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1952 Pontiac Catalina


Guest GaWajn

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Guest Hudson33

Interesting comment on the price differences, Our government signed a Fred Trade agreement with USA and this is the result !!!!!!.

Quite comment that parts cannot be shipped to Canada as we are not a big customer of USA. We love to buy USA oil and ship it to Ontario!!

Just a thought!!

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Guest GaWajn

I got a little contract work coming my way ... will be busy for the next three weeks or so ... back to the project after that ...

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  • 4 weeks later...
Guest GaWajn

Picked up my springs today. Number 80-197 ... cost landed to me ... $603.42 Canadian. They are coated with some kind of undercoating, so i will not be painting them ... just leaving them as they came.

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U bolts were made to measure on the spot ... cost $35.93 ... Canadian ...

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Here you can see the difference in spring arch ... the old ones were quite tired I think ...

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... for some reason ... non of the spring places included the bushings that get pressed into the leaf ... at the shackle end. I will have to get some pressed when the time comes to mount the unit onto the frame.

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I am not 100% sure that the ''Butternut Yellow'' is my final choice for the main paint color of my car. From what I can understand ... it is a color from the mid sixties. It is nice ... but maybe not quite there ...

I have posted topics in the Buick and Cadillac areas, to see if anyone out there has a modern paint code for the 1949-50-51 Buick ''OLD IVORY'' 1953 Buick ''OSAGE CREAM'', 1953 Cadillac ''ARTISAN OCHRE'' , and 1954 Cadillac ''APOLLO GOLD''. I will see if I get any information from these topics. I have looked at pictures of cars with these colors and they are all very nice

1950 Buick

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1953 Buick

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1953 Cadillac

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1954 Cadillac

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Butternut Yellow ...

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Of course ... these pics were taken from a google search and the acuracy of the colors is questionable .. but it is a good start ...

I think my favorite is the 53 caddy yellow ...

Edited by GaWajn (see edit history)
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My choice, based on the pictures, which as you note, colour can be distored from screen to screen (I was an imaging professional for many years, so I know better than most), would be either the '50 Buick, or the Caddy. I like the apparent richness of the yellow on those cars, without it looking too bold. Though it is a very personal choice, there's really no right or wrong.

Keith

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Of course ... there is the 1951 Malibu Ivory

51MalibuIvory_zpsc9fc7a8e.jpg

... and the 1950 San Pedro Ivory ...

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Don't know what color this convertible is ... but it is nice ...

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If I can't get any information about a modern formulation for the older paint colors ... then I will use the Butternut Yellow from the mid sixties ...

Edited by GaWajn (see edit history)
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Welcome TerryB. Glad you like this place.

I have had a response from someone about the 54 APOLLO GOLD color. Seems like it has been formulated by the PPG guys. I will check with my local PPG guy and see what he can do for me. I believe that Canada has the same laws as California regarding auto paint ... that might put a damper in things ... we will see what he has to say about the matter.

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Found a visor for my car. It was advertised for a 52 (Canadian) Chevy ... but I believe that it is the same as the Pontiac ones from the era. If it is not ... then I will have a visor for sale :confused:

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... looks to be in pretty good condition ... just a couple of minor dings ...

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The information I have found is that the factory did indeed paint the frames a gloss black, but that the paint quality was such that it dulled in a short amount of time. Many sources have told me that both gloss and semi gloss are both correct and simulate a factory finish ... although with a modern gloss paint ... it will remain glossy for quite as long time, and not dull like the original.

Just because I found this information does not mean that it is 100% correct. Even though I will probably never have this car in a judged event, I wish someone who is a judge would chime in here and give us a ruling as far as what the judges look for in this case. Are both gloss and semi accepted in this case? Is the information about the factory gloss painted frames I have found correct also?

Most, if not all vehicle frames were produced by the A. O. Smith Corporation in Milwaukee, WI, prior to the advent of unibody technology. I can recall waiting at railroad crossings, in the back seat of my dad's '57 Olds, watching the endless caravan of flat cars with stacks of frames, I believe ten high, going southbound, heading for Detroit and elsewhere. I think that some may also have been sent by boat across Lake Michigan. Anyway, my vague recollection of these frames is that they were painted gloss black. Now, depending on how long they sat in a rail yard, or in other storage, (there was no such thing as "just in time" production strategy), the paint probably had ample time to fade prior to being assembled into an automobile. The company still exists, so if they have a historian on hand, perhaps some light can be shed on my darkened memory, about what was actually used. If I should happen to bump into an A. O. Smith retiree, I'll ask him.

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Larry W. Thank you so very much for taking the time to post a reply to this topic. Your memory does shed some light on the mater. If you do ever find out anything more, I am certain that a lot of people, myself included, would be very interested in your findings.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Here are my latest finding regarding the paint colors.

