david chambers

i need help,the sales brochure sez that IROCS were not painted "copper metallic" but mine is .what gives?also whats this about 86 calif cars being recalled and repainted ??also heard there were only 52 van nuys built copper metallic cars built????anyone??my VIN is 1G1FP87F8GL181932 my RPO tag ,,,gone AND theres no trim tag on the rad brace either so i got little to go on help PLEASE!!!

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

There most definitely was such a color, in about 85 or 86... I distinctly recall test-driving a brand-new one that was that color about then... yours looks to be a 86 so it could have been.

California was the first state that basically banned paint with a hydrocarbon solvent base. (If you've ever been out to LA in the spring or summer, you know why.) They had to use a water-based urethane base instead, which in its early years, wasn't real durable. For a few years when they were new, GM would try to resolve certain paint complaints by re-painting certain parts of an affected car; getting a whole car done was near impossible, so if you pushed them to do that, you usually ended up with a patchwork car, that looked worse than the paint failure itself. Long since discontinued, especially for these cars; but that kind of paint is MUCH better nowadays than it was back then.

52 cars sounds AWFUL low; but since Norwood was still in operation at the time, it's possible that that color was only used in high volume there, and not so much in Van Nuys. It wasn't a particularly popular color back then; people thought at the time that it looked too "70s" (think, copper-colored appliances); but it wasn't exactly "rare" either.

Not sure about "gives" or what "help" we can offer here... it's one of those things where it just kind of IS what it IS...

Jason E

86 was the first year for base/clearcoat paint, and my Trans Am shows. I forget if mine is a Van Nuys or Norwood car (the top of my windshield cowl is painted black, so I guess that means something??), but because it sat outside, there's no real clear left on the hood, roof and trunk.

Todays paints hold up soooo much better...my RS was painted 4 years ago, and looks like brand new.

Iroctopless

Copper Metallic (paint code 66 - WA 8754) did exist. Interestingly for '86 all I can find for info is that the production quantity for that colour that year was 2! And it wasn't available on the IrocZ. Just the Berlinetta, SC and Z28.
Scottmoyer (or any of our "senior" members) can you shed any more light on this?

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

It DEFINITELY was available on the IROC.

I test-drove a brand-new one at the Chevy dealer.

jharrison5

You can order any color (offered in that years total make/model line up) you want on a GM car if you have the right contacts. In the 60's they were known as -/- cars and most times are one of a kind rides.

Scorpner

iTrader: (4)

I have an '85 Copper Camaro. I don't recall the numbers but there weren't many. The numbers for 1986 were very few and vague, so if yours was originally copper, then it would be one of very few.

Here are some other threads that may help to see if your color is the same, and the topic of copper IROC's was brought up, just have to read through them:

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/auto...per-burnt.html

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/inte...hat-color.html

scottmoyer

Copper Metallic wasn't available on the IROC-Z. It was available on the Z28. Is it possible that your car is not an IROC-Z? I've had people refer to my car as copper colored when it's Dark Red Metallic. Do you have any information or codes that we can verify? I'd say that either the car was completely repainted if the door jambs and engine compartment match or there's a chance that you have a Z28 cloned to an IROC-Z

the -/- code is not used on thirdgens and times changed. You could not get what you wanted in the 80's, even if you knew somebody. GM laid out guidelines as to what's available from the factory due to government guidelines and they did not stray away from that for a one off unless it was a prototype build or special for an agency. Just knowing somebody couldn't get you the same deals as in the 60s.

xcalibur

I concur. Another good reason we don't see any Thirdgens in Mary Kay pink.
I had a heck of a time ordering my '89 Formula 350 in Flame Red Metallic.

xcalibur

Sorry, and thanks for your political correctness, Scott.

scottmoyer

Not politically correct! Just trying to keep the language clean as I have a young one that likes to read the boards with me. TGO policy is to have a family friendly and work friendly environment. Thanks

camarosrock1989

iTrader: (1)

I have the camaro white book, there were only 2 copper colored Iroc Z28 Camaro's for the year of 86. Book says very rare! If the two are the same color today, you have something very special! Wow that is amazing!