VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Body - Sheet Metal, Paint & Wood Bowtie Emblem Blue Paint?

Can you give me a "near correct" brand and color of paint to paint the faded blue bowties on the chrome hub caps on my '54 3100?

> 1Shot #155-L Reflex Blue lettering enamel was recommended to me. I air brushed some samples. The color seems a little "electric".
> 1Shot #158-L Dark Blue is sold by Chevs of the 40s for painting Hub Caps and Trim. Is it a close match?
> CLICK - 1Shot Color Chart

Any other brands/colors for a closer match?

My hub caps:


Thanks for any suggestions and advice that you can give to me.

- Lonnie

Try model airplane blue it looks very close to Chevy blue. Comes in small bottles, usually brush it on haven't tried to spray it.

What brand? What color / color number? What did you match the paint to? My bowties are too faded to match to new paint.

Thanks,
- Lonnie

To close out my "Bowtie Blue" thread ...

I painted the blue bowties on my '54 3104 chrome hub caps with the color defined by the GM Heritage Center. I used a decal from one of the suppliers for the bowtie on my hood emblem because I didn't want to remove it. You can't see the emblem and the hub caps at the same time to compare.

I'm happy with the results.


The 1954 Truck Specifications didn't give detailed info on the colors used on the emblems.
> Hood and Grille Appearance

I contacted GM Heritage Center to ask for the color to paint the bowties on my '54 chrome hub caps. They responded the same day.
> GM Heritage Center Contact Info

The Center told me that the color of the bowties on my hub caps was 1954 Mariner Blue and sent a link to PaintRef.com that shows modern paint codes for the color. PaintRef.com shows that DuPont used one code for Mariner Blue for all model years of Chevrolet AD Trucks '47-'55. But it also shows that PPG has two codes for Mariner Blue during the same period. PPG #10419 is for model years 1947-1952. PPG #10984 is for model years 1953-1955. (???)
> Chevy Trucks with Mariner Blue

Here are the PPG paint mix formulas for '47-'52 Mariner Blue (PPG #10419 on the top), and for '53-'55 Mariner Blue (PPG #10984 on the bottom). A local PPG store printed them for me to confirm that they are two different colors. Although the "Manufacturer" does not say CHEVY TRUCK, I was assured that each PPG mixture number produces only one color. I did not have them mix the older color PPG #10419.
> PPG Mariner Blue formulas

NOTE: I don't know if Mariner Blue is the correct bowtie color for other model years. Contact The GM Heritage for more info.

I purchased a pint of PPG #10984 1953-1955 Mariner Blue from the local PPG store and painted my hub caps with an airbrush.
> Can of '54 Mariner Blue purchased from PPG
> PPG Product Info

3M Vinyl Tape 471+, 1/4 inch, 06405 does a good job of masking the compound curves around the bowties.
> 3M 471+

A truck owner recommended 1Shot Reflex Blue for the bowties, but it is not the same as Mariner Blue. Here is a pic of 1953-55 Mariner Blue on the left and 1Shot Reflex Blue on the right. The colors probably do not show true on the screen. The pic is for relative comparison.


Based on the photo of '53-'55 Mariner Blue and 1Shot Reflex Blue, I estimate that PMS #282 is the closest PMS color to '53-'55 Mariner Blue in my Pantone color set.
R: 0
G: 38
B: 84
hex 002654
FYI - I estimate that Reflex 1Shot Reflex blue PMS color lies between Pantone Reflex Blue and PMS #280. 1Shot Reflex Blue is slightly lighter than PMS #280.
> PMS color chart

If you want to use model airplane paint to approximate '53-'55 Mariner Blue
Enter hex #002654, or enter Red=0, Green=38, Blue=84 in the boxes on this web page, then click "Show matching paint"
> Model Airplane Paint

- Lonnie