my 69 Z being restored

[69Z28-RS]

Clem,

I'm just guessing, but I'd say probably half the folks on this site weren't born yet in '69...

[motorman]

back in the trans am days i would go to the races as a guest of chevy and they would send me over to the ford pits to see what i could find out. i remember reporting back one time that bud moores mercury's had a oil pan failure,the oil pan failed to hold in the parts that came loose in the engine.  

[69Z28]

Now that's funny. I had to chuckle on that one. FORD=Found On the Racetrack Dead

back in the trans am days i would go to the races as a guest of chevy and they would send me over to the ford pits to see what i could find out. i remember reporting back one time that bud moores mercury's had a oil pan failure,the oil pan failed to hold in the parts that came loose in the engine.   

[bcmiller]

So is it at least POSSIBLE that you ordered what you THOUGHT was this Evening Orchid color, but it was really that Olds silver color?  Because the Olds color does have a VERY SLIGHT lavender hue to it.  And this was 44 years ago. 

I mean if you were just looking at a book and ordering a color, you might have mistaken one color for another - right?

[motorman]

So is it at least POSSIBLE that you ordered what you THOUGHT was this Evening Orchid color, but it was really that Olds silver color?  Because the Olds color does have a VERY SLIGHT lavender hue to it.  And this was 44 years ago.  

I mean if you were just looking at a book and ordering a color, you might have mistaken one color for another - right?

NO my eye sight was very good back then so i knew what color the i was ordering. the only similarity between the colors you are referring to is they are both metallic.  i never heard of the olds color. i still can't believe you guys would take the word of someone who was guess as to the color vs the person who orderd and owned the car. people make mistakes and jerry made one. also EO was used on chevy products not the olds colors. why would i order a different silver color when my wife wanted a purple car that turned out not to be purple enough for her.

[69Z28-RS]

Clem:  Since we don't have the original ordering and factory paperwork for documentation, the basic issue is 'What special paint options' did GM provide in 1969?  Was it limited to existing GM (current year) paint codes, OR did they allow special orders in any color they could reasonably buy the paint for - ie back to 65?
I don't know the answer, but if it was limited to '69 colors, then the Buick sunset silver and olds flamingo silver were '69 GM paint options that are extremely close to the color being discussed.  There was also one or more Cadillac colors that seemed to have a bit more 'pink' than the olds/buick color if that was available for special order also.   What were the 'special paint' rules employed in the Camaro factory (Norwood I assume since you are in PA) for the '69 model year?   Up into the late 70's or early 80's, at least, it was possible to buy 'factory pack' lacquer paint in essentially any prior GM colors used.  I bought a gallon or 'hugger orange' acrylic lacquer in the late 70's that I just popped the top off a couple of days ago..

1969 GM colors:  The Buick 'Sunset Silver' and Oldsmobile's 'flamingo silver' shared the same GM Paint code:   WA3956,
1965 GM colors:  The Chevelle 'Evening Orchid' and Pontiac's 'Iris Mist' share the same GM paint code:  WA3308
It would be very interesting to compare the color compositions (formulas) between the two colors; I'd bet we'd all be surprised how little difference there is in the formulas...  and we should all remember that in '65 and '69 (and in fact thru the late '70's into the early 80's), GM only painted in lacquer, which is very subject to fading over the years, depending on the exposure to the sun's UV and the elements.

Example of the '65 WA3308 on a GTO which is extremely close to the exposed paint under the camaro roof rail, and which is MUCH less 'pink' than the b/c paint shown previously on the camaro being restored.

I don't know the answers here, but I do think it's possible that no one in the argument is *wrong*...  . 
Without more documentation re the specific order or specific documentation on GM 'rules for special paint' ordering, I think we are all simply voicing 'opinions'.   And 44 yrs after the fact is a LONG time to ask someone questions like "what was the paint code on the order.. etc..."   Hell..  I have problems at times remembering what I had for breakfast this morning..

[z28z11]

Seeing the color shot of the car being painted brought back a lot of memories for me - my dad had a '65 Impala in this same color -  we called it the Purple Panther - eventually traded it for a '68 Impala Custom Coupe in Gold/Black VT. Never forgot the color -

Over the years, I have seen several '65 Impalas restored with this code - I used to flinch when I saw it, but have actually started to appreciate it. Certainly unique -

Steve

[motorman]

Seeing the color shot of the car being painted brought back a lot of memories for me - my dad had a '65 Impala in this same color -  we called it the Purple Panther - eventually traded it for a '68 Impala Custom Coupe in Gold/Black VT. Never forgot the color -

Over the years, I have seen several '65 Impalas restored with this code - I used to flinch when I saw it, but have actually started to appreciate it. Certainly unique -

Steve

that is why when i ordered the car i specified EO to the dealer because i was familiar with 65 impalas that color. it looked purple to me. but i the wife wanted something along the lines of mopar plum crazy so she was not happy with her purple car. back then we had purple rooms in our house and the wife wore a lot of purple outfits.

[69Z28-RS]

The 'wild' Chrysler colors (Plum Crazy, LemonLime, etc) were not introduced until the 1970 model year.  I don't recall a 'purple' factory color from any of the manufacturers prior to 1970.  At the time, the Chrysler wild colors were VERY different...   (I special ordered a lime green '70 Roadrunner in the fall of 1969, and bought my wife a '70 Challenger RT/SE in the plum crazy color in 1970.
Incidentally, Chrysler used only Acrylic Enamel in 1970, in fact, even back into the 60's and possibly the 50's.   They were the first of the US auto companies to switch to acrylic enamel (rather than lacquer) and that was one of the reasons Chrysler got the 'quality' rap they did back then.   Ford converted from lacquer to enamel sometime after Chrysler, and GM was the last US company to cling to use of acrylic lacquer (~1980 timeframe)..

[HOT3O2]

Clem,  Were there stripes on the car when you ordered it? Or was it a Special paint and Stripe Delete.

[motorman]

both stripes delete and special paint. my 68 Z/28 and my 70 454/450HP were stripes delete as i like stealth cars. remember these were the days you paid for your car street racing so you did not want to show your hand.

[69Z28]

I often heard that all the GM car manufactures used the same paint for that particular year but all had their own name for it. For an example in 69 my Judge was one for the initial 2000 built with Carousel Red and Chevrolet called it Hugger Orange. I don't know for sure because I have never seen the 2 cars together side by side if there was a difference. Weren't the colors available across the board for any GM vehicle?

[69Z28-RS]

That's mostly true, but there were some 'unique colors' to each brand.   Pontiac Carousel Red and Camaro 'Hugger Orange' are the same paint..

[OG69Z]

The 'wild' Chrysler colors (Plum Crazy, LemonLime, etc) were not introduced until the 1970 model year.  I don't recall a 'purple' factory color from any of the manufacturers prior to 1970

Let's not forget the 1967 Camaro available with Royal Plum, which is considered a purple.

[OG69Z]

When you ordered it, how did you specify the color to the dealer?

In 1985, I was shopping for a new Chevy pick up in a shade of green. No greens were offered in the RPO list that year. My regular dealer said no problem, if I was able to wait for a special order. He brought out a large GM book, flipped open to a page of green paint chips and said pick the color you want.  I made my choice and did have to wait for an extended time to get my truck. I happened to see my truck on the carrier going down the freeway being delivered to my dealer. It was a standout next to the other drab earth tones offered that year. 
Remember this was in 1985, computerized ordering and such and I got what I wanted. I'm sure GM was much more  flexible in 69.
I still have my green pickup by the way!
Bob