Paint and Colors and PPG codes for 1942 Dodge Carryall Suburban

[dodgebrother]

Does anyone have the PPG codes for 1942 Dodge paint colors?

Paint suppliers I have contacted cannot use old codes.

I am specifically looking for Bombardier Blue and La Plata Blue.

One of these is the stock color of my 1942 Dodge Carryall Suburban civilian model.

I need to make a spray bomb up to match to paint to determine correct color.

thanks,

 

.

[61polara]

If you find a matching code please post it.  I need the same for a 42 DeSoto.  A shop with a good color mixer should be able to match the color for you.

[dodgebrother]

It is no problem getting the paint blended once I get the crossover PPG code.

Apparently it is available but I have not found it yet.

I will for sure post it here when I find it.

I am hoping though someone within the group here will have it and respond.

Edited May 29, 2019 by dodgebrother
repetitive wording (see edit history)

[PFitz]

Have you tried contacting PPG color library ?  They've helped me by looking up an antique  color and converting it to a modern formula so that my paint supplier could then mix it.

 

Also, if you have a good sample of the color you want, there's a good chance it can be scanned. Once scanned they can patch into the PPG library to see if there may be a match to the color in their library - maybe even for a different make/year ? Then they can convert it to formula for whatever of their paint systems your using  so you can then give that formula to your paint shop to be mixed. Ask your local PPG supplier if they have the camera to do the scan. My PPG supplier was able to scan an original part I had and find a match in the library. 

 

Paul

Edited May 29, 2019 by PFitz (see edit history)

[dodgebrother]

I have sent an email to PPG.

 

I don't have the ability to take a piece of the vehicle to a paint dealer.

The original color was on the both sides of the firewall.

I have taken in other small parts though in the past and had them scanned and had the paint made up.

Another option is to blow up the paint codes above and see if they can scan that.

I am hoping to hear back from PPG though.  

 

thanks for your comments.

[PFitz]

If they don't have it listed in their library (I'd be surprised if they don't), check with your local PPG supplier. My PPG supplier's delivery guy brings the special camera that they use to scan colors along on deliveries when a body shop needs a color scanned. The camera stores the scans until it is connected to the PPG computer system back at the shop and then patched into the PPG color library.  Some guys in paint shops love antique vehicles and they may be willing to stop by with the camera just as an excuse to see an antique. Even if they make a modest delivery call charge it will likely be much more accurate scanning off a compounded clean section of the original paint.

 

Paul

[Restorer32]

The scanner will get a close match but only close. We have had paint scanned and then compared the resulting paint with the original and they seldom get the color 100% right but it's a good start.

[PFitz]

Yes, sometimes they can only get close and they will give a percent how close they feel it is. But I have had PPG's camera get it dead on, too. It's not the fault of the camera so much as how close a match they can get to what colors are stored in their extensive color library.

 

Early on  in a restoration I had made  color sample cards up for a customer from an earlier formula he wanted used. By the time it came to painting the car, a couple of the pigments used to make my original sample were obsolete. My supplier took scans of my sample card and the library came up with a perfect match using the pigments that were available and then forwarded that formula to my supplier, who was then able to mix the paint for a perfect match.

 

You don't know how close the library will come until you try the scan.

 

Paul

Edited May 29, 2019 by PFitz (see edit history)

[bryankazmer]

A spectrophotometric match uses the pigments that that paint company has characterized, in bases that they have characterized.  That's a good practical approach, but has limitations.  The scan is normally from one incident (viewing) angle, so the color and its match may "travel" differently.  Special effects like metallic or pearlescents do not match well instrumentally because of light scattering.  

 

There is a book of modern matches to Mopar, Ford and GM OEM codes - I do not recall if it went back to prewar

[Rusty_OToole]

I thought all automotive paint companies had a library of colors and could supply any color back to the 1920s. Your local store may not have this information but should be able to get it in a few hours from their supplier. Normally all you need is the year and color name and/or code number. I did this just last summer on a 1966 Dodge and have done the same on other cars back to a 1951 Chrysler. The paint store must contact the paint company and they will email the formula, then your local store mixes the paint.

[dodgebrother]

That is the theory.

 

I have had paint chip samples scanned before and paint created by code which was not a problem.

I have contacted PPG and confirmed the PPG code and now hooked up the local store to contact them to get the formula.

The local store was able to reference the code and color.

Once the store confirms they can blend and create it I will get them to make a spray bomb up.

The store says they do not have the ability to create a sample card as they have no booth.

This contradicts PPG as they said that is what they should do.

The store quoted 30 to $40.00 for the bomb.

Whatever gets the job done to confirm the color.

Anything out of the box that you want done up in this neck of the woods is always a challenge.

