The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop Painting steering column

I'm restoring a '50, 3100. The correct interior paint scheme is the steering column, steering wheel and horn button are painted a brown color. Does anyone know how the stock paint was painted on the steering column? Specifically, does the brown go down to the steering box, thereby showing brown in the engine compartment. Or is there a transition at the firewall where there is brown on the inside and black in the engine compartment? Thanks in advance for any help.
Steve O

Steve-

I took my steering column out and took it to a paint shop where they matched the paint on a spot that seemed to be the original color. On my column the brown goes down to the box but not onto the box itself.

The clamp that holds the column is the color of the dash.

The shifter rod, column, steering wheel, and horn button inset are supposed to be the same darker brown.

I am also going to paint the turn signal housing the color of the column. Mine is a guide style turn signal, not the original self cancelling, but like one of the several models NAPA sells, only it was in the truck when I got it.

I will use bulldog adhesion promoter in a rattle can to prep the wheel before I paint it.

PS- A pint of paint should be plenty for the column, wheel, and 4-spd shifter lever.

NM51, I think it was your post the other day that mentioned buying the stock interior paint from one of the venders. I did the same and purchased the interior and column paint from Jim Carter on one of their 15% off sale days. The paint I got does match almost perfect. It is a PPG product sold under the Professional Commercial Coating line. It is an acrylic enamel. The PPG site says it can be sprayed as is or mixed with ALK201 hardener. Just curious if you are using hardener. Thanks for the info,
Steve O

what ever way you want
i'm stopping at the firewall not the box

Nifty 50-

I did get stock interior paint from one of the vendors 'cause I wanted the '54 beige color and I didn't have anything to match. (I think the stock '51 color makes the cab too dark inside) Next time, if it isn't a restoration, I'll just get whatever beige/cream I like from the paint store and that'll be cheaper.

My paint was mixed by a friend with a paint store and after reading a few posts I'll probably put some flattening agent into it 'cause I don't think the column was supposed to be glossy. Also when my friend was mixing it I told him I wanted a satin sort of finish rather than high gloss so I think he put less paint base into the color. I will mix in some hardener but it won't be a high gloss harndener, if there is such a thing. Honestly, I'm gonna talk to my friend when I pick up the activator/hardener.

The column paint is a 2k so it needs activator/hardner. I'm not sure about the stuff from Jim Carter-

The cab paint is acrylic laquer and strictly speaking doesn't require a hardner or activator. However, if you want it to dry any time soon you'll need a hardener. I think it was 8:2:1 or 8:4:1 Paint:Hardner:Reducer-If Carter doesn't know the mixing ratio get the paint type and you can get the tech sheet from a paint store that sells the same brand.

Your paint may not require harnder/activator, and it might already come with flattener mixed in. I suggest calling Jim Carter to find out what the mixture ratio is for activator/hardener and reducer. I'd also ask what type of finish it'll produce to see if that matches what you have in mind. Worse comes to worse, you can test shoot a little of it to see what it looks like and then go from there.