1949 Model 51 Paint Code confusion

[Guest srnad8]

Just bought a 49 Super, and the I.D. plate on the firewall says the Paint No. is 909. Checking on this, I can only find 4-digit paint i.d. numbers. Am I to assume that the 909 translates into 49-09? Thanks for any help on this--my first question post! Also looking for 1-2 L78X15 wide whites to match existing tires (have a radial wrong size RF and need spare), or set of 4-5 P23575R-15 wide whites. Appreciate any help. thanks again.

Edited December 5, 2009 by srnad8
Adding (see edit history)

[Thriller]

Did you check the BCA Judging Manual - http://www.buickclub.org/BCA%20JUDGING%20MANUAL/BCAjudgingrev2.pdf? Of course, I don't see anything different there than you describe. At AutoColorLibrary - Color Chip Selection, it shows 4909 as Regency Blue.

[Guest srnad8]

Thank you for your response. My tag reads Paint No. 909; very clearly (the car is in great original condition so the tag is very readable), not 49-09. Are you sure this translates to Regency Blue Mettalic? The car looks fairly original and is currently black. Trust me, as a true 20 footer, I like blue better than black, but I want to be certain Thanks again for your response; I was thinking because I was a new comer that I was getting the cold shoulder.

[trp3141592]

Hi Sr,

One thing I CANNOT imagine happening on this site is any legitimate thread being ignored. This forum always responds, but it requires very speciifc knowledge to do so. Eventually, someone with the specific info that you need will post a reply. There certainly is no "unwritten rule" to ignore newbies.

--Tom

[Pete Phillips]

Color #49-09 is Regency Blue as a previous responder noted. It shows up in text on my 1949 paint chart, but I had to go to a 1948 paint chart to see it in color (so it is a 1948 color, also), and it is a very, very dark blue which almost looks black.

Pete Phillips, BCA #7338

1949 Super Estate Wagon

and others...

[keiser31]

Thank you for your response. My tag reads Paint No. 909; very clearly (the car is in great original condition so the tag is very readable), not 49-09. Are you sure this translates to Regency Blue Mettalic? The car looks fairly original and is currently black. Trust me, as a true 20 footer, I like blue better than black, but I want to be certain Thanks again for your response; I was thinking because I was a new comer that I was getting the cold shoulder.

Newbies do not get the "cold shoulder". It sometimes takes days for some of us to respond. You know....it's the holiday season.

[Guest srnad8]

Sorry fellas if I offended anyone about the newbie joke. My post had only been on a couple of days, hence the joke, and it was just intended that way. I truly am new to this sort of thing, and not a big internet person, no face book or any thing like that. I of course appreciate anyone taking time from their busy schedules to answer. I've got another Shop Manual coming for the car--lost the one I had for my 49 Sedanet in the flood we had out here 2 years ago. Anyway thanks again, and sorry again.

[buick840]

No need to apologise, I can't see that anyone would have taken offence.

Welcome to the forum and may I say you have one of my all time favourite Buicks............

I'm betting that you will find the help and advice available here to be a valuable tool when working on your car.

I for one would love to see some photos of your car and it would be nice if you included your name in your posts.........we're a friendly bunch around here:D

Edited December 8, 2009 by buick840 (see edit history)

[Guest DaveCorbin]

Dear SRNAD:

I think I could speak for all of us here on the Forum. All of us were once "newbies" to the hobby and we remember when we were. Many of us, myself especially included, were frustrated by lack of information.

In my case, I was assured that Buick frame and engine numbers were a "black hole" as far as info was concerned. I've made it a long time "sub-hobby" to fix that "black hole" and don't want others to be as frustrated as I was.

My motto about this is that: "The only dumb question is the one you didn't ask." Sharing info is the whole purpose of the Forum.

Regards, Dave Corbin

[Guest srnad8]

Well Brian thanks for the kind words. I will post some pics as soon as it is warm enough to uncover the poor freezing girl. I do have a couple from the original ad I bought her from and will try and figure out how to post

To Dave, thank you also. I have a feeling I'll need all the help I can get. I really do hope that the 909 translates into the 49-09 as she will eventually need a paint job (when I have the money--I like blue, and I would guess less common than black), but being an unrestored car, the list is quite long as you can imagine--but that's the fun, and the bonus is I can drive it while I recondition it.

In the trunk full of treasures, (I will list these once I figure what doesn't fit the car), one thing I know for certain, I do have a pair of stainless rear quarter stone guards that appear to be in nice shape (haven't cleaned them up yet), for a 46-47 Series 62 4-dr. Anybody interested can contact me.

Finally found some rust through in, and I know you won't believe this, the bottom of the spare tire well :eek: Will be looking for a patch for that if available. Thanks again and sorry if I drone on,,,,

Dan

Edited December 9, 2009 by srnad8 (see edit history)

[keiser31]

Love your car! My Dad had one similar. My brother got it and now my sister owns it.

[buick840]

That's what I'm talking about.......:cool::cool:

The 49's just look superb in any color but dark colors do make them stand out.

About the rust in the spare wheel well............I believe that is fairly common and most good body shops could repair/replace that section.

Have fun with her Dan and keep us posted on your progress.

[Thriller]

Dan - if you don't get definitive answers about the paint code (and it is possible you may not), BCA judging allows for you to have any of the original colours on the car. So, if you like any of them in particular, you can paint it that way and not be deducted in judging. That isn't necessarily the purist's view on original, but it is a reasonable compromise. That being said, if it hasn't been repainted, a lot of folks do like the nice survivors and there is archival judging available.

With respect to the data plate and paint code, it is quite possible that it was shortened from 4909 to 909 in production. There were a lot of little twists along the way. For instance, for some years, some plants painted the underside of the hood black while other plants used body colour. That is why I suggest there may not be a definitive answer.

If we look at the BCA Judging Manual, it only shows 09 for Regency Blue, but Carlsbad Black is 01, so it is quite certain your car wasn't originally black.

Nice car.

[Guest srnad8]

Sorry I was away for some time, but thanks again to all for your kind words. I'm more curious about the originality of the car; certainly not concerned about showing it. It will be a driver for sure, and I have taken a lot of time trying to find any blue paint; under rubber, door jams, trunk arms, etc, and if she was indeed repainted Black, they took great lengths to cover every square inch of the car. And of course I was joking about the spare tire well rust. Not sure I've ever owned an un-restored vertical spare car that wasn't rusted through the bottom in that spot (please note I lived 51 years in "salty" New England ). Luckily I haven't found any more rust yet.

One thing I find facinating is our friends from Australia responding. that is very cool to me. Are old cars in general revered there? Or certain makes/models? Were they sold new on the continent, or imported? I suppose I could just google this, but it seems to me that the cost to ship that great distance would be prohibitive, and anyway it seems better to have a response from a real native than just some posting on Wickipedia. thanks again, all. Dan/Bremerton, WA.