Decoding Trim Tags: Interior Color and Material Codes

Decoding it is not hard once you know where to look and what the letters and numbers stand for. Doing it before you order material saves you from spending money on the wrong color.

What a trim tag is

Different makers used different plates, and the names vary, but the job is the same. The plate was riveted to the car on the line, and it recorded details about the body, paint and interior. Many American cars put the body and trim data on one plate. Some put separate paint and trim codes on it. The plate does not tell you everything about the car, but it records the interior color and material the factory intended.

Where to find it

Locations moved from year to year, so check a reference for your exact car. If the plate is on the door and the door has been replaced, the plate may belong to a different car. Match the numbers on the plate to the VIN where the plate carries it.

Reading the codes

On a General Motors body plate, the interior is normally listed on a line labeled as trim, usually marked TR, followed by a code that stands for the interior color and style. On 1967 to 1969 Camaros, for example, it is a three digit number plus a letter for seat type. Paint is shown on a separate line. On a Ford data plate, the interior code is typically a short alphanumeric entry in a labeled trim column, next to paint and body codes. A Chrysler fender tag packs a lot of information into a string of letters and digits, and the trim section is a short sequence of letters and digits that tells you the trim level, seat type and color.

Once you have the code, match it against a decoding chart or factory manual for your make and year. Do not trust a chart for another year. Codes are reused and changed, and the same letter can mean different things across model years. Look for a source that lists your exact year and body style.

Color, material and pattern

A trim code usually tells you three things, though not always in separate pieces. First is the color, such as black, red or saddle. Second is the material, which could be vinyl, cloth, leather or a combination. Third is the style or pattern, for example a seat with a particular insert or a certain stitched pattern. When you order upholstery, give the shop all three, along with the code itself.

The same color name can look different across years. A factory red from one year may be a different shade from the next. For anything judged, get a physical sample or a restored swatch from a known correct car. Many reproduction suppliers list their materials by factory code, which makes the match simpler.

When the tag is missing or wrong

Plates go missing or get painted over in restorations. If the tag is gone, there are backup sources. Look for original paper such as a build sheet or an order form under the carpet or on top of the gas tank, depending on the maker, because where a build sheet ended up varied by plant and year. A dealer invoice, a window sticker or a factory record request can also fill the gap. Some makers and registries offer record lookups for a fee, and club members often know where to ask.

Check the car itself, too. Original seat covers, door panel backs and the underside of the headliner sometimes keep the original color where sun never reached. A strip of original material under a seat bracket can settle the question. If you are rebuilding a car with no records at all, choose a color that was offered for that year and body style, and note the choice in the car's file.

"Somebody always has a theory about the interior. The tag is the first place to look and the last word, unless somebody swapped the door."

Wayne Coburn

Cross checking with the rest of the car

Treat the trim tag as one piece in a set. Match it to the paint code, the body style, and the VIN to see if the car is what it claims to be. Paint and trim should fit together, because a factory did not offer every combination. If your plate says one thing and the car wears another, find out why before you decide which one to follow. The same attention is the reason to read up on paint codes, since the interior and exterior colors are checked against each other at a judged show.

Using the code in the restoration

Once you know the code, put it to use. Order materials by code and year, send the shop a photo of the plate, and keep the plate itself with the car. Do not remove it during bodywork, and if it has to come off, label it and store it safely, then rivet it back where it belongs. Plates are part of the car's history, and a missing or altered plate can hurt value.

The decoding step is the first one in restoring the interior correctly, because every choice after it, from the foam to the thread color, depends on the answer.

Other bodies, other interiors

The same approach works across car and truck lines. Trucks often have simpler interiors but their own plate formats, so check the specifics in our piece on truck interiors. And if you are shopping for a specific car, the plate is a quick way to check a listing. When you look at classic Mustangs for sale, for instance, ask for a photo of the door data plate and compare the interior code to the seats in the car. A mismatch is a conversation, not always a dealbreaker, but it should show up in the price.

Sources and notes

• Classic Industries, Camaro trim tag decoder, GM tag location on 1967 to 1969 Camaros and the year-specific TR code
• Chevellestuff, 1967 Fisher Body number plate, what the GM plate lists: TR trim code, paint code and option codes
• Chevrolet passenger car body number plate, upper firewall location on 1942 to 1957 models and trim number meaning
• 1968 Ford and Mercury warranty plate, door lock face location and interior trim code position
• 1964 Ford warranty plate, same door location and how trim code suffixes were used
• Maxwedge, documenting Chrysler fender tags, driver side inner fender location, older-car variations and the interior trim code