Packard Forum Index » V-8 (1955-56)

Hello everybody,
I'm getting ready to paint the car and refinish the script for my '55 400. I'm assuming the script should be gold in color. How shiny should the gold be? Highly polished or slightly matted? Does anybody have a paint cross reference for paint codes NK?(Agate and Topaz Metallic). Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Brian

I can't help you on the paint but as far as the gold goes I think it would depend on the look you're going for. It says under the model info: "All exterior script plates are gold-plated, including the lone "400" script that appears on the lower right corner of the trunk lid."
Gold plating is typically on the shinier side. Especially when new but it can tarnish as time passes. If you're going for an all "new"/ restored look I would say shiny is safe. If you intentionally want to show some of the car's age then maybe have it toned down a bit. I'm not an expert, this is just how I would approach it.
Good luck on the paint, you came to the right place though. The people here are very helpful and knowledgeable. I hope you find your answer.

Good question re the gold. I had mine plated in 18k gold 10 yrs ago--sparkles & some shine but very rich color, like I think gold should look--and thought and still do think they look great. Then bought a NOS 56 trunk lock emblem and was surprised the gold on that was fairly light, and more yellowish--almost thought it was brass but vendor assured me it was NOS and correct. Packards1 also had some gold trim items on his ebay store a while back that were fairly light. On mine, with the circle in the deeper gold and emblem lighter, there is a difference but not one that I am willing to change. No info on the paint.

I believe that the gold scripts on the V8s were plated in genuine gold and with a shiny finish when they left the factory. I've heard some refer to the finish as a "gold wash".

Other brands which had trim pieces with a matte gold finish were probably not done in genuine gold, but some other process - anodozing, perhaps.

As regards paint, from what I have seen, Packard colors of the period were fairly exclusive.

Unless someone else has been down that road and can provide a cross, your best bet is to find an area (at least 3" square) on your car with original colors in decent condition, polish it up a bit, and find a recommended paint shop with one of those camera systems that can take a snapshot and come up with a modern formula. Portable equipment is now available in that regard, and I have seen some shops go out into the field to take the shot.

Try the following link:

http://pc.dupont.com/dpc/en/US/html/visitor/b/dr/home.html

On the far right of the page is a link to the Historical Color Library. Click on that and use the drop down menus to find the color chips and formulas for your car. Write down the DUCO stock number and formulation code.

Then go back to the original page and click the contact us link (lower left side of page). That'll get you to a page where you can type in your request like "I am looking for a modern cross reference for a 1955 Packard. Topaz metalic and Agate". Give them the DUCO stock numbers and formulation codes. They'll send you an email back with a close if not exact match from today's Dupont formulas within 24 hours.

This worked for me. Hope it helps you.

Good Luck

Edit - I looked up the info for you. Agate = DUCO stock # 2163, formulation code 246-58842. Topaz metallic = Duco stock# 2161-H, formulation code 202-58839H

Pack120c, that sounds like a helpful link.

Of course, we presently have scans of chips sets from Dupont for some, though but not all, years of Packards on file, here:

DuPont Paint Chips (alphabetically)

...with DUCO stock number and formulations code, which may save some folks a step.

Then, once a modern formula is known, other suppliers may be able to cross-reference that to their own.

Brian A., regardless of which approach you try, please report back here with your results. If the cross-referenced paint is a suitable match, please also add it to our Packard Paint X-ref database.

If it pans out, hopefully others will folllow suit. Remember, a user-driven feature can only be as good as the information that the users provide.