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The first color at the left of the frame is supposed to be 1953 Cadillac ''ARTISAN OCHRE'', in an single stage Acrylic Enamel. It looks too yellow to be a match for the original paint chip I think ... and too yellow for my taste, for the Pontiac.

The center color is the 1965-67 Butternut Yellow ... in a base coat ...

The color on the right of the frame is 1955 Chevrolet ''HARVEST GOLD'', in an Acrylic Enamel ... single stage. While this may or may not be a perfect match for the original ... I like it very much! This will be my yellow which will go onto the bottom of the car.

Most everyone I speak to about painting an old car recommend going with a single stage enamel or lacquer if possible because it looks like it did way back then. I have decided to heed this advice and go this route. It will be enamel because Lacquer is not supposed to be sold in Canada any more. There are people who have told me you can still get in up north ... but the paint reps tell me it is now illegal to sell it and no longer available.

As for the top, I originally wanted black ... but I have since changed my mind on this, because I don 't like the very hard contrast that will go into the interior. I toyed with the idea of going with white for the secondary color ... but that doesn't work for me. The burgundy color from the 1950 Pontiac ... on the top might just be the ticket. I any case, I will start searching for a secondary color for the top soon.

Edited by GaWajn (see edit history)
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  • 2 weeks later...

I am in the process of packing my stuff in boxes ... in preparation the the garage moving. The garage was built on a buddie's land when I was in an apartment. Now that I have a house again ... I feel the need to get the shop in my backyard ...

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Edited by GaWajn (see edit history)
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Hi, I've been following your thread since the beginning. That is a very pretty, very original car you have in excellent condition. My 53 Buick in Osage Cream was one of the colours you were contemplating for your car. This is your car and your choice but I cant understand why you would want to do a colour change. Its not as if its an ugly combination. The factory colour scheme on your car is very attractive and it matches the data plate. Not only that you're not even planning to use YOM or same make colours.

I've been through this with my cars. These early 50s old girls are hard to find in any decent condition and aren't, and probably never will be, worth much. When you do decide to move it on, and despite what you think now, you will, whatever its worth it will be worth more in the original colours. In most circumstances, I wont buy a colour changed car.

On the issue of two pack vs enamel. I've heard all of that stuff about originality too. Fact is, two pack is more durable and can be touched up easier. The original paint on your car was a nitrocellulose lacquer which is now unobtainable and didn't last anyway. Acrylic lacquer or enamel is not correct for the car so why go for second best when both are non original?

Keep it as it left the factory, its a lovely colour combination and use two pack paint. You won't regret both decisions and it will also look after your pocket in the long term.

My apologies, rant over!

John

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You make a pretty good argument ...

... I guess I might be back to being undecided about colors ... and paint type ... (*sigh*)

I still dislike the two tone green that goes with my car ... and I realise that I will only be the caretaker of this car for a relatively short time ...

Whatever decision I make for the final color must be done this week because I have a few body panels in the bodyshop as I write this.

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Edited by GaWajn (see edit history)
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Guest GaWajn

Bought two quarts of 2K etching primer. That will be applied to the bare metal. I also got one gallon of high build primer along with the activator. Total cost of $256 (their best quality products) ... running total = $8560 ...

The advice of my paint supplier is not to bother with epoxy primer because it dries very hard and is not very user friendly (sanding) when doing bodywork over it. If the metal parts were to be stored for any apreciable amount of time ... that would be a different story, but since I am doing the stripping/bodywork/painting at the same time, they are recommending this procedure. I know I stripped my trunk and hood panels some time ago ... but I am re-stripping/derusting them again, in preparation for the bodywork.

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Guest GaWajn

Got some more chemicals ... a little bit of paint, reducer and hardner ... another $140 ... running total = $8700 ...

There will be a painted body part soon ... it's kind of an exciting milestone :)

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You are a braver man than I, as I didn't keep a running total. I knew that the total was going to be scary!

The good paint IS expensive, but that's what I used on my '41 Roadmaster. Its' not like these cars are average cars that get fixed up from whatever has happened to them, and then driven for 5-10 years, tops, except in rare cases. Our cars might be sporting this same paint 20 or 30 years from now, so I think that its' worth the money to go for the top line materials.

I also went through the same kind of reasoning that "Yellowriv" did, and decided to use base/clear, for its' durability and so that I could buff out imperfections. My car is also a driver, though I want it to be authentic and correct, my plan was to drive the car a fair bit, so practicality and durability were important considerations.

I have put nearly 4,000 miles on my car since the end of June '11, when it was first licensed after restoration.

