[72GTOMN]

Hello, my '67 GTO project car has a 1 paint code on the body tag. I realize that simply means it was a special order color. Searching around the interwebs, it seems the most common special order in '67 was tiger gold. I did see another car that was special ordered a hideous orange color, also labeled 1 for paint code. I also found a blurb that verdoro green may have been available as special order in '67. Is there any one who knows what all of the color options were for special order, or is it unlimited? I can't seem to figure out what my car was originally painted, although white seems to be the most recent color. Would a special order paint code car be worth more? Thanks for the information!

[rexs73gto]

To find the original color of your car you might want to look under some of the molding on the car. Even if repainted it may still be under the moldings as in older paints they didn't always paint under all the moldings & weather strips as it was to much work to remove all of them for paint. Also you may want to look in the trunk area for parts that wouldn't have gotten painted because it was to hard to get to. I'm sure you'll be able to find the original color of your car if you look under all the parts of the car that are hidden.

[Jeff Hamlin]

IIRC the 1967 "Special" colors used a 1,2,3,4, number code.
1= Non "Pontiac" GM Color.
2= Non GM color. Sometimes stamped on tag as SPEC.
3= ?
4= Primer. Sometimes stamped on tag as PRIMER.

[Jeff Hamlin]

To expand a bit on my answer.
I looked through my chip charts and did not see a definitive color chart/list for "Special" colors.
However I did come across this note on the 1st Gen site for '67.

Custom Factory Paint is indicated by
(“2”, “1”, “4”, “PRIMER”, blank, ‘—-‘, ‘SPEC’, or ‘special.’ )

The special order Pontiac Colors were;
Verdoro Green (usually used “Q”),
Mayfair Maize (usually used “Y”),
Coronado Gold (sales code 867-97904),
Copper Blaze (867-98105),
Sierra Red (867-97592),
Silver Turquoise (867-99079),
Blue Charcoal (867-97211).

The data plate for the Paint Code may have been marked “2” for Pontiac special order colors, “1” (or Blank) for non-Pontiac colors, and “4” (or “PRIMER) for primer-only finish.)

IMO it could be something that is an almost unlimited list of colors if one was willing to pay for it.

[72GTOMN]

Thanks for all the information! I'll have to see if I can find a sales code number. What I think is really cool is the amount of customization a person could do when ordering a car back then. You really were able to make a car your own. If 15 color options along with vinyl roof options and different color interiors weren't enough, they would allow special orders like this. Things have really changed!

[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by Jeff Hamlin

To expand a bit on my answer.
I looked through my chip charts and did not see a definitive color chart/list for "Special" colors.
However I did come across this note on the 1st Gen site for '67.

Custom Factory Paint is indicated by
(“2”, “1”, “4”, “PRIMER”, blank, ‘—-‘, ‘SPEC’, or ‘special.’ )

The special order Pontiac Colors were;
Verdoro Green (usually used “Q”),
Mayfair Maize (usually used “Y”),
Coronado Gold (sales code 867-97904),
Copper Blaze (867-98105),
Sierra Red (867-97592),
Silver Turquoise (867-99079),
Blue Charcoal (867-97211).

The data plate for the Paint Code may have been marked “2” for Pontiac special order colors, “1” (or Blank) for non-Pontiac colors, and “4” (or “PRIMER) for primer-only finish.)

IMO it could be something that is an almost unlimited list of colors if one was willing to pay for it.

Coronado Gold is the name that was used for the Firebirds that was the same as Tiger Gold on the GTO's. Just FYI

[67GTONUT]

Mine is a special order color car....

Data plate is blank where paint code should be

Car was ordered Buick Riviera Charcoal Gray

[1969 Ram Air]

I met the original owner of a 67 GTO. His father-in-law owned a Pontiac Dealership and ordered him a Verdoro Green GTO. It sounds awful but it actually looked great.

[Tygrr67]

It is my understanding that the colors were not limited to the color chips I'm posting, but that any 1967 GM color, just not a Pontiac Color. I've seen some interesting examples of 1967 color choices including Sunfire Yellow 67 GTO in Florida and my 1967 Marlboro Maroon car. If I'm not mistaken there is a 1967 Honduras Maroon Ram Air car in New York, although Honduras Maroon was not a 67 color choice. I'd love to see data plates posted for 67 Special Paint cars.

[Jeff Hamlin]

Yes that is the sheet I have and posted info; from above.
As you can see these WERE colors/names used on Pontiac & Tempest.

Back in the day one could pick any GM color at an *Extra Cost.
There have been some reports of None GM colors ordered as well.
The one that comes to mind is a Known PINK '67 GTO that was ordered that way.

[Tygrr67]

I would love to see pictures of Data plates for Special Paint cars if anyone is willing to share. I'll post my plate tonight.

Do you have a picture of the pink 67 GTO and it's plate? i wonder if that was a Mary Kay car or something that was ordered... it would be interesting to know the history and see examples...

[Jeff Hamlin]

It wasn't connected to MK it was just something someone wanted.
IIRC it was featured in POCI's SS newsletter about 10/15 years back.

[John V.]

In my experience mostly with '64s, the coding for Special Color paint builds varied by Plant so don't expect to match a given color to a Data Plate Paint code.

Sometimes Fisher Body coded the Dupont formula code on the Data Plate. That makes it easy.

You could order a near infinite no. of colors. As long as Dupont had a formula code for it, you could order it and Pontiac would get the paint. If you liked the color on your '58 Lincoln, you could specify it and order a '67 Bonneville to be factory painted the same color.

