1972 Chevrolet Touch Up Paint (49 OEM Colors)

The 1972 Chevrolet Vibe

1972 was the year Chevrolet decided everyone deserved a seat at the table, from the guy hauling hay in a C10 Truck to the weekend warrior tearing up the asphalt in a Corvette. With a staggering 49 colors in our database for this year, GM was throwing everything at the wall-and most of it was earth-toned. You had your pick of "survivalist" shades like Dark Olive Poly, Mohave Gold Poly, and the legendary Ochre, but the factory hadn't forgotten its muscle car roots. If you wanted to be seen from three counties away, you ordered Hugger Orange or Mille Miglia Red. It was a time of transition; the high-compression era was fading, but the palette was as loud as ever.

Paint Health Check

In 1972, we were firmly in the Single Stage Era. Whether your Chevy was shot in Acrylic Lacquer (typical for the Corvettes) or Acrylic Enamel (common on the Trucks), there was no clear coat to hide behind. The pigment and the resin were one and the same. The big risk here is "Oxidation." Because this paint is porous, decades of sun exposure turn that deep Mulsanne Blue or Sequoia Green into a dull, chalky mess. If your finger comes away the same color as the car when you rub the fender, your paint is literally dying on the vine. It's not "faded" in the modern sense-it's just thirsty and covered in dead paint molecules.

Restoration Tip

The golden rule for 1972 iron: It needs wax or it dies. If you're dealing with that classic chalky fade, don't jump straight to a heavy grit sandpaper. You've got to "hydrate" the remaining pigment first. Use a high-quality rubbing compound or a heavy polish to strip away the oxidized top layer and reveal the "live" paint underneath. Once you see that Ontario Orange Firemist start to glow again, you have to seal it immediately. Without a dedicated wax or sealant, the oxygen in the air will go right back to work, and you'll be back to a chalkboard finish before the next oil change.