Keith

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Guest GaWajn

Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences Buicknutty. The paint has been mixed and bought. It is base/clear ... and it is green ... dark ''Belfast Green'' My wife convinced me to go original, as I remained undecided.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Guest tonebender

This thread and the superb pics have been an invaluable resource in getting my Chief on the road. Thank you and keep up the great work, and yes my Chief is green... :)

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Adding to the "yellow car show", here's a picture of one of my old LaSalles. I do not think it was an original 1937 color, but it was very pretty. I suspected without any proof that it was an '80s Cadillac color.post-30966-143142781785_thumb.jpg

Well, gee, I don't why it turned out to be such a small picture. Anyway, thanks for your ongoing story (with big pics) of the restoration of your Pontiac. You are doing it right.

Edited by BillP
small pic (see edit history)
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Got the shop jacked up ... but one of the steel beams that was holding up the shop broke under load. It must have been cracked from a previous job because the beams are heavy enough and the shop is not that heavy ... oh well ... waiting for the beam to be repaired ... hopefully the shop will be at my place next week ...

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well ... after 3 weeks of waiting ... and waiting ... and false promisses ... and more waiting, I fired the original crew and hired another one. It was quite a bit more expensive, but at least these guys looked like pros and were on site when promissed.

http://youtu.be/bJvCHjNHLNU

the garage is in my back yard. Now for a reorganisation in the next couple of weeks ... and then I should be back in business.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Garageready_zps8085f759.jpg

Shop is more or less reorganiozed and ready to start working ... got a few things to get out of the way, after which, I plan to refocus on the Pontiac project ... might not be till after the holidays though ...

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  • 3 weeks later...
Guest lecrown60

Hello.

I am completing a 1952 Super Deluxe Catalina myself. What I wanted to mention was that the only visor that will mount to a '52 Catalina (without modification) is one off another '52 Catalina. You will see the one you have is designed to mount to front post drip rails that the Catalina does not have. You have probably figured that out by now. Because the '51 Catalina had the drip shields riveted to the vent windows, and in '52 mounted to body, the visor mounts were set up differently. Because in '51 they did not use "flippers", just a big rubber seal. You can see then that even a '51 visor would not fit a '52. As for epoxy primer we painted mine in epoxy and years went by before final paint. Just paid to have my body man grind it all off because it was too hard to scuff and bond too so we are starting up from metal again. That was the right decision on that. I myself am a purist so would of course vote for the original colors seeing as how you have gone to so much work. So few of these cars have been restored correctly. I guess to me a Super Deluxe in any other color than green would look like a lessor model deluxe.

Richard, Atlanta

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i too, like to see the 1950 to 1952 super deluxe catalina's, and the 1953 and 1954 custom catalina's in their original paint colors. when i bought my 1953 custom catalina in 1973 (i was 17), i didn't care much for the laurel green over milano ivory, but over time, the colors grew on me.

charles l. coker

1953 pontiac tech advisor

tech advisor coordinator

poci

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Sad day for me ... after a long and soul searching debate with my wife and family ... I am announcing that I am abandoning my restoration project.

I have had some life altering events happen to my family and I this year ... and the best decision for me is to stop the project and move on. I will regret that I could not complete my dream of restoring a car ... but it would have been far worse for me, if I had not tried. I would have always regretted not trying.

I will be selling the car as a project locally ... and if that doesn't pan out ... then I will part it out. Please don't send me requests for parts. If or when I start parting the car out ... it will be advertised on this forum.

I would firstly like to thank technical director, Charles Coker for his help. You were always there when I needed you Charles! A special thanks also go out to Buicknutty, POCI1957, Helfen, avgwarhawk, Landman and Kooser who were always there with words of encouragement. And finally ... thanks to all who were following my progress. You have no idea how much your kind words meant to me!

I will not speak any more about the events that brought me to this decision. Those are private family matters. Just be reassured that everyone is now doing well.

I will not buy or get into any more car restoration projects ... that part is done for me. I will probably just buy a running car and follow the local shows and cruise-ins, to enjoy that part of the hobby.

Thank you all!!!

Merry Christmas to you and yours

sincerely

Stephen Landry

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hi stephen, thank you for your kind words, if you want me to put an ad in the poci smoke signal magazine, i would be honored to help you do that. i'm also in almost daily contact with a pontiac chieftan facebook group, and pontiac-1950's group on yahoo. i was always looking forward to reading your latest posts and checking out pictures that you would add. please keep in touch with us in the aaca forum. god bless you and take care.

charles l. coker

1953 pontiac tech advisor

tech advisor coordinator

poci

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I am very sorry to here you are going through this. I have a 1950 catalina that is in the same condition as yours and was following along with the great work you have done.I hope the next person will do half as good as you have done on this fine car. I will say a prayer for you and your family

pete

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