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Re: Engine paint Color

Hi Harv
This age old riddle has already been solved by taking an engine part to my local PPG dealer and computer matching it perfectly. For those wishing authenticity in their restoration the color can be bought in quarts or cans. You can contact member Steve Blomquist who had his local automotive paint dealer obtain the codes from my paint dealer that did the match.


Mike

Where Are You From? Oviedo, Florida

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Durant Model 65 4 door sedan from Elizabeth, NJ Plant

Re: Engine paint Color

Are you saying ALL Durant engines are this green color?

Dave

Where Are You From? Iowa

Re: Engine paint Color

I can say from my experience that Durant owners through out the years have made attempts to duplicate the original factory painted continental gray/green color with varied success. What Mike is saying, he used an original 1928 painted engine part from his Durant that was built at the Elizabeth NJ plant, cleaned, buffed, brought it to a PPG paint dealer, and had them optically scan it for the exact color match. We believe this color to be correct for at least the engines that were used in our cars that were built there in 1928. We have to assume there will be some slight color variations from plant to plant and from year to year. I am planning to put an advertisement together and have it as a permanent ad in the Durant Partner so members can buy it directly from the PPG dealer in Frederick Md. They will package it in aerosol spray cans or other quantities and ship it directly to your door.

Where Are You From? Hyattsville Md

Do You own a car built by Durant? Yes

Re: Engine paint Color

Dave- The color that I've seen on 22A engines doesn't appear to have any green to it. It looks like a medium grey. I think the Krylon engine color #1611 is close, but I could be wrong.And I've lost track of how many times that has happened. Ross

Where Are You From? Orygun

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1930 6-14

Re: Engine paint Color

Ross, That has been my experience with the 14L and 15L from 29 also.

Dave

Where Are You From? Iowa

Re: Engine paint Color

Gentleman;
Over the past couple years I've made it a point to try and find the correct color for the engines, the gray/green color. It is not gray it is refered to as gray/green. Even the PPG paint guy I showed the item to said it was definitely not just gray but had green in it. I've looked at engines, I've contacted the auto color library historian in California who has paint chips back to the teens and had samples sent of period gray/green paint from them. I also had the late Bob Porter of our club who was a perfectionist and won his AACA Senior award for his restoration on his Star send me a sample of the original paint from his car that he had mixed. He was also a technical advisor for our club for many many years. I then took my engine apart and found a place that had not been disturbed. As Steve said it was cleaned by the paint store, computer matched and a formula developed. I am 100% sure that this is the original paint that Continental or Durant put on my engine when manufactured. I've compared some of these samples and they are super similar. Yes there is slight variations but for the most part a very very close. Of course I have no way of knowing if Continental painted these engines before giving them to Durant or Durant painted them. If Durant painted them than of course each factory could have the color mixed a bit differently as we've seen from the numerous parts supplied to each plant that have been slightly different. Now as far as the other colors of Durant engines, I've seen black and red for Stars, silver color or gray for 1930 plus. I have not done the research on these engine colors yet.
I have heard of no other person taking the time or effort to try and find the right color and come to some standardization. This was done to try if at all possible to help those that wish to try to do as authentic a restoration as possible on their car. But we had one member go for his AACA Senior Award loose a number of points in judging for the incorrect engine color so the color does matter. I feel 100% confident in my research and will continue to point those interested in the best choice in a close color to what I've discovered. Of course its your car and you can paint the engine any color you want if authenticity doesn't matter to you.

Where Are You From? Oviedo, Florida

Do You own a car built by Durant? 1928 Durant Model 65 4 door sedan from Elizabeth, NJ Plant

 

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