I have been trying to purchase a 68 or 69 Eldorado for a few years. I get close to buying drivers, maybe some projects, then drop out. This one popped up on my craigs list here in Des Moines for close to crusher price.
This is not a "buy the best car you can" request. Can someone with more knowledge and resources tell me about the attached VIN plate?
The story on the color was that it was repainted. The seller believes the original paint is dark blue. We looked everywhere for a sign of dark blue and could not.
It appears to be a mauve or metallic light purple with white top. The interior is houndstooth. Door panels,dash, etc are in nice condition.
Does SMS sell a correct or near correct Houndstooth clothe to reupholster?
Thanks for your help. Hope the photos show the V.I.N. plate OK.
Let me know if I need to resize smaller.
02C
68-69347 FWD12770 PAINT 00-61
TR 410-
Quote from: BJM on November 25, 2017, 09:48:19 PM
Let me know if I need to resize smaller.
02C
68-69347 FWD12770 PAINT 00-61
TR 410-
02C means it was made the third week of the second month.
68-69347 is the Eldorado number.
FWD12770 is the body number. So it was the 12,770 Eldorado made to date.
PAINT 00 means it was painted a non-standard color! Thus it was a special order. 61 is the white vinyl top color.
TR 410 is the interior which is black/grey Dominion cloth.
The staples on the metal tag are for the instructions for the special order. That paper would have had the special color listed on it that the car was to be painted. The current exterior color could very well be the special order color.
I did a google search and found I believe a website associated with CLC and created by Ralph Messina. I think I recognize that name from forum posts.
He did seem to indicate 00 meant a special order paint. That actually complicates things a bit, because it must have a code or color name. I would call it Lavender. The tag or paper that was attached is obviously long gone and there does not seem to be much paperwork on the car/in the car.
It can't be a one-off. The reason I felt it was the original color is due to the level of paint coverage. It's everywhere - perfectly painted door jambs and in the trunk.
The car has a dealer tag on the trunk that indicates it was sold in Marshalltown Iowa when new.
Quote from: BJM on November 25, 2017, 10:41:05 PM
It can't be a one-off.
Actually it is. The number 00 means it wasn't a current color offered. You won't find a record of the color it was painted unfortunately.
So unless it was a multi car fleet order in some special color, it will indeed be a one-off car.
Congrats! That is a great find!
Dave's correct. That color could be a previous year offering or the color of his wife's drapes. Maybe someone on the board will recognize it. Maybe 1960 heather??
Try to save it if possible.
Bob
Refresh me on what would happen at a judged CLC event? This car would need repainted, and matching that would best be derived from the inner trunk lid.
Bryan,
It's a long shot, but maybe the dealer is still in business AND still has the sales information. It looks like the 1969 color, Wisteria, but obviously isn't since the car is a year older. Hopefully you can buy it and get it restored.
Buy the build sheet for the car and most likely the paint info will be there. Cool color on the car.
Quote from: BJM on November 26, 2017, 09:21:13 AM
Refresh me on what would happen at a judged CLC event? This car would need repainted, and matching that would best be derived from the inner trunk lid.
Don't worry about judging. That is a moot point at best. With the "00" paint code it could be any color other than a newer one.
But Special Order cars are, well, special. So it would be best to repaint it in as close to the original as possible. And you are right, under the trunk lid is a good place to look. You can also peel back the trunk lid weather stripping too and see if it is the same color as the inside of the trunk lid. If that all looks factory then you can bring the car (or just the trunk lid) to a paint supplier and they can scan the inside of the lids surface for the color mix codes. The scanners are portable and they'll take it out to the car and make the scan. Once they load the info in their computer, the computer looks for a code mix match with other known older colors in the database. Then they can offer to mix you paint of that mix.
68 Eldorados are very desired cars today by collectors. More so than 67s even as many collectors like their refinements of them over the earlier and later years. Yes that one is rough in some areas, but being a Special ordered color car it will be even more unique to collectors. To just give it a repaint in a standard color would be an injustice. Or worse, to see it scrapped.
Quote from: David King (kz78hy) on November 26, 2017, 11:20:36 AM
Buy the build sheet for the car and most likely the paint info will be there. Cool color on the car.
Pretty sure 68 is the one year they don't offer it due to a fire that destroyed the 68 records.
And from the micro film copies of older build sheets they just have columns with code numbers.
