Triumph Paint & Trim Identification Codes



View Triumph Paint Chart

Please Note:
Shipping restrictions apply due to the ‘hazardous’ nature of paint. Please refer to the required paint Part Number for further details.
Colour match testing should always be carried out prior to application as your car may not be the exact shade as the original.
Please note that aerosols are non-returnable.

On Triumphs built from the early 1960s onwards the commission plate under the bonnet (usually on the inner wing or suspension turret, or on the scuttle) provides information about the vehicle colour, trim material and trim colour.

1950s-early 1960s models (no colour codes) Back in the dark ages, when real sports cars had side screens, paint and trim colours were referred to by name and no colour information was given on the car's commission plate.

1960s-early 1970s models (Triumph 2 or 3-digit colour codes) The two or three-digit codes are based on groups formed around a basic colour, the group code being the second or third character:

Black 01 Yellow 04 Purple 07
Red 02 Green 05 Grey 08
Brown 03 Blue 06 White 09


Taking reds for example, Signal Red has a code of 32 (i.e. the third red), Pimento 72 (seventh red) and Carmine 82 (the eighth colour in the red range). Trim colours use the same codes - Matador Red has a code of 12, while Light Tan trim from the brown range is 13 and Sienna 23. The trim material can also be identified. A prefix letter 'H' in the trim box of the commission plate identifies leather trim, prefix 'C' indicates cloth. The absence of a prefix indicates leathercloth.

Mid 1970s onwards models (Leyland Cars 3 letter colour codes)
The three letter codes are based on groups formed around a basic colour, this time the group code being the first character:

Black P Yellow F Purple K
Red C Green H Grey L
Brown A Blue J White N
Gold G Silver M Orange E


For example, Carmine (a dark red) has a code of CAA, Inca Yellow FAB and Brooklands Green HAE. Note from previous examples that Carmine also has a Triumph two-digit code of 82; this is because Carmine, like several other colours, was offered by Triumph long enough to be painted on cars built in both paint code eras - both CAA and 82 refer to exactly the same colour. Trim colours again use the same codes - Black has a code of PMA or PAA, while Navy trim from the blue range is JAJ. Trim material in a combination of colours has an 'R' prefix: Check material with Black and Red as main colours is RAA, while if Navy is the main check colour the code is RAH.

BLVC (Non-Triumph) Codes
For your information, upon the formation of the British Leyland combine at the end of the 1960s it was decided to standardise paint colours under a new system, British Leyland Vehicle Colour, or BLVC. Each code consisted of a number between 1 and 4 digits preceded by 'BLVC'. Some companies within BL embraced this system more than others. Austin Morris and Rover made much use of these codes to identify colours on their cars, however Triumph shied away and certainly never stamped BLVC codes on commission plates on Triumph cars, even though many Triumph colours had BLVC codes assigned to them because they were also used on Austin Morris or Rover models! Do not confuse BLVC code numbers with the old Triumph 2 or 3-digit codes - they are not the same and you will end up with the wrong colour!

Additional Notes
  1. Conifer Green was often referred to as Triumph Racing Green.
  2. Primrose and Pale Yellow are often regarded as the same colour by paint manufacturers.
  3. New White was often simply referred to as White.
  4. Leyland White is the same as Austin Morris' Ermine White and Triumph White was also used as Police White by Austin Morris.
Finishing Touches
Wheels The wheels (both wire and pressed steel types) can be painted using silver wheel paint (part no. RX1265). Wire wheels were originally lacquered, but by using the RX1265 and a few coats of clear lacquer (part no. RX1261) a similar effect can be achieved.
Chassis Chassis paint (Black) is available as brush-on (touch-up) RX4070B or aerosol (RX4070A).
Engine Engine paint (Black) is available as brush-on (RX1432B) or as aerosol (S3SPV01 – black or S3SPV02DS - silver). To finish off, paint the oil filter canister on 6 cylinder engines with Blue (RX4000A) aerosol.
Primers Three shades of aerosol primer are available for use with different colours. Grey (RX4047A), White (RX4048A) and Red Oxide (RX4049A).

