Corvette Bronze Poly?

farmer · 11-08-06, 03:52 PM

We are stripping 74 vette and anticipating painting it before winter. It is not original color...Silver Mist...and that's OK with me. I am contemplating a color from 68 thru 70 called corvette bronze poly. I want a color that will help identify car as early C3. I think it will lend an older feel to the car. Anyone got a picture of a c3 that color? Any other early C3 color favorites? Thanks.

LVMYVT76 · 11-08-06, 04:14 PM

76 MEDIUM METALLIC BLUE

craig32 · 11-08-06, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by farmer

Anyone got a picture of a c3 that color? Any other early C3 color favorites? Thanks.

Well, the obvious for you would be 'Ontario Orange' They are all classics tho, like Elkhart Green, Nevada Silver, Steel Cities Gray, War Bonnet Yellow. . . .all look good with chrome bumpers

Craig

RedChev · 11-08-06, 09:09 PM

HI Farmer, If you pick the color Bronze Poly you may very well be depicting a very early C-3, abeit not authentic. I've owner my '70 vette for about 22 years. When I bought it, it was Ontario Orange, but when I stripped it about 20 years ago I found some Bronze Poly on it in the wiper/cowl section and near the front of the 'A' pillars. I then found an article which seemed to explain to me what the cirrculmstance was. In late 1969, The UAW forced GM thru one of the largest and most difficult and prolonged strikes in the history of the industry. The corvette production line was stalled and never really got going until after the beginning of 1970. But they still had some quirks to work out and one of them was the paint line. They had serious trouble painting the Bronze Poly. They finally gave up and any 1970 Corvette that was ordered in Bronze Poly was dilivered in Ontario Orange. Imagine the shock if you were one of those new owners waiting for your Bronze Poly Corvette.
Some early cars did get some Bronze Poly on them, but with visible flaws the cars were sent back thru the line and painted Ontario Orange. Hence some small traces of Bronze Poly on a few early cars. Needless to say my car is Red now, and has been that color since 1987 since I fell in love with the red 1987 IROC Z camaro. (i also kept the bronze poly where it can be seen if you look real hard).

6880 Mike · 11-09-06, 09:53 AM

Here you go. Quality is not particularly good, but you can get an idea:

farmer · 11-09-06, 11:47 AM

Thanks guys. I want the car to have the older feel, that's why I'm leaning toward a color relatively exclusive to the early C3's. Thanks for the color chips...any pics of a C3 painted corvette bronze?

TJay · 11-10-06, 10:26 PM

Farmer,
I can't help you with a picture, but here's a link for cross reference of paint codes you may find interesting for all years of corvettes.

http://www.corvettepaintcodes.com/

TJay · 11-10-06, 10:37 PM

farmer,
I found a picture of a bronze poly corvette.... they say it's bronze

farmer · 11-11-06, 05:33 PM

Thanks TJay. Hows that bronze compare to 74 orange metallic? Is it similar?

TJay · 11-11-06, 09:33 PM

farmer,
maybe this is a better picture of Bronze paint.... found it on the web..

RedChev · 11-12-06, 12:03 AM

Hi guys, I got a PM asking if I could remember the source of the article I talked about related to the Bronze Poly color and the Ontario Orange. It's been 20 yrs since I read it , but also I keep alot of old literature. If I find it I'll post it. By the way the first picture posted with the example of the Bronze Poly is the color that I remember it to be. It is alittle lighter than the other example. I also remember that Chevelles had the Bronze color about the same time. In the "Genuine Corvette Black Book" under 1970 colors, a "Corvette Bronze" is listed with a paint code of 993. In '69 there was no bronze but a "Monaco Orange" is listed #990. In '71 again there is no bronze listed, but here the orange is "Ontario Orange" #987. In '68, there is a bronze but no Orange, and in '72 there is an Orange but no bronze. I find is curious that where ever there is a bronze there is then no orange, and wherever there is an Orange there is no bronze. An least in the years I checked, which were predominately the chrome bumper years of the c-3s.

TJay · 11-12-06, 09:18 AM

Red Chev,

Your right, I never noticed that before that they dropped one color for the other during those years. Here's a info link to all years..

http://100megsfree4.com/corvette/

Thanks for the lesson..

Tom Bryant · 11-13-06, 10:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedChev

HI Farmer, If you pick the color Bronze Poly you may very well be depicting a very early C-3, abeit not authentic. I've owner my '70 vette for about 22 years. When I bought it, it was Ontario Orange, but when I stripped it about 20 years ago I found some Bronze Poly on it in the wiper/cowl section and near the front of the 'A' pillars. I then found an article which seemed to explain to me what the cirrculmstance was. In late 1969, The UAW forced GM thru one of the largest and most difficult and prolonged strikes in the history of the industry. The corvette production line was stalled and never really got going until after the beginning of 1970. But they still had some quirks to work out and one of them was the paint line. They had serious trouble painting the Bronze Poly. They finally gave up and any 1970 Corvette that was ordered in Bronze Poly was dilivered in Ontario Orange. Imagine the shock if you were one of those new owners waiting for your Bronze Poly Corvette.
Some early cars did get some Bronze Poly on them, but with visible flaws the cars were sent back thru the line and painted Ontario Orange. Hence some small traces of Bronze Poly on a few early cars. Needless to say my car is Red now, and has been that color since 1987 since I fell in love with the red 1987 IROC Z camaro. (i also kept the bronze poly where it can be seen if you look real hard).

That's interesting. What code did they end up putting on the data plate on these cars then? I like that bronze. You don't see too many that color and it stands out. My '59 was '68 Safari Yellow when I bought it in '69.

Tom

Lucy64 · 11-13-06, 03:03 PM

I had a rare Corvette Bronze 1968 Camaro Z/28 years ago. I have owned my share of cars over the years and that bronze 68 Z/28 is my favorite of all time. I think that color is very close to my DSOM 05 that I own now.

RedChev · 11-16-06, 07:03 PM

[quote=Tom Bryant;766349]That's interesting. What code did they end up putting on the data plate on these cars then?
Tom, I haven't been down to the garage in a few days to look at my paint code, been working too many late hours, but I would imagine that the paint code was for whatever color the car left the factory with.