Packard Forum Index » Post-War (1946-54)

Looking for the formula and sample for French Blue that I think was a 1948 color only offered on the convertible.

Unless someone knows better, it looks like the last time that color was used was 1940 (see reference to the left). Possible someone special ordered it I guess. Validating original color should be easy with some sleuthing... i.e. behind door cards, hard to get to areas under hood and in trunk etc.
Mike

French Blue in the 22nd series was available only on early convertibles. First offered in April 1947 with the introduction of the convertibles and discontinued in September 1947. This information from Bob Neal's book on the 22nd-23rd series Packards. Any formula from the era would be useless as most if not all of those pigments are NLA, but the major paint suppliers should be able to provide an equivalent.

If it's not in the local parts store paint counter books, then the biggees like PPG, Axalta(DuPont) U have to be a certified dealer to access their archive databases. Most larger body shops might be, if they have the sign out front. Some parts stores handle but you have to search for them.
TCP Global is about the only open source and supplies paint and samples. There's a few others but I have no experience. TCP supports/has the auto color library. www.autocolorlibrary.com
After that, it's a spectrum gun paint sample and computer match.
I'm sure one can find something close in the modern colors to match a basic dark blue like that. The blues are usually phthalocyanine, copper, or cobalt based and still around. Just may have to spray out a few test panels til it's right.
Ditzler(DuPont Auto) supplied some of the paints in this period. Their name is on the color chips still out there. I've seen it, it might be on here.