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Paint colors on a 1953 B4B-108


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I recently acquired a 1953 Dodge 1/2 ton with 30,000 miles on it with an engine with less than a third of that since it was overhauled. A nice one to start with for a restoration. I want to do it in authentic colors and need some advice.

The cab is red and so is the box, but some probing around suggest that the box was originally black. I am told that many or most came from the factory with the cargo box in black. Is that correct and if not, what is correct?

The engine block appears to have been painted silver or with aluminum paint. What is the correct color?

The wheels as well as the "Job Rated" badge in the center of the grill are now gray. What color would the wheels have been from Dodge when it was new? What color would the badge have been?

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It's working fine Norm, Congrats on your new truck.

For 1953 a new truck buyer could opt to have the bed painted to match the cab color. The cost was $6.44 extra. The engine was silver. The grill emblem was painted silver. The grill bars were painted body color and the rims were painted either black or Dodge truck cream.

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Go to this recent thread regarding wheel color.

http://www430.pair.com/p15d24/mopar_forum/showthread.php?t=9386

Welcome to the group by the way. While here how about adding a little about your self and your location in the profile section.

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The following paint formula was posted on this site some time ago. I think it came from Don Bunn, himself. I had it mixed at a local Carquest store and it appears to be an exact match for the original wheel color. Zeke

YS410N CC:H Chromapremier SS Alt: 1

801J HSWHITE 154.8

843J BRIGHT YELLOW 245.1

807J LS BLACK 289.4

853J RED ORANGE 293.9

52320N BINDER 499.3

52330N BALANCER 526.0

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Zeke,

I printed out the formula but not sure if it will be of value...if not mistaken, colorants vary from paint mfg. to mfg. I generaly use DuPont either enamel or ChromaBase...and not sure that the formula will interpret into DuPont mixing system.

Is there any way you can think of one could get a color chip..with a chip I can do comparisons in DuPont's master color book....and come up with paint that will be exact....or super close...... The formula is the perfect system.....but only if it cross references from one paint mfg to another......

If I'm wrong, let me know........

I think it came from Don Bunn, himself. I had it mixed at a local Carquest store and it appears to be an exact match for the original wheel color. Zeke

YS410N CC:H Chromapremier SS Alt: 1

801J HSWHITE 154.8

843J BRIGHT YELLOW 245.1

807J LS BLACK 289.4

853J RED ORANGE 293.9

52320N BINDER 499.3

52330N BALANCER 526.0

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I don't have or know about any paint chips for comparison. I do remember that when I brought the formula to my local Carquest store, they said something about converting it. In any event, the paint I got was Nason brand, and I'm pretty sure it is made by DuPont. It has to be mixed with a catalyst and reducer before you use it. I sandblasted my rims, primed them and sprayed it on with an HVLP gun. As I said, the color appears to be a perfect match. When I took the old tires and tubes off the wheels, the paint on the inside looked brand new, so I know the color is accurate. If you want, I can take a picture of one of my wheels and post it. Zeke

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I painted my rims with Nason Ful-Thane 2K Urethane with the YS410IB mix code. Although I blasted all of the old paint off before repainting, it looks very much like the original color that was inside the bead area. When I looked at the color chip of that color it looked kind of greenish compared to the other chips on that page. But on the rims it looks perfect.

P5180559.jpg

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Merle, that's not even the wheel with the most weights on it, and there are even more on the iside of the wheels. The guy who balanced them for me said it was a combination of the old bias ply tires and modern super-sensitive balancing equipment. But the balancing and new shocks make a major difference in the ride and handling.

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In more than forty years of automotive service experience, I have never seen that much weight on one rim - and you say there is more on the hack? Methinks something is bent or unsafe, and I've balanced and taught balancing on modern equipment for years. Merle, you are right again!

But back to the original thread here of truck colors. The best - and almost only - source of factory photos is Don Bunn's B Series Dodge Truck book. Having said that, I must admit that I am suggesting a black and white publication to you as a color authority. Don's text and materials are quite authoritative, and even the b/w photography can be seen to reflect his data. For authinticity, this hook is still the Bible, until something better comes along. Judging from our own forum numbers, this is very unlikely.

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Merle

That would be fun.....where are you located? If you know about Rookies, you've got to be a frequent traveler through the area or live somewhere out this way.

I live just East of the village of Mazo on the corner of East Hudson Road and S. Mathewson Road.....easy to find....

By the way, I located a color chart that shows a Charlotte Ivory in a listing for 1953 trucks.......and looked at that and then the pictures that were sent....and I think that has to be the color....now I have something solid to work with as color names like Ivory or Red or Blue give you a sense but that's all. One chip will get you close.

Would be a pleasure to meet you.......let me know where you reside........if your truck doesn't come up to roadworthy, I could come to you....I get out too seldom anyway.

Norm

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Zeke,

Thanks for the picture.......I went searching for color charts and found a sheet with color chips on the web that shows a Charlotte Ivory for 1953 and if it isn't the same as your wheels, I'll be super surprised. At any rate the comparison makes me think that the quest is over.

I have a good color photo printer and that will render the pictures pretty close to the color on the screen...so will be close if not perfect....that can be easily matched in any paint I want.

Thanks much for the extra effort, it is appreciated.

Norm

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Grey Beard

The book by Don Bunn has been promised to me by two friends who have it.....one was the prior owner of the truck I have...and the other was a friend who was going to buy the truck but didn't......so I should have it shortly. I don't have a lot of needs as the truck has 30,000 miles and is complete except for two items: a parking light lens and the metal strips in the box. The lens should not be too tough and I found a source for the metal separater strips already.....plus I have a used set on my garage floor....other than that, the restoration work should be quite straight forward.......very little scrounging for parts.......emblems, etc....as it is that good.......

Does anyone have a source for the fiberboard used for interior panels......or any suggestions at all about those. The originals are there, but tacky......and WILL be replaced....at least I have the patterns........

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Norm,

My job gets me traveling around the state and I've been past that area many times on my way to a customer. I also work for the Ride for Kids, which is a motorcycle event that benefits the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation. The Wisconsin Ride for Kids event rides out of Middleton and I've spent countless hours in that area setting up the events. One year during setup for the event we went to Rookies for supper, after which we played around on the field a little bit.

For everyone else's reference... Rookies is a sports bar / restaurant just outside of Mazomanie, WI that has a miniature baseball field out behind the bar. They have wiffleball games there on a regular basis throughout the summer. Fun stuff.

Merle

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Merle,

Next time you get over this way....stop in. Would be a pleasure to chat with someone with similar interests....

Not much of a sports fan...so really don't go to Rookies. But there are a couple of other places in the area for a bite and coffee...or ???

Don't care to put my phone number out on the system here, but send me an e-mail at normf@centurytel.net and I'll send you my phone number.......

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Does anyone have a source for the fiberboard used for interior panels......or any suggestions at all about those. The originals are there, but tacky......and WILL be replaced....at least I have the patterns........

The couple of times that I have done this I just went to my local auto upholsterer and purchased the board from them.

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  • 11 years later...

When I had the Red painted on my truck I used a 1969 Barracuda "Scorch Red" which seemed to be the closest I could find to 1953 "Dodge Truck Red". I am really happy with the way it turned out. The Chrysler code is DT3333.  My painter used Metalux R6 Ay1ER6.  There are specific codes to get the "Scorch Red" and I would be happy to share them if you are interested.

Here is a shot of my cab although the computer always makes it tough to see the real color.

 

Putting the Cab on 02.gif

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