VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - GENERAL Body - Sheet Metal, Paint & Wood 1941 hammered heater paint

What is the best match for the hammered look heater paint? Is it a Rust-oleum color or another brand's. I want the closest spray can match for a 1941 heater. Thanks, Mike

Mike,

Google hammertone paint. Could be something there you could use.

Is the paint Hammertone or is it Wrinkle Finish. There is a difference.

Mike -

Do you have a sample of the original paint that was on your heater? I found unmolested paint under a gasket on the AirFlow heater in my '54 3104.

I painted my heater housing with Hammerite Rust Cap Bronze #HAM-41185 in a rattle can. It is a close match to the original color. Don't know about the color for your '41 passenger car heater.

BUT - If you use a hammertone paint, then experiment spraying it to learn the best technique before you paint your heater. Mine has way too much "hammertone." I have been told that spraying a number of very light coats will result in less pronounced hammertone surface.

Original paint in the middle. Hammerite Rust Cap paint on the rest of the case. Note heavy texture.


- Lonnie

Hi Lonnie,

Thanks for the advice on your painting technique and picture. I think the color you used is close enough. One heater I have is light brown the other a medium redish brown. I will check the other Hammerite colors to see how close a match I can get. I had found the Hammerite paint on the internet, and will now try to find a local source or order it on line. I think one of my heaters came off of a truck the other a car. Both were probably used in the 40's.

Thanks, Mike

P.S. I will post pictures of what heaters I have before and after I paint them. I am curious how you remove the plastic dark brown handles on the front?

Someone else will have to tell you how to remove the handles from the doors of your heater. Mine is a "modern" 1954 model without handles.
> 1954 Truck AirFlow heater

I ordered the Hammerite paint from a local house paint store. No shipping cost. Buy extra cans to practice with.

- Lonnie

In case replacement knobs become needed;
I've seen the plastic knobs for '40's models Chevy truck heaters being sold on e-bay several times in recent months. Maybe these are the same for cars??? A buddy needed some and considered using a 3D printer to make replacements. He found some on eBay a few months ago for less than $20, as I recall.
Good luck!

To remove the brown handles from the door just expand the slot you see in the second picture with a small screw driver. At the same time you expand the slot pull on the handle. It comes right out. Just another simple engineering marvel. Good luck, Mike