1936 Canadian Dodge colour codes or chips

[36 D2 Coupe]

Canadian Dodge production included some paint colour options that were different from those offered in American production. There were also, according to some advertising I have copies of, a series of "Spring Colors" offered to perk up sales. Does anyone out there have any information as to what those colours actually were and perhaps paint chip samples (a small miracle!!) to go with them? I do have US paint chips for '36 Dodge but it would be really neat to have the choice of the Canadian colours for our Windsor built coupe or the special Spring Colors even. Can anyone add to the wonderful collection of arcane info we seem to be able to unearth on this forum?

Jim Hazlewood

[lowkey]

I can't help you with your color search but i was wondering if avon green is prettier than it appears on my computer? i have a36 Dodge and i think that that is my origonal color, it sure looks awful.

[Guest 1930]

Not that it helps but I think that is a great color

[jpage]

lokey. I'm pretty sure that the car in the picture is not Avon Green. My car was Avon Green originally and it's much lighter. I'ts very similar the the light frost greens that Ford,GM and Chrysler use today. I think the color in the photo is Palm Green and I have seen a few cars in that color. I agree that it is not one of the most attractive. I do have some original paint left on the car but I have not found an exact match. Avon Green is also a metallic finish and I think it's very attractive and a rare color. Puts to rest the old idea that all old cars were black.

[nearchoclatetown]

Jim, try Autocolorlibrary online, they may have it. Or contact Walter Miller, he specialises in paint chips and advertises in the DBC newsletter. I think he's in N.Y., comes to Hershey show. I dealt with him years ago, is a good guy.

[36 D2 Coupe]

Thanks Chocolatetown. I'll try Walter and see what he's got. I know his collection is extensive. The colors I have on my DuPont Color Bulletin No. 6 from July 1 1936 for 1936 Dodge - for everyone's reference - are:

Limousine Blue No.3 or Dodge Blue

Gunmetal Metallic

Mercury Metallic

Golden Beige Metallic

Palm Green Metallic

Stratosphere Blue Metallic

Dolphin Gray Metallic

Avon Green Metallic

Regal Maroon

Archer Green

Black

According to this bulletin there were no two tone cars, i.e. fenders and body were always the same color. However it does offer some interesting color options for the wheels. Apparently in addition to body color, Packard Ivory was suggested for Black and Dodge Blue bodies while Silver was available for Stratosphere Blue, Palm Green Metallic, Avon Green Metallic, Dolphin Gay Metallic, Gunmetal Metallic and Mercury Metallic cars. Whirlpool Green was a third option for Avon Green cars, Baden Green a third on Dolphin Gray Metallic and Golden Wheat Tan was a second choice for Golden Beige Metallic. Archer Green and Regal Maroon only came with body color wheels.

It also lists the corresponding color of the stripe for each combination if anyone is interested.

Now aren't you really confused?

Jim

Incidentally I think my car may have started life as Gunmetal Metallic although it has suffered through Barn Red and is currently Maroon over Black fenders.

[jpage]

My car had the Avon Green wheels with the silver accent and stripes. Interestingly, the back of the wheel was silver and only the fronts had body color. I would have assumed just the opposite. My question is ,just how do you mask the accent and get it perfectly centered in each spoke?All the cars had black firewalls regardless of body color;why bother with the extra work to paint the firewall? I also found evidence of undercoating under the fuel tank and in the drive shaft tunnel. Did they actually undercoat the cars at the factory: maybe a sound deadner.

[1936 D2]

I have attached a photo I had in file of an original Avon Green car from SE Michigan.

There is a lack of published information on how to use the accent color on the wheels. Publications tell you WHAT the colors are but not HOW to use them. The most common color, the Black cars, had the Packard Ivory for the starburst in the center with a Black pinstripe to offset the edge. I was trying to find out how the silver was used on the Stratosphere Blue and on the Mercury Metallic cars' wheels. Using the same scheme as the Black cars just did not look right (car color wheels with Silver starburst). The Silver was right next to the stainless steel hubcap and just did not look right. So I switched them (Silver wheel with car color starburst) and that seemed to work! This combination uses a Yacht Blue pinstripe for the offset. "jpage's" comment about the Silver wheel backs seems to confirm that combination idea. Excellent! I have also attached photos of an original Black '36 Dodge's car wheel and a restored Mercury Metallic '36 Dodge's car wheel.

If you have the opportunity to look very closely at the paint on an original wheel, you will see that the starburst color was sprayed on through a mask. I am guessing this mask was sheet metal so it could be cleaned periodically. The paint on the tips of the starburst are a bit feathered and the centers by the hub a bit thicker. Once dry, the stripes are put on.

Not absolutely sure of the reasoning for the Satin-Black firewall but it pretty much matches the Satin-Black color used on frame members, pedal linkages, generator, starter, fan, radiator, grille support rods, axles, springs, etc. It is all "under hood" stuff so I think that is the reasoning.

The "undercoating" jpage found is mainly sound deadening. You will find it on the inside of the steel insert top also. The only reason it would be there is to prevent booming of the top and noise from the likes of rain, etc.

