Rare LS6 - restoration to begin - question...?

Jim Mattison · #1 09-08-2002, 11:48 AM

It appears that your car was special ordered through the Chevrolet Fleet & Special Order Department (many of you folks call it the COPO Group).

During the years that I was a part of this group, we processed many orders for vehicles with special paint. Although these vehicles were ordered with "special paint", they are not concidered to be COPO cars. I'm surprised that more of these "special paint" cars haven't shown-up, as many of these orders were for performance cars.

The paint information (926-99568) that you have on both the build sheet and on the trim tag "is" in fact a Dupont paint number. I don't understand why your local Dupont folks can't identify it for you. The "926" denotes that the color is a non-metallic and the "99568" is the mixing formula. While this color may in fact be for Daytona Yellow, it could also be for some other yellow, including a truck color, or a yellow from another car manufacturer. The paint information that was stamped on your trim tag was supposed to be able to assist you or your body shop to identify the "special paint" color, if repair or re-painting was needed at a later date.

If your local paint supplier cannot identify the paint code, I'd give them a piece of this original paint, from an area that has not been exposed to the elements. Hopefully they can scan the color and provide you with a proper match.

Let me know if I can be of any other help to decipher the color.

Jim Mattison

copo9566aa · #2 09-08-2002, 12:46 PM

Wow this is a very very good information.I think that one has still much has to learn on special paint.I like this. <font color="yellow"> </font color>

**Charley Lillard** · #3 09-08-2002, 02:12 PM

Jim...I hope you are writing this stuff down somewhere.

**Mr70** · #4 09-08-2002, 04:43 PM

Jim M.
That is very good information.
Here is what I am showing on two special paint 1970 Chevelle Super Sports.These buildsheets have the same parameters as the one Rare_LS6 has.Can you help answer my questions?

Chevelle #1
In center of RPO codes on one buildsheet:
"TAG S C TRICENTENNIAL"
"HOOD,ENTIRE BODY,FRT.FENDERS 927-98457 GOLD METALLIC ACRYLIC LACQUER....WHEELS-767-98457 GOLD METALLIC BAKING ENAMEL."

*What does 767 stand for,and have you ever seen wheels painted like this?
*What does TAG SC TRICENTENNIAL mean?
This chevelle was ordered new by a South Carolina dealer named Burwell Chevrolet.

Chevelle #2
In center of RPO codes on Buildsheet states:
"F&SO RDO66 1001HA SPEC ORDER Paint DEPT.
1001HA HOOD,FENDERS,AND ENTIRE BODY 926-99616 ORANGE ACRYLIC LACQUER."
*What does F&SO RDO66 1001HA Stand for?
Appreciate any help you or others can give.
Rick

**COPO** · #5 09-08-2002, 06:01 PM

mr70, on the first car listed, it sounds like a car destined for the Charleston, S.C area. In 1970, Charleston celebrated it's 300 year b-day. I was living there at the time and clearly remember the tri-centennial parade. I'll hve to look through my pictures and see if I can find a Chevelle from the parade.

Jim Mattison · #6 09-08-2002, 07:01 PM

The prefix "767" denotes that the color is a Dupont metallic wheel enamel. A non-metallic wheel enamel would be "766".

I am reasonably sure that I didn't process this order, as yes, the entire wheel on this Chevelle SS would have been painted gold. Some of the guys in my group didn't take the time to think about the possibility of a car having some type of sport wheels. You have to remember that the majority of our business was that of police cars, taxis and municipal vehicles, which came whith the standard steel wheels. Occasionally, the plant would call and question the painting instructions, but not all that often!

The next five (5) digits are for the mixing formula of the paint. While I'm not 100% sure, I believe that "98457" is the mixing formula for Anniversary Gold, which has been used on a variety of Chevys over the years, to commemorate various anniversarys.

On your other Chevelle, the mixing formula "99616" is for what we used to call "Road Commission Orange". This was a very popular special order color on trucks, but some cars were ordered with it too! Mostly on "hot rods"!!!

The "1001HA" is the pricing code for the special paint. The charges for a solid color special paint would vary from no charge (1001AA) to $125.00 (1001HA). We would paint a vehicle any color under the rainbow except for the Cadillac Firemist colors and Corvette colors. Our special paint book would have thousands of special colors it it..... with more being added weekly. Unfortunately, those days are gone forever!!!

I can still remember the cars that we special painted "Kelly Green" for John Delorean, when he was general manager of Chevy and dating Kelly Harmon. Lots of special "Pink" cars for Nancy Sinatra, too!!!

F&SO "RD0066" refers to the document number for the special order instructions. These numbers were assigned by my department. This order was the 66th at this plant for the 1970 model year. I believe that the "R" is for the GM Assembly Plant in Arlington, Texas?

I hope that this information is helpful.

Jim Mattison

**Mr70** · #7 09-09-2002, 01:49 PM

COPO
Please let me know if you find anything.That would be interestng to me.Thanks. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Jim M.
Yes, that Chevelle is from the Arlington Tx. Plant.
As always your deciphering is very helpful and much appreciated.
If you wrote a book about this stuff,I would buy it. Thanks. [img]/ubbthreads/images/icons/smile.gif[/img]

Chevy454 · #8 09-09-2002, 02:20 PM

Jim:

AWESOME info as usual! Hardcore info like that is what keeps people coming back to this board! Any more you'd like to share?

Rare_LS6 · #9 09-09-2002, 02:24 PM

I'm amazed how helpful everyone has been here...thank you. I've been trying to obtain accurate information about the paint details of this car for over a year now. I've received so much conflicting information and just plain misinformation it's amazing. The information I've received here in the past few days has been second to none!

I called two paint stores, again this weekend, they assured me they could give me details about the Dupont paint, and/or mixing formula based upon the code...no dice!

Jim - If you have anymore information about mixing formula for code "99568" or actual paint "name" - I'd be very thankful. I'm currently trying to locate a auto paint store that can accept a piece of unweathered paint and decipher it with their digital spectromitor.

JoeC · #10 09-09-2002, 02:33 PM

Jim, Was there different levels or different types of special paint and/or a different ordering process used? On the 1969 Chevelles the Monaco (Hugger) Orange and Daytona Yellow had to be ordered as special paint available only with the SS option. These cars have the normal paint code on the trim tag in the normal field. The COPO process was probably not needed for these. On Monaco (Hugger) Orange and Daytona Yellow COPO cars and non standard colors such as Carolina Blue, the trim tags have a - (dash) and no paint code on the trim tag. On 1967 Camaros a - (dash) was used where an SS car was ordered without the mandatory SS nose stripe. Do you remember any rules for when the dash was used with no paint code? Did the dash on the trim tag denote that there was a special COPO process or special assembly instructions? thanks

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