Re: [Chrysler300] Valve cover paint.

["Ron Waters" <ronbo97@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Ray -

PlastiKote 452 is still readily available. A brand new can is currently on 
my paint shelf.

The problem with 452 is that it is too shiny-gold in color. I think the 
original paint was more bronze in color. Someone suggested using a 
semi-gloss clear over the 452 to darken it to the correct color. I have yet 
to try that.

Ron

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray Melton" <rfmelton@xxxxxxx>
To: "'Ross Therrien'" <bent70cuda@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, March 27, 2013 2:49 PM
Subject: RE: [Chrysler300] Valve cover paint.


> Hello Ross -
>
>
>
> I was in the same quandary as you a few months ago while restoring my late
> father's 1957 300C.  Back in the early 1970's, he had painted the valve
> covers and air cleaners with the rattle-can paint recommended at the time,
> Plasti-Kote #452 acrylic enamel.  That paint looked good when applied, but
> was looking pretty tired 40 years later, and I found that the Plasti-Kote
> paint has been discontinued for many years.  After searching and inquiring
> like you are now doing, I learned from Wayne Graefen's authoritative
> restoration handbook for the 300C's that there never was a specific paint
> code for that color - it was generically called "Semigloss Chrysler 
> Bronze",
> or "Gold  C9090C", and was made by mixing bronze powder with clear enamel.
> The air cleaners were manufactured and painted by AC Corp.,  while the 
> valve
> covers were painted by Chrysler or another outside supplier.
>
>
>
> Upon disassembly of the air cleaners, I was delighted to see that the 
> inside
> surfaces of the oval end pieces had NOT been repainted with the 
> Plasti-Kote
> #452 back in the '70's,  but looked to be the original color applied back 
> in
> 1957, although discolored and oil-stained in many places.  I took those 
> two
> oval pieces to a local body/paint shop and had them match the color and
> gloss level on those inside surfaces, using a specialty electronic scanner
> followed by a couple of trial-and-error paint dabs on top of the old
> original paint for comparison.  When the final formulation was 
> test-sprayed
> right next to the original paint surface, you could hardly see the
> transition.  They started with basic clear, then added silver and gold 
> until
> they got the same color as the original inside surfaces.  The clear coat
> was then adjusted for gloss by adding a flattening agent - they said it 
> came
> out to about a 50% gloss level (super-shiny gloss paint is about 90%, 
> while
> new chrome is ~100%).
>
>
>
> The final color match was a bit lighter (less brassy gold, more pale
> slivery) and was a bit less glossy than the Plasti-Kote #452 - I would
> describe it as between a satin and semigloss finish.  The paint shop then
> mixed up a pint of the custom formulation in a two-stage urethane format
> (base-coat/clear coat) for maximum durability in the underhood 
> environment.
>
>
>
> Although this sounds like a lot of trouble, the valve covers and air
> cleaners came out gorgeous, and I have the satisfaction of tracking down 
> and
> replicating as best as possible the factory-correct finish from 56 years
> ago.  At least, that's my story and I'm sticking to it!
>
>
>
> I still have 3 - 4 ounces of my custom-matched paint left over;  if you
> think it would help, I could brush a few square inches onto a sample 
> swatch
> and send it to you for a similar color-matching process as I did, although
> you'll need to remember that there will be no final-gloss topcoat on the
> sample and a brushed-on paint surface will not look quite the same as your
> sprayed finish.
>
>
>
> On the other hand, if you or other members are not quite as finicky as I
> was, it turns out that Dad had squirreled away five extra cans of that
> original Plasti-Kote #452 paint.  I have tested them all and am amazed 
> that
> they all still spray just fine nearly 40 years later!  Since I will not be
> using them, I will pass them on for $10 per can plus shipping.  Don't know
> for sure, but I'd guess that two cans would easily do two coats on both
> valve covers and air cleaners - might even get by with a single can.
>
>
>
> By the way, I think that Wayne's excellent handbook on restoring the 300C
> would be of immense help to someone working on a 1956 hemi-engined car -
> many of the processes and finishes used by the factory would have likely
> been the same.
>
>
>
> Ray Melton
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf Of Ross Therrien
> Sent: Monday, March 25, 2013 6:05 PM
> To: Chrysler300@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [Chrysler300] Valve cover paint.
>
>
>
>
>
> Hello 300 friends: Need to know paint code in aerosol or liquid for valve
> covers on 1956- 354 cubic inch Hemi. Much appreciated. Ross
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
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