Body Number Plate?
Le Mans Master
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From: Omaha NE
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A '78 Pace should have 19/47 for the paint code....
Le Mans Master
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From: Syracuse NY
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Omaha NE
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So what does the "L" after the paint code mean?
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Ann Arbor Michigan
Found this in another thread on paint codes.
Gary
"13L is the code for silver exterior paint. The "L" stands for the lower portion of the car below the belt line. If the car was two-toned, a U code (upper color) would also be listed. Since most C3s were a single color, the U codes don't show up very often. Technically the L isn't needed on a one color car."
Gary
"13L is the code for silver exterior paint. The "L" stands for the lower portion of the car below the belt line. If the car was two-toned, a U code (upper color) would also be listed. Since most C3s were a single color, the U codes don't show up very often. Technically the L isn't needed on a one color car."
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2007
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From: Omaha NE
2025 c3 ('74-'82) of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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How about 22L in '76? That's what my trim plate says. Bright Blue met. is paint code 22. No two-tones in '76 of course........
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
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From: Huntsville AL
Yes, the L is Lower. A U would be upper. Two tone cars had both lower and upper paint codes.
Chevrolet did the across the board for all models, even those that only came in a single color. This started in 1974.
Chevrolet did the across the board for all models, even those that only came in a single color. This started in 1974.
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
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The legend that L is for lacquer and U is for urethane carries on nonetheless though.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2005
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From: San diego ca
No upper paint code so I wonder...How many 2 tone corvettes were made in 78 that were white on the lower half and unpainted on the upper?
my 78 says 10L on the trim tag as well, but there was alot of overspray and the upper half was white too.
my 78 says 10L on the trim tag as well, but there was alot of overspray and the upper half was white too.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2001
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From: Ann Arbor Michigan
It was pointed out to me by Forum member Bill, that the chart I posted above is wrong. The first month of production for 78' was September so the letter 'A' is Sept. BUT, 77' and 79' model years started production in August so the code letter 'A' is August for those years. Confusing !!
Gary
Gary
Team Owner
Joined: May 2005
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From: Huntsville AL
So, one car would have both lacquer and urethane.
Somewhere there is a Chevy document explaining all of this. A single color car has just a "lower" paint code, which covers the entire car.
1974 is the interesting year. All of the factory documentation for paint codes are of the form 9xx (where xx represents the color) as in previous years.
Someone please show me a 1974 trim tag with a 9xx paint code on it.
They all have the form xxL (where L stands for "lower"). This is what Chevrolet did with all single color cars starting in 1974. Check the paint codes on other 1974 Chevrolet types. Sometimes two different codes would be listed without the L or the U. Generally the first code was the lower color, and the second code was the upper color.
And the legend continues.....
Last edited by emccomas; Aug 9, 2009 at 03:25 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2006
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From: Kingston Ontario
In your case where the body is one color the letter L is redundant. Your car is painted white.
A two-tone vehicle would have a xxL for the lower color and a xxU for the upper color. To further cloud this topic all GM vehicles recently manufactured uses the letter U when the vehicle is a single color vehicle. Odd, but it is what it is.