It would probably just have the "00" listed.
Maybe someone else can verify this.
Thank you for all the information. I mentioned, I have been looking specifically for a 68 Eldorado for years. I almost settled on a 69 last year and that would have been fine. I was not interested in the 1970's because of the 500 cid engine. 472 is more than enough.
I have owned 2 67 Eldorados. I restored a 66 Toronado and owned and drove another 67 Toronado. For me, it's a wash between the two as far as my interest but the Eldorados have a much more refined style and presence.
BUT, because they were hard to find in driver condition, I purchased 3 Buick Reattas in the past 4 months. One is a nice driver, a 1990 Driftwood (Gold) convertible, the earliest known Reatta left (#105) and a special edition 1988 Select Sixty.
I am a bit out of room and 2 of the Reattas are being restored (they run & drive)
As usual, cars of interest come along at the wrong time. I will try to buy it (68 Eldorado) and would love to buy the build sheet. Too bad the records are missing but maybe a build sheet under the rear cushions??
I don't know about the color yet but I have followed Cadillac for a few years. I have owned 2 1941's including a 60S, a 1964 Coupe deVille and so on, so in research I do recall a "Heather" color in the 60's. Maybe from the convertible Eldorado years? I'll do some research - but it makes sense that a potential buyer sees a color on an OLDER Cadillac that they "must" have on a new model they like. They then agree to pay extra to have this car painted in that color.
Cadillac has the paint code information, and it passes muster by harmonizing with the standard black interior, so sure, why not?
Another possibility could have been the Iris Mist color of ‘65 Pontiacs? Other GM divisions offered this color under different names in 1965.
The most recent Cadillac color prior to 1968 could have been 1963 Briar Rose or 1962 Laurel or Heather FireMist.
I know that in 1975, the General Manager where I worked ordered his Eldorado demo in 1969 Chevy Hugger Orange.
Definitely an interesting car that should be saved.
In reading the threads, I think you are being a little too cautious. Remember, this IS the Standard of the World. $$$ still talked and often enough, we find cars that do not fit the ordinary mold. If you have the means and space (Your desire comes through quite nicely) I would buy that car and stash it away till you get out of your Reatta binge. (I drove a '67 Toro fifty miles round trip a day for several years and found the only snow it would not go through was a three foot deep drift I got into when the road took a sudden dip. Great car!)
I too remember that shade and thought it was lovely. If SMS does not have that cloth, simply do the whole thing in leather. Getting a car you can (possibly) come out ahead on and like it as well, spells a big plus to me. Buy that sucker!
I'll go along with the others here, on this Eldorado being a special order COPO type car. Def worth saving.
A friend of mine once owned a very nice 1968 Chevelle SS396 that was uniquely equipped. This was in the early 70s. I had not seen it since the mid 70s. That is, until I attended Lead East (a huge 50s show in northern NJ) in 2015 (as I usually did every year). I spotted that car from several rows away, mainly due to the color, and made a bee line for it. I had never seen another Chevelle that color. My friend had not owned it for a long time, but that just HAD to be it.
I got in touch with him that weekend. Yes, it was the actual car. He also told me that the reason I had never seen another one that color was because it was the only one ever built. It carries no paint code. (could it have been coded 00? he did not say). The original owner saw that color and wanted it, and he knew who to ask to get it. The original owner owns it once again, and he was the one who had it at the show. (I did not see him). The car is fully restored now. Some of the interior remains original. Here it is...
Oh, yeah. That is a Cadillac specific color, BTW. Not offered on any Chevrolet.
One of my forum friends on the AACA Forum has a beautiful Wisteria 1969 Eldorado that looks just like this one - only shiny and beautiful.
What if Cadillac painted this one Wisteria in March 1968 to test the paint for the 1969 run? That would require a 00- paint code yet be otherwise a 'stock' car allocated to the dealer in Marshalltown Iowa.
No way!!! You're reading way too much into this situation.
Quote from: BJM on November 26, 2017, 07:29:19 PM
One of my forum friends on the AACA Forum has a beautiful Wisteria 1969 Eldorado that looks just like this one - only shiny and beautiful.
What if Cadillac painted this one Wisteria in March 1968 to test the paint for the 1969 run? That would require a 00- paint code yet be otherwise a 'stock' car allocated to the dealer in Marshalltown Iowa.