[Guest 1930]

I guess it sounds like whomever was auctioning the car I showed above did not have the color listed properly, I still do like the color that is now presented as Avon green but I am partial to green anyway so maybe I am biased.

[jpage]

I have a really good sample of Avon Green on the inner fender panel .I'll try to get a good photo of it up soon.

[1936 D2]

You know 'J', if we are doing all this comparison of colors (and BTW, that is a very good color reference spot! - I used the color under the headlight mounting on the grille shell) by photo, we should have a reference sample of color in the shot. Of course the best is a "Kodak Color Chart" but not many people have that at their homes for comparison. I have seen a colorful common magazine cover used as a comparison chart. If all the people comparing the colors have the same magazine in their possession, they can use it to compare the colors of an "unknown" object also in the shot. The magazines' colors are generally very close throughout their production.

So, think up a common colorful magazine (for instance maybe like "Time") and get it into the shot of your Avon Green fender panel to use as a common chart.

Another way to do this is to have an 18% gray or full white area in the shot someplace (also available at camera shops) that can be used for color balance.

With all this, THEN we will all be talking the same color as we look at the photos!

[Chrycoman]

Chrysler Corporation of Canada colours for 1936 :

Black (145,146,147,148,149,150,151,152,153) - 31137; 246-8708

Hunter's Green (379,380,381,382,384,385,393,395,398) - P-1188

Polo Green (386,387,388,389,390,391,394,396,397) - P-1195

Palm Beach Grey No. 2 (461,462,463,464,465,466,472,473,474) - P-1189

Blue (540,541,542,543,546,547,561,562,568) - P-1193; 246-8629

Aquamarine Blue (548,549,550,551,552,553,557,559,560) - P-1194

Regal Maroon (776,777,778,779,781,782,789,790,791) - P-1192; 246-8633

Gunmetal (914,915,916,917,918,919,922,923,924) - P-1187; 246-8098

Commercial colours were black and -

20th Century Red (783,785) - P-1190

Fire Red (786,787) - P-1191

The numbers in parentheses are the paint code numbers, the number stamped on the body tag on the firewall. The list was taken from a Sherwin -Williams list, which is where the "P" numbers came from. I do not have chips, though.

The "246" numbers are CIL (DuPont) colour numbers. These colours were also used in 1937 and I have both Sherwin-Williams and CIL lists for 1937. Thus I was able to do some cross referencing.

I suspect that all but black are unique Canadian colours. The "8000" CIL numbers were Canadian shades. In 1937 only one colour was American in origin - Tartan Green 246-50873. Have not been able to track down an American make that used it, yet.

Bill

Toronto, ON

[1936 D2]

Any idea why there are so many paint code numbers (in parenthesis) for any one given color? :confused:

And what happened to the 200's, 600's and 800's? Are there more colors that are unlisted here? (Like Mercury Metallic or such?)

Edited January 28, 2012 by 1936 D2
added question (see edit history)

[Chrycoman]

Any idea why there are so many paint code numbers (in parenthesis) for any one given color? :confused:

And what happened to the 200's, 600's and 800's? Are there more colors that are unlisted here? (Like Mercury Metallic or such?)

From 1937 through 1940 Chrysler of Canada had each colour with up to five numbers. I suspect Plymouth, Plymouth-based Dodge, US-style Dodge, DeSoto and Chrysler each had their own code. Not sure why 1936 had so many codes although special combinations, such as black fenders, would have a unique code.

That is the complete list of colours offered in 1936. No American colours were available on Canadian-built cars.

The first digit identified the colour -

1 - Black

3 - Green

4 - Grey

5 - Blue

7 - Red, Maroon

9 - Gunmetal

The colour numbers would change in 1937, with some colours using numbers over 1000. Chrysler did not use the same code more than one year back then.

In 1941 Chrysler of Canada began using one code for each colour -

1062 - Black (246-8708)

1579 - Regimental Blue (246-37342)

1580 - Aviator Blue Metallic (202-32535)

1618 - Garland Green (246-8972)

1619 - Amphibian Green (246-8973)

1621 - Harbour Green Metallic (202-32503 - 1939 Chevrolet)

1883 - Regal Red (Maroon) Metallic (202-33039 - 1940 Buick)

1905 - Speedwing Grey (246-8974)

1906 - Skyline Grey Metallic (202-8975)

1907 - Gunmetal Grey Metallic (202-53628 - 1940 Oldsmobile)

1620 and 1621 are two tones. Note that the second number identifies the colour's shade.

1946-1954 passenger car numbers started with 4 and 1955 with 6. For 1956 the numbers started at 10 and continued up for 1957. With 1958 Chrysler of Canada adopted the letter codes and 1965 would be the last year Canadian codes and colours differed from the U.S.

By the way, Chrysler of Canada used lacquer paints prior to World War II and adopted enamels for 1946. In the U.S. Plymouth began the switch to enamel paint in 1935 (Detroit) with the LA plant switching in 1940. The other car lines switched in 1939.

