Original (Vintage) Car Paint Colours

john a milne · 7th March 2010, 09:16

One of the biggest problems faced by those wishing to restore their cars using the original colours offered for the Make and Year is to identify what colours were offered and then to either try and match it or find a standard, "off the shelf" colour that is as close as possible.

Here is a U.S. company web-site that seems to be the most complete and user friendly. "Auto Colour Library". I had found this site a few years ago and see that it has been rebuilt and is much more detailed in their presentation. However they don't cover individual models.

One of my projects is to try and identify the standard paint colours offered on the Morris Minors and Fiats from 1950 onwards and post them with reference to, as closely as possible, Indian Paint Manufacturers standard colours.

Hopefully we can create a reference thread that will ensure that we can paint them the way they came from the factory.

john a milne · 7th March 2010, 17:44

This is the only Fiat Paint Colour Card that was found on the Web.
I assume it is a Fiat European Colour Card but it doesn't have any date.

I'm in the process of finding matching Indian Standard Paints and will post shortly.

john a milne · 9th March 2010, 08:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by john a milne

This is the only Fiat Paint Colour Card that was found on the Web.
I assume it is a Fiat European Colour Card but it doesn't have any date.

I'm in the process of finding matching Indian Standard Paints and will post shortly.

Can anyone identify the year of this colour card?

The Mods have added "vintage' to this thread but I would appreciate it being changed to "Classic" as I will be covering Cars from the 50s onward.

Perhaps if there is interest in posting original colours prior to 1950 then another thread could be started.

The "auto colour library" web site would be a oood place to start.

karlosdeville · 9th March 2010, 09:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by john a milne

Can anyone identify the year of this colour card?

Well the car would have been available from 1964 to 1966/7, so the card probably dates to that period.

john a milne · 11th March 2010, 22:31

Quote:

Originally Posted by karlosdeville

Well the car would have been available from 1964 to 1966/7, so the card probably dates to that period.

Did they not introduce new colours for year to year?

car love · 27th October 2011, 14:37

Hi,
I have heard that in the U.S you have color matching labs that match colors very precisely with a reference color from a vehicle's painted part/full vehicle by some kind of scanning and chemical analysis, would you know of something like that there as the industry there is very advanced? Also do you know of any website wherein we could upload a picture of a car (for example a restoration project) and try out various color combinations. Some wheel manufacturers have such sites (e.g oz racing)

Thanks.

C.S.ANANTH · 27th October 2011, 15:12

Dupont in India offer this service.If you can show them the original shades, preferably with the color code, they try & match it.I have had no major problem so far.The other paint companies in India;ICI & PPG do not respond.

wilkie366 · 1st March 2012, 17:15

Hi folks,

I'm based out of Hyderabad- can anyone help me with locating a paint dealer who would have something approximating Imperial Maroon? I know the typical approach is to go to the paint dealer and get him to mix the paint based on a sample- i don't have any samples to go buy unfortunately. Is there a dealer who would have a Duco paint chart which would show vintage colours such as the above and British Racing Green?

thanks!
Boban

the mole · 2nd March 2012, 08:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilkie366

Hi folks,

I'm based out of Hyderabad- can anyone help me with locating a paint dealer who would have something approximating Imperial Maroon? I know the typical approach is to go to the paint dealer and get him to mix the paint based on a sample- i don't have any samples to go buy unfortunately. Is there a dealer who would have a Duco paint chart which would show vintage colours such as the above and British Racing Green?

thanks!
Boban

Hi boban if you recall i had posted a link to the duco paint shade card which i owned, in my thread about my fiat mtp 8389, i am unable to cut and paste the link to that here somehow( thanks to the ipad) what car are you painting? Regards amol

awini · 2nd March 2012, 08:40

studebaker colours from 1931

wilkie366 · 2nd March 2012, 11:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by the mole

Hi boban if you recall i had posted a link to the duco paint shade card which i owned, in my thread about my fiat mtp 8389, i am unable to cut and paste the link to that here somehow( thanks to the ipad) what car are you painting? Regards amol

Hey Amol, thanks will look it up. I'm actually painting an Enfield 350 in Imperial Maroon (or something approximating that)....

thanks!
Boban

the mole · 2nd March 2012, 12:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilkie366

Hey Amol, thanks will look it up. I'm actually painting an Enfield 350 in Imperial Maroon (or something approximating that)....

thanks!
Boban

Hi Boban, okay here is the original duco paint shade card, this is from early 60's i think. I just noticed there is a "imperial crimson" not maroon

wilkie366 · 2nd March 2012, 15:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by the mole

Hi Boban, okay here is the original duco paint shade card, this is from early 60's i think. I just noticed there is a "imperial crimson" not maroon

Thank you very much!
Now- next question- do I go to a Duco dealer and ask him for this colour- I mean are these colours even available today? Imperial Crimson just about seems like the colour I was looking for.
Thanks a bunch!

the mole · 2nd March 2012, 16:53

Quote:

Originally Posted by wilkie366

Thank you very much!
Now- next question- do I go to a Duco dealer and ask him for this colour- I mean are these colours even available today? Imperial Crimson just about seems like the colour I was looking for.
Thanks a bunch!