Unlikely. They couldn't keep up with sold orders on the 68 Eldorados. There was no need to introduce a new color then. They were selling like hotcakes. Dealers had back orders. Nope, this is a special ordered sold car. Someone must have wanted it the same color as their older model. Or as someone else pointed out, Pontiac had a similar Iris color offered in 65. Someone could have seen an Iris 65 Bonneville somewhere and decided they just had to have it on their new 1968 Eldorado. So for a few extra dollars and an even longer waiting period they got just what they wanted.
Bryan,
You're losing your mind over spending $500.00 for a one-off Eldorado? If you keep rethinking this, you're going to talk yourself right out of it. I can't even buy a set of ashtrays for my car for that price!
Bobby
Bryan,
Attached are two possible colors. First is the standard 1962 Laurel Metallic #4302; the second is the optional '62 Eldorado Heather Metallic #4304.
For the record I've also attached the optional 1960 Eldorado Heather Metallic (yes the same name but different color) #4044. I initially thought the '60 color was a match but it is a grayish lavender.
As noted above it could be any color even the owners wife's favorite drapes. But I suspect a Cadillac owner would prefer a Cadillac color
Ralph,
Maybe a Cadillac women ordered that car...
Bob
Bob,
In that case it may have been it was her husband's favorite golf slacks.......
Ralph and all - Thanks for all the help. I did put one of my Reattas on craigs list. I just don't need 4 cars, 3 of them projects. I will reach out to the seller today.
Ralph you did a great job with that database information I found. I also did not know 1968 Eldorados were still selling like hot cakes.
Wisteria Metallic was definitely offered on the 1969 and 1970 Fleetwood Eldorado.
Members with older vintage Cadillac's can confirm the first year Wisteria was offered on Cadillac models.
The original owner of this Fleetwood Eldorado probably had a peak into the future on what colors were going to be available in the next model year.
I love the "Special Order" cars and the history behind them.
Good Luck!
Matt CLC#18621
Quote from: Matt CLC#18621 on November 27, 2017, 11:58:23 AM
The original owner of this Fleetwood Eldorado probably had a peak into the future on what colors were going to be available in the next model year.
That was my thought as well, ie: car ordered by GM bigwig insider.
In that vein, another possibility is Chateau Mauve Firemist (Code 98) of 1969 and 1970.
Original Michigan ownership/delivery outlet code might corroborate this but unfortunately 1968 build data sheets have been lost as Dave says.
Quote from: BJM on November 26, 2017, 11:35:21 AM
I was not interested in the 1970's because of the 500 cid engine. 472 is more than enough.
That's got to be the first time I've heard someone shy away from the car because the engine was too big. It seems almost akin to not dating a girl because her "dagmars" were too large.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, it just gave me a bit of a chuckle when I read it.
Dan
I know tomato - to mat o, but 472 is too big as well. I am not sure why in the world Cadillac went to 500 cid. I have owned several Toronados, Eldorados and Rivieras from this styling period. I want to be very aware not to disrespect any 1970 Eldorado owner but I have studied these 4 years across these 3 models and I believe 1970 was the worst styling year of the 4 year run. In the case of Toronado and Riviera - 5 year run.
These were the years when updates HAD to be made every year. I suppose. For Cadillac - since I have owned 2 1967 Eldorados, I can say that the parking lights not in the fender bothered me. Just putting something there and painting it body color was not an improvement. Also, the wipers going hidden in 1968 was a big + for me.
Mechanically this Wisteria 1968 has power disc brakes, which neither of my 67 Eldorados had. My 66 and 67 Toronados were both neat designs with plenty of power from the 425's. My 1968 Riviera had a 430, again plenty of power and modern.
No other manufacturer got over 462 I don't think? Didn't Lincoln have the 460? Therefore, going to 472 made a bit of marketing sense but no power sense. Cadillac could have gotten plenty of horsepower and torque out of the 472. When they went to 500 cid for a V8 I rolled my eyes and have vowed to try and not own one. I am a big "70's" fan so always wanted a Coupe deVille from about 1972 to 1976. Begrudgingly, if I have to, I could live with the 500 cid.
Eh, never mind my stupid comment about 1970 Eldorado styling. I just popped down and looked at Brian Rachlin's black and white interior Eldorado. Fabulous! In fact I prefer the frenched/incorporated taillamps in the fenders on the 1970's over the blades on the 68.
