1974 GMC Touch Up Paint (23 OEM Colors)

The 1974 GMC Vibe

In 1974, the GMC "Square Body" was transitioning from a pure workhorse to a weekend warrior. Whether you were hauling hay or a camper, GMC made sure you did it in style with a massive palette. We've got 23 colors in our database for this year alone-back then, General Motors was handing out paint options like candy at a parade. You had everything from the earthy, unmistakably 70s Ochre and Wheatland Yellow to the high-visibility punch of Tangier Orange and Bright Green Irid. It was a time when your truck could actually be distinguished from a sea of gray crossovers in a parking lot.

Paint Health Check

If you're looking at an original 1974 finish today, you're dealing with the Single Stage Era. This was long before the industry hid behind a clear coat shield. The pigment and the gloss were mixed into one thick, honest layer of acrylic enamel. The problem? That paint is a living thing, and it's been breathing for fifty years. Without a clear coat to protect it, 1970s paint suffers from "Oxidation"-that chalky, white, hazy fade that makes your Mariner Blue look like a dusty chalkboard. The sun literally eats the binder out of the paint, leaving the dead pigment sitting on top.

Restoration Tip

Here is the gospel for a '74 GMC: It needs wax or it dies. If you're repairing a chip or a panel, you can't just spray over the old surface. You have to "cut" the paint first-use a polishing compound to strip away that chalky oxidation until you hit the vibrant, oily color underneath. Once you've made your repair, seal the entire truck with a high-quality carnauba wax or sealant. In this era, the wax isn't for "extra" shine; it is the only thing standing between your Midnight Black finish and a permanent, flat-gray grave.