Packard Forum Index » Pre-War (1899-1942)

Two things conspire to make it generally difficult to get a good match to an original color. First, unfortunately paint chips are not very archival - they tend to darken quite a bit over time even with good storage. I just had occasion to scan some paint chips for the 7th and 8th series Packards and they have all darkened to the point of not being useful. And secondly using the original mix formulas is problematic because many of the tinting colors specified are no longer available. The metallic flake is less of a problem because you can have them custom-ground to a finer particle size.

IMO the two best methods of getting a true match to an OEM are (1) using a paint supplier who has already gone thru the steps to get a match using modern tinting colors and base, and (2) finding an original car in the color you want, and then carefully cleaning a section of the original paint from an area protected from exposure and having it scanned and, if needed, further tinted to match.

Matches to non-metallic paints in current production for modern vehicles is often successful by using the Sikkens color match book, assuming you have something to match to.

Packard Blue is a very simple mix. "Prussian Blue" toner (transparent tint) is the main ingredient and a few drops of white oxide. There's 2 modern colors that are indeed dead on matches to Packard blue and use a large amount of transparent toner to make. 1 is Chrysler Corp "Nightwatch Blue" from the early/mid 80s. The other is "Midnight Blue" from late 70s Mercury/T-bird/Lincoln. I used to know the color codes by heart, but aside from that the process to duplicate true Packard blue will require a black base. At least through 1947 all Packards were sprayed black and visually inspected for fit and finish. This is stated in the many dealer handbooks available to train sellers on the steps it took to build the best. With a black base and transparent toner in the top color the depth is breathtaking if done right. Think of it like doing a candy apple custom over silver or gold. Regardless of color, they were all black 1st and strictly for inspection. That black changes the tone of any color chosen and will go a long way to getting the "correct" look.