That interior is phenomenal as well, lots of great detail. But, I stand by my 500 cid comment. Not sure why they went to 500 cid when Chrysler / Imperial were OK with 440 and others with 455.
I don't understand the rationale behind why someone would have a specific engine size cutoff in mind when shopping for a vintage automobile.
No Cadillac of this era is going to be a gas miser and the 472 and 500 are essentially identical powerplants.
Why 500? Possible bragging rights to having the largest engine displacement in a regular production car. Cadillac had traditionally maintained its "best" status in one way or another, whether most expensive production car (57/58 Eldorado), biggest tailfins (1959) and by 1970 Eldorado, the mighty 500 with 400 hp and any of number of ways.
Other manufactures chose smaller engines - that's their business. Cadillac using something larger...that's theirs.
Finding the "right" vintage automobile - in the right condition, in the right colors, at the right price is difficult enough as it is. Why would anyone impose upon oneself criteria so unimportant so as to make such a search that much more difficult makes no sense to me whatsoever.
Eric:
I understand. My viewpoint is based on liking good engineering and logical reasoning of a car being made. The 500 was overkill, not necessary and abundantly inefficient. It was produced for all the wrong reasons. Summarized by saying "Just Because". Meanwhile, Chrysler engineers understood that their 440 was more modern and efficient than the 472-500.
Cadillac was seen as a bigger dinosaur in 1976 when fuel embargos and rationing became the new reality. They failed to lead. The 67 Eldorado and 66 Toronado with their radical departure to FWD was leading. I guess if a Cadillac historian came into this discussion - they would probably point out that they thought cars were going to become even bigger and heavier so they needed more displacement? I'm just guess that is why Cadillac continued to go big on cid.
The answer though lies in engineering. Creating more efficient flow characteristics in the 472 to increase power and economy. Better camshaft, lower restriction valvetrain and exhaust improvements.
But Cadillac took the cheap route by boring the 472 to 500 cid. A reworked 472 would have added cost to the vehicle - but this was a time period when whatever Detroit built that was "personal luxury" it sold in spades. Ask Lee Iacocca and the Mark III Lincoln which outsold Eldorado about 2 to 1 for a period of time and was nothing more than a rebadged T-Bird.
It's just an opinion. Yours and mine. I have always favored efficient good engineering over largess and size. Hence I own mostly smaller cars and some sports cars. The Eldorado in fact - was much smaller and tauter than a standard deVille.
Quote from: BJM on November 27, 2017, 02:22:35 PM
Dan
I know tomato - to mat o, but 472 is too big as well. I am not sure why in the world Cadillac went to 500 cid. I have owned several Toronados, Eldorados and Rivieras from this styling period. I want to be very aware not to disrespect any 1970 Eldorado owner but I have studied these 4 years across these 3 models and I believe 1970 was the worst styling year of the 4 year run. In the case of Toronado and Riviera - 5 year run.
These were the years when updates HAD to be made every year. I suppose. For Cadillac - since I have owned 2 1967 Eldorados, I can say that the parking lights not in the fender bothered me. Just putting something there and painting it body color was not an improvement. Also, the wipers going hidden in 1968 was a big + for me.
Mechanically this Wisteria 1968 has power disc brakes, which neither of my 67 Eldorados had. My 66 and 67 Toronados were both neat designs with plenty of power from the 425's. My 1968 Riviera had a 430, again plenty of power and modern.
No other manufacturer got over 462 I don't think? Didn't Lincoln have the 460? Therefore, going to 472 made a bit of marketing sense but no power sense. Cadillac could have gotten plenty of horsepower and torque out of the 472. When they went to 500 cid for a V8 I rolled my eyes and have vowed to try and not own one. I am a big "70's" fan so always wanted a Coupe deVille from about 1972 to 1976. Begrudgingly, if I have to, I could live with the 500 cid.
Yes, Lincoln had the 460. I've got a 77 Continental Town Car with the 460. It was the optional engine in all states except California where only the 400 was available. By 1979, the only engine choice was the 400. When the downsized Town Cars hit in 1980, then you were down to either a 351 or 302.
Quote from: BJM on November 27, 2017, 03:22:03 PM
> The 500 was overkill, not necessary and abundantly inefficient. It was produced for all the wrong reasons.
