2024 Chevrolet Silverado 3500HD — Paint Color Codes & Touch-Up Guide

Quick reference

Note: Chevrolet/GM uses a short RPO color code (often three characters like GAZ, GBA) and a longer WA number. If your color isn’t listed with a definitive code above, verify the exact code from your truck’s label or by VIN with a dealer or paint supplier. Trim and build plant can affect availability.

Where to find your paint code

On the 2024 Silverado 3500HD, your exterior color code appears on GM’s Service Parts Identification (SPID) label:

• Primary location: Driver-side door jamb/B-pillar. Open the driver’s door and look on the vertical B-pillar area or the door edge for the white/black SPID label. The exterior color RPO will look like GAZ, GBA, GAN, etc. Some labels also show the corresponding WA number.
• Secondary locations: Glove box or inside the center console storage bin (varies by build). Earlier GM trucks placed the SPID in the glove compartment; some HD builds still do.
• If you can’t find it: Call a Chevrolet dealer parts department with your VIN. They can confirm the factory paint color and code. Most online paint suppliers can also decode the color via VIN.

Tip: The code may not be labeled “Paint.” Look for a three-character RPO beginning with “G” (e.g., GAZ = Summit White, GBA = Black). Tri-coats like Iridescent Pearl use codes such as G1W.

Best touch-up paint sources

• Dupli-Color: Widely available pens, bottles, and aerosols mixed to GM codes. Good for quick chip repairs on common colors like GAZ, GBA, and GAN.
• AutomotiveTouchup: Mix-to-code solutions in bottles, pens, and aerosols; also sells primer, clearcoat, and sandpaper kits. Useful for less common colors and tri-coats.
• Local paint jobber (custom mix): A professional paint supplier can mix by your code and even scan your truck for a variant formula if the original has faded.
• Chevrolet dealer: OEM touch-up pens and small bottles for popular colors; convenient if you’re already confirming your color by VIN.

How to use touch-up paint

1. Clean and prep: Wash the area, remove wax/grease with isopropyl alcohol or a dedicated prep solvent, and dry. Feather any sharp paint edges with 1500–2000 grit paper. Treat rust with converter or sand to clean metal, then mask the surrounding area.

2. Prime (if needed): If you see bare metal or repaired filler, apply an etching or filler primer in light coats. Allow to flash and sand smooth with 1000–1500 grit.

3. Basecoat color: Shake the bottle/pen well. Apply very thin coats, allowing several minutes between coats. Build color slowly until coverage matches. For metallics, avoid over-brushing—light, even passes help the metallic lay uniformly.

4. Clearcoat: After the base flashes per the product directions, apply 2–3 thin coats of clear to restore gloss and protection. Let cure fully (often 24–48 hours).

5. Finish: Wet-sand dust nibs with 2000–3000 grit if needed, then polish with a fine compound to blend the repair into the surrounding finish. Seal with wax after full cure (usually 30 days).

Color matching tips for pearls and tri-coats

• Understand the layers: Tri-coats like Iridescent Pearl Tricoat (G1W) and Radiant Red Tintcoat use a solid base, a translucent pearl/tint midcoat, and then clear. The midcoat thickness strongly affects final color—count your passes consistently.
• Prefer spray over brush for larger spots: Aerosols (or an airbrush) atomize metallic and pearl flakes evenly, reducing patchiness versus a touch-up pen on areas larger than a pea.
• Blend where possible: For noticeable areas, extend color and clear slightly into adjacent paint to soften the edge. Professional shops will blend into the panel for best results.
• Mind sun fade and variants: Older or sun-exposed panels can shift tone. A paint supplier can check for variant formulas by scanning your panel and adjusting the mix to match your truck today, not just the original code.
• Test first: Spray a test card or an inconspicuous spot to confirm color before committing to the repair.

If your Silverado’s color isn’t listed above with a definitive code, don’t guess—confirm by VIN with a dealer or your paint supplier to ensure the perfect match.

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