Chevrolet Nova Touch Up Paint (42 OEM Colors)

The Color Breakdown

Chevrolet didn't hold back with the Nova, recording a staggering 42 colors over its run. They really went for it, offering everything from the business-casual Tuxedo Black to the "look-at-me" Royal Plum Poly and Emerald Turquoise Poly. Whether your Nova is sporting the understated Sierra Fawn Poly or the vibrant Bolero Red, it's clear that Chevy wanted this car to have as much personality as the person driving it.

What to Watch For

If you're hunting for your paint code, don't look in the glovebox or the door jamb. For 1962-1967 models, you'll find the metal "cowl tag" on the passenger side of the firewall near the heater motor. For 1968-1979 versions, look on the driver's side of the cowl, right above the master cylinder. Keep an eye out for "chalking" on the flat surfaces like the hood and trunk-this is just the old finish getting thirsty after years in the sun. You might also see tiny bubbles or chips starting around the door handles; those are just the car's way of asking for a little driveway TLC before the weather gets to the metal.

Driveway Repair Tip

Since so many Nova colors are "Poly" (that's vintage-speak for metallic), your biggest challenge is getting those tiny metallic flakes to behave. Before you touch the car, shake your touch-up bottle or spray can for a full two minutes-even if your arm gets tired. This "wakes up" the sparkles so they don't all sink to the bottom. When using a brush, don't try to "paint" the scratch in one go. Instead, dab tiny dots of paint into the chip to fill it gradually. This requires patience, but it prevents the metallic flakes from clustering into a dark blob, giving you a much cleaner finish.