Confusion on my original paint color 1971 Sportroof

[pheonix75]

Ok, this is where I need your help out there. I'm really thinking about keeping my car stock as many of you have suggested. This is what I running into, I originally thought the car was Pastel Blue as the grandson of the original owner described it to me. But, as I have been pulling the car apart, it looks like a light metallic/blue color underneath the different areas. I attached the door code and it has a blank for color?!? Any help? Was it a custom color? and if so what do you all recommend for the repaint when I do update it.

I am leaning towards keeping the car mainly stock...oh and the interior is Vermilion.

Ideas?

 

[Austin Vert]

Hi Pheonix,

If you pull a Marti report, that should reveal the original color code for your Mustang.

In the meantime, check this thread out to help shed some light on your problem.::thumb::

http://www.7173mustangs.com/thread-original-1973-ford-paint-color-chart

Greg.

 

[bkdunha]

I would also suggest getting a Marti to verify. One interesting note is that whenever a car was ordered in a special color by customer request they would usually leave the color code blank. I know of stories where buyers ordered colors off of a different car line like a Thunderbird or Lincoln. The Marti report would definitly help with this and you may find out that you have a very unique car. Keep us posted on what you find.

 

[Boss1Ray]

Go to these website pages and see if you can match up a color that you believe you car was originally.

1971 Ford colors:

http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcodedisplay.cgi?make=Ford&con=k&year=1971&rows=50

1971 Mustang colors:

http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcodedisplay.cgi?make=Ford&model=Mustang&year=1971&con=koy&rows=50

Usually you can look at areas under the dash and there will be tell tales of the stock color. Sometimes you can look at other areas around trim that were not masked off very well to find the original color.

Good luck.

Ray

 

[bkdunha]

Ray good point. Another option is remove the sill plates a fold a bit of the carpet back and you may see original color on the floorpan

 

[Boss1Ray]

Ray good point. Another option is remove the sill plates a fold a bit of the carpet back and you may see original color on the floorpan

Agreed! Unless they dipped or blasted it - there will be some indications if ya look hard enough. I hate it when you find two or three colors because of body work and panel replacement! OUCH!

I do remember looking at a 72 Mach years ago that had signs of Grabber Blue under one door and then the rear 1/4 showed red. Car was supposed to be Pewter!!

Ray

 

[Bender351]

I'd be interested in finding out about that DSO code. 711495?

 

[pheonix75]

Thanks all! I appreciate the info. I just finished ordering a Deluxe Marti report. Hopefully that will show something in the next few days...

I can tell the car has only been painted once...it was a shoddy job so plenty of areas to find the original color. I found a sticker in the lid of the trunk that had been painted over and that is where I found a large area that was a light blue-silver metallic, that color is also showing thru a couple areas where the paint has chipped off.... which of course is not matching up to one of the standard color options on the standard samples. It almost looks like one of the T-Bird color options....

I'd be interested in finding out about that DSO code. 711495?

I started researching that right after seeing your post...this is what I found.

Just found this on http://www.specialservicemustang.net/DSO.html

" All special-ordered Mustangs, whether or not a Special Service car, have a six digit number, instead of just a two digit one. The first two numbers still delineate the Sales Office, but the last four are the actual Dealer Special Order number. For instance, if a dealer special-ordered five Mustangs for a promotion in a non-stock paint color, such as a Thunderbird Blue, all five Mustangs would have the same six digit DSO code, ie. 24-0327, with 24 being the ordering sales office (Jacksonville, FL), and 0327 being the special order number (sequential). "

So, Im assuming it was a special order car out of the 71/ Los Angeles District.

 

[OMS]

You should be able to carefully remove the paint on the edges of the door tag

Original color will show under the clear decal edges

You might also remove a fender bolt to see what color you find

You are correct- that would be a special order out of the LA district office

The Vermilion color will grow on you - it took awhile for one I had a couple of years ago

Don

 

[jeremycfr]

You've really peaked my interest here and would like to know what you find out. Pretty cool.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Bender351]

Thanks all! I appreciate the info. I just finished ordering a Deluxe Marti report. Hopefully that will show something in the next few days...

I can tell the car has only been painted once...it was a shoddy job so plenty of areas to find the original color. I found a sticker in the lid of the trunk that had been painted over and that is where I found a large area that was a light blue-silver metallic, that color is also showing thru a couple areas where the paint has chipped off.... which of course is not matching up to one of the standard color options on the standard samples. It almost looks like one of the T-Bird color options....

I'd be interested in finding out about that DSO code. 711495?

I started researching that right after seeing your post...this is what I found.

Just found this on http://www.specialservicemustang.net/DSO.html

" All special-ordered Mustangs, whether or not a Special Service car, have a six digit number, instead of just a two digit one. The first two numbers still delineate the Sales Office, but the last four are the actual Dealer Special Order number. For instance, if a dealer special-ordered five Mustangs for a promotion in a non-stock paint color, such as a Thunderbird Blue, all five Mustangs would have the same six digit DSO code, ie. 24-0327, with 24 being the ordering sales office (Jacksonville, FL), and 0327 being the special order number (sequential). "

So, Im assuming it was a special order car out of the 71/ Los Angeles District.

