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Topic: also having trouble with trim tag info

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also having trouble with trim tag info (1/14)
 10/18/16 1:36pm
Fijidreamer
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Derby, KS - USA

Vette(s):
1979 L82 Manual


Joined: 7/25/2016
Posts: 6

1979 L 82 Light Beige with Light beige interior (leather).  This is how it came from the factory.  However, my trim tag says:

"Trim 59C       59L  Paint"     This shows it was cloth, not leather, and I can't find the code 59L anywhere for the paint.  If I am reading the options chart correctly, Chevrolet did not even offer the Lt Beige w/ Lt Beige Leather Trim (I do understand that ANY option was available by special order though).

The date code is I03


Does anyone have any ideas?  I have most paperwork, is there somewhere else I should look?

I don't know if it matters but it is also 4 speed manual and L-82

Thanks!
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Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (2/14)
 10/18/16 6:24pm
manchestersharkLifetime Member
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Equinunk, PA - USA

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1972 conv, 4-speed, 350, 200hp, numbers match, rally wheels, war bonnett yellow w/white top. good condition, nice driver.


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According to the BLACK BOOK, the color options AND the leather and cloth in beige were available in 1979. 59 lt beige had 2,951 painted. Lt beige cloth had 8,818 and lt beige leather had 9,181. Base cars were all available in leather or cloth. All quantities are understated by about 7% because of production longer run. Hope this helps.

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Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (3/14)
 10/18/16 9:47pm
Fijidreamer
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Derby, KS - USA

Vette(s):
1979 L82 Manual


Joined: 7/25/2016
Posts: 6

Thanks, but mostly interested in the tag not matching.  I have the build stats, but thanks for replying.  I can't find the paint code 59L and I am 100% positive it came as leather interior, so the 59C trim code is incorrect.  Just wondering if i may be missing something. I mentioned the codes not being "available" or "recommended" by Chevrolet to highlight the unique situation to start with...that being that it was a "special order".
Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (4/14)
 10/18/16 10:26pm
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


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59L is for 'Frost Beige" paint. The "L" has been discussed as being either for lacquer paint, or, more likely for the distinction of upper/lower body colors on the two toned cars. When the cars were a solid color, the trim tags would read the code with an "L", for lower color. On the two toned cars, the trim tag would have a "u" for the upper color code, and either an "M", or an "L" for the lower paint code.This started with either the '73 or '74 model year.

Code 59C is for Light Doeskin, cloth seats....which is what the car was originally built with, regardless of what it has in it now. The seat material could have been changed anytime after the car was assembled.

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Joel Adams
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Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (5/14)
 10/18/16 10:38pm
Fijidreamer
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Derby, KS - USA

Vette(s):
1979 L82 Manual


Joined: 7/25/2016
Posts: 6

Thanks for the heads up on the paint code.  I appreciate the info.  As for cloth seats, the car was custom ordered, original owner said he ordered leather and car was delivered with leather.  I am looking for build sheets in his mounds of paperwork, he swears the car has never had cloth seats.  I will research his stuff more closely.
Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (6/14)
 10/18/16 11:01pm
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


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Not saying it wasn't ordered like that, but that it was originally assembled with cloth seats. If the dealer that ordered it had enough pull with GM, they could have had the seats swapped out at the assy plant, but it's more likely the dealer did the swap. It's also possible the trim tag was mis-stamped....not likely, but possible. On the '79 cars, the trim tag was attached to the body BEFORE paint, so once the body got to the interior install line, the workers would see the tag, and the build sheet, and install whatever interior was called out for.
It would make a great story to find out exactly what took place on the car...it is intriguing. Thumbs Up


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Joel Adams
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Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (7/14)
 10/22/16 12:16am
73shark
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Overland Park, KS - USA

Vette(s):
1973 Orange Metallic Coupe (orig owner), L82, 4 spd (WR), PS, (A/C & PW (I installed from wrecked 73)), leather, AM/FM Stereo, ran with '65 FI unit earlier & will again some day.


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Adams' Apple said: On the two toned cars, the trim tag would have a "u" for the upper color code, and either an "M", or an "L" for the lower paint code.This started with either the '73 or '74 model year.



I thought two tone started w/ the '78 models w/ the Pace car and the Silver anniversary.


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1973 L-82 4 spd

Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (8/14)
 10/22/16 10:01am
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


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On Corvette, yes, but the trim codes "U" & "L" were used on other GM cars too....Thumbs Up

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Joel Adams
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Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (9/14)
 10/22/16 5:05pm
73shark
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Overland Park, KS - USA

Vette(s):
1973 Orange Metallic Coupe (orig owner), L82, 4 spd (WR), PS, (A/C & PW (I installed from wrecked 73)), leather, AM/FM Stereo, ran with '65 FI unit earlier & will again some day.


