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

[Mikeextrafast]

I recently purchased a 66 swb c10, after getting it home I realized that the trim tag had been removed. The body color appears to be dark green 505 , is there anyway to find out the correct interior color? Someone painted it black ? And where would the paint break on the doors?
Thank for any help

[yelmer]

they were all med fawn inside the dash color was dark fawn . dark fawn was 1966 only

[yelmer]

inside jam is body color . the doors are med fawn to door edge . the firewall on some eastern trucks such as Atlanta plant built trucks are interior med fawn color . What is the letter in the vin number? if it is a "A" it is Atlanta truck

[Mikeextrafast]

No "A" in the vin. Number so what would the under hood color be ?

[yelmer]

black

[Mikeextrafast]

Thanks!!

[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

[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.

[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.

[yelmer]

The engine paint is a tough one . Jons original paint can i would say would be he closest being in the original can . I also think that paint varies from truck to truck engine to engine . I have seen dark fawn dashes on 66 trucks that are very dark vs others that are much lighter . Yes time and sun and ? can affect that as well . the paints today are so much different than back in the day . I guess also everybody will have a different view on what they think is the closest color on all colors . It may be a debate for a long time

[oem4me]

Originally Posted by yelmer

I also think that paint varies from truck to truck engine to engine . I have seen dark fawn dashes on 66 trucks that are very dark vs others that are much lighter .

Makes me wonder where all the guys that assembled and painted our trucks are. Other than Keith Seymore (later years), I can't recall anyone posting on this site about personal involvement on the line, and how tightly controlled (or not) it was. I think Yelmer may have something there regarding color inconsistencies and other minor differences.

[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.

[aotte1]

Jon,

Thanks for the information, will refinish my trans black.

Just cleaned my Rockwell T221 this afternoon and below are photos of the red oxide like paint on it. The sheen on it looks pretty flat.

Les

[yelmer]

i work on old gas regulators from the same time period . They are made by rockwell they use the same color paint inside the regulators . it is a brownish / red like your picture