 

Thanks for everyone's input on this.

 

[joe_padavano]

[joe_padavano]

paintref.com is also a good site for cross references.

 

http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcodedisplay.cgi?year=1942

[Rusty_OToole]

6 hours ago, dodgebrother said:

That is the theory.

 

I have had paint chip samples scanned before and paint created by code which was not a problem.

I have contacted PPG and confirmed the PPG code and now hooked up the local store to contact them to get the formula.

The local store was able to reference the code and color.

Once the store confirms they can blend and create it I will get them to make a spray bomb up.

The store says they do not have the ability to create a sample card as they have no booth.

This contradicts PPG as they said that is what they should do.

The store quoted 30 to $40.00 for the bomb.

Whatever gets the job done to confirm the color.

Anything out of the box that you want done up in this neck of the woods is always a challenge.

 

Thanks for everyone's input on this.

 

Last time I had this done (1966 Dodge) the paint store got it wrong. They mixed up one quart as a test and it was obviously the wrong color. So they did it over at no charge to me. I would think that if you supply the correct name and code number it is on them to mix the paint right, and if they don't they should do it over at no charge.

 

PS In my case I gave them the code number off the car's ID plate. They made a mistake in looking up the color. Once we got that straightened out they had no problem mixing up an exact match.

 

I guess it is easy for me, living in a dense metropolitan area of 18,000 population in Canada.

Edited May 30, 2019 by Rusty_OToole (see edit history)

[dodgebrother]

The ( high north ) local store ( Lordco) paint expert called me up and informed me that they cannot provide me the paint as it is banned in Canada (since 2010).

The PPG codes are in the book for Bombardier Blue ( 10010) and La Plata Blue ( 10024).

I believe she said California does not allow this paint as well.

PPG can supply the formula though.

Go figure.

So my only recourse now is to get a 2.5" x 2.5" flat piece of paint chip from the truck.

They would scan it and come up with something close.

Problem is the only thing that I have now is under the dash on the firewall.

I have asked my body guy to retain this for provenance.

The rest is now sand blasted.

So I am sort of at a standstill now on sourcing this paint.

 

Alternate plan is to go south and bring it back across.

I don't know if customs actually would ask what type of paint if I did claim it on crossing.

I am thinking this would or could be easier in the East as opposed to the tree hugging West.

No offence intended I like trees too but...... 

Edited May 31, 2019 by dodgebrother (see edit history)

[Frank DuVal]

So, the online resource of PPG paint chips, like Joe shows, is:

 

http://www.autocolorlibrary.com/aclchip.aspx?image=1942-Dodge-pg01.jpg

 

They say they can supply the colors in 5 different versions. I would think at least one version is compliant in your area. I can not answer the customs question.....😉

[PFitz]

Yes, once PPG can convert a color match to one of their paint systems, very often they can convert to any of their other systems. They did that for me when they made two pigments obsolete in an earlier formula I had.  It took the color library people a couple of days to get back to me, but they came up with a perfect match using other pigments that were still current.  

 

I've been dealing with PPG since way back when they were still calling themselves Ditzler. Ditzler/PPG's phone techs and library people have always been very helpful.  They've even passed on some very useful tips dealing with their paints.  But, with some of the PPG retail store counter workers, not so helpful. I'm lucky in that I have had suppliers willing to go the extra effort to help me.

 

Some shops don't want to do the extra work often involved with antique cars. Some love the challenge and change from everyday stuff. I've been lucky to have shops that love that challenge of helping solve parts and paint searches for antique autos. I try to repay them by making sure to stop by when road testing that car they helped with and let them see exactly how much their parts and paint efforts helped. But don't do that if the store owner is the cranky type because It tends to empty the store of workers and customers for an impromptu car show in the parking lot.   

 

Paul

 

 

[dodgebrother]

My search is on for a new supplier.

I am sure that we have someone in this area who can think out of the box.

thanks for all comments on this.

[Ron42Dodge]

I know this is an older topic but what the heck..  I needed to get a color match for my Bombardier Blue 42 Dodge.  The best original paint was on the firewall so we cleaned it extra good and rubbed out the paint.  There were no matches in the system for the color scanned.  So the paint supplier had a guy with an eye that would add a splash of this and that to get the proper mix.  I needed 2 gallons and unfortunately he mixed each gallon individually and kept no notes.  Then he said the 2 gallons would not likely be exactly the same so he suggested not putting them in side by side areas.  WTF.  I took them to my body show guy and asked if he had a 2 gallon can and we poured the 2 together to make one color.  I had the car painted (base coat, clear coat) and it looked great.  About 3 years later I went to a show in Minneapolis and ran into another Bombardier Blue 1942 Dodge that also repainted from a paint scan.  I think we were both surprised.