Topic: Please decode - 68 Special Order Paint Door Tag

[V8_bloke_28]

Hi. I need some help decoding this door tag.
Car is a 67 coupe v8.
I don't know what the fender vin number is but the door tag is
8R01T140499
65a 2u 16b 721187 4 W
It just doesn't make sense to me!
Cheers

[67gta289]

8 = 1968 model year
R = San Jose final assembly plant
01 = hardtop
T = 200 cu in 6-cylinder engine
140499 = consecutive unit number

65A = standard bucket seats
     = color
2U = trim - pastel parchment vinyl
16B = Feb 16
721187 = district sales office
4 = axle 2.83:1
W = trans Automatic C-4

A picture would really help.  I've never owned a special paint vehicle, but I'm assuming that there is a space in the color area of the tag.  From what I've read, the DSO number hold the key as to the original color.  However, there might be another database table to convert the code, and not sure if anyone has that.

Did you get a Marti report yet?  If so what does it say?

Have you looked for remnants of the original color?  Under carpet, under pinchweld, under weatherstrip, etc.?

[V8_bloke_28]

I've known this car for over 25 years. It's red now but years ago I think it was a gunmetal grey colour.
Why would this tag be on a 67 car?

[midlife]

Perhaps the door was replaced?

[67gta289]

+1 door replaced.  A Marti report will clear it all up- no need to speculate - assuming the VIN on the fender aprons were not disturbed.

[WT8095]

The Ford database that Marti has does not have color information for special order paint. However, if you can uncover some of the original color on a small component and send it to him, he can match it to one of his special order color books. For example, I sent a front turn signal housing. If the customer or dealer did not order from a Ford paint list, there is a possibility that he might not be able to make a match. But it's the first place to start.

I've attached a clipping of my Marti report to show how he documents special paint.

Note that my scheduled build date is 16B, same as yours. There was a batch of special paint cars scheduled for that date. There's a strong possibility that you have a Rainbow of Colors promotional color. For the door, anyway 

More '68 special paint discussion here: http://www.concoursmustang.com/forum/index.php?topic=10753.msg64271#msg64271

[J_Speegle]

The Ford database that Marti has does not have color information for special order paint. .......

+1 

As far as having a sample a number of people on the site can match the original color to an original paint code also.


Now if the car is part not an individual order (more than one car in it) and Kevin or others have figured out the color of the other car then simply having the DSO can often give you the original color - since the research has already been done

[tim_morrison82]

that date on your door sounds like its in the rainbow of colours promo.

"1968   72 1187   at least two Madagascar Orange hardtops (one and one) with a build date of February 16th"

http://mustangattitude.com/mustang/68rainbowofcolors.shtml

[tim_morrison82]

sorry, thats for the door tag. you may be able to use Plasticine to feel under the apron and imprint the vin without removing the fender if you dont want it removed.

[J_Speegle]

Got to ask and figured this is as good as anywhere.

Is there a reason that this promotion is being referred to as the Rainbow of Colors promo rather than one of the other names that was used to describe it in Ford ads ?

And using those names rather than the alternative names?

Guess the web site had to choose something to call them out of all the names used by different names the promotion was referred to as.

Also we're assuming that the door came from that promotion rather than the Color of the Month which only included 4 colors

[WT8095]

Got to ask and figured this is as good as anywhere.

Is there a reason that this promotion is being referred to as the Rainbow of Colors promo rather than one of the other names that was used to describe it in Ford ads ?

And using those names rather than the alternative names?

Guess the web site had to choose something to call them out of all the names used by different names the promotion was referred to as.

Also we're assuming that the door came from that promotion rather than the Color of the Month which only included 4 colors

An excellent point. Personally I have been using that term because of John Klein's website - deferring to his research. John sent me the attached images. The PPG document lists a group of colors described as "Special Mustang Rainbow Colors". Not a Ford document, so this may not be an official designation. Kevin Marti also used the term "Rainbow Colors" when discussing my car:

"It was one of the Rainbow Colors cars. You will notice this car was a stock order, not a retail order on your report. The customer did not pick it. In fact, there were over 100 of these cars painted this color from the Los Angeles district. The color is very close to the 1967 color you mentioned. Because it was not ordered by a customer, it is not unusual for the car to sit on a dealer lot for a long time."

Brad Bowling and Jerry Healey have a Rainbow of Colors chapter in their "Mustang Special Editions" book:
https://books.google.com/books?id=8DyhS5BJySwC&pg=PA70&dq=mustang+rainbow+of+colors&hl=en&sa=X&ei=v3kiVZypHMqDsAW294LIDw&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=mustang%20rainbow%20of%20colors&f=false

Colin Date also uses the term in "Original Mustang 1967-1970":
https://books.google.com/books?id=jHWCCxrtKMsC&pg=PA126&dq=mustang+rainbow+of+colors&hl=en&sa=X&ei=v3kiVZypHMqDsAW294LIDw&ved=0CDcQ6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=mustang%20rainbow%20of%20colors&f=false

But I cannot personally vouch for the official promotion name. There may not have BEEN an official name for all I know. Speaking of names, I am suspicious that the Rainbow colors did not have official Ford names. In my opinion, it appears that individual dealers selected names to use in their advertising material.

Also correct that special paint cars may have been from another promotion, or even customer-ordered cars. That's why I use terms like "strong possibility". 

[J_Speegle]

Thanks -
As written - guess they had to choose something with all the different terms being used by the dealers. I believe that there might have been a term Ford used in 68 for the promotion, as would be normal practice, since it appears that it was much wider reaching than the year prior and the one that followed but we haven't located that/these documents yet.   Still to come. Dealers did seem to customize this promotion (different color names and title to the promo - though most stayed in theme) than they did, for example, white sale or other spring sales slump promotions

Believe that the Color of the Month was a completely different promo than the Rainbow Specials in 69

[WT8095]

Believe that the Color of the Month was a completely different promo than the Rainbow Specials in 69

Yes, that appears to be the case. Without completely recreating the mustangatttitude.com information, in a nutshell "Color of the Month" appears to have been a national promotion for 1968 that included four named colors. Three of those colors were used in the west-coast only "Rainbow" promotion, along with nine additional colors. The "Rainbow" promotion was repeated for the 1969 model year, using the same colors. I have not found any references to a repeat of the "Color of the Month" promo in 1969.

It undoubtedly goes without saying - any additional history on these promotions would be much appreciated!

[J_Speegle]

It undoubtedly goes without saying - any additional history on these promotions would be much appreciated!

Just established a separate section to post and follow promotions and general ads so we would not lose these threads in all the other developing subject on this site as it continues to grow.

[WT8095]

Just established a separate section to post and follow promotions and general ads so we would not lose these threads in all the other developing subject on this site as it continues to grow.

Excellent, thank you Jeff!