Classic Chevrolet Silverado Paint Colors & Factory Codes (1973–1987)
Every original factory paint color offered on the classic Chevrolet Silverado (1973–1987), with official manufacturer paint codes, hex approximations, and rarity notes. Use the paint code to order a color-matched sample from a restoration supplier.
On the classic-car market the "Silverado" name points to the square-body Chevrolet C/K pickups (1973–1987), where Silverado sat at the top of the trim ladder above Custom Deluxe, Scottsdale and Cheyenne. Across this long generation GM cycled its two-digit truck color codes hard: a code like 23, 43, 65 or 71 could mean one color in 1976 and a completely different shade by the early 1980s, so factory paint is best read year-by-year rather than by code alone. Two-tone schemes were central to the upper trims — the optional Exterior Decor packages paired a darker body color (Camel Beige, Dark Chestnut, Carmine) with a lighter accent band (Neutral, Almond, Doeskin Tan) divided by bright moldings, and a Silverado or Scottsdale package strongly increases the odds an original truck left the line in two colors.
There is also a clear split between fleet whites and retail colors. Plain high-volume whites such as code 12 White dominated work-truck and fleet orders, while premium shades like Polar White (93), Carmine (70), Black Cherry (77) and the metallic browns and blues were retail-oriented and far more common on optioned Silverado/Cheyenne trucks. Utility oranges and pale farm yellows (Tangier Orange, Wheatland Yellow) show up mostly on commercial and agricultural orders. When restoring, the cab-tag paint code is the only reliable record of what a given truck originally wore — especially given the heavy code reuse across the era.
Sources:
paintref.com (GM Chevy Truck paint cross-reference by year)
gmsquarebody.com (1973–1987 square-body owner paint-code charts)
★ Rare / Desirable Colors
Standard Colors
🔧 Restoration Tips: Finding & Matching Your Original Color
- • Read the cab paint code from the SPID/cowl tag before matching anything: GM reused two-digit truck codes across the square-body years, so the same number means different colors depending on model year.
- • On two-tone trucks confirm both the primary and secondary codes (often marked with U for upper and L for lower); the decor-package moldings and break line must match the original scheme to be correct.
- • Many late-1970s and 1980s colors are metallics — use a basecoat/clearcoat system with the correct metallic flake size so the rebuild matches original PPG/Ditzler or DuPont formulas, not a flat solid mix.
- • Fleet whites and farm yellows fade and chalk heavily; before assuming a respray, check door jambs, under trim, and the inside of the tailgate for the untouched original shade.