Paint Question

[Laurence M.]

Recently purchased a 77 with 12200 original miles. A previous owner made a few cosmetic changes to it and I want to bring it back to it's original state. One of the changes was he converted the valve covers from the original L48 to aftermarket L82. I want to convert them back to the GM Corporate Blue steel valve covers. I could only find steel L48 valve covers in orange so I need to paint them. The closest matching color is a product from Duplicolor DE1608 GM Blue. Having a very difficult time finding this product at retail or wholesale level.

My question is: Is the Duplicolor DE1608 GM Blue the closest matching color? Would I be better off trying find the mixing formula for GM Corporate Blue paint and taking it to a paint supplier? If so, what resource is available to acquire the mixing formula?

Thank you

[Patrick H.]

Re: Paint Question

I found Seymour to be the closest 2 years ago, but I purchased 3-4 brands and tested them.
If you can take an original blue piece to the paint supplier and have it matched, that would be best.

[Laurence M.]

Re: Paint Question

Thank you Patrick.

[Mark E.]

Re: Paint Question

"Closest matching color" to what? The paint on your engine is 46 years old and has been subjected to many heat cycles, so it does not match the color it was originally. And when fresh, GM corporate engine blue most likely varied considerably batch to batch, supplier to supplier, and year to year. So there isn't one right color.

[Tom R.]

Re: Paint Question

Lawrence

Several years ago, I picked up a quart of Eastwood's GM Corporate Blue and after application, compared it to several original engines with corporate blue...came pretty close and frankly from three feet away, doubt the shade difference could be perceived. However, like all great things...they discontinued it!

Well except that French Link Resort...most impressive and still as it was what some 125 years later.

But I still have what was left but haven't opened the can in years. I've done this before, but I take those formica color chips, white then paint them and use them for chassis paint shades. If interested, I could pick up some of those chips, check to see the paint hasn't hardened and paint them. Then you can take to a paint supplier and get a quart make. I had this done with the Pace Car smoke gray interior color and it matches up pretty close. Just compared my painted seat hinges to an low-mileage Pace Car and doubt the difference could be detected.

[Laurence M.]

Re: Paint Question

Thanks for the offer Tom. Spoke with a former paint supplier to GM. He directed me to find a Dupont paint supplier and they should be able to pull up the paint code for GM Corporate Blue and then mix me some. I will let you know if that faiis.