The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop original green color?

I have a 54 Chevy 3600 that I want to paint the original green color that it looks as if someone used a blue house paint to cover it with. Where/how do I go about getting this or a code so my bodyshop can mix this up? Or do I have to buy it from one of these resto magazines? Thanks, Nick

There is usually no paint code on the AD trucks. They were factory painted a standard "green" unless the customer requested another color at no extra cost.

The two most likely "dark-green" candidates for 1954 are the "Forester Green" and the "Juniper Green".

You can get a re-print of a real nice Chevy 1954 sales brochure at Jim Carters.... http://www.oldchevytrucks.com/
and see if your trucks' color is displayed.

My Ditzler 1951-54 Chevrolet Commercial Colors chip-set shows Forester Green DQE-40519 in Ditzco Enamel.[PPG paint old # 40519, new # 40519];

and Juniper Green as DQE-41374 in Ditzco Enamel [PPG paint old #41374, New# 41374]

My chart even shows a "Seacrest Green" , that is a medium color; and an "Ocean Green" that is a bit turquoise.

Contact Bob Adler at Adlers Antique Autos, Inc tele 518-733-5749 for a more complete paint selection cause its hard to tell which "green" ya got via this forum.

You could also "search" this stovebolt site archives in your hunt for the right green paint.

One of the cool things about most AD Chevy trucks is that since they lack a paint code, and if you must strip off the old paint anyway, you can "correctly" paint it any of the colors the factory offered for that year and still be "restoration correct".

Luck to ya,
John
1952 COE
1947 COE

[ 12-05-2001: Message edited by: lil' johnny ]

Thanks for all the info, very helpful!

Johnny, I agree with Gearhead, good info. Hard to find color codes for trucks. I do have a few follow up questions. I have heard some paint codes in paint books don't quite have the right shade. Do you know if these are correct or just what you found in the paint book? Not to put you on the spot too much, but I plan to paint my truck Forrester green and would like to know if this a good source that is cheaper than Jim Carter at $100 a gallon plus UPS hazzardous shipping costs, etc. Finally, for people with '53-'54 trucks, Jim Carter lists Forrester green used until 1952. You list it used until 1954. Was this a typo or is this what the paint book listed it as? I know I'm coming off like I'm critiqueing your answer, but just trying to clarify some questions people may have that are concerned about originality and a paint shade that is close to original as possible.

gearhead56,

biggreen48 is right - Forrester Green was not available in 1954. Juniper Green was the standard color and is the only dark green in 1954 (Ocean green was available but Seacrest Green was not). Bob Adler's article in November 1998 Pickups 'n Panels in Print states that the PPG color code has not changed and is current (lil' johny mentions Bob in his earlier response to your query and gives the correct PPG code).

It is impossible to know how true modern paints are because paint chips fade and the dyes/tints used in paint mixes change. In addition, the old codes/mixtures are often no longer used.

I have had luck with finding matches from PPG (Acrylic Enamel and Acrylic Urethane) but have misplaced the phone number (they have a special office/service/library for finding matches/offsets to old codes). I found the phone number by checking their extensive website - I found a number for their color library.

The DUCO (Dupont code) for Juniper Green is/was 618-G and the stock order and code numbers were 1618-H and 246-72001-H; the DULUX is/was 93-72001; the Comb No. (I do not know what this meant) was 528).

Ditzler's code was DQE-41374 (enamel) and DAL-41374 (lacquer) - Ditzler might have become or been bought by PPG.

I also have ACME and PER-MAX color codes if you want them.

By the way, quality paints ain't cheap. Good luck keeping it looking original.

Tim

This might help. It's from my original '54 chevy truck data book. It also shows the correct contrast/stripe color

[img]http://wsphotofews.excite.com/008/On/yE/7v/iI60225.jpg[/img]

[ 12-07-2001: Message edited by: OldCarKook ]

My apologies for listing "Forester Green" as a 1954 factory color. The year designation, per Bob Adler, says that Forester Green was 1947-52. And that Juniper Green was 1953-55.

The chipset I am using is a 1951-1954 Commercial Color from Ditzler Color Division Pittsburg Plate Glass Company 1954. Since it is not a factory book I was led astray. Glad to have others more knowledgeable cover for my error; and that is the best part of this stovebolt forum!

