1947 Buick Special original paint question

[Bill3747]

I've been searching for pictures or any information about whether any 1947 Specials were actually originally painted in the two tone paint combinations, particularly the Sedanet.  Also, how were the paint colors divided on the car.  The few images I have seen were obvious repaints in non original colors.  I have only seen two cars painted in  factory colors that I thought might be original combinations, but the paint colors were not applied to the cars in the same pattern.  Thanks for any info.    Bill

[Daves1940Buick56S]

The Judging Manual does indicate a few combos available, 2 greens and 2 greys. p 46

 

http://www.buickclub.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/bca_judging_manual.pdf

 

Cheers, Dave

 

 

[Dynaflash8]

A Master Chassis Parts book will tell you the colors.  Based only on memory I think the 46 and 47 were one color, but the 48 had multiple two-tones.  Let me check the books tonight.  The 46 and 47 didn't have a belt molding which makes two-toning more difficult.

[Dynaflash8]

I just went out to the garage and looked at one of my Buick Master Chassis Parts Books.  There were three different two-tone colors offered in 1947, two of which were not exciting.....they were gray.  The lower color was the same, but the upper gray was a different shade.  One was Lehigh Gray over Dusty Gray.  The other one is also over Dusty Gray.  The better combination is a two-tone green.  That was always pretty, be it 1941 or 1947.  If you need to know the exact name of the colors, I will write them down and put them on here.  The Special two-door sedanette particularly lended itself to two-tone green.   Maybe I'm partial to it because my aunt & uncle owned a 1942 sedanette in two-tone green from 1943-1952 and I always liked it.

 

Edited April 17, 2018 by Dynaflash8 (see edit history)

[Bill3747]

Thanks Dave and Dynaflash8 for your replies.  I've always really liked the two tone combinations on this era of Buicks but have had little luck in finding photos of the 1947 Sedanet  that I believe to be in original paint combinations.  I do have a 1947 Sedanet that was originally Lehigh gray, which is close to black.  At some point it was changed to two tone with a lower color that appears to be a close match to the Dusty gray.  What makes it different from what would be the normal two tone is that the rear fenders and the front fenders from the top stainless trim outward are still the darker Lehigh gray.  I believe that the upper Lehigh gray could still be original.  I believe any paint work was done well before 1981 because the title was signed over to a new owner in 1981 who never had it titled in his name and put it in storage where it sat for many years.  The paint is now far from perfect.

The information I have found indicates that late in the model year the lower color Dusty gray was replaced with Catalina gray.  This same source indicates that they added a dark blue, Catalina blue.  This was also added as an upper color along with the Catalina gray as the lower to create 4th possible two tone combination.  It's interesting also that the 1947 full line brochure shows a Roadmaster or Super 4 door sedan painted in a two tone combination that appears to be Sherwood green upper and Sequoia Cream lower, a combination that doesn't appear to ever been added.

I am going to try to attach a couple of pictures I came across of the green two tone combination.  I have not found any other pictures of a 1947 Sedanet that I believe are original combinations.  The question I have about these pictures though is if there is anything in these views would indicate whether it's a 1947 or 1948.  I'll also try to attach a picture of my 1947 Sedanet.

Thanks for your input.

Bill

 

[sean1997]

Here is what I have for 1947 two-tone combos:

 

 

[Dynaflash8]

There should be a metal plate attached to the firewall on the passenger side.  There is a color code on that plate.  If you will give me that color code I will go out to the garage again and see what the original color of that car was.  Unfortunately, it may have been single color, but you'll know.  I didn't write them down, but there were two different two-tone gray's.  The Dusty gray was the bottom color both times.  Lehigh Gray was one of the two upper colors, but I need to go back and look it up again.  That two-tone green car is beautiful.  I know what I'd do.

[Bill3747]

You are correct in thinking mine was originally a single color.  It is a code 13, Lehigh Gray.  To my knowledge this car sat in storage beginning in 1981 or before and was probably painted well before that.  They followed the normal division line between upper and lower colors and used a color that appears to be a close match to Dusty Gray.  The upper section and rear fenders are possibly still original paint.  I'm with you on that two tone green.  I love it.  I'm still hoping to come across some original pictures of the two tone combos, especially the Code 21, Regency Blue over Catalina Gray.  

As a side note, Dynaflash8, I'm pretty sure that I bought some 1937 Buick parts from you back in the late 1970's or 1980's.  Thanks for your responses.

Bill

[Dynaflash8]

Those are paint company codes.  Tell me the number off of the firewall plate.  Using the paint code numbers means you are still only guessing based on what you see on the car.

