1970 Chevelle Exterior Paint Codes - (Canada Paint Chart)
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It should be noted up front that there are no known numbers for any particular color for a particular series or body style whether it be a solid color or two tone. There are also no known numbers for the different colors of convertible or vinyl tops. So just how many red (or any color) SS396 or SS454 sport coupes (or any other series) were built is not known and cannot even be calculated. There are a known number of Special Order and prime only Chevelles but no numbers for any special order paint colors by color, series, or body style.
1970 COLORS |
PAINT CODE (RPO) / SALES NAME / QTY * Color |
LUCITE | RINSHED-MASON | DITZLER |
(930) |
10 ~ Classic White -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo White ~ 19,898 |
5040L | A-1802 | 8631 |
(931) |
14 ~ Cortez Silver -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Silver ~ 12,959 |
5032L | A-2108 | 2059 |
(932) |
17 ~ Shadow Gray -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Gray (Dk. Taupe) ~ 11,692 |
5113L | A-1910 | 32604 |
(933) |
19 ~ Tuxedo Black -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Black ~ 7,327 |
88L | A-946 | 9300 |
(935) |
25 ~ Astro Blue -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Medium Blue ~ 28,849 |
5123L | A-2261 | 2165 |
(937) |
28 ~ Fathom Blue -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Dark Blue ~ 22,388 |
5124L | A-2264 | 2166 |
(938) |
34 ~ Misty Turquoise -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Turquoise ~ 12,180 |
5119L | A-2265 | 2168 |
(941) |
45 ~ Green Mist -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Medium Green ~ 44,631 |
5122L | A-2268 | 2171 |
(942) |
48 ~ Forest Green -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Dark Green ~ 37,073 |
5116L | A-2269 | 2173 |
(943) |
50 ~ Gobi Beige -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Yellow ~ 24,066 |
5121L | A-2270D | 2175 |
(946) |
55 ~ Champagne Gold -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Medium Gold ~ 24,567 |
5120L | A-2271D | 2178 |
(947) |
58 ~ Autumn Gold -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Dark Gold ~ 25,866 |
5117L | A-2272 | 2179 |
(949) |
63 ~ Desert Sand - El Camino -
Monte Carlo Saddle ~ 8,651 |
5125L | A-2275 | 2183 |
(952) |
75 ~ Cranberry Red -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Red ~ 26,515 |
5118LH | A-2278F | 2189 |
(953) |
78 ~ Black Cherry -
El Camino -
Monte Carlo Maroon ~ 13,350 |
5063LH | A-2107M | 50700 |
(954) |
Hugger Orange ** Special Order - Hugger Orange ~ n/a |
DuPont 926-99616 |
||
(944) |
Daytona Yellow ** Special Order - Daytona Yellow ~ n/a |
DuPont 926-99568 |
||
Special & Prime | 1,916 |
Notes:
* Color figures are only available through
March of 1970. Total production figures are not known for the entire
year.
** While not SS specific colors in 1970 as they were in 1969, it is
probably safe to assume more SS optioned Malibus were ordered with these
two colors than non-SS optioned Chevelles in 1970.
1. While not exclusive to 1970, special order colors seem to be more
common with this year. Some DuPont paint code formulas found on build
sheets and/or trim tags are: 926-76248, 926-99568, 926-98371, 926-99616,
926-97249, 927-98457, and 927-99918.
See my GM A-Body Special Paint Information page for more information on special paint colors.
2. 1970 appears to have done away with letters designating paint codes, even on the invoices. All numbers in parenthesis were followed simply by 'AA'.
The lower body panel on El Camino for Argent Silver is DuPont 9296L or Ditzler (PPG) color number DQE-8568.
The charcoal gray on SS wheels can be duplicated with the following
formula.
DCC DK Argent Metallic Flat NX
Match to DDL32961
DMC 900 38.0 38.0
DMC 908 10.0 48.0
DMC 983 110.0 158.0
DMC 902 153.0 311.0
DX 685 850.0 1161.0
DMC 981 790.0 1951.0
The formula states to mix 4 parts paint one part either DU 5 or maybe
DV 5.
Special Paint (RPO ZP3) was coded differently from different plants. As seen here, the Van Nuys example puts the DuPont mixing formula on the trim tag itself where Atlanta, Baltimore and Kansas City tended to simply put two dashes ( - - ) in the paint code position on the trim tag. If the car included a vinyl or convertible top then one dash or the DuPont mixing code would appear followed by the normal letter designation for the top such as "- A ." If you have a special paint ordered Chevelle, please let me know where the car was built and what the trim tag indicates and please include a photo of the trim tag if possible.
Several other colors are listed in Chevrolet's "Production-By Exterior Color" report with N.O. reported as sales.
Code | RPO | Color | Sales Name |
26 | 936 | Brt. Blue | Mulsanne Blue |
43 | 940 | Lime Green * | Citrus Green |
67 | 950 | Bronze | Classic Copper |
* Report actually has "Line Green" |
It should be noted that various OEM paint suppliers may have supplied additional colors for other GM division makes (Buick, Oldsmobile, and Pontiac for example) and if a particular plant assembled that other make, a color not available on Chevelles would be readily available. A "Special Paint" optioned Chevelle trim tag may have a dash character, a blank space, the DuPont mixing formula, or even the paint code for the non-Chevelle make on the trim tag. It might depend on the standard operating procedure for a given plant on how the paint code on the trim tag was handled. For example, the Oldsmobile has a comparable Daytona Yellow (paint code 51 and Oldsmobile sales name of Sebring Yellow) and at least one Arlington Chevelle has this paint code on the trim tag.
