1937 WC paint

We have a 1937 Allis Chalmers WC (SN 49900) in the shop, and we are just fitting a brand new reproduction hood on it.

The question of paint has come up again, since we think we might have painted it the wrong shade of orange, and we'd like to fix it now that we're painting the hood.

Which orange should we use? Where can I find this information?

-Sue
UC Davis Antique Mechanics

Thanks,
Keith

There are two different persian oranges used by AC. One that was used prior to about 1960 is sometimes referred to as persian #1. It is a pumpkin shade of orange. The later persian orange is sometimes referred to as persian #2. It has much more red in it and is the one you are likely to get from most tractor paint suppliers. Here's a visual of the two different shades as compared with an original part for a '42B:

The early pumpkin shade is available in a reasonably high quality automotive paint in two different basic chemistries (acrylic enamel and acrylic urethane) and two systems (single stage and basecoat/clearcoat). The mix number from PPG is 60080. It is available in PPG's OMNI line of cost effective autmotive paints as OMNI MAE 60080 for the acrylic enamel, OMNI MTK 60080 for the acrylic urethane and OMNI MBC 60080 for the basecoat/clearcoat. The MAE and MTK are both single stage paints that do not require a separate clearcoat. The MAE can be used with or without a hardener, although a hardener is generally recommended. The MTK requires a hardener. The clearcoat that is used with the MBC also requires a hardener. Hardeners pose some significant health-safety problems for those who do not have specialized breathing apparatus so I would recommend caution before deciding on using such products.

The above paints will likely be at least twice as expensive ($50+ per gal) as the synthetic (alkyd) enamels you are likely to find in the tractor supply outlets and will have to be specifically mixed at a PPG paint supplier. PPG used to market an outstanding acrylic enamel called Delstar. It is a higher- end product than the OMNI line and would be more expensive still if you can get it in your area. It hasn't been available in NH for a number of years, having been dropped by the local jobbers (dealers) in favor of the cheaper OMNI MAE product. Delstar in the pumpkin shade of persian orange would be referred to as PPG DAR 60080.

One note: all the above paints are formulated for spray application and not for brush work. While a brush can be used for small parts, the relatively fast dry characteristics could lead to difficulty with brush strokes showing when applied to large areas. If it's brush work you wish to do, I would stick to a slow-dry synthetic enamel (with poorer fade and chemical resistance) but I am not aware of a source of the early persian in that chemistry.

Rod

I fully agree with you. One might have a difficult time though trying to find a synthetic enamel in the color shade of the early persian orange. Synthetic enamels are past history for most automotive type work and acrylic enamels are fast following them. I do get a smile when purist restorers go to extreme detail to duplicate original conditions but paint their machines with the most modern urethanes that were not even the figment of anyone's imagination back when the tractors left the assembly line. They look nice though and I suspect gloss takes precedence over originality in that case :o). Myself, I am not a stickler for originality (mine's a working B). I do, however, like that pumpkin shade of orange better than the later version and much prefer the modern urethane for improved durability and fade resistance. Plus it is readily available locally in an automotive line, at least from PPG. If true originality is the goal though and PO#1 is a necessity, maybe it can be had in DuPont Dulux if one can find anybody who still has the mixing tints for that old chemistry. I don't think that will be easy. Course you might be able to get it directly from DuPont in 10,000 gal quantities :o). As far as I know, the stuff you get from AGCO ALLIS and other "tractor paint" suppliers is PO#2, not PO#1.

Rod