Come on Don, you know durn well it's not just my personal opinion; it's what the guys over at VCCA say that they found through research. They say that they worked with The Filling Station and with Chevs of the 40's to formulate the correct shade. Lots of discussions on the subject over there. Chevs of the 40's changed to Bill Hirsch’s paint just within the past year, and on the VCCA chatter II they are saying that it's to light of a shade. Prior to the change Chevs of the 40’s was selling the same Krylon Industrial formula that The Filling Station is still offering and is said to be correct by VCCA. Steve offers one more testimonial to the fact that the shade is not machinery gray but quite dark gray. Another reason that I tend to agree with VCCA is that there was original gray paint on my block also and that it was the darker shade. The reason that I feel it was the original engine and paint was that, I bought the truck from a friend who did not touch the engine and that he got it from the original owners two years before me. It was bought as the city vehicle in 1950 for a small town of 163 population and the population is still the same. I talked with several town officials, i.e. past mayors including people that maintained the truck. It was used as their fire truck until it was replaced with a real fire truck and then retired and used for parades and bug spraying in the summer. It was kept in the fire barn all of the 54 years that the town owned it.
So buddy, taint just my opinion, it's what GM put there 60years ago on my Chevy at least, and what the dudes over at VCCA also claim they have found on many un-restore well preserved examples that they researched to verify the shade.
Now if your judges are buyin' the light gray, that's just great. I'm sure the VCCA doesn't send out color chip samples to all the shows so the reality is that it’s a very subjective call. They’ve even been known to pass out trophies to vehicles with the wrong year engine, chrome strips down the hood seams of AD trucks and a lot of other discrepancies. I suppose it all depends on personalities and how you fit in.
All I've done here is try to report on and share what I've found to be facts rather than on supposition or what one thinks looks the prettiest. Tain no kind of ego trip for me nor does it really make any difference to me what color you want to paint your engine, interior or exterior. Honestly that’s entirely up to the individual, I’m not a judge, nor do I have any desire to ever be one or participate in any contest. This hobby is to satisfy me and no one else.
Denny Graham
Sandwich, IL
