Parts Reference · body
Ford F-100 Paint Code Location & Matching
Find Ford F-100 paint-code tag locations by model year, understand changing code formats, and follow a reliable process for matching original truck paint.
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Where Is the Paint Code on a Ford F-100?
Ford F-100 paint identification is year-specific. The code may be on a rating plate, warranty tag, or certification label depending on the model year. It is not necessarily on the same surface as the truck’s stamped VIN.
Start by recording the truck’s exact model year and photographing the complete identification tag. Then read the field labeled COLOR, PAINT, or the exterior-paint field used on that year’s label. Decode that entry with a chart for the same model year and market.
Do not identify a color from the VIN stamped into the frame. The legal VIN and the body tag serve different purposes. For supported 1961-1983 trucks, use our Ford F-100 data plate decoder to look up the exact-year color entry and the other fields printed beside it. Earlier trucks require an exact-year plate layout and factory color chart.
Paint Tag Location by Model Year
| Model years | Where to look | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| 1948-1951 F-1 | Glove-box area | Early serial-number plates and separate chassis stampings are easily confused. Confirm that the exact-year plate includes a usable paint field. |
| 1952 | Rear face of the driver’s door or glove-box door | Location can vary by production and model. |
| 1953-1955 | Glove-box door | Do not rely on a generic “firewall tag” instruction for these years. |
| 1956 | Driver’s door frame or post | Photograph the full plate before cleaning it. |
| 1957-1960 | Varies within the generation | Use an exact-year plate diagram; the cowl or frame VIN stamping is not a paint-code source. |
| 1961-1966 | Glove compartment or rear face of the driver’s door, depending on year and configuration | The separate legal VIN is stamped on the right frame rail. |
| 1967-1972 | Warranty tag on the rear face of the driver’s door | Read the COLOR field. The legal VIN is separately stamped on top of the right frame rail. |
| 1973-1979 | Warranty tag at the driver’s door area | A one-character entry identifies a primary color; two characters can describe a two-tone combination. |
| 1980-1983 | Safety-compliance certification label at the driver’s door area | The exterior-paint entry uses two characters for one color or four for primary and secondary colors. |
If the tag is missing, inspect protected areas such as behind trim, under the seat, inside the glove box, beneath weatherstripping, or behind the fuel filler. Those areas can preserve original paint, but they do not replace factory documentation.
Three Paint Numbers That Are Often Confused
The number stamped on the truck is not always the number a modern paint supplier needs.
| Identifier | Meaning | Best use |
|---|---|---|
| Warranty or certification-tag code | Short factory identifier printed or stamped on the truck | Establishing the original color entry |
Ford M-xxxxx specification | Ford material or service specification found in factory literature | Confirming the factory paint specification |
| Refinish formula or mixing code | Supplier-specific number used in a modern paint system | Mixing paint at a body shop |
Keep all three values in separate fields. A numeric refinish formula should never be presented as the short code stamped on the truck.
Verified 1951-1956 Ford Truck Color Names
The table below is a factory service-name baseline, not a tag decoder. It deliberately lists names by individual model year because adjacent years often changed.
| Year | Factory-listed standard colors |
|---|---|
| 1951 | Black, Sheridan Blue, Alpine Blue, Sea Island Green, Silvertone Gray, Meadow Green, Vermilion |
| 1952 | Black, Sheridan Blue, Woodsmoke Gray, Sandpiper Tan, Meadow Green, Vermilion, Glen Mist Green |
| 1953 | Black, Sheridan Blue, Glacier Blue, Woodsmoke Gray, Seafoam Green, Vermilion, Meadow Green |
| 1954 | Black, Sheridan Blue, Glacier Blue, Sea Haze Green, Vermilion, Meadow Green, Goldenrod Yellow |
| 1955 | Black, Banner Blue, Aquatone Blue, Waterfall Blue, Snowshoe White, Sea Sprite Green, Torch Red, Meadow Green, Goldenrod Yellow |
| 1956 | Black, Nocturne Blue, Diamond Blue, Colonial White, Meadow Mist Green, Torch Red, Meadow Green, Golden Glow Yellow, Platinum Gray |
Two commonly repeated ranges are wrong: Snowshoe White is listed for 1955, while the 1956 white is Colonial White; Goldenrod Yellow appears in 1954-1955, while 1956 uses Golden Glow Yellow.