Bill

Toronto, ON

[36 D2 Coupe]

Chrysler Corporation of Canada colours for 1936 :

Black (145,146,147,148,149,150,151,152,153) - 31137; 246-8708

Hunter's Green (379,380,381,382,384,385,393,395,398) - P-1188

Polo Green (386,387,388,389,390,391,394,396,397) - P-1195

Palm Beach Grey No. 2 (461,462,463,464,465,466,472,473,474) - P-1189

Blue (540,541,542,543,546,547,561,562,568) - P-1193; 246-8629

Aquamarine Blue (548,549,550,551,552,553,557,559,560) - P-1194

Regal Maroon (776,777,778,779,781,782,789,790,791) - P-1192; 246-8633

Gunmetal (914,915,916,917,918,919,922,923,924) - P-1187; 246-8098

Commercial colours were black and -

20th Century Red (783,785) - P-1190

Fire Red (786,787) - P-1191

The numbers in parentheses are the paint code numbers, the number stamped on the body tag on the firewall. The list was taken from a Sherwin -Williams list, which is where the "P" numbers came from. I do not have chips, though.

The "246" numbers are CIL (DuPont) colour numbers. These colours were also used in 1937 and I have both Sherwin-Williams and CIL lists for 1937. Thus I was able to do some cross referencing.

I suspect that all but black are unique Canadian colours. The "8000" CIL numbers were Canadian shades. In 1937 only one colour was American in origin - Tartan Green 246-50873. Have not been able to track down an American make that used it, yet.

Bill

Toronto, ON

Hi Bill -Thanks so much for your contribution to this thread! The colour code on our Canadian RS Coupe firewall tag is 916 making the original colour Gunmetal. This is really helpful. Now if we can locate paint chips from somewhere???

On a related topic ( maybe we should start a new thread?) I am trying to figure out the trim code - the firewall tag code is AEE. Do you have any reference data on Canadian trim codes?

Again mega-thanks for all this!

Jim Hazlewood

[jpage]

Just for comparison here's a pix of Avon Green Met. In the picture it has a slightly blue tinge. I don't have anything that we can compare to like a magazine cover. The color does appear a little lighter in other parts of the car and is very similar to some paint colors recently used by Chrysler.

[1936 D2]

The colors on this inner fender panel are very interesting! Note how part of it is the Satin-Black I was speaking of earlier. (Sure does seem to have a blueish cast to it in the shot!)

[jpage]

The part on the panel that looks dark is old raw steel with no paint. The part still has some grease and dirt on it and it was hard to photograph such a small sample for good color . We tried outside ,but today was cold and windy with bright sun. The sun just glared on the paint. This is an odd color and looks different in different light. You an't see but there are several factory paint runs on this panel ,a real no-no for restored cars. New cars were not perfect.

[Chrycoman]

Hi Bill -Thanks so much for your contribution to this thread! The colour code on our Canadian RS Coupe firewall tag is 916 making the original colour Gunmetal. This is really helpful. Now if we can locate paint chips from somewhere???

On a related topic ( maybe we should start a new thread?) I am trying to figure out the trim code - the firewall tag code is AEE. Do you have any reference data on Canadian trim codes?

Again mega-thanks for all this!

Jim Hazlewood

Unfortunately, I have no information on Canadian trim before 1949. Pre-war Canadian parts books carried information on US trim, but advised dealers working on Canadian-built cars to submit what they were looking for along with the car's serial number. The staff at the Chryco parts warehouse in Chatham would look up the build record and send the correct material. Same for requests for painted parts. For all other orders, east of Port Arthur (Thunder Bay) went to Chatham and all others (west) went to Regina.

The firewall tag on your car was used from at least 1935 through to the end of the 1965 model year. The model number probably looks like D2 2-dr Coupe. The next line, Body No., means your car was the xxxth D2 2-dr Coupe built at Windsor.

By the way, the D2 was sold in Canada as the Custom Six.

Your D2 will have an American-built 23" block flathead six with the engine number starting with D2.

I am always looking for paint chips. Should I run across the 1936 chips, or someone who does, will pass it along to you.

Bill

Toronto, ON

[36 D2 Coupe]

Bill:

Thanks for the additional information. It now makes sense why finding Canadian colour chips is such a challenge. Any idea what happened to all the documents at the Chatham Chryco Depot when it closed? That would have been a treasure trove of informatkion on Canadian built cars.

[36 D2 Coupe]

I just went out into the icebox that passes for a garage to look at the firewall tag more closely. It looks like this:

Model D2 RS CPE

Body No. 76

Paint Code 916

Trim Code AEE

Motor # D2-71406

This is not the original motor - that was lost when a previous owner tried to rod the car - but it came from a '36 Dodge in the same wrecking yard where I found the Coupe many years ago. So it will be the 23" block.

Jim

[36 D2 Coupe]

Reviving this post for 36Plymouth 40 Dodge - Here's a lot of good information to help decode the paint code on your 36 Dodge convertible

Enjoy!

Jim

[Pete in PA]

I'm glad that you dug this up.  Although my car is Boring Black i found the color discussion interesting.  Especially the part about painting the wheels.  My black car does have the Packard Ivory starburst center paint.  I will probably buy a set of whitewalls for my car to jazz it up a bit.