My friend just purchased an X-55 car that has the special paint code - -
He was told when he bought it the car was originally Garnet Red with a black vinyl top. If my research is correct this car would have been a color not available on normal paint codes - a 'special order' color. Can anyone elaborate on this? And any more input on the 'rarity' or value of the cars with special paint codes.
Thanks
Mike

The dash or double dash paint code means special painting instructions. It can indicate a number of things.

It often means standard striping was deleted, common on a Z/28. This also applies to Camaro SS which had D90 striping as part of SS equipment. I have paperwork for an L78 SS built without stripes; I suspect your car was also built without them. I have seen a number of Z/28s built without stripes; one X77 JL8 car in Dusk blue.

It can also indicate a non-RPO color. Of all the special paint '69s Carolina blue turns up the most often. There is at least one Z/28, one SS, and several other 69s in that color. There are also several - - COPOs, many being ordered by Emmert Chevrolet in Detroit: Verdoro green [Pontiac color] Nugget gold [Olds] and Can-Am white, a Corvette color much brighter than Dover white. I have seen the white COPO; it is also an RS and has a medium green standard interior. A later built - - COPO is Citrus green, a 1970 color. Early in the 69 model year black was special order but later became available for an extra $12.65. Several COPOs are black; they have a '10' paint code.

It can also indicate a non-standard stripe/body color combo. There is at least one Z/28 like this, Le Mans blue, no vinyl top but black stripes.

Special paint is hardly common but I would not call it rare. Our small db has several examples and I have a few window sticker copies of special paint cars. The paperwork for such a car does not state what was special.

Despite what you may have heard no Camaro was delivered in primer.

William beat me to it. Here's info on that subject from the Camaro Research Group website:

http://www.camaros.org/numbers.shtml#ExteriorColors

I have seen a number of Z/28s built without stripes; one X77 JL8 car in Dusk blue.


Don't mean to steal

Do you know where this car is , where you saw it ? My cousin had a 69 z no strip Dusk blue JL8 car he bought new back in 69 he parted with it around 76 and has always told me he would love to find that car.

i have a 70 LS6 4SPD CHEVELLE cowl tag is blank for paint, it was dealer ordered code 53 camaro gold, i have news paper add from june 1970 i will try to download. for you guys, it is pretty cool it says they ordered them exclusively for bradley chevrolet in citrus green, camaro gold, and hugger orange for the the chevelles all camaro colors, i have adds of my chevelle and camaro 70 1/2 LT1 and tall spoiler.

Do you know where this car is , where you saw it ? My cousin had a 69 z no strip Dusk blue JL8 car he bought new back in 69 he parted with it around 76 and has always told me he would love to find that car.

Do not know where it is now. When I worked for a Camaro parts business in Milwaukee in the 90s it was stored in the basement of our building for a year or so; then moved on. I believe it belonged to someone in the military who brought it from another state, possibly Colorado.

Has to be the same one that was in NJ in the late 70's. Where was your cousin back then? Is your cousin named Tom?
No idea on the car's current location.

From Long Island named Ed.. going to try to contact him today havent spoke to hime in a few years

Thanks for all the help guys - essentially I can assume that if all he can find is garnet red paint on this car it may have been a stripe delete car??
I will let him know.

William and Softail02,
Did that blue JL8 also have black deluxe interior?

I haven't spoken to my Cus and not sure if I will ever ( one of them family things) But I have a call into his 82 year old mother that he doesn't talk to and I will see. I remember all the story about the car growing up he has 22 years on me. Storys about how he took the car from the show room to his buddy house adjusted the lifter and timing and drop a pair of slicks on the car and was running 12's in the 1/4 with less then 100 miles on the car. I know for fact it was blue and a special order car , I was talking to my dad and he thinks it had strips and no rear spoiler . when I find out I will let you know...

William and Softail02,
Did that blue JL8 also have black deluxe interior?

It definitely had custom interior; black houndstooth I believe.

Hey William,
Saw your mention of the 69 COPO that was white with a green interior and an RS that had a blank paint code. I think had a chance to buy this car in the late 80s or early 90s, can't remember exactly. With that color combo and it being an COPO RS, I can’t believe that there was two of these cars made!

The owner had a Body Shop, (I think in Rochester, Michigan or a close by suburb). He was kind of eccentric to say the least but a very, very nice guy. He was close friends with a buddy of mine. Owner had listed it in Hemmings an had an offer for "big money" (at the time). But he really wanted to sell it to my buddy as he really liked the car and wanted to keep tabs on it . He said he would let him have it for a third of the "big money"! Did I mention he was kind of eccentric? My buddy couldn’t afford the price, so I asked if I could buy it and the owner said yes, but it would be much closer to the "big money" price, which was out of my range. My buddy then asked if me and another buddy to go in on it with him. We all agreed and I thought all was set. Unfortunately, not many people knew about the 427 COPOs at the time and there was a lot of misinformation floating around. My buddy happened to read an article saying there were never any 427 COPO Camaros made with the RS option. He got cold feet and backed out of the deal. I did not know of any RS COPOs at the time either but I knew enough that this car checked out as real 427 COPO. The car ended up being sold to two brothers in Florida for the "big money". This still bugs to me to this day! Especially watching the prices at the Barrett-Jackson Auction. LOL

I don’t remember what the Trim Tag said for the Paint Code so I can’t say if it was blank or what. I do remember that it was an automatic. I think it had a horseshoe floor shifter and console but not certain. I am almost sure it had a green vinyl roof but I could be confusing that memory with another Camaro. I distinctly remember crawling under and checking the date codes and stamping on the BE axle, looking at the reinforcement plate by the rear shock and also checking for the curved neck radiator. I am sure I checked out more of the COPO stuff than that but that is what I actually remember looking at. Don’t remember much else except that I didn’t particularly like the color combination of white with green interior and also wishing it was a 4 speed!

All this may be interesting only to me, but your post sure brought back a lot of memories!
Thanks! Jim

Same car.

I saw it at the Martin MI Super Chevy show circa 1984 and recall the body shop connection. It did not have a vinyl roof but did have the VE3 bumper. It was - - paint and the owner told me it was Can-Am white. One of the few auto COPOs with a console. The car had been raced and was very low miles but had a non-OE 427, 66-67 Corvette I believe. A truly unusual '69 Camaro.

I recall one of our customers had a - - Z/28; Riverside red with black stripes.

I notice you are from GA. The first non-Yenko COPO Camaro I saw was from GA. 4-speed, Hugger orange, black vinyl, white standard. For sale at Bloomington 1982. Nice car with docs, fairly original.