The surviving record is not complete enough to publish one authoritative US-market 1948-1950 chart here. Market differences also make a universal “no metallic colors” rule unsafe for the first generation.
1967-1972 Bumpside Paint Codes
The 1967-1972 Bumpside uses a warranty tag on the rear face of the driver’s door. Decode the COLOR entry against the exact model year’s chart.
Color letters can change meaning or availability from year to year. For example, 1967 includes J for Rangoon Red and S for Poppy Red, while later Bumpside charts use different combinations. Do not assume A, M, or any other familiar Ford code carried the same meaning through all six years.
For a two-tone truck, preserve the code order shown on the tag and compare it with that year’s available two-tone treatment. There is no safe generation-wide rule that the first character always describes the lower body and the second always describes the upper body.
1973-1979 Dentside Paint Codes
The 1973-1979 Dentside warranty tag uses a different system from the later Bullnose label:
- one character can identify a single primary color;
- two characters can identify a two-tone pair;
- later two-character color codes such as those used in the 1980s should not be applied backward to a Dentside.
This distinction matters when evaluating a repaint. A code that looks valid in a modern database may belong to a different model year or paint system.
1980-1983 Bullnose Paint Codes
For the 1980-1983 F-100, read the exterior-paint entry on the driver’s-door certification label:
- two characters: one exterior color;
- four characters: a two-character primary color followed by a two-character secondary color.
Codes were reused and can change meaning by year. For example, 34 identifies Medium Blue for 1980, 6F identifies Walnut Glow for 1980, 9A identifies Wimbledon White for 1980, and 1C identifies Raven Black for 1982. Always pair the code with the model year before naming the color.
How to Match Original F-100 Paint
Use this workflow before ordering touch-up paint or committing to a full repaint:
- Photograph the entire warranty or certification tag before cleaning or sanding.
- Record the model year, assembly plant, DSO, body, color, and any special-order indicators.
- Decode the factory color entry with an exact-year chart.
- Record the factory color name and Ford material specification separately.
- Ask a paint supplier to cross-reference the specification into its current mixing system.
- Spray a test card before buying the full quantity.
- Compare the test card with protected original paint, not a sun-faded exterior panel.
Old paint can fade, chalk, stain, or come from an earlier repaint. Even a correct formula may need tinting to blend into aged paint. If the tag indicates special paint or a DSO special order, do not force the truck into a standard-color chart.
Two-Tone Paint and Restoration Decisions
Factory two-tone layouts changed by year, body style, and treatment. Use period photos, the exact tag entry, and an exact-year color-and-trim chart to determine where the color break belongs.
For a factory-style restoration, preserve the documented color names, code order, and treatment. For a restomod, modern basecoat/clearcoat can reproduce a historic color while providing a different finish system. A concours build should verify the original paint technology and application details for the particular year rather than relying on a generation-wide rule.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is the paint code on a Ford F-100?
The location depends on model year. The 1967-1972 warranty tag is on the rear face of the driver’s door, the 1973-1979 tag is in the driver’s-door area, and the 1980-1983 certification label is also at the driver’s door. Earlier trucks require an exact-year plate-location guide because the glove-box and door-area locations changed.
Is the VIN the same as the paint code?
No. The VIN identifies the vehicle, while a separate field on the rating plate, warranty tag, or certification label identifies the exterior color. A VIN stamped on the frame is not a paint-code tag.
Does a Dentside F-100 use a two-character paint code?
A 1973-1979 Dentside typically uses one character for a primary color, while a two-character entry can represent a two-tone combination. Do not decode it as a later two-character Bullnose color.
How do I read a two-tone Ford F-100 paint code?
First identify the truck’s model year and label system. Preserve the characters in their factory order, then compare them with the same year’s color and two-tone treatment chart. Do not assume one universal upper-versus-lower ordering rule.
Can a paint shop still match an original F-100 color?
Usually, yes. Give the shop the exact model year, tag code, factory color name, and Ford material specification if available. Have it cross-reference those details into its current system, spray a test card, and compare the result with protected original paint.
What if my F-100 paint tag is missing or unreadable?
Check protected areas for original paint and collect any build documents or old photos that came with the truck. A paint shop can scan a surviving sample, but the result identifies the sample color—not necessarily the truck’s original factory specification.