Ford/Shelby Gaurdsman Blue for Cobra/GT350,etc.

[DustyMojave]

On my work bench these days, I have a couple of Cobras and a GT350. The intended color is Ford 1964 Guardsman Blue, as used by Shelby for the stripes on the white GT350s and the main body color on the 427 Cobras.

Been shopping for paint, and searching the model forums for suggestions as to which is the best/closest model spray paint. Trying to judge from online paint color chips or pictures of other people's models is more frustrating than productive. I've searched this and other online forums for info, but amazingly, considering the many model kits of Cobras and such...I'm not finding any info. There is a current thread in under glass about a '67 GT350 and a guy posted pics of his friend's full scale 67 GT500 that is the exact color.

I know the paint code Ditzler/PPG 12832. I could in theory go to an automotive paint shop and order a small amount of paint to that code. But metallics for full scale cars used on a 1/25 scale model winds up looking like coarse metalflake. more appropriate fora 60s Kustom or a Meyer's Manx fiberglass buggy.

So does anyone have suggestions which spray paint would be best for a Cobra?

[DustyMojave]

[bigfatforty]

MCW has a Guardsman Blue Metallic lacquer (6436) premixed for air brushing.  Their paint quality is outstanding.......

[Snake45]

I like Model Master Arctic Blue for it. 

[DustyMojave]

@ bigfatforty

I was forgetting MCW. Maybe I'll try that. Thanks.

@Snake45

Model Master Arctic Blue is pretty. But a little dark compared to the original as shown above. I agree with your comment in your signature though.

[Roadrunner]

I have a bottle of Zero Colors Guardsman Blue sitting here, but I think it may a bit too "flaky", though the color itself is rather sweet.

[DustyMojave]

Having checked out MCW, I see that their prices are rather higher than last time I dealt with them. For a spray can the price+shipping+tax comes to nearly $30US. That is more than the cost of the model kit in the same terms. That kind of price ($30) for paint for a Model Factory Hiro 1/12 scale kit would be acceptable. But for a Revell 1/25 Cobra, not so much.

I've seen a model painted with the Zero Colors, I agree it looks very flaky.

So back to maybe Tamiya. ?

[BigTallDad]

Get a non-metallic color, then add silver Pearl X (available at Michael's) to it. Do some experimentation, using varying amounts of Pearl X, before you apply the finish coat.

[65slotcar]

i use  Zero paint  guardsman  blue .   i think it looks  real close and metallic is to scale

[Snake45]

17 minutes ago, 65slotcar said:

i use  Zero paint  guardsman  blue .   i think it looks  real close and metallic is to scale

That color looks remarkably close to my Model Master Arctic Blue. 

 

[65slotcar]

also   Shelby  Mustang  in picture looks  more like Acapulco blue   and that color is lighter then  guardsman blue.  that might  help in search of exact color your looking for.

[DustyMojave]

On 3/17/2020 at 3:29 PM, 65slotcar said:

also   Shelby  Mustang  in picture looks  more like Acapulco blue   and that color is lighter then  guardsman blue.  that might  help in search of exact color your looking for.

After researching that color for some time, that was the picture that I felt best represented the color.

The Zero Paint Guardsman looks pretty fair in that pic. Not so very flaky as what I saw before. Unfortunately the Zero Paints is back-ordered.

And so does the Arctic blue on Snake's Cobra look good. So maybe that's a good solution.

This 67 GT350 is said by Mecum to be Acapulco Blue. Hard to tell the difference from Guardsman Blue that the GT500 is said to be painted. The Acapulco Blue is 1967 Shelby GT350/500 paint color. The Guardsman is not for 1967. Is it the same color under a different name? Maybe someone who can read paint formulas can tell us. Sorry to "borrow" your page image without prior written approval Mecum. I tell you what...You don't fuss about me sharing your page and I won't charge you for the advertising.

Edited March 20, 2020 by DustyMojave

[65slotcar]

yah some of the Zero paint can be hard to get.  but i do like how it sprays  out from an airbrush and dries  really fast.   hobbyworld-usa.com  has  Metallic  blue  red bull-toro rosso part# 1140  zero paint  . maybe not exact but  close and you can add  a little silver to lighten up color.

[DustyMojave]

Okay. How about if we disregard that GT500 above that MAY be 1967 Acapulco Blue and try this 1964 Mustang Convertible. This car is used widely as an example of Guardsman Blue paint. I've found pictures of this car in several locations, often the same pictures.

 

[Belugawrx]

Thanks for posting that last Mustang Richard..

