Hello, I am new to this forum and decided to see if you knowlegable Camaro guys could help me with a problem?

I am painting a 68 Z28 for a guy who wants the car as close to factory as I can get it. It is a true Z28 as far as he knows, the original color is metalic copper with black stripes.

He wants the underside and the floor of the car painted back the original primer color. It was a dark brown primer color, not red oxide.

Can someone tell me where I can get that color of primer, or a base paint that will match it?

And how rare was that color combo?

Thanks for your help:D

Ricky -

Welcome to Team Camaro!

Approximately 7% of 68 Camaros were painted Corvette Bronze http://www.camaros.org/exterior.shtml#ColorPercentages . I don't have an answer to the primer question, but I am sure someone here will. We have at least one member, JohnZ, who was employed at Norwood. John wrote this report on the assembly process http://www.camaros.org/assemblyprocess.shtml , but it does not name the primer color.

http://www.camaros.net/forums/showthread.php?t=26698&highlight=primer

Some discussion there, but it described the primer as gray. My 69 Norwood car was gray primered.

The brown color is probably Copper overspray over the black primer on the floor bottoms...
Please post photos or email them to me or someone else to post... you will get alot further with pics...

I beleive primer color varies depending on which plant built the car. My 69 Norwood PC has grey primer under the paint sort of battleship grey color.

Awesome Article.
My 68 Camaro has grey primer under the paint. It is a Norwood built Camaro, with a 12D Date Code.

My 69 Norwood, May build, is red primered.
http://epitomesrebuild.com/images/172.JPG

Looks like hugger orange overspray on black to me...

Here's a fews shot of the underside & rear fenderwell of my Van Nuys built 1969 Camaro, (April of 1969 build). Note the silver overspray and general black color.

http://www.littooy.com/hans/archives/Underside%20WS.jpg

http://www.littooy.com/hans/archives/Side%20Frame%20Rail%20wfactory%20overspray%20WS.jp g

Looks like hugger orange overspray on black to me...
Nah, is this any better? It just looks off a little because my digital camera is going on 10 years old.;) And the primer is going on 40.:yes:
http://epitomesrebuild.com/images/224.JPG

Man, this is a cool site:thumbsup:
Thanks for the information on the colors, 7%? thats pretty rare.;)
I did not like the color that well, but he wanted it back the original color.:boring:
It was black, for a long time.
He has had the car since the mid 70's, the guy he bought it from told him it was a true Z28.
It has the spoiler on the trunk, from what I understand it was put on at the factory.
It has two sets of holes for the emblem,the stripe did not go all the way to the end of the trunk.
And the stripe went around the emblem. He has pics of the car before it was painted solid black.
He does not have # matching 302, but has a dated block to put in the car, it came with a 4 speed trans.

The color of the primer is the dark red, closer to a brown color in the interior floor, and back seat bracing. Will I have to just try and match it with some base color or is that color primer still available? Never seen that color primer before.
Thans for all the help guys.:hurray:

I will try and get some pics of the primer color before too long.

My 03A, Norwood built, 68 Z/28 was red oxide primer, just Like Fred's above.

Norwood built 4th week March '69 car. Grey primer here too. Just checking in :D

But it was/is also a Cortez silver car. So that might make a little tricky.

Hmmm, seems kinda strange no others mention the brown primer....mine did, definately brown, NOT red oxide. It's a Norwood built '68, originally Tuxedo black.

I recall PPGs DP epoxy in different colors and can be mixed for custom shades.

Hmmm, seems kinda strange no others mention the brown primer....mine did, definately brown, NOT red oxide. It's a Norwood built '68, originally Tuxedo black.

I recall PPGs DP epoxy in different colors and can be mixed for custom shades.


Thanks, Gary, It is a Norwood built car, and the primer color is a dark brown.
I will have to try and match it the best I can.
My thoughts were to put the Epoxy primer on it and then spray it with a brown colored base paint.;)


By the way, if it is a true 68,4speed, Z28, then where can I find the MO code. On the cowl tag?:confused:

The "modern" red oxide primers might be more red than factory primer. My 68's all had, what I call, red oxide, although it is more of a brown color.
I'm pretty sure that the finished color of the car determined which color primer was used. The primer color will affect the finished color.

The "MO" code will be found on the engine stamp pad, in front of the passenger side head.

My 04B 68 Norwood SS/RS 396 was grey primed..