# 1965 gto paint code ?



## cruzingratiot (Jan 1, 2009)

First i would say hello to everyone here
I have a 1965 gto a/c conv bought it back in 1984
and finally gointo restore it 
cant find info on paint code anywhere ( 0-1 ) 1= white top 0=?
dissambling the car it looks like Riverside Red Corvette color
any help is appreciated 
*Thank you*
Paul Jug

Here is what i figured out so far
1 line 08B=August 2 weak
2 line 65=1965, 2=Pontiac, 37=LeMans and GTO, 67=Convertible, KAN = Kansas City MO
3 line 213 Black interior 0-1 0= color outside ?????? 1= white top
4 line ? 2kb 3c 5NW [ 5n GTO ?] [5nw GTO 4 speed?]

on the side ST ? TR ?


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## 05GTO (Oct 6, 2004)

cruzingratiot said:


> First i would say hello to everyone here
> I have a 1965 gto a/c conv bought it back in 1984
> and finally gointo restore it
> cant find info on paint code anywhere ( 0-1 ) 1= white top 0=?
> ...


It is my understanding that paint code O is a special order color for Tiger Gold, the O code was used late 65 and was also used in 66, what is the PHS billing date of your car? August 64 or August 65?

st=style
tr=trim
Acc codes

2k may be a/c
2b not sure

3c not sure
5n gto option only on cars built in Pontiac, MI and the Kansas City, MO Plants,
5w m20 4-speed

Welcome to GTOforum,


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## cruzingratiot (Jan 1, 2009)

Thanks
Ording another PHS doc 
had one in 1984 but lost it 
will post more info when i get it
here are pics of dissambly

Under rear 1/4 window









In top well









Under jack instructions


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## geeteeohguy (Feb 2, 2008)

PHS docs are a must. I agree that 0 is a special order paint, I'm just not sure if it was for a specific color (Tiger Gold). It looks to me that the car was always a red color. PHS will tell. Thanks for sharing, and looks like a very worthy car! Good luck.
Jeff


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## TIGERGOLD65 (Feb 25, 2009)

*'65 GTO paint code*

Hello everyone. New member. I ran across this thread, and joined up in the event I might be able to add something to the conversation. I own a '65 GTO hardtop, which my brother purchased in the spring of '73, and I bought it in 1980. It's been apart for 25 years now, and was in the process of a frame-off restoration a few years back. After 27 months, the restoration shop quit working on it, and wrote me off in a bankruptcy. Still have the car, and it still needs restored.

Anyway, the car is Tiger Gold, black vinyl top, parchment interior (looks just like the Hurst contest car, right down to the hood locks), WS code 389, tri-power, 4-speed. The paint code on my car is 2-2. There was an article in Pontiac magazine several years ago, breaking down the various codes for the sixty-fives. They touched on the issue with the special paint codes, indicating that, if the upper and lower body colors were the same, the VIN plate might be stamped "SPEC" for the paint code. However, if the upper body color was different, a numerical designation was used for the lower body color, rather than a letter designation. The article did not offer any information regarding which number corresponded with which optional color, nor did it address the various special colors.

Several years ago, I had the pleasure of speaking at length with Jim Wangers, and Pete McCarthy (Angeles & McCarthy race team, '69 GTO) at the Ames Performance Pontiac shindig in Norwalk, Ohio. Pete McCarthy is a walking encyclopedia when it comes to Pontiac. I only wish I would have written down everything he told me. The "2" for the lower body color is Tiger Gold. One of the numerical designations was for the "Firefrost Silver". There was even a numerical code for a car to be "primer only"; no paint from the factory. 

The photos of the door jamb and underside of the deck lid almost look like Carousel Red, but I don't remember that being one of the options. I didn't think they came out with that until '67, as a special paint option on Firebird. If there was a way to get in touch with Mr. McCarthy, I'm sure he could go a long way towards clearing this up.

I threw in a photo of my VIN tag, which the guy at the restoration shop was "kind enough" to remove.


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

TIGERGOLD65 said:


> I threw in a photo of my VIN tag, which the guy at the restoration shop was "kind enough" to remove.


Welcome to the fun. That is the "data tag" from the firewall, not the VIN. The VIN tag is on the left door post between the hinges. You might want to see if it is still there. It's far more important than the data tag. There are restoration rivets available to replace the data tag.
Cool car by the description. Pics would be fun.


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## Too Many Projects (Nov 15, 2008)

cruzingratiot said:


> First i would say hello to everyone here
> I have a 1965 gto a/c conv bought it back in 1984
> and finally gointo restore it
> cant find info on paint code anywhere ( 0-1 ) 1= white top 0=?
> ...


Welcome to the fun......:seeya:

With a build date of 08B, the VIN number would tell the story of whether a 64 or 65 build. I'm betting a 64 build with a very low VIN number. It may well have been a special order introductory model. The convertibles were often used for that purpose. It will be fun to find out what you have.


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## Rukee (Feb 8, 2007)

You can't base what your original color code is/was by what's underneath now. Someone painted my car white and they really wanted it white! They had all the glass out, fenders off, doors all apart and white was all in there, and I had a torn bumper jack sticker in the trunk with white under it just like yours! But my original paint couldn't be further from white.


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## TIGERGOLD65 (Feb 25, 2009)

You are correct. I am using the wrong terminology. I have quite a few photos from the botched restoration process, but they're all 35mm. I didn't own a digital camera then. I've only got a couple of pictures from back when it was still together. I may try to scan a couple, and add them for fun. My VIN tag is there. The data plate was removed, because the body man nicked it with a sander while working on the cowl. I was able to preserve the original factory markings on the firewall, showing this car to be built in the first week of June, '65. It also has an April '65 block, and a matched set of May '65 heads.


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## Chris Holabaugh (Jan 18, 2009)

My 65 has a O paint code, and the orginal color was tiger gold. The car was red when I purchased it, but in the process of a fram off restoration I fund patches on the tiger gold paint.


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