55.2-59 1958 Oriental Green Paint HELP!

[77Blue]

Hi All!
I am trying to find OEM paint for my 1958 chevy build. I was able to scan the cab and get a color from the scan. The problem with that is that it is so sun-faded, the color is not the same as the OEM color.
I was wondering if anyone out there has any info whatsoever on how to find old chevy paint mixing info. I have called multiple stores asking about the paint. No one is able to find it from the OEM Dupont or PPG numbers (93-75036, 42284 respectively).
There has to be someone out there who has used this paint that was able to find it. Please let me know!
Sven

[1project2many]

I have called multiple stores asking about the paint. No one is able to find it from the OEM Dupont or PPG numbers (93-75036, 42284 respectively).

So you'd like a modern formula for this paint?
Here's some reference info: http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcod...iental%20Green

Have you tried OE paint code (703C)?

Also, you may be able to order a paint chip reproduction then scan that for a new formula. Or you may be able to buff the OE color to come up with a close match.

[77Blue]

Originally Posted by 1project2many

So you'd like a modern formula for this paint?
Here's some reference info: http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcod...iental%20Green

Have you tried OE paint code (703C)?

Also, you may be able to order a paint chip reproduction then scan that for a new formula. Or you may be able to buff the OE color to come up with a close match.

I have used that site, but the codes are no help. No automotive paint stores can find those codes in their system.

I ordered a paint chip sample, but the color is WAY off. I think the color is the light green, not the oriental green.

Sven

[mr48chev]

My paint book doesn't go back far enough for that.

This ditzler page is out of the TCP Global page https://www.autocolorlibrary.com/pag...let-Truck.html

Push comes to shove you can order paint from them.

[mr48chev]

Another link with some codes https://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.a...olet_1957-1958

[Second Series]

I spent a lot of extra time trying to find original paint colors for my truck before I went to the local auto paint store. They had the old color chart and have a modern formula for their product. I found the color chart on-line and was focused on using the Dupont or PPG codes that I didn’t even notice the column marked Code. That is the number the paint store used. Your green is code 703. It looks like a code 703 was used on ’98 BMW motorcycles, but that’s called Light green metallic.
There’s also this discussion:
http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=781377

[1project2many]

I have used that site, but the codes are no help. No automotive paint stores can find those codes in their system.

Right. They can't use those codes because the product has changed so much that many of the old tint bases don't exist. But the truck color, 703C, may get some results.

Look at areas like the firewall and door jamb to find paint that has't seen the light of day since new.

[joedoh]

Originally Posted by 1project2many

Right. They can't use those codes because the product has changed so much that many of the old tint bases don't exist. But the truck color, 703C, may get some results.

this is what i did recently, no one made the windsor blue that was on my recent cab and I had to cut out sections of the windshield from mouse rust so i needed a way to blend in the color (you can see it in my avatar). i did a lot of research and cross referencing and found a modern (ish) paint code for dodge corporate blue (i say modernish because it was a 70s van color).

the other thing 1p2m is saying was true for me too, the tint bases are not there any more, the only way they could mix it was in the most expensive paint they carried, i paid almost 90 bucks for 6 oz plus another 20 to put it in an aerosol can, but I got it and it matched perfect.

so give it a shot, sometimes on the first cross reference you strike out, thats how it was for me, but i used the new codes to find more modern cross references, and again, until I had one that would work.


edit: just googling the code 703A gave this

https://expresspaint.com/products/ga...-703a-731-1959

[mr48chev]

Their paint isn't in the inexpensive range but they say they have the correct colors https://vintagepaint.biz/chevrolet/gmc-trucks.html

[77Blue]

Thank you all so much for the responses.
I definetly have more info to research.

I have reached out to a couple of automotive paint stores with the 703C paint code, but no one was able to find a paint from that code. Same with dupont or ppg number.

703A paint code is very different. I ordered a "touch up" vial of this paint and it is way off. I am going to try and reach out to a couple other stores to see what else I can find...

The other thing I was able to do was this. I took a screen shot of the chevrolet color swatch of oriental green and I uploaded it to this website.
https://imagecolorpicker.com/
This website was able to give me RGB values at many different points.

