I'm looking to paint my 280Z, and the original paint color was a very light blue. I would like something darker and something a 240Z would have been painted. I found this 240Z-L that was featured in Petrolicious, and would like to confirm the color code.

The blog link:

http://s30zed.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-02-19T12:11:00-08:00&max-results=6&reverse-paginate=true&start=6&by-date=false

It appears it was produced in October 1971 which would likely be a color code 115, but cannot tell for sure. The third photo shows a 1970 240Z which looks very similar (903 code), and the 240Z-L next to each other. Can someone help me confirm the color? I have not seen either color (903 or 115) in real life, and I would just like to make sure I get the right color.

Thanks in advance for any help on this!

Edited March 27, 20169 yr by jmilesfox

I recommend you get some small 4 oz samples from a paint supplier first. Shoot it on a test panel. You can even change the base color grey, black & white.

The color will vary some based on the underlying color, unless you get a lot of color on the car. Then you can see the color in person in the daylight. Pictures on the computer don't always color render well.

 IMO 903 was the darker of the two blues. 115 was more a silvery (metallic) blue. Patcon is right about samples. It's the only way to be sure before you spend big bucks on paint.

I think the Z-L in your pic is 903.

Colors look very similar so get some samples.

My 72 was 115 

 

 

key to remember about color matching: colors seen on a computer monitor are emissive (light generated by the monitor directly) vs. colors seen in person are reflective (light bouncing off the actual paint surface) so they will have very different appearances.

this is especially true regarding reflectance, metal flake, clear coat, etc. all of which will create a very different look if viewing the physical sample vs. an image on a monitor.

I'm amazed nobody has listed this link.  http://www.zhome.com/History/ZColorGallary/

903 is the one of the original colors offered in 1970.  It is solid blue.  115 is metallic.  Introduced in 1972 or 1973, it sparkles.  The 903 example photo is actually a vintage Z, repainted in PPG paint with their color matching.

This is Kats' car - 903 blue

Edited March 28, 20169 yr by 26th-Z

 I looked at ZHome but their pic of the car in 903 blue wasn't accurate. Kat's car looks like 903 should.