo of the cowl tag, I'm more like Charlie Brown.