The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Paint and Body Shop How to find correct paint code for 53 truck

I have a 1953 1/2 ton chevy that I'm restoring. It looks like the original paint was either a Transport blue or a Mariner blue. Is there someplace on the truck such as the Vin that would tell me what color the truck came with. I'm new to the forum and would appreciate any help you could provide. Thanks

There is no color code anywhere on 47-55 trucks.

Transport Blue is closer to,a sky blue, and Mariner Blue is closer to a navy blue.

If you can post a link to a photo, you'll get people's opinions on what is your color.

Tim, I think that is not transport blue. But the point that Mariner is a darker color is well portrayed in your examples. Color Chip Chart

Your right about the Transport Blue (and maybe even the Mariner Blue) not being quite right, Greg. That "Transport Blue" is a little light - maybe more like the earlier Windsor Blue?

It's hard to depict correct colors on PC monitors over the Internet from scans of 50 year old color chips and GM doxcuments. But, here is another try.

Here's a well-worn sheet of paint chips.

Nonetheless, if someone has a truck with original 1953 paint, and it is a shade of blue, it should be easy to distinguish Transport Blue from Mariner Blue.

Here's another truck painted 1953-55 Mariner Blue.

Guys, thanks for the information. It looks like my truck was mariner blue. I gave the dupont# 93-63203 to the body shop but they could not locate this number in the dupont catalog. Is this # still good or is there an updated # that replaced it?

Dupont does not seem to come up with modern codes as easily as does PPG. Also, PPG provided the same code for Mariner Blue from 47-55; however, the name was the same from 47-55, but the code changed in 1953. PPG had different codes for pre-53 and 53-55.

There is information about how to contact PPG for modern codes at the bottom of this Tech-Tip.

Ok, thanks Tim, they were able to use the PPG# and cross reference with Dupont.

Tim, just as an FYI

I've tried calling those numbers, and they say the extension doesn't exist anymore. I am now having much luck either having my guy find formulas as well for my colors to shoot some test panels. I have one of my PPG guys I know calling for me to track it down.

I just now tried 1-800-647-6050 and went through a convoluted sequence of semi-circular touch-tone menus - but, I finally got through to a person in the PPG color library.

Try this:

1-800-647-6050
1 for English
1 for color library
2 for color library
1 for English
1 for color library
2 for color library
0 to indicate that anything I learned should be kept secret (or something like that)
Then, a human being in the Color Library answered (he said he would talk with his supervisor regarding the odd touch-tone menu run-around).