PAINT CODE MATCH

Tim PloughNman Daley

Well-known Member
I'm trying to find a close paint match for the original Ford Tractor M1J-1639-SE (BLUE) that was used on the early Thousand Series Models. I bought some TISCO Empire Blue, but see they make two shades, a TP360 and a TP365 and I don't remember which one I had and the can is long gone. Anyway, whatever, it was way too light -more like the later New Holland blue or the Detroit Lions Honolulu Blue. I think the original Ford paint code is M1J-1639-SE, Blue. I bought a can of the CNH/IRON GARD NEW HOLLAND BLUE and it the same shade as the TISCO stuff. I found a Dupli-Color shade, but the store I was at yesterday says that is an old defunct number. Does anyone have a good suggestion for a close match?

Tim Daley(MI)
 
I just bought some blue at my local NH dealer the other day. Make sure the can says "1963-1999" on it. The part number for the quart can is 9613386DS.

In 2000, Ford started using the blue with more purple in it. Ughh.
 
Empire Blue was the Fordson Major and Dexta colour from 1952 to 1963, from 1963 they went to a much lighter shade on the New Performance Supers and Dextas. The early Thousand Series was another shade altogether somewhere between the two.

Over here we find each supplier has their own interpretation of Empire Blue.

Brian
 
There are no two cans of paint exactly the same. If you aren't happy with the prepackaged options you will need to go to an auto paint supplier, have them mix up a 1/10 formula, spray a test panel and have them tint it to your liking for the full batch. You also cannot judge a match to "factory" paint that is 20-30 years old. Even if it has been out of the sunlight covered by something it still will have oxidized and changed color.
 
The dealer should have the correct paint for the different years, I have used theirs, it is good paint.
 
If I buy two of the cans pictured here, they will be close enough in color that no-one could tell the difference. This is what the OP is looking for and needs.
a278492.jpg
 

You can usually get good paint at a dealer but sometimes it is just plain wrong. I get my tractors and parts at the tractor store and I go to the paint store for my paint. I take a panel that I know is original like the underside of a battery box and clean it with rubbing compound. I take that to the paint store and they analyze it digitally and reproduce it.
 
CNH does not supply the correct paint for 63-64 000 series tractors.

They sell a blue paint marked 63-9* but it is NOT correct for the 63-64 models.

Dean
 
If they are the same lot number maybe, but I'd still mix them together, THEN dilute and catalyze.
 
Which dealer and don't bet on it. FORD TRACTOR has been gone since 1993. CNH only sells facsimiles of the original paint codes, not exact matches. Ditto with every other Ford Paint 'supplier'. NO TRACTOR PAINT made is an exact match to the original Ford paints. I once found an off-brand rattle can, B&D or something, that was a real close match for Ford Vermillion (8N Red) and when I finally got around to using it, I couldn't recall where I got it...

TPD
 
I suspect that the blue that we've all come to know and love came out in 1963 with the 6000 tractors (note: pic is from 1965 Commander lit). As you can see from the pic, the match is not perfect, but it's close enough for me and my 6000 project. It's also possible that the picture in the 50 year old literature that I have has faded somewhat over time. Then again, the tractor in the picture could also be sun bleached.

As for a 1963 4000 tractor, I don't know what that shade would be if in fact it is different. It looks pretty darn close to 1965 model tractors to me.
a278559.jpg
 
Maybe I need my eyes checked, but that can on the right doesn't seem to have the purple in it that I'm used to seeing on the 2000 on up tractors.
 

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