Graham Paige paint color

[BINKYBOY]

Does the paint color look correct on this 1929 G-P model 621 ?

Owner claims the paint is original, but that seems like a pretty bright color for 1929.  Any thoughts ?   Supposedly only 45K miles on the car, so I guess the paint might be original if the car was well cared for.

Thank you.

[auburnseeker]

If it's original paint,  especially on the fenders,  I would expect the sidemount well that is exposed to have had alot more wear and tear from being blasted with dirt and debris over the years,  figuring many of the early roads were dirt.  I have original paint on my 47KMI 33 Plymouth and though the paint is still visible in the wheel wells, it has road tar build up and some of it has been blasted off. 

Seems alot of companies used red primer years ago underneath the body paint and some wear nicks/ chips will expose that. 

An underhood shot or some inside with the door jambs would help.  

Not sure on the color,  but more cars with original paint seem to not be original paint than do. 

[BINKYBOY]

Thank you for your comments, auburnseeker.  All good points and I agree that not much "original" paint can still exist on a vehicle unless it was really well cared for and kept inside.  It all comes down to what the person means by "original" - and that can be difficult to determine for a car that has changed hands a few times, as most older cars have.  I have added a photo of the door jamb below, so if you have any further comment, please don't be shy.   I know, I know...the seats sure aren't "original" so why would we think the rest of the car is "original?"  That is part of the reason I remain skeptical about the paint color.  I know Graham used a yellow color in those years, from the paint chart available on line.  But it just doesn't look as bright as the yellow on this car in my opinion.

[auburnseeker]

Yeah those seats definitely need to go. I don't see tell tale overspray on anything. It has that overhead console so the headliner is ruined. It's surprising there is no wear to the paint on the outside surfaces if it is original. I would think the interior moldings should have been wood grained. Also that door latch plate is painted yellow.  Wouldn't that have been just cadmium plated? That one thing stands out to me and says maybe the whole thing was restored or comprehensively painted. By how faded that step is as well means the car spent time outside and the finish should have chalked badly,  so that it needed work to bring the shine back,  which is where it usually gets rubbed thin somewhere on a horizontal surface.    Would love to see it in person,  would be easy to determine.   I'm guessing they completely stripped the paint and refinished it.  Of course maybe back in the 60's or 70's so now it's aged enough to look original. 

I'm thinking repaint. 

[BINKYBOY]

 

Good grief !  I hadn't even noticed the overhead console malarkey.  OK, that's it.  I'm done with it.  Thank you again for your comments and observant eyes, auburnseeker.  Cheers...

[Bloo]

I like the yellow, but also suspect it is not original. I'd be happy to drive it around with that paint job. Yes, those seats have to go, and the overhead console, and I'm not thrilled with the door cards either. None of those things are insurmountable if the price is right I guess.

 

The one thing that stands out to me in the pictures is the shifter. Did Graham-Paige put it way back there? I don't know but I doubt it. I think it's probably a T-5 conversion.

[auburnseeker]

Bloo might be correct on the tranny.  That shift lever is very fat then tapered right at the top.  Old levers seem to be long and slender.  The knob also looks like an OEM late model knob.  Well late model being 20-30 years ago now.  

 

Almost looks like it has a trailer hitch receiver as well.  What engine was it suppose to have in the ad,  or where ever you saw it?  

Exhaust also exits on the left.  Most period 6 or in line 8's Come off the right that I can think of so they usually exit there. 

 

Surprised they used the original wheels if it's been resto modded.  That makes the car seem original. 

[alsancle]

Many paint jobs from the 50s and 60s now look like original paint. That color does look a little bright from 1929.

[Bloo]

1 hour ago, auburnseeker said:

Bloo might be correct on the tranny.  That shift lever is very fat then tapered right at the top.  Old levers seem to be long and slender.  The knob also looks like an OEM late model knob.  Well late model being 20-30 years ago now.  

 

Almost looks like it has a trailer hitch receiver as well.  What engine was it suppose to have in the ad,  or where ever you saw it?  

Exhaust also exits on the left.  Most period 6 or in line 8's Come off the right that I can think of so they usually exit there. 

 

Surprised they used the original wheels if it's been resto modded.  That makes the car seem original. 

I noticed the same things. A T5 might not quite make a restomod. It could easily exist by itself, as you probably know fifth is overdrive and it is a common subject that comes up when someone wants higher gears in an old car. They wouldn't necessarily have had to change anything else if the car has an open driveline. It seems that in the 30s the automakers were trying to get the shifter as far forward as possible. The Chrysler ones even hang over the front of the transmission. There is no variant of the T5 with the shifter right over the top of the gearbox like 1930s practice, so they always look too far back. The furthest forward variants (S-10, Jeep, etc.) have the shifter right behind the gearbox. The rest of them have it way back on the tailshaft.

 

We might be looking at a Lokar shifter on an automatic, but I think it is too far back for even that.

 

As for the exhaust, that is not necessarily a problem. Some Grahams have the manifolds on the left like an Auburn. Maybe all of them? I'm not sure about this one.