[Jerry H.]

Originally Posted by John V.

My '64 was painted about 3 years ago or so. I supplied an older can of Bill Hirsch paint but my engine builder also was using their fresh product. I no longer recall details but I think he felt both my old can and a new can sprayed out too dark. I believe he was familiar with Bill Hirsch paint from past engine builds. IIRC, he contacted Bill Hirsch to discuss the off color but I don't recall the resolution and don't recall if he resprayed my engine to get a better color match. Pretty sure no primer was used. Valve covers are GTO chrome but don't recall the valley pan or oil pan getting any special treatment.

Drove it for the first time in 2019, only have 500 miles on the engine now, none yet this year. Paint is burned off at the crossover. I also had a valve cover leak on both sides. Paint is now stained on the heads below the covers. I'm bummed, it certainly doesn't look like a fresh engine anymore. But my intent was always to drive the car so I'm just gonna live with it.

If you choose the Bill Hirsch paint, you might want to speak with them to see what if any changes they have made to improve the '64/'65 color in the last few years.

For me, I'm less concerned with the exact match to the original color than with durability. I have no idea how consistent the color even was from the factory. Color match would vary with coating thickness, age, heat, etc. I would have preferred a paint that was close in color but more durable.

No idea what could have been done to achieve that, too late for me now.

I'm wondering if Bill Hirsch didn't base his color off the old Dupont synthol enamel paint code. Years ago, probably 30 or so I bought some Bill Hirsch paint for the early Pontiac engines and it was so dark I didn't use it. 10 years or so later I had my local Dupont jobber mix some up in acrylic enamel in that paint code and it was too dark also. I had to mix it almost half and half with white toner to get it to the right color. I then sprayed it with hardener mixed in. I got compliments every where I went wanted to know where I bought the paint. BTW, I remember using the 208 to do some touch ups and it was a perfect match.