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

Or what color was it originally? Paint code is K. If I'm reading things right on the Packard Paint X-Ref file, that means that this 52 200 should be Valiant Green Metallic (or should that be Gallant Green?). Well, it ain't Valiant or Gallant. And that holds true deep into the doors, trunk, engine bay. Valiant Green Metallic is not on either Dupont or Ditzler paint chip cards. I see Gallant Green, which might be the color of the inerior trim metal pieces (dash, window sills, etc.), but the rest of the car is, the best I can see, Aspen Green with no hint or shade of ever having been anything but Aspen Green. Please advise.

Attach file:

---

  (31.18 KB)

I tried to do a comparison scan but the results were not good.

K in Valiant Green is a very dark green 49-51 color. It's 52 successor J is the Gallant Green which looks to be just a shade lighter and greener but still fairly dark. In 53 K changed to Galahad Green which is lighter and greener but still is a fairly dark shade compared to the other greens. All are metallics and I believe greens did fade a bit. IMO, if there are no signs of a repaint, your car is probably a faded Valiant green.

This car, according to the PO, was repainted approximately 35 years ago. But there is no evidence of a color change. Contrary to the picture, it is not dark at all. It perfectly matches the swatch for Aspen Green. That's what confuses me.

Do you see any sign of the paint being a metallic in your car. Aspen was not a metallic but the others were. The Packard metallics were very fine particles -- unlike the larger flake sizes generally used today.

It's also possible that in 1975 the repaint didn't use a true Packard color but a close match chosen from another mfgs color chart available at the time. I also remember some of the "we'll paint any car for $29.95" places had some generic catalogs available of their own close but no cigar stock colors.

When you took the door panels off any sign of overspray with original color? Any repaint would not likely to have reached there and might give an indication of what the original K would have looked like. Unless the chrome was totally removed for the repaint (not happening with most shops unless done by P.O.), under a trim piece is also a likely unfaded spot to check.

The interior trim is a dark metallic green, but no sign of metallic on the car, no overspray, and no color change under trim (saw that when re-attaching the door handle as well as under the trunk badge trim). It was a truly outstanding repaint, apparently. Or the K is just wrong.

You do have an interesting car.

More research -- according the the parts manual and 52 sales fact book when they were printed, K was not offered in 52 and J or Gallant green was it's replacement. A Dupont paint chip then lists J as being cancelled in June 52 and lists K again as available but was the 51 Valiant green. Neither looks very close in color to O or Aspen green which on my charts looks lighter with kind of a grayish cast. No explanation of why your car would have a K instead of an O if it is factory Aspen.

Another anomaly is the interesting interior color. According to parts, 52 cars only had 4 interior options - black, maroon, dk brown and gun metal gray. Green supposedly wasn't available at all for the interior until 53 when K was available again outside but was the Galahad green.

It's been mentioned many times that Packard would paint cars in colors not specifically called for in the releases but usually there was a special paint code or none at all. I suppose it's possible if it was a very late production but don't recall any mention that they would paint a car in a future year color unless it was a styling test car.

I wonder what this color is?

Attach file:

---

  (54.95 KB)

Both photography, whether digital or film, and viewing on electronic displays, can alter the perception of colors significantly, but for what it's worth here's a very original and carefully cared for 1951 Patrician in Valiant Green.

Attach file:

---

  (220.89 KB)


  (66.26 KB)


  (95.57 KB)

My crt resolution is very poor. But it appears to me that the car needs to be buffed and polished. That mite give better clues as to what the color looks like.

Look close at the paint finish. Try to determine if it is enamal or laquer. If enamel then it's a repaint. Someone correct me if i am wrong but packard used laquer in production. No??

Enamel will usualy have a slight orange peel appearence to it ( gotta be REAL PRO to eleminate the orange peel 100%) . Laquer has some swirling marks when well polished. OR get someone familiar with paint jobs to look at it.

Paint, will change shades dramatically over 20 to 40 years. It will happen even if the vehicle is kept out of sunlite 90% of it's life. I have an early 70's red laquer job here (DD Acrylic laquer and and there is no finer quality paint than the DD Acrylic laquer). Over the last 40 years it has oranged out from a rather dark kind of kidney bean red to an almost fire engine red. I have proven this by having kept some of the original FACTORY PAK paint from the early 1970's. Did a retouch on some minor damage about 8 years ago and it is exactly like the shade it was 35 to 40 years ago when i sparayed it. It's a motysickle and stays in a garage with boarded windows and covered with blankets all of it's last 40 years.

One of the longest running debates (that makes the BTV and PV8 oil pump debates look short) was Indian Motorcycle red. After more than 40 years of debates there is no evidence of correct shade. There can not be evidence.

I can see no evidence of any "orange peel" effect. There seems to be a top coat that is deteriorating, and it's not like a modern top coat. More lacquer-looking than the modern plastic looking top coat.

The color resembles the ad very closely. It does NOT resemble the Valiant Green whatsoever (excepting that they're both green, you know).

Regarding the interior color, it could easily be the gunmetal gray instead of green - next to the green, perhaps it takes on a hue or shade that is deceiving. Off the car, it has a bluish tint. Is there a paint code on the car anywhere for the interior color?

It is honestly hard to read the K on the placard, but it is not impossible. It is definitely a K. But it looks like it was added/stamped as an afterthought - crooked, not centered, and faint. Possibly a Monday morning job?

This is very interesting. I didn't expect such a discussion, and I certainly thank you all for the input.