Yes they generally have these colours in their system, they sometimes have a seperate classic section in their computer charts and you have to request them to look into that specifically.

anjan_c2007 · 2nd March 2012, 20:43

Some of the colours the Fiat 1100 D offered in India in 1967 were (1) moonstone (2) moss (2) coffee brown (3) black (4) light grey (matches with light grey in the Duco card). These shade names were from the PAL official list, so I do not know whether they used Duco or some other brand of paint?
The 1100 D in 1965 started with beige, light ocean blue, black among some of the colours. In 1967, newer shades were offered with beige and light ocean blue being discontinued.

7th March 2010, 09:16	#1
john a milne BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Toronto / Calcutta Posts: 908 Thanked: 458 Times View My Garage	Original (Vintage) Car Paint Colours One of the biggest problems faced by those wishing to restore their cars using the original colours offered for the Make and Year is to identify what colours were offered and then to either try and match it or find a standard, "off the shelf" colour that is as close as possible. Here is a U.S. company web-site that seems to be the most complete and user friendly. "Auto Colour Library". I had found this site a few years ago and see that it has been rebuilt and is much more detailed in their presentation. However they don't cover individual models. One of my projects is to try and identify the standard paint colours offered on the Morris Minors and Fiats from 1950 onwards and post them with reference to, as closely as possible, Indian Paint Manufacturers standard colours. Hopefully we can create a reference thread that will ensure that we can paint them the way they came from the factory.
	(1) Thanks

7th March 2010, 17:44	#2
john a milne BHPian Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Toronto / Calcutta Posts: 908 Thanked: 458 Times View My Garage	This is the only Fiat Paint Colour Card that was found on the Web. I assume it is a Fiat European Colour Card but it doesn't have any date. I'm in the process of finding matching Indian Standard Paints and will post shortly. Attached Thumbnails
	(2) Thanks

27th October 2011, 14:37	#6
car love BHPian Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Bangalore Posts: 388 Thanked: 799 Times	Re: Original (Vintage) Car Paint Colours Hi, I have heard that in the U.S you have color matching labs that match colors very precisely with a reference color from a vehicle's painted part/full vehicle by some kind of scanning and chemical analysis, would you know of something like that there as the industry there is very advanced? Also do you know of any website wherein we could upload a picture of a car (for example a restoration project) and try out various color combinations. Some wheel manufacturers have such sites (e.g oz racing) Thanks.
	() Thanks

27th October 2011, 15:12	#7
C.S.ANANTH BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 379 Thanked: 73 Times	Re: Original (Vintage) Car Paint Colours Dupont in India offer this service.If you can show them the original shades, preferably with the color code, they try & match it.I have had no major problem so far.The other paint companies in India;ICI & PPG do not respond.
	() Thanks

1st March 2012, 17:15	#8
wilkie366 Newbie Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 17 Thanked: 2 Times	Vintage paint samples? Hi folks, I'm based out of Hyderabad- can anyone help me with locating a paint dealer who would have something approximating Imperial Maroon? I know the typical approach is to go to the paint dealer and get him to mix the paint based on a sample- i don't have any samples to go buy unfortunately. Is there a dealer who would have a Duco paint chart which would show vintage colours such as the above and British Racing Green? thanks! Boban
	() Thanks

2nd March 2012, 08:40	#10
awini BHPian Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: New Delhi Posts: 580 Thanked: 476 Times	Re: Original (Vintage) Car Paint Colours studebaker colours from 1931 Attached Thumbnails
	(1) Thanks

2nd March 2012, 20:43	#15
anjan_c2007 Distinguished - BHPian Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: India Posts: 8,335 Thanked: 20,656 Times View My Garage	Re: Original (Vintage) Car Paint Colours Some of the colours the Fiat 1100 D offered in India in 1967 were (1) moonstone (2) moss (2) coffee brown (3) black (4) light grey (matches with light grey in the Duco card). These shade names were from the PAL official list, so I do not know whether they used Duco or some other brand of paint? The 1100 D in 1965 started with beige, light ocean blue, black among some of the colours. In 1967, newer shades were offered with beige and light ocean blue being discontinued. Last edited by anjan_c2007 : 2nd March 2012 at 20:45.
	(1) Thanks