Original Factory Colors

Classic Chevrolet Chevelle Paint Colors & Factory Codes (1964–1972)

Every original factory paint color offered on the classic Chevrolet Chevelle (1964–1972), organized by generation. Select a generation to browse paint codes, hex approximations, and rarity notes.

📖 Buyer's Guide 🚗 Browse Listings

The Chevelle occupies a unique position in the GM color story: as a mainstream mid-size that also hosted some of the most powerful engines ever offered in an American production car, its color palette had to serve two audiences simultaneously. The base Malibu buyer got a conservative range of family-friendly colors, while the SS 396 and later SS 454 buyer got access to the same vivid hues that appeared on Camaros and other GM performance models. The result is a color history that spans from unremarkable to extraordinary depending on the year and trim level.

The 1969–1972 period represents the peak of Chevelle color intensity. Fathom Green, Cranberry Red, and Hugger Orange were available on the Super Sport models, giving buyers a palette that was unapologetically aggressive. The 1970 LS6 SS 454 — arguably the most powerful muscle car ever built — was documented in period press materials almost exclusively in Cranberry Red and Rally Green, colors that framed the car's power visually as effectively as the engine specs did on paper.

For Chevelle collectors, the SS designation combined with a vivid factory color and documented high-performance drivetrain creates the most valuable configuration. Color-matching paperwork (broadcast sheets, protect-o-plate cards, dealer invoices) dramatically increases the premium a buyer will pay, as post-facto verification of rare configurations is increasingly difficult without original documentation.

Sources:

ChevelleStuff.net — year-by-year Chevelle/El Camino factory exterior paint code charts (1964–1972).
PaintRef.com — GM Chevelle paint code cross-reference (Ditzler/DuPont/RM formulas).
Team Chevelle Forums — owner-verified trim-tag and paint code discussion.

Chevrolet Chevelle

First Gen (1964–1967)

59 colors · 1964–1967

Chevrolet Chevelle

SS Era (1968–1972)

79 colors · 1968–1972

🔧 Restoration Tips: Finding & Matching Your Original Color

• The cowl tag (firewall trim tag) is your primary color reference — it lists the exterior paint as a two-digit code matching GM's annual color guide.
• Broadcast sheets (build sheets) were often stuffed under the seat or insulation during assembly — a thorough search of the car's interior and trunk areas may turn one up, providing definitive documentation of original color and options.
• SS 396 and SS 454 Chevelles used the same body as base Malibus — the only factory distinction is the trim tag codes and the engine/transmission documentation, so exterior color verification is particularly important for high-value configurations.
• Chevelle bodies from 1969–1972 were painted with acrylic enamel, which has different repair characteristics than the lacquer used on earlier GM cars — source compatible paint systems for repairs.
• The Chevelle has a strong documentation community at forums like chevelles.com — post your VIN and trim tag codes before purchase to get a community verification of claimed color and equipment.

About factory paint codes: Manufacturer paint codes are the official identifiers used by automakers to specify exact paint formulations at the factory. For classic cars built before computerized mixing, these codes were stamped on the firewall, door jamb, or trim tag. Color names, codes, and production years are cross-referenced from established marque references and owner registries. Hex swatches shown here are approximate digital representations — vintage paint was never defined as a hex value, and actual colors vary by age, sun exposure, and production batch. For an accurate match, always mix by the factory paint code — not by the on-screen swatch — and cross-reference with an original trim tag or paint chip before ordering paint for a restoration.

Frequently Asked Questions

✦ ✦ ✦

The 1970 SS 454 was available in all standard Chevelle exterior colors, which included Fathom Green, Cranberry Red, Hugger Orange, Glacier Blue, Gobi Beige, Misty Turquoise, Nevada Silver, Cortez Silver, Champagne Gold, Shadow Gray, Black, and several others. The high-visibility colors like Cranberry Red and Fathom Green are most commonly associated with the car in collector and media contexts, though any standard color was technically available.

◆

The trim tag on the firewall (driver's side) lists the exterior color as a two-character code. For most 1969–1972 Chevelles, the format is a two-digit number (e.g. "10" for Classic White, "76" for Cranberry Red). Cross-reference your code against published GM color guides for your specific model year — the NASTF database and online Chevelle forums maintain comprehensive color decoder references.

◆

Yes, dramatically so. The SS package, especially combined with a big-block engine (396 or 454), multiplies the base value of any Chevelle substantially. Add a rare color with documentation and that premium compounds further. A matching-numbers 1970 SS 454 LS6 in a rare documented color can be worth three to five times the value of a comparable base V8 Malibu in the same color.

◆

A broadcast sheet is the factory build document that traveled with the car on the assembly line. It lists every option installed, including the exact color codes for the exterior, interior, and vinyl top if equipped. For high-value muscle car configurations, a surviving broadcast sheet is considered the gold standard of documentation — it can confirm color, engine, transmission, and rare option codes that are otherwise difficult to verify decades after the fact.

◆

Not at the paint-code level — the SS used the same factory paint options as the base Chevelle. However, the Super Sport option included specific exterior color ordering guidance in period sales materials, and some dealers presented certain vivid colors as "SS colors." In practice, any standard exterior color could be ordered on any Chevelle trim level; the restriction was on the buyer's imagination, not the factory's.

✦ ✦ ✦

Browse Listings

Find a Chevrolet Chevelle