[Bill3747]

Firewall data plate shows Paint No. 13.  All of the charts I've seen including the Buick Master Chassis book list that as Lehigh Gray.  There's another item I've been curious about for quite some.  My 1947 Super, Model 51 shows Paint No. 13     K.  It appears just like that on the Firewall plate with space between the 13 and the K.  It's definitely original on the plate because it's a raised letter just like the rest of the plate and not stamped into it later.  I've had the car for over 35 years and it had been repainted black so as far as the color it's not original.  I've just never come across anything to indicate what the K might stand for.

Bill

[Dynaflash8]

3 hours ago, Bill3747 said:

Firewall data plate shows Paint No. 13.  All of the charts I've seen including the Buick Master Chassis book list that as Lehigh Gray.  There's another item I've been curious about for quite some.  My 1947 Super, Model 51 shows Paint No. 13     K.  It appears just like that on the Firewall plate with space between the 13 and the K.  It's definitely original on the plate because it's a raised letter just like the rest of the plate and not stamped into it later.  I've had the car for over 35 years and it had been repainted black so as far as the color it's not original.  I've just never come across anything to indicate what the K might stand for.

Bill

Okay, I'll look at the Chassis Parts book after I finish eating lunch.  Why don't you sell me that Buick so you won't have to worry about what color to paint it?

 

Edited April 20, 2018 by Dynaflash8 (see edit history)

[sean1997]

K is the accessory option code for rear wheel shields.  They tended to put the accessory option codes at the end of the paint code line rather than try and squeeze it on to the tiny ACC line.

[Bill3747]

Thanks Sean.  I've never come across a listing of accessory codes.  Curious though, because the rear wheel shield in the parts book is what is often called the fender skirt.  I think the only other part on the rear fender that is called a shield is the gravel shield on the lower front of the fender.  I always thought that they were standard parts on all Model 51's.  Also, did they generally apply codes for other items such as radio and heater?

Bill

[sean1997]

I've attached the accessory option code list for 1947.  Which options got stamped on the tag varies some.  For 1947 K is the most common.  In 1948 and 1949 the most common was K (which was now Flexible Steering Wheel) and M (Dynaflow trans).  In 1950 it was A (radio & antenna), C (heater & defroster), D (windshield washer), K (Flexible Steering Wheel), and M (Dynaflow trans).

[Bill3747]

Thanks for sharing this , Sean.  Does seem kind of odd though that the code K would be added since it was shown as standard on the 50 series.

Bill

[Dynaflash8]

3 hours ago, Bill3747 said:

Thanks for sharing this , Sean.  Does seem kind of odd though that the code K would be added since it was shown as standard on the 50 series.

Bill

Sean1997:  Thanks for added that accessory chart.  I've been fooling with these Buick's and their parts since I was 16 and now I'm 79, and I've never seen that document.  It's really good to know.  I wonder, do you have that same information for 1939 and 1941?  As to the optional "rear wheel sields" of the Series 40.  Yes, Buick and I think all of the factories officially called "fender skirts" by the name "wheel shields" or something similar.  I've even heard them called "pants".   As for the 1942-1949 Series 40:  It was always the bottom of the line, and as such more things were optional.  In addition, the 1942-48 Series 50-70 were designed so that the skirts were an integral part of the body design.  With regard to the Series 40, the car was offered with and without them.  If the car was factory equipped with skirts it had several holes in the fender that those not so equipped did not have, both before and after the wheel well.  Cars without fenderskirts used a gravel shield similar to the 1941 cars, and there was no rocker panel molding extension at the bottom.  Cars factory equipped with fender skirts had a short molding in three places on it, top, middle and bottom.  The bottom one was an extension of the rocker panel molding.  The other two finished off the two moldings that were on the fender skirt.  The 1942 model had a smooth concave molding, while the 1946-49 Special had a same size molding width and length, but the molding had a raised center.  It was flat on top, but swooped down other both sides of the raised center.  And yes, guys, I guess it was a very long lunch I had, but unlike sean1997, I wouldn't have found the answer for the "K".

Edited April 22, 2018 by Dynaflash8 (see edit history)

[Bill3747]

Thanks fellas for the information you've shared.  It's always nice to learn more about these old beasts that we love.  Of course the older I get it's sometimes a question of what I once might have known and forgot.  But that's another story.

Bill

[sean1997]

Yes, I have same information for 1939 and 1941.  I have information that I've compiled into an option code list that covers most years from 1938 to 1980.  The only year I am missing completely is 1940 and I only have limited data for 1973-1974, but by that time most of the option codes weren't changing much from year to year, so any missing codes would likely be the same as in 1972 or 1975.