Anyway as far as paint code "drift" from the old original color to the newly mixed version...well I understand that we are blessed by owning a relatively common and cheap truck line. Colors from Chev and GMC in the 1940'-50s weren't that exacting for trucks {nothing like matching the depth and tone for 1930-40's Cadillacs or LaSalles!}. So the factory paint varied a little from original batch to batch. Point being that a good new paint, with modern ingredients, should match the old enamel color about as good as they ever could be matched. The real skill is in the person who does the mixing of the new paint. A lot of mixing is done with computer controls, but the only real true test is a good eye on the final product done with a good spray-hand on the truck.

The best person will mix the best color from the best code. So its up to us to find the most consitant source for these old colors. You can ask the expensive local body shops who their source is; the Mercedes/Corvette guys are real picky; local car/truck clubs; and finally places like Jim Carters who ship nationwide.

A "straw poll" on this stovebolt site would be a good place for feedback on which paint manufacturer/code is prefered and a "search" of the site archives will give good opinions. The best advice is from the guys who put that color on their truck and this stovebolt site is the best place for that feedback I have found. I most always defer to the man thats "done it".

All true historic color matching is an "averageing" of the trucks, at best.

My personal test for color matching is if I can find a small "original" painted area on the truck, preferably not exposed to a lot of sunlight, heat, or road salts. Like underneath a piece of hood trim, or inside a door....well then I clean up the old paint spot really good with soapy water, very-very lightly take some of the finest steel wool and gently-gently go over the spot with a little mineral oil to take off micro-oxidation. That shiny spot is as close to the original as I can get. The paint ya buy should be a "relatively" close match to that when viewed in natural sunlight.

If its real close, but not exact, it won't matter much if you are painting the whole truck cause it will "look" perfect to everone who examines it. After all, these are fun old Chevy/GMC work trucks and not the snooty, Hispano Suissa's or Bugatti's.

BUT maybe , just maybe, there is some old Stovebolter out there that can tell a 1952 'Commercial Red' from the St. Louis Assembly Plant and how it differs from the same 1952 'Commercial Red' from the Kansas City Plant. Sort of like a wine taster, now that person would really earn my respect!

(Ps...I have been searching for a group or organization who has set the "standards" for judging the restoration of these old trucks. Such a group might have said what "Juniper Green" was correct. The organizations exist for many Classic cars & tractors etc, but I havent found one for AD/TF trucks...well maybe we are better off without such stringent standards, they were work-trucks for everyday guys and gals and they were made to "get the job done". kinda like it that way...)

John
1952 COE (KC commercial red turned to rust)
1947 COE (forester green with white house paint top coat)

[ 12-07-2001: Message edited by: lil' johnny ]

WOW! Thanks guys for such a good turnout. Really, really helpful. Hey Kook, thats a neat old book you have, must be nice to have such a good reference. Well hopefully with all of this I can make some headway with the paint question. We are almost ready for paint, getting the bed sides done now. Thanks again.

http://www.paintscratch.com/search.htm. Keep that in your ditty bag. It may come in handy.

Here's another little interesting item: Prices!
[img]http://wsphotofews.excite.com/017/vw/Jy/GW/9j58312.jpg[/img]

What is the Dupont Code for Forester Green? Everybody talks about the codes for Juniper green and even a PPG code for Forester was mentioned, but I need the Dupont Code for Forester. Thanks
Shawn H
51 3/4 ton
52 3/4 ton
52 2 ton

The only original Dupont code I have is from the Chevrolet Truck Data Book for Chevrolet Salesmen, GM 1949.

It states on page 209 Forester Green -Dupont Number Air Drying (Dulux)... is 93-62006

Note: the factory colors for 1949 were quote " a high-luster Dulux synthetic enamel which is baked on".... the "air drying" code is what is used for non-baking Dulux.

Forester Green or Juniper Green could very well be the same color and code, just change names once in awhile for "sales" difference. We now are painting 02's with a color called Forester Green that looks the same as my 54, just that it now has metallic bits and is a base/clear coat paint. I was thinking of going to it if I redo mine in future. Most of paint from old books is Laquer based and can't be bought anymore and I've been told old formulas don't work on the new paints. Don't know on that. Check out www.paintchip.com or maybe it's the paintscratch link above that has neat chips you can search for. It tells what years they were used and what models, etc. I'm sure it don't go as old as 54 but as I said, the new trucks have the Forester Green, check it out.

:mad: Paintchip does NOT work....it IS paintscratch.com that has the good site. DARN! I was wrong again...I mean for first time!

Forest Green was used on 60's Chevies as well. I believe ( but don't know for sure) that the old hunch-back in town had a'67 which was the same dark green as forest green. Maybe GMCPaul's or one of the 67-72 companies might have some modern paint info. K10