Corvette Info request.....

[Len Geisler]

I just received my 2008 edition of the Corvette Black book, I use it to plan my Vette builds. A week or so before, I opened an MPC 84 Vette and decided to build it. So into my little black book and I find there was one yellow (code 35) Corvette built that year. Usually there is some info in the book on odd balls, but nothing of this Vette....

Anyone have an insight they can share?

Tks...

[ismaelg]

Len,

I'm not aware of any yellow '84 or '85 Vettes. However, yellow has a history of been a very hard to use color, sometimes getting the most warranty claims. Code 35 was first used in 1986, so I wouldn't be surprised if by 1984 they were experimenting with it. Rumor has it that that color and Competition Yellow, the one that replaced it in '90, were both a pain to work with. Those 2 colors were alternated during the C4 years.

Code 35 yellow from '86-'88 and a handful of '89s , Competition Yellow code 53 in '90, then back to code 35 in '91 and '92 and back to Comp Yellow code 53 from '94 to '96.

Thanks,

Edited June 1, 2008 by ismaelg

[Joe Handley]

Where did they get the yellow at the time? My Dad worked for The Chicago & Nortwestern Rail Road at the time and they had a lot of bright yellow GMC trucks of all sizes. He also had a very basic but bright yellow 6.2l Diesel 1986 GMC Jimmy (with factory installed true duals no less ) as a company provided vehicle. Now IIRC that yellow was really close to the yellow used on the Corvettes at that time too!

I'll have to dig around on railphotos.net tonight and see what I can find now that I think of it.........................

[lordairgtar]

Where did they get the yellow at the time? My Dad worked for The Chicago & Nortwestern Rail Road at the time and they had a lot of bright yellow GMC trucks of all sizes. He also had a very basic but bright yellow 6.2l Diesel 1986 GMC Jimmy (with factory installed true duals no less ) as a company provided vehicle. Now IIRC that yellow was really close to the yellow used on the Corvettes at that time too!

I'll have to dig around on railphotos.net tonight and see what I can find now that I think of it.........................

Unless in the shops for a repaint, most railroads (and other fleet operators) ordered the basic color from the fleet sellers book and paint was applied at the factory. You might find a few repainted color over white trucks used by railroads and utilities. My dad worked for the Milwaukee Road, later known as Soo Line after the merge. I think it's now Canadian National.

Edited June 2, 2008 by lordairgtar

[robertw]

Len,

I've attempted to answer your question on the other board but in short there were at least three '85's painted Code 35 yellow so I would guess the '84 would also be a color evaluation vehicle.

Rob W

[Joe Handley]

The paint was factory on this one, doorjabs, underhood, and all!

[Joe Handley]

Here's a pic of a couple C&NW trucks from that time period

http://webpages.charter.net/harrisjc/highrl.jpg

[Brendan]

Try contacting MCW. Here's the link. He can custom mix paints. If you have the codes or pictures, he can mix paint.

http://ourworld-top.cs.com/mcwautofinishes/

[Joe Handley]

I asked Dad tonight about the trucks C&NW had. Most of them were fleet orders that GM had painted the Chrome Yellow color that C&NW provided specs for that just happened to be close to alot of the yellows used on Corvettes over the years He also said that there was a railroad employee that had a factory painted 1984 Corvette that was a close match for the RR's trucks! Sounds like the E, J & E trucks were the same way, only painted a forest/hunter green.