Yet Another Chrysler Turquoise Engine Paint Thread....But Maybe The Last?

[Fireflite56]

Okay, I know this topic has been absolutely beaten to death across many websites and forums, but I am going to beat it one last time. My problems with the other threads that led me here:

-Some threads are outdated and paint formulas/availability have changed
-Very few people ever bought more than a couple brands to try or compare
-Photos are terrible for documenting actual color
-After reading forum thread upon forum thread, I decided on Bill Hirsch Chrysler Turquoise as the best match and that was NOT the best match by a longshot - so started a science project of sorts

I know there will be comments about how the color can change from car to car, year to year, plant to plant, batch to batch, etc. These are all true and valid points. My goal was to match my specific car (a '66 Fury III two-owner 383 4 bbl survivor car, built late in the model year at the Belvidere plant). That said, what I was using for parts to match generally seemed to be right in line with other original examples of the color that I have seen on engines. I'll also note that the paint on top of the motor that most people will look at, generally discolored more (additional heat and grease?) than paint on the rest of it, so be careful what you use as a sample on yours to compare to.

Here's a video I put together in which I compared most of the available brands on the market. For those that don't want to watch the whole video, I chose to use Bill Hirsch 1957-8 Pontiac Turquoise after seeing a sample they sent me. Also attached for your viewing pleasure are two photos showing the same paint to show the drastic difference in color from photo to photo, even on the same camera in the same light. The lighter "green" color is closer to how it actually looks, though not quite 100%. When I zoomed out to take a photo of the motor, it captured the color in a more "blue" manner. I hope my time and expense helps someone else.

Bill Hirsch 1957-8 Pontiac Turquoise Aerosol: Engine Enamel Spray | Bill Hirsch Engine Enamel | Hirsch Aut-hirschauto.com

Video Comparison:

 

[Grannys67]

Always up for a good re-hashing of the turquoise debate... ;)

Good comparison, but why not include the actual real Mopar Performance stuff? Did they discontinue this?

This is what I used ^
Anyway in the video, the Dupli-color on the right looks the best to me. Leave the Bill Hirsch stuff for Packards and Pontiacs imho j/k

 

[MoPar~Man]

Was there a distinction in the color between the big blocks and the '66 polysphere or the '67 LA 318? What was the original color for the Windsor-built 318's for the Canadian market in, say, '67?

 

[Mr onetwo]

Good video...this topic is relevant because paint changes all the time.There are quite a few topics on this forum that are very out dated because there has been no discussion in several years.Thanks

 

[RemCharger]

Was there a distinction in the color between the big blocks and the '66 polysphere or the '67 LA 318? What was the original color for the Windsor-built 318's for the Canadian market in, say, '67?

They were all red , I've never seen a turquoise 313/318 .

Here's a 66 look a like painted this summer with por15.

Outside/ inside

 

[Toolmanmike]

It's interesting how different photos can change the colors. The bottom looks turquoise where the ones above it look blue. .

 

[Fireflite56]

Always up for a good re-hashing of the turquoise debate... ;)

Good comparison, but why not include the actual real Mopar Performance stuff? Did they discontinue this?
View attachment 648034
This is what I used ^
Anyway in the video, the Dupli-color on the right looks the best to me. Leave the Bill Hirsch stuff for Packards and Pontiacs imho j/k

I did initially use the Mopar Performance paint on the engine as my first paint before purchasing anything else, shown in the video on-engine. The only difference to what you show above is that I used one of the older versions of the MP paint and address in the video how the part number suffix has changed multiple times since. Because I already felt the MP paint wasn't quite 100% of a match (it cured too blue), I decided not to spend ~$120 on a case of 6 new MP cans from the dealer. If I could get my hands on a can cheap or to borrow, I'd be happy to spray it out as well just for full documentation.

I noted this in the video, but the colors don't come through very well on the camera, so what you see as the right-hand Dupli-color looking right really wasn't any better of a match. It was too light and too green.

 

[Fireflite56]

It's interesting how different photos can change the colors. The bottom looks turquoise where the ones above it look blue. .

Yes, the photos and video can DRASTICALLY change how it appears. Maybe I'll bring the pan and paints along to the c-body show in June and let everyone look at them in person.

 

[CBODY67]

How the colors "look" will be determined by the "heat"/color of the lights illuminating the photo venue.

Quite simply, in a time before any P-Part engine paint other than Hemi Orange, much less Chrysler Turquoise, I went to the local auto paint store and asked to see some chip charts of Chrysler paints. I told the guy what I was wanting to do, so he found one for a '67 Dodge pickup truck. On THAT PAGE was "Desert Turquoise", which was as near of an exact match as there could be, so he mixed a quart for me. Later, I got a PreVal spray jar from NAPA and then sprayed the new oil pan I got for the car. Using nothing more than B-12 to clean the metal, some "enamel thinner" from Home Depot, and then a fresh non-linty paper towel to wipe things down with. That was in about 1982. Paint's still matching and still there.

He noted that the orig formula was for the OEM acrylic enamel, when the old engine paints were just "enamel". Worked great and holds its shine well.

In modern times, look up the color code in the online websites and get some built with new materials. NO drama involved!