The reason the '67 didn't have a 472 was because Cadillac hadn't finished its Million-Mile testing of the 472 before the production crunch hit. Therefore the 472 wasn't approved and a slightly updated 429 filled the engine bay instead.
Parking-light wise, it was the Federal side-visibility standards -- first in force in 1968 -- that filled the tips of the front fenders with lights. If you look at all of the 1967 E bodies, you'll see that their front edges all end with unlit metal, not parking lights.
Quote from: BJM on November 27, 2017, 03:22:03 PM
Eric:
I understand. My viewpoint is based on liking good engineering and logical reasoning of a car being made. The 500 was overkill, not necessary and abundantly inefficient. It was produced for all the wrong reasons. Summarized by saying "Just Because". Meanwhile, Chrysler engineers understood that their 440 was more modern and efficient than the 472-500.
The answer though lies in engineering. Creating more efficient flow characteristics in the 472 to increase power and economy. Better camshaft, lower restriction valvetrain and exhaust improvements.
But Cadillac took the cheap route by boring the 472 to 500 cid.
That is nonsense. The lowest fuel mileage Cadillac (postwar) was in model year 1974 which still had the 472. Draconian government regulations resulted in serious quality issues across the American car industry. Overall Cadillac did a remarkable job all things considered.
I don't think anyone here is in a position to question GM & Cadillac's engineering expertise during the period of the 1970s, which I might add ended in Chrysler's bankruptcy.
OK Eric. Like said, we each have our own opinions and I respect yours. Thank you for your input!
This wouldn't be a Mary Kay car would it? I don't know when that started but think it was later.
Quote from: Caddyholic on November 27, 2017, 05:37:17 PM
This wouldn't be a Mary Kay car would it? I don't know when that started but think it was later.
I would not think so. We would see more of them and Mary Kay was not that rich. To pass out new Eldorados. Plus I don't think Mary Kay came along until later. But she did give away Cadillacs.
While having some discussion at a local CLC meeting and drinks afterword a few years ago, i gleaned some cool info on the '67 Eldorado design. Wayne Kady was the informant and a designer in the Cadillac studio. I am not sure if he was the Chief yet, but very involved w/the design and the short story is this:
The '67 front fenders were not supposed to have the leading edge fillers. That was a late process change as metal fab (stamping) could not make the panels without them splitting. So that filler was the fix to get the panel and the car into production. Me being a manufacturing guy completely understood what was going there, just surprised how late in the process its was allowed to go before crying uncle.
The original proportions of the hood design was to accommodate a V-16 engine. One of the prototypes is on display at the Heritage Center. The V-16 though proved to produce about the same horsepower and torque as the 429 so the added expense of the new engine was dropped in favor of the standard production 429.
Just a few tidbits of why some things that make no apparent sense are the way they are.
David
Quote from: Caddyholic on November 27, 2017, 05:37:17 PM
This wouldn't be a Mary Kay car would it? I don't know when that started but think it was later.
Mary Kay ordered her first car in 1968, but not in this color. It was ordered in 1956s Mountain Laurel. A light pastel pink.
Three other executives liked her car so much they also special ordered ones in that color. (See photo below)
The cars were so well known in the area that Mary Kay decided to give them out to top sellers in a Co-op lease. Meaning they had to maintain a high enough sales level to keep the car for its 24 month lease. After 24 months the person can buy the car or turn it in. The first cars given out to the top five sellers as sales awards were late in 1969 and were 1970 Coupe deVilles.
Quote from: David King (kz78hy) on November 26, 2017, 11:20:36 AM
Buy the build sheet for the car and most likely the paint info will be there. Cool color on the car.
NOT POSSIBLE!!!
1968 build sheets were "lost" in the move out from Clark St. I'm no happier about it than you are if you own a 1968.
Quote from: Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621 on November 27, 2017, 12:39:24 PM
That was my thought as well, ie: car ordered by GM bigwig insider.
In that vein, another possibility is Chateau Mauve Firemist (Code 98) of 1969 and 1970.
Original Michigan ownership/delivery outlet code might corroborate this but unfortunately 1968 build data sheets have been lost as Dave says.
It appears the car was delivered to a Marshalltown Iowa dealer because the dealer tag is on the trunk. I live in Des Moines, Iowa. Marshalltown is a town of about 25,000 45 minutes northeast of Des Moines.
