Hi Newby,
Welcome aboard!
The answers to some of your questions can be found in our
Tech Info area, where you'll see there's a ID plate decoder that you might find useful.
Long story short though, yes, the details on the ID plate should be sufficient to identify the layout of the colour scheme, along with the chrome and stainless trim (or the holes where it was). If your car has holes
on top of the rear quarters near the back window, then it would have had the chrome extensions for the late 1959 style. If it has holes in the "C" pillar where the roof meets the body, then it would have had the short piece of stainless separating the colours for a mid-59 style.
The ID plate will have a TRIM code that describes the colour combination (eg in your case it's probably 311-xxx, meaning India Ivory over Fountain Blue. The xxx is the interior trim colour). Then it will have PAINT, and possibly TOP and INSERT, which will help you to know what exact colour went where. The page linked above has all the details.
Also, there's no direct correlation between the ID number and the chassis number, so need to worry about that. The chassis number is what gets used on your registration papers. The ID plate on the firewall is just details for when the vehicle was under warranty, being serviced, or repaired etc. It's not a VIN in the modern sense, it just helped the service department correctly identify specifics about colours, trim, factory fitted options, etc.
The chassis number is the sequence in the factory where it was
assembled. The ID plate identifies the sequence of the specific body style in the plant where it was
manufactured. (Some vehicles - like mine - were manufactured in one factory and assembled in another.)
You'll find there are lots of knowledgeable people on this forum happy to help you, so if the answer to your question can't be found in the archives of this forum, feel free to ask as many questions as you want.
cheers
RET
