Original Factory Colors

Classic GMC Sierra Paint Colors & Factory Codes (1977–1987)

Every original factory paint color offered on the classic GMC Sierra (1977–1987), with official manufacturer paint codes, hex approximations, and rarity notes. Use the paint code to order a color-matched sample from a restoration supplier.

📖 Buyer's Guide 🚗 Browse Listings

Browse by Year

1977 1978 1979 1980 1985 1986 1987

Colors by Family

beige black blue brown gray green orange red silver white yellow

The GMC Sierra of the classic square-body era (1975–1987) was not a standalone model but the upscale trim designation on GMC's full-size C/K pickup line—the GMC twin of the Chevrolet C/K. Because GM built both trucks on the same assembly lines, the GMC C/K and Chevrolet C/K of any given year drew from one shared GM truck factory paint palette, identified by the same two-digit body codes stamped on the SPID (Service Parts Identification) label in the glovebox. A 1980 Sierra and a 1980 Chevy Scottsdale could leave the plant in the identical Carmine (code 70) or Camel (code 65), with only the grille badge to tell them apart.

What set the GMC Sierra apart visually was how those colors were applied. The Sierra Classic and Sierra Grande trims leaned heavily on the factory two-tone treatments that defined the square-body look—a body color paired with a contrasting accent below the beltline or along the bodyside molding, often with a white or silver roof. Combinations such as Doeskin Tan over a darker chestnut, or a deep Midnight Black over Polar White, gave the Sierra its signature dressed-up stance. Codes shifted year to year (the base white moved from 12 to 11, Polar White from 89 to 93), so always match the code to the specific model year rather than the name alone.

Sources:
paintref.com (GM / Chevy Truck cross-reference by year — GMC and Chevrolet C/K shared codes)
hdpaintcode.com

Raven Black

#0e0e10

1977

Standard non-metallic black for 1977 C/K trucks.

White

#f4f4f0

1977–1980

Base fleet white, code 12.

Silver

#c2c4c6

1977–1980

Metallic silver, code 14.

Medium Graystone

#8a8c8e

1977

Metallic graystone, code 17.

Light Blue

#9fc0d8

1977

Code 20.

Medium Blue

#3f6fa3

1977–1980

Code 23.

Bright Blue

#2f6fb0

1977

Code 25.

Dark Blue

#1f3a63

1977–1980

Code 27.

Light Green

#8fb98a

1977

Code 43.

Dark Green

#2c4a32

1977–1980

Code 46.

Yellow

#e8c84a

1977

Code 53.

Neutral

#d9cfb8

1977

Code 60, light neutral.

Buckskin

#c79e6a

1977

Code 65, popular tan-brown.

Russet

#7a4a32

1977

Code 68 (Russet for 1977).

Red

#a82b25

1977

Code 71 for 1977.

Mahogany

#5a2422

1977

Code 76, deep red-brown metallic.

Brown

#5e4327

1977–1980

Code 81.

Midnight Black

#101012

1977–1980

Code 86.

Wheatland Yellow

#d9b04a

1977–1980

Code 87.

Tangier Orange

#c8521f

1977–1980

Code 88, bright fleet orange.

Polar White

#f6f6f2

1977

Code 89 for 1977 (code 93 in 1980).

Charcoal

#4a4c4e

1980

Code 18 metallic charcoal.

Light Blue

#a7c4dc

1980

Code 25 for 1980.

Medium Green

#5f8a55

1980

Code 42.

Red

#b62a26

1980

Code 34 for 1980.

Camel Beige

#c9ab78

1980

Code 64.

Camel

#b58a4f

1980

Code 65 for 1980.

Saddle

#8a5a32

1980

Code 66.

Carmine

#8e2535

1980

Code 70, deep wine red.

Russet

#7a3a28

1980

Code 74 for 1980.

Polar White

#f6f6f2

1980

Code 93 for 1980.

White

#f4f4f0

1985–1987

Code 11 base white, late square-body.

Silver

#c4c6c8

1985–1987

Code 12 metallic silver.

Medium Gray

#8c8e90

1985

Code 15 metallic.

Black

#101012

1985–1987

Code 19 black.

Light Blue

#a9c6de

1985

Code 25 for 1985.

Dark Blue

#243a5e

1985

Code 26 for 1985.

Yellow

#e7c63f

1985

Code 50 fleet yellow.

Cream Beige

#ddd0ac

1985

Code 59.

Doeskin Tan

#c9b288

1985–1987

Code 61 / WA8265, common late-era tan.

Dark Chestnut

#5a3826

1985

Code 62 metallic.

Carmine

#8e2535

1985

Code 70 for 1985.

Red

#bb2722

1985

Code 75 for 1985.

Maroon

#5d2027

1985

Code 78 metallic maroon.

Apple Red

#bb1f24

1987

Code 72 / WA7475, final-year square-body red.

🔧 Restoration Tips: Finding & Matching Your Original Color

• Find the original color on the SPID label inside the glovebox door, not the door jamb — square-body C/K trucks list the two-digit paint code(s) there, with two codes shown for factory two-tones.
• Match the paint code to the exact model year. GMC reused two-digit numbers across the era for different shades, so a code 65 in 1977 (Buckskin) is not the code 65 of 1980 (Camel).
• For two-tone Sierra Classic and Grande trucks, confirm both the lower body and accent codes before ordering paint, and note the factory break line so the secondary color sits correctly along the molding.
• Cross-reference the GMC code against the shared GM/Chevrolet truck charts and the WA-prefix GM mix code (e.g. Doeskin Tan = WA8265) so a modern paint supplier can mix an accurate single-stage match.

About these colors: Color names, factory paint codes, and production years are cross-referenced from established marque references and owner registries. Hex codes are approximate digital representations of factory paint — vintage automotive paint was never defined as a hex value, and original enamel fades over time. True paint colors depend on age, sun exposure, refinishing history, and production batch variation. For an accurate match, always mix by the factory paint code — not by the on-screen swatch — and verify against an original paint chip or a professional color-matched sample before purchasing paint for a restoration.