As to "factory colors", especially engine paint, it is NORMAL for aftermarket suppliers (no matter how good these companies might be) to NOT be an exact match for the OEM color. Reason? Copyright infringement. I also suspect that what is now in the Mopar Perf cans is not built by the OEM vendors that did it years ago, too. NOR are many "restoration paints" sold an exact match for what they are supposed to be, by observation, even if they might be licensed to sell them as such. Some are closer than others, no matter what the label claims the color is supposed to be.

It must also be noted that the colors we are used to seeing have faded from heat over they years. So trying to match what's on the engine gets "faded" colors to start with.

About 20 years ago, the Hirsch organization found itself in the middle of a heated exchange at a national Buick Club show. One participant had done an exact restoration and used Hirsch's engine paint for his car. Another participant's car had its original engine paint on it, which did not match the Hirsch-mixed paint. The Hirsch rep said they had used "an original car" to make their paint formula, but it did not match the other car's original paint. The Hirsch rep apologized to their customer, also saying they'd correct their inventory.

For me, I know the answer and still have a good bit of my original quart on the shelf.

Flail away on that old horse, as desired! Just don't tell the ASPCA.
CBODY67

 

[DaPoz]

Okay, I know this topic has been absolutely beaten to death across many websites and forums, but I am going to beat it one last time. My problems with the other threads that led me here:

-Some threads are outdated and paint formulas/availability have changed
-Very few people ever bought more than a couple brands to try or compare
-Photos are terrible for documenting actual color
-After reading forum thread upon forum thread, I decided on Bill Hirsch Chrysler Turquoise as the best match and that was NOT the best match by a longshot - so started a science project of sorts

I know there will be comments about how the color can change from car to car, year to year, plant to plant, batch to batch, etc. These are all true and valid points. My goal was to match my specific car (a '66 Fury III two-owner 383 4 bbl survivor car, built late in the model year at the Belvidere plant). That said, what I was using for parts to match generally seemed to be right in line with other original examples of the color that I have seen on engines. I'll also note that the paint on top of the motor that most people will look at, generally discolored more (additional heat and grease?) than paint on the rest of it, so be careful what you use as a sample on yours to compare to.

Here's a video I put together in which I compared most of the available brands on the market. For those that don't want to watch the whole video, I chose to use Bill Hirsch 1957-8 Pontiac Turquoise after seeing a sample they sent me. Also attached for your viewing pleasure are two photos showing the same paint to show the drastic difference in color from photo to photo, even on the same camera in the same light. The lighter "green" color is closer to how it actually looks, though not quite 100%. When I zoomed out to take a photo of the motor, it captured the color in a more "blue" manner. I hope my time and expense helps someone else.

Bill Hirsch 1957-8 Pontiac Turquoise Aerosol: Engine Enamel Spray | Bill Hirsch Engine Enamel | Hirsch Aut-hirschauto.com

Video Comparison:


View attachment 648017

View attachment 648023

Didn't the Hirsch Turquoise match, others have sworn by it.
Have you tried this company? The paints I have bought from them are a dead on match. The Silver Argent matched my 300 K grill shell perfectly. MOPAR Engine Restoration Paints They list it for the '66 383.

 

[ynst]

I used Eastwood's turquoise paint on my '68 440 back in '16.

 

[chippers65300]

I used the Hirsch Chrysler turquoise last summer, my eyes aren't so good these days but it appears too green to me. Where as everything else on the market these days appear too blue. I bought a whole case of the old Mopar Performance turquoise in the late 90' s.....now I can't seem to locate it. I'm sure it's not going to be any good now anyway.

 

[volksworld]

used the Hirsch turquoise 2 yrs ago...also thought it was too green...then when i ran out it was out of stock for a year...sent pics to Hirsch and they swore it was correct...they sent me a link to a video where some club said it was the closest match to some other paint that was discontinued...they said it was right for 62-65...SO...idk if earlier turquoise was darker green and later turquoise was more, well, turquoise, but original stuff on my 68 didn't match the Hirsch stuff at all...what it did match was a 20+ year old can of Mopar Performance turquoise...end result was the 877 4 paint 1 stuff( the link DaPoz just listed) and i'm happy with the color....now i've seen some recent posts about the Hirsch paint and it doesnt look as green as my batch so maybe they changed it once it was back in stock...YMMV

 

[volksworld]

Engine painted with Hirsch...coil bracket 20 yr old Mopar performance

 

[volksworld]

Engine repainted with 877 4 paint 1...coil bracket still old MP paint...small a/c line bracket original paint....alternator bracket laying up top still painted with Hirsch paint...all pics under shop flourescent with no phone flash...but the same results outdoors

 

[fury fan]

Just to complicate things, Detroit Diesel Alpine Green is somewhat a contender.
It's too light to be correct, but at least it's not too green, and not too blue - and it's readily available.

Water cover is Duplicolor Alpine Green, VC and cyl head is older Mopar Performance turquoise.

 

[Fireflite56]

Just to complicate things, Detroit Diesel Alpine Green is somewhat a contender.
It's too light to be correct, but at least it's not too green, and not too blue - and it's readily available.

Water cover is Duplicolor Alpine Green, VC and cyl head is older Mopar Performance turquoise.

View attachment 651933

I included the Detroit Diesel Alpine Green in my video. It's the second-from-right on the oil pan.

 

[fury fan]

I guess I should've watched the video before responding.
But nobody ever discusses the Alpine, so I assumed I was safe.