Triumph Paint & Trim Identification Codes

View Triumph Paint Chart

Please Note:
Shipping restrictions apply due to the ‘hazardous’ nature of paint. Please refer to the required paint Part Number for further details.
Colour match testing should always be carried out prior to application as your car may not be the exact shade as the original.
Please note that aerosols are non-returnable.

On Triumphs built from the early 1960s onwards the commission plate under the bonnet (usually on the inner wing or suspension turret, or on the scuttle) provides information about the vehicle colour, trim material and trim colour.

1950s-early 1960s models (no colour codes) Back in the dark ages, when real sports cars had side screens, paint and trim colours were referred to by name and no colour information was given on the car's commission plate.

1960s-early 1970s models (Triumph 2 or 3-digit colour codes) The two or three-digit codes are based on groups formed around a basic colour, the group code being the second or third character:

Black 01 Yellow 04 Purple 07
Red 02 Green 05 Grey 08
Brown 03 Blue 06 White 09


Taking reds for example, Signal Red has a code of 32 (i.e. the third red), Pimento 72 (seventh red) and Carmine 82 (the eighth colour in the red range). Trim colours use the same codes - Matador Red has a code of 12, while Light Tan trim from the brown range is 13 and Sienna 23. The trim material can also be identified. A prefix letter 'H' in the trim box of the commission plate identifies leather trim, prefix 'C' indicates cloth. The absence of a prefix indicates leathercloth.

Mid 1970s onwards models (Leyland Cars 3 letter colour codes)
The three letter codes are based on groups formed around a basic colour, this time the group code being the first character:

Black P Yellow F Purple K
Red C Green H Grey L
Brown A Blue J White N
Gold G Silver M Orange E


For example, Carmine (a dark red) has a code of CAA, Inca Yellow FAB and Brooklands Green HAE. Note from previous examples that Carmine also has a Triumph two-digit code of 82; this is because Carmine, like several other colours, was offered by Triumph long enough to be painted on cars built in both paint code eras - both CAA and 82 refer to exactly the same colour. Trim colours again use the same codes - Black has a code of PMA or PAA, while Navy trim from the blue range is JAJ. Trim material in a combination of colours has an 'R' prefix: Check material with Black and Red as main colours is RAA, while if Navy is the main check colour the code is RAH.

BLVC (Non-Triumph) Codes
For your information, upon the formation of the British Leyland combine at the end of the 1960s it was decided to standardise paint colours under a new system, British Leyland Vehicle Colour, or BLVC. Each code consisted of a number between 1 and 4 digits preceded by 'BLVC'. Some companies within BL embraced this system more than others. Austin Morris and Rover made much use of these codes to identify colours on their cars, however Triumph shied away and certainly never stamped BLVC codes on commission plates on Triumph cars, even though many Triumph colours had BLVC codes assigned to them because they were also used on Austin Morris or Rover models! Do not confuse BLVC code numbers with the old Triumph 2 or 3-digit codes - they are not the same and you will end up with the wrong colour!

Additional Notes
  1. Conifer Green was often referred to as Triumph Racing Green.
  2. Primrose and Pale Yellow are often regarded as the same colour by paint manufacturers.
  3. New White was often simply referred to as White.
  4. Leyland White is the same as Austin Morris' Ermine White and Triumph White was also used as Police White by Austin Morris.
Finishing Touches
Wheels The wheels (both wire and pressed steel types) can be painted using silver wheel paint (part no. RX1265). Wire wheels were originally lacquered, but by using the RX1265 and a few coats of clear lacquer (part no. RX1261) a similar effect can be achieved.
Chassis Chassis paint (Black) is available as brush-on (touch-up) RX4070B or aerosol (RX4070A).
Engine Engine paint (Black) is available as brush-on (RX1432B) or as aerosol (S3SPV01 – black or S3SPV02DS - silver). To finish off, paint the oil filter canister on 6 cylinder engines with Blue (RX4000A) aerosol.
Primers Three shades of aerosol primer are available for use with different colours. Grey (RX4047A), White (RX4048A) and Red Oxide (RX4049A).