I took these RGB values and typed them into this link (R180,G188,B140)
https://www.easyrgb.com/en/match.php#inputFORM

From the drop-down I was able to select " PPG Voice of Color," and the site generated a bunch of PPG modern colors that is a very close match. I went to PPGs site and I ordered a bunch of free color swatches to find out which one matches best with my truck. I had to find multiple places on the truck where the sun did not fade the paint. I do not recall the name of the PPG color that matched the best, but I am going to give the best matching one to my automotive paint supplier to see if he can scan it to generate a paint formula.

This was annoyingly painful and aggravating, but it was the best thing I could think to do. I think Oriental Green is one of the hardest paint colors to come by...


https://www.visualizecolor.com/ppgpa...4-701a74f8aa3e

[1project2many]

From the drop-down I was able to select " PPG Voice of Color," and the site generated a bunch of PPG modern colors that is a very close match. I went to PPGs site and I ordered a bunch of free color swatches to find out which one matches best with my truck. I had to find multiple places on the truck where the sun did not fade the paint. I do not recall the name of the PPG color that matched the best, but I am going to give the best matching one to my automotive paint supplier to see if he can scan it to generate a paint formula.

That was a very creative way to get color chips. I was luck enough to have access to a body shop paint chip book. I found a spot of paint on the firewall that had been covered with undercoating. So I just started going through the colors and eliminating the ones that didn't look the same as the truck. I would roll the truck out in the sunlight and remove colors that didn't match. I would view the truck under the shop's flourescent lights and remove colors that didn't match. I would use my old incandescent drop light and remove colors that didn't match. I even brought the truck outside under the orange streetlights and did some color matching. Eventually I settled on a turquoise that turned out the be a Mercedes truck color used in Europe. I did the same with both colors of gray in the interior. I ended up with a Volkswagen gray and a Ford color.

I think Oriental Green is one of the hardest paint colors to come by...

Could be. It didn't seem to be a popular color around here. But I think all of the original colors are next to impossible to get. And I think folks including me tend to get stuck on looking for the "exact replacement" color. The truth is that any color made with today's tints, intended to be a replacement for 50+ year old paint, is just someone's best approximation. My thought was "I can see all the colors, what is stopping me from doing the same thing as the guys at the paint company? Better yet, I have the original paint while they are likely working with old paint chips and / or formula."

[Second Series]

A quick search on-line for Oriental Green 703 yields a few options:
https://www.paintscratch.com/touch_u...703A-1958.html
https://everestautomotivemarket.com/...tion_id=590127

Wall-mart sells spraycans also…

I too was looking for Windsor Blue, and did find it available at my local Napa. They have a paint department with an actual person behind the counter. I could not locate it on-line.

[77Blue]

Originally Posted by Second Series

A quick search on-line for Oriental Green 703 yields a few options:
https://www.paintscratch.com/touch_u...703A-1958.html
https://everestautomotivemarket.com/...tion_id=590127

Wall-mart sells spraycans also…

I too was looking for Windsor Blue, and did find it available at my local Napa. They have a paint department with an actual person behind the counter. I could not locate it on-line.

Thank you! Paint scratch says they have it but I bought a small thing of the touch up paint and it was not oriental green. More like gallaway green.

[77Blue]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

Their paint isn't in the inexpensive range but they say they have the correct colors https://vintagepaint.biz/chevrolet/gmc-trucks.html

And to reply to mr48chev:
this is what I got from vintage paints. This might be promising. I will keep everyone in the loop.
Thank you for the recommendation!

[mr48chev]

That's heading in the right direction.

Some of the way modern paint stores have a setup that they can scan paint and match it with the computer, but I don't know if they charge to do that or ?? The problem there is that you have to have a decent spot that has never been exposed to the sun for any length of time.

[77Blue]

Here is the spray out from Vintage Paint. Came in a really nice aerosol can.

I sprayed a piece of sheet metal (with primer underneath). and I also sprayed the firewall.

I compared the sheet metal spray out to the factory paint behind the headlight bucket. I also compared it to the back of the cab.

It is really really close. The color has a lot more yellow in it then I would like. But I do believe this is what the color actually looked like back in 1958. I think the old age of the paint on the truck is throwing my eyes off. Pictures were taken with a flash and inside. I think once I can push the cab outside and get a look at it, it will be hard to tell them apart.

Let me know everyone's thoughts!

[77Blue]

Here is the picture against cab