I was helping a friend of mine work on his original six which he uses for racing. I wanted to verify if it was Signal Orange or Tangerine. SO looking at the plate on the inside front door jamb it only had the number 23 (or possibly 28) - the second digit was a little marred. But thats all there was - nothing else.

I thought the color codes were all four character, so I checked the chart when I got home. Sure enough.

Signal Orange L20E
Tangerine L21E

There is no color, in the chart anyway, that has 23 or 28.

A mystery? Ideas?

No mystery. 6's had two-digits stamped.

-Rusty (84 - metallic blue)

23 is blood orange a 914-6 color and appropriate for the karmann plate in the jamb

My Karmann Tag has a barely readable 23 and I know mine "blood orange"

23 blutorange is the same as L21E tangerine.

not every 914-6 had it this way
late '71 and the '72 had the known 4 digit code (L21E and so)

Gustl

023 was a special order color for Porsche 911 in 1970-1971. They called it "light red". Pretty blah name. The Porsche code for tangerine, according to my references, is 018- different color. In 1971 023 became 7979, and then it seems to go away after that.

023 may very well be blood orange- it sure looks like a blood orange. I always had trouble linking 023 to "standard" colors, until I found the reference to it as a special order. They had "standard" colors, "optional" colors, and "special order" colors", in addition to custom colors.

I painted my 914 023. Here's a picture. (I was selling the hood seal on eBay, but these are good images of the color...)

Click to view attachment
Click to view attachment

One of the many color resources...

http://www.roadglue.com/wiki/index.php/Exterior_color

"23" on the Karmann badge would indicate "Tangerine/Blutorange".

You guys are a wealth of knowledge.

Many thanks.

ummm, guys, we got a color chart right here, in the info section ...

http://www.914world.com/bbs2/index.php?act=colors

Andy

found this reference- http://www.roadglue.com/wiki/index.php/Exterior_color

"The Porsche xx10 code was used for Targa models where the 10 designated a black roof. The xx portion of the code was stamped onto the Karmann body badge and designated the body colour. This code was used on all 914/6 up to 9141430399. The change of code came as a result of repair shop confusion over the use of two different code series."

I noticed from another site that the 911 coupe colors are all xxxx, like 2626, which follows as the roof color is the same as the body. (2626 is conda green, color code 222)

So Tangerine/blutorange color code is 018, but stamped on the Karmann plate is 2310 (911 Targa), 2323 (coupe), or just 23 (914).

Light Red color code is 023. This is 3 digits and compares with 018 for tangerine/blutorange. Light red is not the same color as blutorange.

Another reference to the same problem- http://forums.pelicanparts.com/showthread....mp;pagenumber=2


Jim

The Wiki references above and the quote are my research and comments. To that let me add that one must not be confused by the multitude of code series and the colour names and numbers. The 914/6 used the Porsche codes to begin with, then switched to the VW codes in late 1971. The codes and names may change from year to year, but the colour number assigned by Porsche does not; the 3 digit colour numbers are not marked on the car body. The xxV9 codes that are often seen on the COA's are also an internal (probably marketing) number, and are not marked on the car bodies. I have been working on the colour codes for 30 years, and can assure you that it was confusing for about 10 of those years. I am currently working on the early 911 paint codes, and those are even more difficult.

just to contribute a little confusion I know at least one little earlier VIN that already shows the 4-digit-code (the "later" version)

Gustl

I would expect so since the VIN sequence and the body sequence are not exactly the same. Most VIN transitions mentioned in factory documentation are good guides, but are not exact. I'm not fully confident that the build sequence was exactly in VIN sequence. One might assume it would be so, but we all know what assume means. I know for certain that the 911 was not built in VIN sequence for a long time, and may never have been. Roughly yes, exactly no.

i actually know for a fact that it was *not* ...

when i did my research into 914.114, one of the things that my contact at Karmann pointed out to me was the fact that the VIN number does *not* represent the build sequence of the bare tub ...

Andy

Andy, we need to talk about that. PM or email me. Basically the body numbers should be the sequence in which the welded bodies were completed before painting. That is up to the point in 1974 when the body number was changed from the stamped digits in the rear trunk floor to the riveted tag in the front trunk. Obviously the body number was assigned before painting in the early years, then after painting when the tag was used. The VIN is a different story however, and I really need to learn much more about that process.

That's great work. And this has been a great thread for me. I finally figured out how my light red 023 914 fits into the number scheme. Would you happen to now where I can get a pic of a 911 in 023 light red? I want to compare. I picked the color from an old 911 color chart, because it was redder than tangerine, but still orangy. Other than my own car, I haven't been able to turn up a picture. thanks again. Jim

"Light Red" 023 is a special order early 911 color ...

here's a rather crappy pic of one:
Click to view attachment


Andy

Thanks! That's pretty close to mine (post #7). Maybe the factory car is on a little thiner, or maybe it's a little faded, or maybe it's just the photo. But I can see the similarity.

Jim