Chrysler black paint

[Guest Winston1]

I'm looking to paint my 48 Chrysler.   Can't seem to get local paint shop to find any codes.  They just tell me to by generic black.  Anyone have anything that could help me? Codes or brands they recommend.  Thanks 

[28 Chrysler]

If I remember somewhat right

Back in the late 60s and 70s we used DuPont Pitch Black for enamel and Ditzler Original Black #9300 for lacquer for most black cars.

[Guest]

Autocolorlibrary.com lists it as Code 15 Black, Ditzler number

DQE 9000 DAL. Available in either lacquer or enamel. Same black used from 1941 through 1948.

[Chrycoman]

 

When it comes to black before the 1980's, black is black.  All cars used the same black, the only differences were if the car was done in lacquer or enamel. 

 

Ditzler's DQE 9000 was the black enamel while DAL 9000 was black lacquer.   In the 1960's when acrylic paints arrived, it was DAR 9000 for black acrylic enamel and DDL 9300 for black acrylic lacquer.   

 

Starting with the 1969 models, black was Chrysler Corporation code TX9 (was code 15 on 1946-48 Chryslers) - "X" for black and "9" for dark.  The "T" was for the Engineering Department code for the model year that the colour was first introduced.  "T" could be either 1964 or 1940. 

 

 

[NTX5467]

Chrysler might have been more standardized in their basic colors than Ford or GM were.  I used to think that "white was white" until I couldn't get some Chrysler Spinnaker White touch-up, so I got some "Ford White" (i.e., Wimbledon White).  NOT the same.  Against the Spinnaker White, the Wimbledon was creamy and the GM "white" was "blue-white".  Similarly, in the color chip chart books, there are several "blacks", some blacker than others.  Although this thread is about Chrysler paint, I wanted to relate my experiences with seemingly-generic colors of paint.

 

The automotive paint color library reference above is a GREAT resource for research and information!  Only thing is that, as I believe they mention, looking at their colors ona computer monitor might not be completely accurate, color-wise.  Finding a resource with the original codes AND formulas AND the pigments to build the paint with is highly important!  In earlier threads, some have mentioned "converting" the old formulas into newer paint mixtures (as older pigments were discontinued?) which can use existing components, or into the newer basecoat/clearcoat chemistry.  Every few years, it seems, something "new" comes out which pushed the older lacquers and enamels back even farther from the current "surface".

 

I was at a repair/restoratioin shop the other day and the owner talked about liking a particular brand of paint.  He liked it as it still had a single-stage line of acrylic enamel.  I asked him if it was "kind of like the old DuPont Centauri?"  He said it was.  I smiled and investigated it as I have several Chrysler products which came with acrylic enamel and would like to put that back on them.  There was a particular shine and look that paint had that just looks better to me, when appropriate, than the newer clearcoat paints.  With almost every paint shop now having spray booths and related "clean environments" in which to shoot the newer paints, the acrylic enamel paints might be easier to do now than "back then".

 

NTX5467

 

 

[28 Chrysler]

The Color Library's scans are on the brighter than the actual chips.

As for the factory pack black paint there was also a "Blue Black" that has a slight blue look to it and also what was called "Jet Black" that was on the grayish side. Neither of these were used by Chrysler.

[Rusty_OToole]

It used to be that black was the only shade black came in. Now there may be metallics and other variations. But in 1948 there was just plain black. Any black paint you choose will be better than what they had in 1948.