Classic Ford F-150 Paint Colors & Factory Codes (1975–1979)
Every original factory paint color offered on the classic Ford F-150 (1975–1979), with official manufacturer paint codes, hex approximations, and rarity notes. Use the paint code to order a color-matched sample from a restoration supplier.
Ford launched the F-150 in 1975 as a heavier-duty half-ton slotted between the F-100 and F-250, and it quickly became the volume seller of the F-series line. The early F-150s belong to the so-called "dentside" generation (1973-1979), named for the distinctive body-side indentation that ran the length of the cab and bed. Factory paint in this era leaned on durable single-stage enamels in work-ready tones: Wimbledon White, Raven Black and Chrome Yellow dominated fleet orders, while retail buyers gravitated to brighter hues like Candyapple Red, Bahama Blue and the metallic Ginger Glow browns. Ford reused VIN-tag paint codes from year to year, so the same letter can mean very different colors depending on the model year-code Q is Parrot Orange in 1975 but Tangerine in 1978.
For 1980 the truck was restyled into the squarer "bullnose" generation (1980-1986), with a flatter hood and grille that gave the front end its nickname. Two-tone schemes became a signature of the upmarket Ranger, XLT and Lariat trims, pairing a body color with a contrasting lower band or accent, while base Custom and fleet trucks stayed monochrome to control cost. Many staple colors-Raven Black, Wimbledon White and Candyapple Red among them-carried across both generations, which is why a well-kept classic F-150 can wear a paint name that spans more than a decade of production.
Sources:
fordification.net (1973-1979 Ford Truck VIN Tag exterior paint codes)
cjponyparts.com
★ Rare / Desirable Colors
Standard Colors
🔧 Restoration Tips: Finding & Matching Your Original Color
- • Locate the original VIN/warranty tag (driver's door or door pillar) and read the exterior paint code character before ordering paint-Ford reused the same letter codes for different colors across model years, so always cross-reference the code against the exact model year.
- • Most dentside and early bullnose F-150s left the factory in single-stage enamel; matching that finish with modern single-stage urethane preserves the correct flat-but-glossy factory look better than a base/clear system on a concours restoration.
- • Two-tone Ranger, XLT and Lariat trucks need careful documentation of the original break lines and accent color before stripping-photograph and measure the lower band and tape edges, since reproduction stripe and trim kits assume factory placement.
- • Cab corners, lower doors, bed sides and the rear of the front fenders are the classic rust traps on these trucks; address metal repair and proper primer there first, because even a flawless color match will fail quickly over filler that hides active corrosion.