Paint code?

[Vin's 49 Plymouth]

Hi Everyone, I'm new to 30's or 40's car restoration, I've been a MOPAR fan for my whole life.

Question is where do I find the paint color code on my 1949 P15C? The firewall tag is: 00-L A A 3362.  (Detroit Briggs) The drivers post tag is: 250 692 46. (LA Plant) The Registration says P151012330 is this possibly someones past project with mixed parts or maybe the P15 number on the engine matches the registration? 

I have put some photos in my Gallery of this awesome car, cant wait to drive it.

 

 

Thanks so much for your time to read and respond!

 

Vince McLellan

[deathbound]

Welcome to the forum. Pretty sure a build card from Chrysler Historical Society (?) will give you the paint code, among other useful info. Can't say from experience, just what others on here have said. You can check to see if your engine# is original to your car by looking for the same# stamped on the frame.....for '49, I think somewhere on the outside left (drivers) side frame rail near the rear axle kick up.....someone more familiar with a '49 should chime in exactly where (my '38 has it just behind the axle kick up)....and will take some detective work looking for it if the frame hasn't been cleaned up.

Also, the search feature is very helpful, just type in "paint code", "build card", or something specific and you should get results. Make sure you are on the main forum page and NOT in a specific thread.

Check this out for build card info:http://www.ply33.com/Misc/buildcard

[JerseyHarold]

Welcome aboard.  US-built P15's don't have a color code on them, it was only shown on the build card.  I just read (on another forum) that Chrysler Historical is not processing build card requests for the next few months because they are working on special projects right now (one of which is re-pricing their services....).   There are several 'paint chip' websites that have pictures of the various colors.  One that I've used is :  autocolorlibrary.com  .  You can compare the paint color on your firewall to the chips and get an idea of what the color name is.

[P15-D24]

Check the Reference section of this site http://p15-d24.com/page/p15d24/reference/p15_reference.html  for a copy of the actual paint chip charts with the code numbers.

[TodFitch]

Word has it that the Chrysler Historical Collection is denying requests for build cards until some sort of special project is completed, new website, and new pricing is completed which is expected to be after November 1st. So if you want the build card, you may have to wait a while.

[Vin's 49 Plymouth]

Thanks for all your answers, it's nice to have some knowledgeable members and staff alike on a great site.

 

Thank you!! Happy 4th everyone!!

 

Vince McLellan 

[Vin's 49 Plymouth]

If the car was built early 49, but it's really the same as a 48. What color chart would i use, 48 or 49? This is if I cant get a build card for a while! 

I'm curios because, I found this   http://www.pwchryslerclub.org/Judging%20Guide.pdf

 

I find that when you type in P15 it's not even listed as a 49, but only as a 48? I think I read a post that said P15's were built in 49 only because the next model was not ready, am I right?

 

Thanks again.

Vince

[B-Watson]

Early 1949 models are P15 models, thus are the same as 1946-48, including colours.   Except in Canada where there were changes in colours available in 1947 and  1948.

 

As far as the Engineering Department was concerned, there was no 1st series 1949, which is why corporate listings do not show a 1949 P15.   The 1949 P15 was the brainchild of the marketing people.  Chrysler was not going to have the all-new 1949 models ready for production until February, which meant Chrysler Corp dealers would be selling 1948 models until the new 1949 models were introduced in March, 1949.   So, it was decided to have all cars built, starting December 1, 1948, marketed as 1949 models.   Production of the 1946-48 models continued until the end of January, when the assembly plants were shut down for the change over and the for real 1949 models started coming off the assembly lines around the 2nd week of February.

 

Except in Canada.  The Windsor plant built 1946-48 models through to Christmas, 1948,  and then shut down until the real 1949 models started production in February, 1949.  Canadian-built cars remained 1948 models right through to the end of production in late December, 1948.  There were no 1st series 1949 models in Canada.  That shows how much Chrysler of Canada's market for the 1948 models had dried up.

 

Someone is going to mention the chart showing Plymouth P15 cars "built" in February and March 1949,  Except that the chart is titled "Shipments".  The chart thus shows cars shipped, not built, in February (1,752) and March (15).  Not all cars were shipped as soon as they were built.  The company did build cars that did not have a dealer order to back it up and these cars generally were the ones that were still on the factory lots in February and March, 1949

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[BobT-47P15]

That's about right Vince..........I think the P15 was made for either 3 or 4 months of 1949......so you could call them a

"carryover" or whatever you want.  Everything about them is the same as the 1946-48 P15s.   The motor number on

the side of the block begins with "P15" and matches a number on the driver's side of the frame, and was also used

on the title of these cars when new.  Over the years, some people have replaced the motors therefore that number will

not match.  Some people have gotten the license bureau to change the title number to match one on the door post,

which seems most similar to today's "VIN".  So.......various reasons why the "serial number" on the title may not

correspond to anything you see at first.

 

Here is a picture of the location of my frame ID on my P15.  Had to do some wire brushing to actually read those

numbers.   They would be what was on the original engine and on the title to the car.  Hope this helps.

 

 

Numbers at top edge, in front of gas filler neck.

 

[BobT-47P15]

As to what was the original color of your car...........simply be a detective............look at the door edges--do they appear to be

original paint?   How about under the door panels?   Behind various upholstery components.   Inside the trunk.   The firewall....it

normally was body color of the car.   Underneath the car in out of the way places.    Hopefully there would be enough matching

color spots to determine what the original shade must have been.   The color chart can show you the original shade and the

name of the color.   If you want an original looking color........you just need to work with a paint store to mix up something

similar in today's paints.    

 

In my case........my car was Sumac Red (a dark red) when new, then was repainted a shade of blue probably in the late

1950s or the 60s.  I like the 1967 Ford "Sunshine Yellow" color........so that's what it is.  Suits me.   So......suit yourself.

 

[Vin's 49 Plymouth]

Thanks everyone for the paint code help. Turns out an email to Chrysler Historical and I get them to read off the build card. It said Air Grey, hand written. So I'm thinking AirWing Grey. I also found a tag under the seat with a trim code of   913.

 

Thanks again!!!!