Topic: exterior colors by year
in Forum: C3 General Discussion
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I did a seach but I must not be doing it right. Is there a chart of exterior colors by year? I want to know why black was not avaiable in all years. Does anybody know why?
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Leavenworth, KS - USA
Joined: 1/24/2007
Posts: 426
Vette(s): MM Red 1971 T-top,LS5,4-speed, black leather C5 seats, Hooker sidepipes.
Previous: 64 Coupe, 65 Roadster L76 / N14
This site is very helpful. Lists, among other things, colors by year. No black from the factory 1970-1976.
Enjoy! 
Lifetime MemberGreensburg, IN - USA
Joined: 9/24/2003
Posts: 5189
Vette(s): Previous: 1984 Coupe, 1988 Maroon Coupe, 1989 Coupe, 2001 Roadster Present: 1967 Stingray Roadster, 1976 Stingray Coupe, 1989 Roadster..
I can't answer why the General didn't choose to include black each year. I can tell you that if you go to Tools in the C3VR Header and look up C3 Statistics you will find for each year all of the colors available that year.
Although it is obvious I like black I suppose I am happy that the decision was made not to produce certain colors each year. It tends to give the public a break and make the color a more sought after option when they do reappear in therory.
Although it is obvious I like black I suppose I am happy that the decision was made not to produce certain colors each year. It tends to give the public a break and make the color a more sought after option when they do reappear in therory.
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Black back then wasn't a popular color for Corvettes. You,very rarely saw one. Black is and was a very unforgiving color, and Corvettes had more waves in the panels then the ocean. That's my take on it. I personally love black............but you better love it because it's high maintenance. One of my cars, I call "Black Beauty"
corvette440hp
[QUOTE=corvette440hp]Black back then wasn't a popular color for Corvettes. You,very rarely saw one. Black is and was a very unforgiving color, and Corvettes had more waves in the panels then the ocean. That's my take on it. I personally love black............but you better love it because it's high maintenance. One of my cars, I call "Black Beauty"[/QUOTE] That was my take on it. The panels being wavy. I've allways likes black Vettes because they have a sinister look to them. High maintance??? Tell me about it!!!!
[QUOTE=zgator][QUOTE=corvette440hp]Black back then wasn't a popular color for Corvettes. You,very rarely saw one. Black is and was a very unforgiving color, and Corvettes had more waves in the panels then the ocean. That's my take on it. I personally love black............but you better love it because it's high maintenance. One of my cars, I call "Black Beauty"[/QUOTE] That was my take on it. The panels being wavy. I've allways likes black Vettes because they have a sinister look to them. High maintance??? Tell me about it!!!![/QUOTE] When you have a "BLACK" car, you don't "OWN" it..............IT OWNS YOU (JUST LIKE BEING MARRIED)! I like that "sinister" look of yours.
corvette440hp
[QUOTE=zgator]... I want to know why black was not avaiable in all years. Does anybody know why?...[/QUOTE]
6880Mike 2008-04-17 10:57:58
Model year colors are available in several places, but none of them will tell you why black was not available in any given model year.
Corvette440 nailed it. Supply and demand. Less and less black cars were being ordered, so they dropped exterior black for a while.
Mike,
If you look under the "Tools / Statistics" at the top of the C3VR home page, you can run through each year & see the color breakdown (except for '69 & '70). They are listed in the "Black Book" too.
Basically, black is unforgiving. It shows everything, especially the "waves" in the fiberglass. One look @ my doors & you'll see why.
After numerous complaints and lack of demand, black was dropped for several years (70-76) and it was available only by special order, or they were ordered in primer then painted by the owner.
My car was only one of 708 (of 28,566) black cars for 1968, but black has gone on to be one of the most popular colors since it was reintroduced.
Oddly enough, there are more black C-3's (owner repaints) on the road now than were produced. It has proven to be a great color to show off the lines of a C-3. Many of the black C-3's that I see for sale show different paint codes on their trim tag.
Anthony
Annicorvette
Lifetime member # 35 
in Forum: C3 General Discussion
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