The paint would be formulated as a modern acrylic lacquer if it wasn't that type to start with but there was no limitation in the colors you could choose. A surprising no. of cars were ordered with special colors. I say surprising since the upcharge was not insignificant back when the base price was less than $4000. And also the fact that it wasn't gonna make the paint last any longer (or the car for that matter). And it also delayed the build because the paint had to be ordered and delivered to the Plant (2 quantities, one for Fisher Body and one for Final Assembly where the front end sheetmetal was painted) before they could schedule the build.

Even more common were the extra cost "regular" special colors that Pontiac sometimes offered, often as "Spring" colors to spice up a model year that was beginning to grow "old and boring".

Special Color paint cars are interesting. Debatable whether they add value.

I believe it was standard practice to ship each Special Color paint car with a quart of paint for potential refinishing.

I agree that it would be worth looking in hidden areas for evidence of the original color. My '64 convertible is not a special color car but had a color change some years before I bought it.

The original color was quite easily found on the sides of the cowl when the fenders came off, under the sills, under the window moldings, and numerous other nooks and crannies that were hidden from view when the color change paint was sprayed.

When you expose those areas, it may be difficult to determine exactly what color it was although perhaps it will be one from the '67 Special Order Exterior Color chart and will be obvious.

[400 4spd.]

Excellent post and valuable information, John. Thanks for the in-depth break down of how all of this came to be.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by 1969 Ram Air

I met the original owner of a 67 GTO. His father-in-law owned a Pontiac Dealership and ordered him a Verdoro Green GTO. It sounds awful but it actually looked great.

There are some color photos of a Verdoro '67 in one of the big GTO coffee-table books. Can't remember which one now. It IS a great looking color on that car.

[John V.]

Greg, at least 3 pix of it are in Tom DeMauro's GTO "The Restorer's Guide 1964-1974".

I remember being surprised when I saw it in there since I only knew Verdoro Green as the iconic '68 GTO color.

I also thought it looked great on that '67.

[Greg Reid]

Thanks John. Couldn't remember where I saw it.

[AMX guy]

Is there any records as to how many special order colors were made ?

My car is a Freemont made '66 GTO code paint " 1" that I know for sure was Tiger Gold. I know it's not super rare but I wish I knew how many were produced.

[67GTONUT]

Originally Posted by AMX guy

Is there any records as to how many special order colors were made ?

My car is a Freemont made '66 GTO code paint " 1" that I know for sure was Tiger Gold. I know it's not super rare but I wish I knew how many were produced.

I do not believe there is any breakdown for colors...... I also would be interested since mine is also a Special Order color...

[Keith Seymore]

Originally Posted by John V.

...You could order a near infinite no. of colors. As long as Dupont had a formula code for it, you could order it and Pontiac would get the paint. If you liked the color on your '58 Lincoln, you could specify it and order a '67 Bonneville to be factory painted the same color.

The paint would be formulated as a modern acrylic lacquer if it wasn't that type to start with but there was no limitation in the colors you could choose. A surprising no. of cars were ordered with special colors. I say surprising since the upcharge was not insignificant back when the base price was less than $4000. And also the fact that it wasn't gonna make the paint last any longer (or the car for that matter). And it also delayed the build because the paint had to be ordered and delivered to the Plant (2 quantities, one for Fisher Body and one for Final Assembly where the front end sheetmetal was painted) before they could schedule the build.

Even more common were the extra cost "regular" special colors that Pontiac sometimes offered, often as "Spring" colors to spice up a model year that was beginning to grow "old and boring".

Special Color paint cars are interesting. Debatable whether they add value.

I believe it was standard practice to ship each Special Color paint car with a quart of paint for potential refinishing...

An earlier post from the late Eric White on how the special order paint process worked:

Originally Posted by Eric White

The procedure for getting a special-paint car ordered went like this:

• The customer (or dealership) determines what color is desired.

• An "All Series Special Equipment" order form is filled out.

The information required for a special-paint-request on this form is:
• Lower Color Paint No.
• Upper Color Paint No.
• Make of Car & Year Paint Used.
I am guessing that obtaining the correct paint no. would be left up to the ordering salesman/dealership paint department.

In the '60s and early '70s, before colored plastic/fiberglass trim parts became common, any color paint could be ordered, as long as the dealer could supply the paint formula no. on the S.O. form. After the mid-'70s when the crash-bumper fillers became common place, special order colors were phased out except for large fleet orders.

Several codes were used on the Fisher Body trim tag to indicate a special-order paint. Codes varied between the years and between Fisher Body plants. Some of the codes used were:
1= Standard GM paint, not a Pontiac color
2= Special Pontiac color. Sometimes offered a half-year "springtime" color.
3= Cadillac FireFrost color. This paint was not normally allowed on a Pontiac build because of the special processes required to apply this type of paint.
4= Body in primer
SPEC or ** would indicate a paint color from a source outside GM (Ford, Chryco, AMC, John Deere, International Harvester, etc.) Colors could also be ordered to match school or business colors. As long as a formula no. could be identified by the dealership just about any color hue could be specified.

• The order was then routed through the Pontiac Zone office, which then routed it on to the Central Office.

• Central Office then entered a request to the paint supplier, usually PPG/Ditzler, for the appropriate paint.

• The paint supplier shipped a quantity of paint to the appropriate assembly plant.

• The special-order build was scheduled and coordinated between the Fisher plant and GMAD or Pontiac assembly.

• Build was delivered to dealership with a quart of touch up paint in trunk.