Many years ago I had a 71 142E, which was red, not the usual gold or blue-gray. I can't recall the paint color number with certainty, I seem to remember 41, but it could have been 46. It was definitely something in the forties. The name was more memorable---according to the paint manufacturer's color code book, it was "Cherry-of-Amazon" red. In any case, it was a brilliant, rich cherry red, without the least bit of metallic to it. Quite a contrast from the dull brick-like color the original paint had faded to over about 15 years.

Apart from the short lived experiment with the 444s you mention, I believe the first Volvos to have metallic paint were the 70 142 and 144 GLs (European version of the 142E) which came in the familiar gold and blue-gray. A year or two later a turquoise metallic joined the lineup---I've seen both a 72 164 and a couple of ESs in this color, but I don't think it was available on 140s