I'll get some outdoor pics of this colour if the sun comes out again,...ever lol

I mixed 2 parts Frost blue, with 1/2 part Sapphire, and mixed that 50/50 with thinner...for under $15.00 to Michael's

[afx]

Unrestored FIA Cobra CSX2345 in Guardsman Blue.  Car behind it is Ken Miles' roadster in Viking (Princess) Blue.

https://shelbyamericancollection.org/cars/1964-fia-cobra-roadster-csx2345/

Edited March 20, 2020 by afx

[DustyMojave]

Cool JC. I would expect you to be the one who has the info on Cobra models as you have put so much effort into building models of them. I respect your knowledge of them. I would have contacted you on the road race site, but since offering someone advice based on personal knowledge of the subject of a model, then telling them that it's their model so they can build it however they choose, makes one non-PC over there and thus persona non grata, that option wasn't open to me.

So which paint do you recommend JC?

[DustyMojave]

On 3/19/2020 at 5:51 PM, Belugawrx said:

Thanks for posting that last Mustang Richard..

I'll get some outdoor pics of this colour if the sun comes out again,...ever lol

I mixed 2 parts Frost blue, with 1/2 part Sapphire, and mixed that 50/50 with thinner...for under $15.00 to Michael's

I've not tried those craft acrylic paints on styrene.

* How well do they adhere?

* Do they go on as thin as paint made for model cars?

* It looks pretty good on the hood of that Cobra, (I presume it's an MPC 1/16 scale kit)

* I also presume you will be adding clear over that to get a gloss finish. Is that correct?

* Further, since we are in official panic mode, such stores are currently shut down in LA County where I live as well as all of California, both since yesterday evening. So I can't just run to the nearest store (about 24 miles). I'm not sure how the panic will affect buying online.

[afx]

18 hours ago, DustyMojave said:

Cool JC. I would expect you to be the one who has the info on Cobra models as you have put so much effort into building models of them. I respect your knowledge of them. I would have contacted you on the road race site, but since offering someone advice based on personal knowledge of the subject of a model, then telling them that it's their model so they can build it however they choose, makes one non-PC over there and thus persona non grata, that option wasn't open to me.

So which paint do you recommend JC?

Sorry Richard about the Motorsport Modeling forum and unfortunately I don't have a paint source recommendation.  I have yet to build one the Shelby Team's '65 season Cobras when they switched to Guardsman Blue.  Just wanted to share the most authentic reference I know of for Guardsman Blue. 

[vamach1]

On 3/17/2020 at 5:22 PM, DustyMojave said:

Having checked out MCW, I see that their prices are rather higher than last time I dealt with them. For a spray can the price+shipping+tax comes to nearly $30US. That is more than the cost of the model kit in the same terms. That kind of price ($30) for paint for a Model Factory Hiro 1/12 scale kit would be acceptable. But for a Revell 1/25 Cobra, not so much.

I've seen a model painted with the Zero Colors, I agree it looks very flaky.

So back to maybe Tamiya. ?

I bought this many years ago.  $30 in today's prices would not be bad if you could do three cars.

[Snake45]

On 3/17/2020 at 5:22 PM, DustyMojave said:

That kind of price ($30) for paint for a Model Factory Hiro 1/12 scale kit would be acceptable. But for a Revell 1/25 Cobra, not so much.

Would you feel better about it if I sold you the Monogram Cobra for $100? 

[Gramps46]

OK I give up.  Where did the idea that Guardsman blue on Cobras were metallic.  This is my own picture at the 1964 USRRC race at Mid Ohio and is a team car.  It was not metallic.

JC, Rex, set me straight if I am wrong.

[vamach1]

I am by no means a paint expert.  I think we can all agree that for instance that Ford Corporate blue is not a metallic color but other variations of blue certainly look more "metallic."  Whether it was marketing or something added into the paint to make it look "metallic" I think there are many colors that could be considered non metallic or metallic.  For example, Ford's Grabber green was very different than the Grabber green metallic.  I guess I am saying someone that is familar with mixing paint would have a much better explanation of what went into these formulas back in those days.

[Snake45]

41 minutes ago, Gramps46 said:

OK I give up.  Where did the idea that Guardsman blue on Cobras were metallic.  This is my own picture at the 1964 USRRC race at Mid Ohio and is a team car.  It was not metallic.

JC, Rex, set me straight if I am wrong.

Ditzler lists '64 Ford Guardsman Blue as "poly," which means metallic. 

Ford's dark blue for '65 was called Caspian Blue, also a poly. The paint codes for the two are different, which means they're not the same color. 

Hmmmmmmmm........

 

[Gramps46]

I freely admit I don't know the difference between paint codes and zip codes.  I do admit I don't trust restored cars.  I only believe in period photos and they can be deceiving because of the type of film and processing used.

Road America 1964