I never knew about the dealer special order codes. Very interesting.

 

[Adrian Clements]

pheonix75,

Your 1971 Ford Mustang SportsRoof, VIN 1F02H131846, was a Special Paint Order (SPO) car, meaning that it was painted a non-standard (i.e. non-1971 Mustang) paint color when it was built on Friday, November 6, 1970 at the Dearborn Assembly Plant. It was painted under special order number 1495 out of the Los Angles, California District Sales Office.

Based on your description, it sounds like your Mustang may have been painted Medium Blue Metallic, which was COL code Q on the 1971 Ford, Maverick, Torino, and Thunderbird lines. Email me at [email protected] and I'll send you a photo of what that paint color looks like for comparison to the original paint areas that you've uncovered on your car.

Of the 23,955 SportsRoofs built during the 1971 model year, only 163 had blank COL codes (0.68%). Only 8 of those 163 units had TRIM code 1E, and your car is the ONLY ONE of those 8 with Engine H, 351-2V. That makes your car a "1 of 1"!

The Ford production database does not show what the original paint color of your car was, so don't expect it to show on your Marti Report. You would need to get your hands on the original DSO (Domestic Special Order) paperwork for your car, or a copy of the 6-digit DSO microfiche-like files that were distributed to each DSO after the end of the 1971 model year to have documentation of your car's original paint color.

I hope that this information proves to be interesting to you.

Yours in old Ford iron,

Adrian

 

[pheonix75]

pheonix75,

Your 1971 Ford Mustang SportsRoof, VIN 1F02H131846, was a Special Paint Order (SPO) car, meaning that it was painted a non-standard (i.e. non-1971 Mustang) paint color when it was built on Friday, November 6, 1970 at the Dearborn Assembly Plant. It was painted under special order number 1495 out of the Los Angles, California District Sales Office.

Based on your description, it sounds like your Mustang may have been painted Medium Blue Metallic, which was COL code Q on the 1971 Ford, Maverick, Torino, and Thunderbird lines. Email me at [email protected] and I'll send you a photo of what that paint color looks like for comparison to the original paint areas that you've uncovered on your car.

Of the 23,955 SportsRoofs built during the 1971 model year, only 163 had blank COL codes (0.68%). Only 8 of those 163 units had TRIM code 1E, and your car is the ONLY ONE of those 8 with Engine H, 351-2V. That makes your car a "1 of 1"!

The Ford production database does not show what the original paint color of your car was, so don't expect it to show on your Marti Report. You would need to get your hands on the original DSO (Domestic Special Order) paperwork for your car, or a copy of the 6-digit DSO microfiche-like files that were distributed to each DSO after the end of the 1971 model year to have documentation of your car's original paint color.

I hope that this information proves to be interesting to you.

Yours in old Ford iron,

Adrian

Adrian, Thanks so much! I appreciate it. I definitely will drop you an email. After all of the great feedback from everyone on this forum I think I am only going to recondition the car. I want to get the body and paint back to the original color...replace a couple of wear items such as the carpet and get it running super smooth. I'm even resisting putting headers and all the fun stuff I normally would and keep it as it was originally from the factory. Thank you again everyone!

 

[71_resurrection]

I would have to agree that originality on this rare of a car would be more preferred, but in the end I think that it is what makes you happy that matters. That paint does sound like it would look great on the car though! Cant wait to see what you find.

 

[Austin Vert]

Hi Adrian,

Sounds like you know your chops. Are you right into the background thing in a big way?

Greg.

 

[judge]

My dad had a 70 Thunderbird in the day. Your color appears to be the color of our car. I don't know they called it but if I were naming paints then it would have been "midnight blue metallic" it was real dark but distinguishable from black.

 

[Boss1Ray]

The color of the car now is not the original color. Sounds like a few might be confusing that fact.

pheonix75,

Please share pics of some areas showing that original color on here.

As a purist I am happy to hear you are wanting to keep it stock. But with my preferences for these cars, I see no problem with performance mods that don't change the overall configuration of the cars. I do advise to keep all original parts associated with anything you change.

Glad to have you here with us. I am proud of all the members that care a lot about these cars!

Ray

 

[pheonix75]

Thanks Adrian! I got the samples you sent and I was already thinking it was the Winter-Blue Q-code and that solidified it . I attached where I peeled the sticker off and the Engine tag while I'm at it. I found a really cool 69 Torino in the Medium Blue Metallic and that color looks perfect. The Vermilion probably matches up with it well.

I'm really excited about the rarity of this car/color combo and definitely am going to work at getting it back to the stock status.

Thanks everyone and I will attach the Marti report as well when it arrives. Ive been out and about cruising in the car today...such an awesome ride!

 

[pheonix75]

Just got my Eminger report, totally cool, but still no love on the specific original car color. Oh well, so Im leaning towards the "Q" ford winter blue color as being closest. Waiting for a quote from the paint and body guy.

Just enjoying the car now as-is! Thanks for everyone's help and input.