In our never-ending quest to find the perfect Mandarin Orange, I found a Chevy engine red at my local O'Reilleys Auto. My old Atlas FP-7 came out pretty good for a spray can.
That is neat. I have read that the Frisco paint was a GM color, and that it was Chevrolet engine red. Chevrolet only used the red color for one model year, 1956. The previous year 55, and from 57 to 75 the engines were Chevrolet orange. Looks pretty good to me.
Ahh the Red/Orange, debate/firestorm/flame-war lol. Any way Paul I think your caboose will be as good as anyone has in 1:1 scale present. Bear in mind, and this is only input from myself. The Frisco's Mandarin Orange was introduced in the mid sixties with the GP35 series, or about ten years after the image of the 1956 Chevy engine Red pictured. This is just crazy as I bought a rattle can of the paint Chris is referring to, the exact paint.. I mean this is just a complete coincidence as I painted a table on wheels for the MRR barn with the same, before my shoulder surgery. I did enjoy the color, but I dont think it is completely correct as pictured. Red, Orange, Yellows among other colors are the most difficult to replicate via image or chips, as these colors seem to be effected by many different reasons. Went down to my True Value for a can of Krylon GM engine Red. No dice, they told me to go to an automotive store. You have painted enough stuff over the years I am sure, that when you go to a professional auto-type paint store, where you get the color base, hardener, clear coats, or whatever combination, you end up with a little different color than what comes in an aftermarket can. I remember guys telling me they used Krylon GM engine Red to touch up locomotive paint, I think my table's paint should have just a hint more Orange, and that was with a White undercoat. So, at the risk of yet another flame-war that is just my opinion. Your quest for the du-pont match is more important than ever huh. Please carry on my friend, what a glorious endeavor, just happy we know someone with the resources to even consider such a task, and whatever you settle on, it will be just a dream come true for us, who just want to see this Frisco caboose back on the rails.
I know what you mean Tom. But when it does come time to get the Frisco Orange paint mixed up for caboose 1288, I have a few large chips of new fresh paint that was found hiding under a ball decal on 1288, and also I have an aluminum window frame that was in caboose 1249 that has almost new paint on it too. Those new computer paint matching machines are pretty darn accurate at duplicating a sample. One thing for sure is that whatever the color was when new, it did not stay that way for long. The paint faded into various stages of orange fairly quickly so even if it is not a perfect match, it could still be correct and enjoyed.
Any reds/oranges not clear-coated with UV resistant cover coat will fade quite quickly. Most car manufacturers have gone to clear coating non-metallic paints to help resist chalking and fading.
Seems pretty obvious to me: http://frisco.org/mainline/wp-conte...Tennessee-on-November-8-1974-Alton-Lanier.jpg
The VHT spray paint I used on the FP7 is actually labeled 'Chevy Engine Orange," not Red. I don't think it was meant to be the '56 red color, although it looks a bit darker on my model than on the big block pictured. One thing I noticed anecdotally growing up in the 70's is that the "new" locos like the gp-15's seemed more orange, and the older units more toward red. Don't know if paint changed or if it was just a function of aging. The coolest thing I observed when I first visited Lindenwood in '78 was that a couple of switchers were still in black and yellow--the first time I had seen one live!
The window above is from Frisco caboose 1288. The windows had been plated over, not long after the caboose was painted orange and white. When I removed the window plating I was delighted to find these windows with near new original Frisco paint. It was kind of surreal because I had not seen the orange and white combination in 30 plus years and it was a cool experience. This original color looks about the same in person as it does in the image. The color is more red than Chevy orange and Competition orange, but it is not quite as red as the Chevy engine red in the pic above. This window sample is big enough to take to the paint supply house and have it duplicated. I am going have some mixed up and am going to have them provide me with the PPG mixing batch formula and then I will post it here. fun
Keith, I have a '06 Mustang GT with metallic paint and clear-coated. Still looks new,however, the clear coat is not durable, it scratches very easily.
After doing some looking around, I have found there are 3 colors for Chevy engines. First Chevy orange, second Chevy engine red, 3rd is Chevy orange-red. I bought all 3 cans and painted gray primered steel plates with each color and then they dried overnight. The hands down winner that matches the original paint is the Chevy orange red. I painted some steps on 1288 with the paint and check out the results. I like it enough to get some made from this spray can sample and paint 1288 with it. What do you think?
looks like the real deal to me Paul. Kind of a teaser you are. Wish I had gotten this duplicolor for my table now lol. I got duplicolor primer at Mr. Wirths suggestion for painting model cabooses like he said no runs, no drips, no errors. Good rattle can paint it is.
Looks great Paul. Your searching paid off. I think all of us cant wait to see this painted. This has been interesting to read the opinions on color. I have several old Frisco U25B number boards and the backside "orange" that would not have had much sun is much more red than the overspray on the front side that has been in the elements.
