posted 08-25-2005 09:48 PM            

I sell PPG paint and so I know how to work the system. Most paint jobbers are not going to take the time to research it because it is time consuming.Bear with me as I have to take care of business first.

The blue and red formula numbers were good numbers at one time. The problem with old formulas is that most cannot be made now due to discontinued mixing toners. Also,they would probably have been available originally in straight enamel or lacquer. Not very good quality paints to do a restoration with.

I have already received three of the four formulas that PPG was suppose to fax me. I think the fourth just didn't get into the system. The red was from a 1955 Chrysler. I knew that PPG's color library usually has a spray out plaque of most original colors. The white has been offset to a newer color that is available in newer paints. I actually didn't check to see what type of paint that it can be made in. I'll check tomorrow.

I checked to see if there had been any Prophet(PPG's color scanner)readings done already.There had been.I am getting formulas
in DBC basecoat and DCC acrylic urethane single stage. Need to know if you want basecoat/clearcoat or single stage.

PPG always suggests doing sprayouts to verify color. For a gas pump,it's usually not that critical. I'll try to mix a small amount and see how colors look. I have seen Prophet readings that were great and others that weren't even close.

I'll have to call library tomorrow to get them to fax me the other formula.I'll try to let you know this weekend. How long before you actually need paint?

Pat Anderton

[This message has been edited by puregas (edited 08-25-2005).]

[This message has been edited by puregas (edited 08-25-2005).]

[This message has been edited by puregas (edited 08-25-2005).]

[This message has been edited by puregas (edited 08-25-2005).]

posted 08-26-2005 01:05 PM            

I want to paint them in ssu. The prophet system sounds great but the nearest one was two hour drive away and I thought no problem I have this code. My plan was to leave a small area of origional paint behind the trim tag (the only area that had not been repainted). I usuall leave that and the when it is done it is covered up by the tag. What happened is I too the pannels to my blaster and forgot to do this. In my inexperience I thought no problem I have the code it will be ok. Now as far as how far along they are I have blocked them out in k36 twice and hopefully just have to do a final sanding with 400 and shoot. I think that the local ppg dealer did try I just do not think that he has your ability and knowlege. thank you for helping me out on this pat

posted 08-28-2005 11:36 PM            

I did use dp 40 as a direct to metal primer and I spot in the sand throughs that get to the metal in between rounds of blocking the primer surfacer. I sanded all the pannels with 400 wet paper today and they look quite good. I also noticed that I have a 5 gallon can from imperial esso here that has the same colours on it so I am not totally beat. I have three chip books here but there are so many metalics in the books I need something like fleet colours I think.
As far as mixing the small amount of paint I do not want this to cost you amthing more that the time that you have put into it so if you get the number I can do that here. I hope that you do not think that I am anxious about this I just did not know if you would be able to find the post if it got too far down being new to old gas.com.

posted 08-29-2005 10:39 PM            

Red:Has an SC price code-need to tell jobber.
DMC900 23.7
DMC931 271.0
DMC987 1114.1

posted 08-31-2005 02:05 PM            

...there is a vast WEALTH of great technical information on this website, graciously provided by fellow enthusiasts on their own time...a wonderful resource for collectors, both experienced and not-so...that said, I wish there was more of a voice from those of us who are absolute sticklers for authenticity, and want our pumps to look as though they were plucked from the station the day they were first installed and branded...no, I'm smarting-off at those who want to paint/customize their pumps their own way - it's a free country...I'm not trying to say one ideal is better than another - it's all subjective - but there are those of us who want their pumps dead-on authentic...

...anyway, I have tried, unsuccessfully, to get information regarding colors Gulf used over the years, as their orange and blue changed at least twice, and the colors spec'd in the Pump Restoration book are the ones used by Gulf in the late 1950's and 1960's...these colors are completely inappropriate for use when restoring a 1930 Tokheim 850 - in 1930 the orange was a little lighter and the blue was much darker...the man at Pittsburgh Paints (I figured Gulf HAD to use them at some point in their history, as they were both in Pittsburgh) with whom I corresponded was very nice, but had no information going back that far, and couldn't help...

...also, the Gulfoil Historical Society site was a tad flippant regarding such information, saying how collectors pay vast sums of money for this information, and don't "publish or broadcast their valuable property"...not very helpful, to say the least...

...at one point I even wrote Charles Whitworth, author of two books on Gulf Oil memorabilia, to inquire about the relevant information contained in several Gulf Station Standard Manuals he had featured in his book, only to discover that he had sold his collection and could not contact the buyer...he then followed with the less-than-helpful statement "any combination of blue, orange and white would be acceptable"(!)...not what I was hoping for at all from such an apparent authority, to say the least...and oh yeah, I still have that letter...

...Pat, if your contact at PPG indeed has old oil company paint specs archived in a color library, it seems to me if they could just make that information available to petroliana enthusiasts in the form of single-stage PPG codes (maybe on this forum!) it would be worth their while...this hobby gets bigger every day, and niche markets well-served make for faithful customers...just my two cents' worth...

posted 08-31-2005 10:45 PM            

Gulfiend,
I understand wanting to have colors to original specs, but as I stated before, most of the original colors cannot even be made any more in todays paints.Hence,the prophet is a useful tool IF you have a sprayout of the original color, but once again the prophet does not give a guaranteed match.
In matching automobile paint we tell people that the prophet gives a blendable match(not a perfect match) 85% of the time.
We see times when the prophet does not give even a blendable match. We have had instances when we knew that the car was painted with another brand of paint and the only way to get a match was to put that brand of paint back on vehicle.
I will have to admit that I have never actually tried to see if I could find an old list of gasoline company colors through PPG. If I could find original PPG formula numbers,I could then check on whether color library has sprayout panels and get a prophet reading and have a starting place as stated before. As far as getting a dead match on a 1930's Gulf orange and blue, it's probably not going to happen.
About fifteen years ago I went to a local parts store that had been selling Dupont paint(UGH!!LOL!!) since the 40's. I did get a list of all major oil companies(and some I had never heard of), paint colors. They were formulated in Dulux straight enamel. I guess it's possible that some of these colors can still be made or that Dupont jobber could do like me and take original formula number and get an offset formula.
Well I hope that I haven't bored you with my "dollars" worth- LOL!. If I can be of help to anyone,please contact me.

Pat Anderton

posted 09-01-2005 10:03 AM            

Just a little update on this I did get the three colours mixed red white and blue. The jobber mixed me about a one quarter of a quart I think that he said that he just took the quart numbers and divided by 4. I have been looking at the colours for a while now. Me and my dad do our restorations together and he says that the colours look good to him. I think what I am going to do is take the advice of the ppg paint guru pat ( that is a mouth full)and do a shall spray out pannel. Thank you for the help on this pat much appreciated