[Yosemite68]

I have 1968 Chevelle that is a Baltimore built car with the Paint code on the trim tag F1. From everything I can find, that means Island Teal with white convertible top. I bought this from the original owner. The car is currently red because she liked red and decided to paint it red after a fender bender in late 70s. However, she said when she ordered it new, it was Phathom Blue NOT Teal. Her husband passed away many years ago and there is no paperwork but she knows it was dark blue, not Teal and knows the color name was Fathom blue. Is this common or is this a rare mixup from factory painter? Fathom blue is an E code.

 

[71350SS]

Here's where you can research your paint codes-

1968 Chevelle

Decoding Chevrolet VIN, trim tags, cowl tags, engine, engine block casting numbers, cylinder head casting numbers, intake manifold casting numbers, transmission, interior codes, and paint codes.

www.chevellestuff.net

These paint codes also show cars with the same paint jobs so this is where your answers are.As to anything the PO did to the paint before you got the Chevelle you're on your own with that.Welcome to Team Chevelle

 

[MidLife72]

Does she have any pictures of the car back when they first got it... that would tell the story. Or her memory could be off a little too

 

[Yosemite68]

Thanks, but I know the color on trim tag. No pictures, but she knows what she ordered and what color it was...it was her 1st ever car she bought.
All I really want to know is how common is the color of a car delivered from factory not matching the trim tag.

 

[427L88]

I was thiking memory as well, but if it ticked her off at delivery, it would be permanent and not an illusion or fading memory.

How common? Given the sloppiness of the whole operation, I;d bet 2-5% were mishot, w-a-g-that is, so fwiw.

 

[70SSTHUMPER]

Peel back a piece of door weatherstrip, or look under the car at sheet metal panel insides. Your answer lies there. Very doubtful that this car was subject to a frame-off resto. If the car only has one repaint my guess is she's off on the color name. So before coming to any false conclusions, do a bit of homework and verify what you have to start with. Good luck!

 

[billdini]

I remember painting my 85 Monti SS fender. There were 11 Silver alternate colors and I never found one either. I just shot the door and jams on the wife's 1971 Camaro SS Classic Copper code 67 in lacquer and it looks more like a dark cherry metallic.. When I was gonna shoot Murphy the original Teal color I sprayed some on a sheet a metal and decided to go triple black. Black usually matched if shot right.

 

[MidLife72]

Peel back a piece of door weatherstrip, or look under the car at sheet metal panel insides. Your answer lies there. Very doubtful that this car was subject to a frame-off resto. If the car only has one repaint my guess is she's off on the color name. So before coming to any false conclusions, do a bit of homework and verify what you have to start with. Good luck!

Even in the trunk under the package tray is a spot the never gets sprayed on a repaint

 

[Yosemite68]

Peel back a piece of door weatherstrip, or look under the car at sheet metal panel insides. Your answer lies there. Very doubtful that this car was subject to a frame-off resto. If the car only has one repaint my guess is she's off on the color name. So before coming to any false conclusions, do a bit of homework and verify what you have to start with. Good luck!

Ok, you guys are missing it. Assume I know for a fact it came Fathom Blue...how rare is it to have the ACTUAL color of the car when delivered not match the trim tag?

 

[MidLife72]

Personally I think the answer is obvious... not very likely IMO, better chance of her memory being off

 

[71350SS]

Thanks, but I know the color on trim tag. No pictures, but she knows what she ordered and what color it was...it was her 1st ever car she bought.
All I really want to know is how common is the color of a car delivered from factory not matching the trim tag.

If she bought the car new from a smaller dealer and they had a car in stock that matched what she ordered in every way with the exception of the paint.Then perhaps their body shop re-sprayed the car the color she ordered so they wouldn't lose the sale.
If that was the case they wouldn't change the trim tag to match the color they just painted.Something like this might account for what happened but other than that IDK.
The thing is no one is going to accept a new car with the wrong color that they ordered without getting the GM zone managers involved. IMO She should have left it Fathom Blue that's an awesome color.
Also I doubt the factory used the wrong trim tag on the firewall because I think that had to match the protecto-plate paperwork.

 

[billdini]

Even in the trunk under the package tray is a spot the never gets sprayed on a repaint

I challenge you to find a spec of original blue on my car. Not one thing wasn't removed that wasn't painted. Every spec has black paint on it so never say never.

 

[MidLife72]

You are the exception 👍

 

[DaleM]

If she bought the car new from a smaller dealer and they had a car in stock that matched what she ordered in every way with the exception of the paint.Then perhaps their body shop re-sprayed the car the color she ordered so they wouldn't lose the sale.
If that was the case they wouldn't change the trim tag to match the color they just painted.Something like this might account for what happened but other than that IDK.
The thing is no one is going to accept a new car with the wrong color that they ordered without getting the GM zone managers involved. IMO She should have left it Fathom Blue that's an awesome color.
Also I doubt the factory used the wrong trim tag on the firewall because I think that had to match the protecto-plate paperwork.

Plus, both Fisher Body, who painted the back half, and Chevrolet, who painted the front half, would have had to collude to match. Highly doubtful, IMO, the factory would release the car with incorrect information.

 

[blm]

If you have a car that was originally painted a color other than what was on the trim tag you would have a “one of none” it wouldn’t happen. Not in their worst day of screw ups. I’m sorry but the original owner is wrong. It’s just a story like all the other “it came from the factory like that” stories

 

[blm]

and there is no paperwork

But there is paperwork. It’s called a trim tag.

 

[454moose]

I agree with 71350SS. It seems very likely that the dealership repainted the car to her desired color to make the sale.

 

[blm]

I agree with 71350SS. It seems very likely that the dealership repainted the car to her desired color to make the sale.

Maybe, possibly if the salesman screwed up and ordered the wrong color I could see the dealership painting the car. But even back then I believe they reviewed the order with the customer before placing the order and a copy was given to the buyer. If not the salesman’s screw up then I doubt they would go through the expense of repainting a brand new car to save a sale when they could just order one in a different color. Maybe husband decided he wanted Teal and ordered that instead.

 

[Dean]

It came with the color she wanted because the dealer painted it before she saw it.

 

[jeffschevelle]

How about something hitting the trim tag and bending it (after it was originally purchased) that turned an E into an F ? Only need smash away the bottom leg of the E to make it look like an F.

Other than that, I agree there's about a 0% chance that Fisher Body AND Chevrolet painted the exterior of the car the "wrong" color.