Two-Tone (9xx RPO) |
||
Lower | Upper | |
(935) | (930) | Two-tone code 961 - 25/10 ~ Astro Blue / Classic White ~ 2,667 |
(935) | (937) | Two-tone code 962 - 25/28 ~ Astro Blue / Fathom Blue ~ 628 |
(937) | (935) | Two-tone code 963 - 28/25 ~ Fathom Blue / Astro Blue ~ 545 |
(938) | (930) | Two-tone code 964 - 34/10 ~ Misty Turquoise / Classic White ~ 2,404 |
(949) | (930) | Two-tone code 965 - 63/10 ~ Desert Sand / Classic White ~ 2,262 |
(946) | (930) | Two-tone code 966 - 55/10 ~ Champagne Gold / Classic White ~ 995 |
(947) | (930) | Two-tone code 967 - 58/10 ~ Autumn Gold / Classic White ~ 2,408 |
Nothing in any GM paint/interior charts show two-tone paint being offered in a station wagon or El Camino body style. If you have information to the contrary, please contact me.
It should be noted the double-letter codes below are ordering codes. Where applicable on the Fisher Body number plate a single letter is used.
COLOR |
CONVERTIBLE TOP CODE ~ COLOR |
A ~ White (Std. C05AA) |
|
B ~ Black (RPO C05BB) |
COLOR |
VINYL TOP COLOR ~ RPO CODE - (ECL Code) |
A ~ White (Std. RPO C08AA) - (AB) |
|
B ~ Black (RPO C08BB) - (AA) |
|
C ~ Dark Blue (RPO C08CC) - (AC) |
|
G ~ Dark Green (RPO C08GG) - (AD) |
|
H ~ Dark Gold (RPO C08HH) - (AE) |
Color Rating by Sales
It needs to be pointed out that there is no known breakdown of color and specific series or body style, numbers are for all 1970 Chevelles including convertibles where they would have a convertible top, sport coupes, sport sedans and sedan pickups where they might have a vinyl top. Colors are listed total number of sales from most to least. Two-tone combinations are listed separately. And, again, figures are only available through March of 1970 and do not reflect the entire production run.
Popularity Number | Total Reported Sold | Color |
1 | 44,631 | Green Mist |
2 | 37,073 | Forest Green |
3 | 28,849 | Astro Blue |
4 | 26,515 | Cranberry Red |
5 | 25,866 | Autumn Gold |
6 | 24,567 | Champagne Gold |
7 | 24,066 | Gobi Beige |
8 | 22,388 | Fathom Blue |
9 | 19,898 | Classic White |
10 | 13,350 | Black Cherry |
11 | 12,959 | Cortez Silver |
12 | 12,180 | Misty Turquoise |
13 | 11,692 | Shadow Gray |
14 | 8,651 | Desert Sand |
15 | 7,327 | Tuxedo Black |
16 | 1,916 | Special & Prime |
17 | n/a | Monaco/Hugger Orange * |
18 | n/a | Daytona Yellow * |
* Listed with GM paint code but no quantity reported but may be included in Special & Prime. | ||
Popularity Number | Two-tone | Colors - lower/upper |
1 | 2,667 | Astro Blue / Classic White |
2 | 2,408 | Autumn Gold / Classic White |
3 | 2,404 | Misty Turquoise / Classic White |
4 | 2,262 | Desert Sand / Classic White |
5 | 955 | Champagne Gold / Classic White |
6 | 628 | Astro Blue / Fathom Blue |
7 | 545 | Fathom Blue / Astro Blue |
General Motors of Canada, LTD. offered many of the same colors as their U.S. counterpart. Although these colors are listed as 1970 General Motors Buick-Chev-Olds-Pontiac - Canadian & U.S. Production on the paint code chart, it's unknown if these additional colors were available on Chevelles as well. Several Canadian colors were identical to U.S. colors, only the sales names were a bit different.
Color vs. Sales Name
Paint color names often differ from the advertised Sales Name. One example might be where the factory paint color is simply RED but the sales name may be BOLERO RED or CRANBERRY RED. Yes, the paint mixing formulas are different between BOLERO RED and CRANBERRY RED but to the factory it was still just red. In a case where their may be two or more hues of a color with sales names such as DEEPWATER BLUE, NANTUCKET BLUE, and MARINA BLUE, the factory colors are simply shown as MEDIUM BLUE, DARK BLUE, or BRIGHT BLUE. A given paint color for a year may have a different sales name for Chevrolet than it does for say Buick, Oldsmobile, or Pontiac. An example of this is the 1969 sales name for Chevrolet of HUGGER/MONACO ORANGE is the same color as the 1969/1970 Pontiac sales name of CAROUSEL RED. Same color, same OEM supplier mixing formula, just different sales names for the two GM divisions.
* Paint color totals were only reported through March of 1970 so these figures are (1) not complete and (2) may not show trends for colors heading into the summer being more popular percentage wise.