Joined: 7/9/2003
Posts: 864

How did the trim codes denote two tone prior to that?

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1973 L-82 4 spd

Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (10/14)
 10/22/16 9:32pm
Adams' AppleLifetime Member
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Duncanville, TX - USA

Vette(s):
#1-1974 L-48 4spd Cp Med Red Metallic/Black deluxe int w/AC/tilt/tele./p/w-p/b/ Am-Fm/map light National/Regional/Chapter NCRS "Top Flight" #2-1985 Bright Red/Carmine Cp.L-98/auto Member: NCRS, NCRS Texas, Corvette Legends of Texas


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There were none for Corvettes before that(if you exclude the cove colors on the solid axle cars), but GM was getting ready for it, plus they were consolidating data for the computer age(ie: punch cards!)

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Joel Adams
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Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (11/14)
 10/23/16 1:00am
73shark
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Overland Park, KS - USA

Vette(s):
1973 Orange Metallic Coupe (orig owner), L82, 4 spd (WR), PS, (A/C & PW (I installed from wrecked 73)), leather, AM/FM Stereo, ran with '65 FI unit earlier & will again some day.


Joined: 7/9/2003
Posts: 864

You said "other GM cars" used the U and L codes starting in '73 so my question was what did the other GM cars use for two tone paint prior to '73?

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1973 L-82 4 spd

Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (12/14)
 10/23/16 8:20am
9TEEN72
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I can't be 100% sure since I've been out of the business for so long, but back in the late 69, I do remember seeing some vans and later in the early 70's, Impala's and Malibu's had the two tone option I believe.

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Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (13/14)
 10/23/16 12:06pm
73shark
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Overland Park, KS - USA

Vette(s):
1973 Orange Metallic Coupe (orig owner), L82, 4 spd (WR), PS, (A/C & PW (I installed from wrecked 73)), leather, AM/FM Stereo, ran with '65 FI unit earlier & will again some day.


Joined: 7/9/2003
Posts: 864

GM cars have had two tone paint options since at least 1955. I'm just asking what the trim tag paint codes were since it was stated in an earlier post that the U and L codes started on '73 or '74 vehicles.

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1973 L-82 4 spd

Re: also having trouble with trim tag info (14/14)
 10/23/16 2:56pm
Fijidreamer
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Derby, KS - USA

Vette(s):
1979 L82 Manual


Joined: 7/25/2016
Posts: 6

Two brothers bought the car together, both in the U.S. Military.  They ORDERED the light beige paint which they said was called "oyster" to them at the dealership.  They liked the idea of the "Oyster" name because they were transplanted in Kansas from the East Coast.  He said the dealer used the term...they never checked anywhere to make sure it was the right term because it was the right color regardless of the name.  

They also special ordered leather to match.  According to the surviving brother, they were shown the doeskin cloth seats in another available vette, but they decided it was not close enough to the the same color as the car, he said the leather seemed to match better.  I guess the dealer was NOT HAPPY with the special order!  I guess the dealer wanted to sell something on the lot that day.  They picked up the car at the dealership, but he said they were so excited to get the car they almost camped out in the lot, he can't even imagine when they would have switched the seats, he remembered that they were there the same day the car arrived...but admits it wouldn't have taken long. 

9 years ago they paid a professional service to score and value the car, to check it out mechanically, and to clean the areas in front of both seats, which he said was looking worn even though the mileage was less then 1,000 per year.  I discovered that the original floor mats were replaced, but he had the originals in his garage and let me have them.  From what I have learned, by 2007 the brothers were not really sharing the car anymore as they were both commercial pilots and had families and were just not able to be in the same place very often.  The older brother bought his brother's half based on the repairs and work done on the carpet.  He swears the seats were always leather and doesn't disagree that doeskin could have been on the build, but if it was changed, it was changed before it got to the dealer... they were "bugging the shit out of the dealership owner... and he called them to be there so they would get off his ass!".  I was told that when they "scored" the car they were told to fix the lights, to replace the light in the glove compartment, and to replace the center console "arm rest" with the original, which they did.

By the way, he is looking for the receipts for the repair and overall audit of the car, he said they actually called Chevrolet and scheduled the service through the main office.  He just always assumed it was people from Chevy.  I don't think it matters, but that was an interesting twist, I hadn't ever heard of that kind of service.

Regardless of what brought it to this point, it was a nice afternoon with the original owner and he got to take his wife out for a drive in the car again...he promised me that no children would be conceived "this time"!  I love the whole, we are one big family, philosophy and have had a good time trying to figure out the car's story.  Thanks everyone for your help!  I will let you know if we find the build sheet or his score sheet or receipt from the inspection.
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