Marshalltown has no claim to fame manufacturer or such, such as Newton Iowa did with it's Maytag brand. I once went through a small town in northwest-central Iowa that had a rich guy that invented something, his wife loved castles, so there are castles everywhere. His home is a castle on the hill.
My point there is perhaps - we may never know without extensive research - someone was rich enough in Marshalltown to want this 00 paint and wait for it.
Iowa is snowy of course, and FWD would be an advantage in 1968. I wonder who as a demographic purchased Eldorados? It had to be one of the most expensive cars in America in 1968. It was a personal luxury statement car.
When I get time I'll scan the rest in. Road Test Magazine Sep 68.
Just that page was interesting....
I just don't get it. A Marshalltown Iowa Cadillac dealer gets someone walk in order a 00 code Cadillac. Weird.
I just googled Cadillac Dealer in Marshalltown and there is none. Once I get the car, I will pull the tag and do more research but those records are 50 years old, probably nothing around, but we will see.
He has a title, so there has been titles since originally owned. In Iowa, they get turned in when you want a title in your name. I could approach the Polk County Iowa office that processes these request or the DOT.
In the case of the DOT, I have gotten a Bonded Title for a car I purchased out of state, and they have a good deal of information. I am not sure how many times they get oddball research requests, but hopefully they can help.
You could contact the Historical Society out there in Marshalltown and inquire about that dealership, when it closed, if it moved etc.
Quote from: BJM on November 28, 2017, 09:34:21 AM
Just that page was interesting....
I just don't get it. A Marshalltown Iowa Cadillac dealer gets someone walk in order a 00 code Cadillac. Weird.
I just googled Cadillac Dealer in Marshalltown and there is none. Once I get the car, I will pull the tag and do more research but those records are 50 years old, probably nothing around, but we will see.
He has a title, so there has been titles since originally owned. In Iowa, they get turned in when you want a title in your name. I could approach the Polk County Iowa office that processes these request or the DOT.
In the case of the DOT, I have gotten a Bonded Title for a car I purchased out of state, and they have a good deal of information. I am not sure how many times they get oddball research requests, but hopefully they can help.
Can you get information from the Federal DOT on titles of old cars -- as old as 1968 or earlier? Or are you referring to a state office? I would love to be able to get information on the original buyer (Boston area, I believe) for my '52. Any advice about doing that? Any hope? I do have complete information from 1977 forward.
John Emerson
1952 Cadillac Series 62 Sedan, 6219X
Quote from: BJM on November 27, 2017, 05:04:37 PM
OK Eric. Like said, we each have our own opinions and I respect yours. Thank you for your input!
Ok, but Eric is correct. The 1974s were already being sold when the arabs retaliated on our support of Israel in the 1973 war late in 1973. There was absolutely nothing that could be done for 1974 and it took 3 years to get the 1977 downsized cars out.
Oh yes, the 472 was stroked by approx .26" to get it to 500 CID. It was
not bored.
Quote from: cadillacmike68 on November 28, 2017, 08:24:42 PM
Ok, but Eric is correct. The 1974s were already being sold when the arabs retaliated on our support of Israel in the 1973 war late in 1973. There was absolutely nothing that could be done for 1974 and it took 3 years to get the 1977 downsized cars out.
Oh yes, the 472 was stroked by approx .26" to get it to 500 CID. It was not bored.
Yes I agree. The 500 cid was the right choice for Cadillac in 1970. Further research indicated the efficacy of the 500 cid. Excellent choice and historically has held up as one of the world's finest engines.
Bryan, you're going to get it - correct? It's a great color and too rare to pass up on. Let us know how it works out.
And even though mine is an RWD convertible, there is a lot in common with all the 1968s, so don't hesitate to ask questions.
Hi Mike:
The seller and I have agreed on me purchasing the vehicle and he has pulled it from Craigs List (I think). He texted to just let him know when I was picking it up. So I put one of my 3 Reattas on CL and now on ebay and zero interest. Oh well. I don't have the room for 4. Hopefully the Reatta will sell.
Just rejoined the club for 2 year stint. I hope my Self Starter starts in January. Will also be reaching out to the Iowa chapter soon.
Congratulations and best of luck with the restoration. Welcome back to the CLC!
Can't wait to see photos of it when you get it home.
You're all wrong. It's clearly 1961 Code 99 'Shell Pearl." 99 is before 00...more evidence... 8)