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I'm trying to identify the color code of my 1969 Cutlass. It's the original paint. I've narrowed it down to 3 possible options. Topaz, Aztec Gold, or Palomino Gold. I'm leaning toward Topaz, but not sure. Anybody here have a good eye for color identification? I need some touch-up paint and need a color code.
Why guess...What's the code on the firewall tag say?
A good auto body paint supplier will have a spectrophotometer gun. Bring it there. Bring in a sample if it's not on the road.
This method will provide a better match as the paint has likely faded. Golds n Silvers are hard to match.
Be aware that brushing metallic paint over rock chips and small flaws will give you a darker color than the OE paint; even if you get the correct, color matched touch-up paint. Flake particles in a metallic paint are suspended evenly when the paint is sprayed with an HVLP gun vs. brushing it on with a touch-up paint applicator. I experienced this with my 96 Oldsmobile 98. It's Stone Beige Metallic and even though I got the correct tube of touch-up paint when I applied it to a few rock-chips the color was quite a bit darker than the OE paint.
I'll decode the body tag when I get home later, but I think you guys are right that it's not going to be a perfect match because of fading over time and the metallic paint application method. Taking a sample to get perfectly matched may be my best bet. I'm just looking to do some minor body work on a few rust bubbles and touch up the paint until I can do a proper paint job this summer. I just don't want to drive around with primer spots. I'd rather it all match. I may just get a spray can mixed up and try and feather in the touch up areas to make it presentable for now.
Body Tag pic attached. Is there an online decoder or info on how to decode the info? There is a 75 in it so I’m guessing it is Aztec Gold. 2E I’m guessing is white vinyl top?
75 is Aztec. That is darker. It looks more like 65 topaz. Look for evidence of a respray. Hard to say from pics paint chips and light reflection.
A spray out is the only way to get it close. Crapshoot. A good paint guy will get it close.
Have the paint supplier mix some spray bombs up for ya.
fist off ….. I don't see "original paint"! Maybe the original color or a close representation of it, but I highly doubt that's 50 year old lacquer ….. too much shine/reflective quality
69 = 1969
33687 = Oldsmobile Cutlass S Holiday Coupe
OS = Oshawa, Ontario Fisher Body plant
525765 = body number
947 = "parchment" bench seat interior
12A = December 1st week - body build week
75 = "Aztec gold metallic" body paint
2E = "parchment" vinyl top
C50 = rear window defogger
C60 = air conditioning
M38 = Turbo Hydramatic 350 transmission (TH350)
thanks Joe!
Last edited by hurst68olds; Jan 25, 2020 at 11:20 AM.
"E" shows blue on the '69 stripe color chart, The chart from the dealer brochure shows option Y73 GT hood stripes(thin pin stripe) except with W31(wide stripes) The stripe chart in the service manual shows option Y70? as an option on the Cutlass S Sorry I have the chart but my POS printer is misbehaving & won't let me scan it in?/
75 = "Aztec gold metallic" body paint
2 = "black" vinyl top
E = paint striping color *
Sorry, that's not how Oshawa cowl tags work. The PNT code is read as "75" and "2E". If this paint code also showed stripe colors, it would have five characters. The 75 is lower body color (Aztec Gold). The 2E is the upper roof cover. Oshawa used "1" to designate a convertible top and "2" to designate a vinyl top. "E" designates a parchment vinyl top. And since this comes up a lot, the paint stripe colors were NOT the body paint colors. They are different paint codes.
I don’t see any signs of a repaint. Unless they stripped it to bare metal, I really think it’s the original paint. It was a one owner car and garage kept all its life. There’s a few spidering spots and some chips that reveal its history and there are no signs of anything but original paint. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think it’s just been well preserved and cared for.
I don’t see any signs of a repaint. Unless they stripped it to bare metal, I really think it’s the original paint. It was a one owner car and garage kept all its life. There’s a few spidering spots and some chips that reveal its history and there are no signs of anything but original paint. Maybe I’m wrong, but I think it’s just been well preserved and cared for.
It's obviously impossible to tell for sure on a monitor, but I agree that looks way too shiny for 50 year old original GM lacquer. The missing wheel opening moldings also suggest that the car has had bodywork and paint. I'd check closely for patch panels at the usual locations, especially given that this is a northern car.