Color sample inventory for old Hudsons?

Unknown

I have long thought that it would also be terrific if we could

somehow assemble accurate references for colors used at the factory

-- not just in name but in actual tones. Graphic designers use

something called the Pantone Matching System (PMS), under which

thousands of specific colors are categorized and given specific

numbers. (For example PMS 300 is a strong, deep blue.) That would be

one way to categorize the colors when and where people could find

some well-protected samples of OEM paint. (For instance, I DO have a

few places on my 1929 Town Sedan where the original Reseda Green

paint still exists, and has been protected over the years from solar

exposure. I could match that against a PMS sample set if I chose to

do so.)



Another -- and possibly easier and better -- way to document

original colors would be to photograph the pure, original color

sample and then view the photo in Adobe Photoshop, which can give a

CYMK readout of any given point in a photo.



(Reseda Green would be roughly C=90 Y = 42 M = 55 K = 22) . For

those not familiar with graphic arts, C is Cyan, Y is Yellow, M is

Magenta, and K is black.) White would be 0 0 0 0; fire engine red

would be

c=0 y = 100 y = 100, k = 0. c=100 m = 100 y = 0 k = 0 yields a

deep blue, etc. Of course, the exact color value obtained through

this process would vary depending on the condition of the paint, the

lighting used in photographing it, and the color fidelity of the

specific digital camera. But it might be worth a start. if anyone

wants to contribute color samples, I will do the CYMK analysis with

Photoshop.



We KNOW what the factory colors were called, at least for many years'

models. For the 29 Hudson, for instance, the Standard Sedan used

Woodlawn Green, Sunnybrook Blue, Ivory Jet Black, Hudson Standard

Blue, Elizabethan Blue, Reseda Green, Pharoah Green, Malaga Maroon,

Thorne Brown, Nebraska Green, Hawthorne Green, Tyrolean Green, Antler

Tan, Birkendale Blue, Radium Blue, Highway Grey, Hudson Brown, Derby

Brown, Royal Chariot Red, etc. The complete list of colors is

available at http://hudsonsuper6.tripod.com/paint.pdf. Since certain

models came with only certain color combinations matched with a given

serial number, it should be possible for many owners to determine

what their color scheme is, photograph the relevant colors in direct

sunlight, and email photos to me. I am willing to categorize the

colors and keep an updated list available on the Internet for the

1929 Hudson vehicles. The database should not exceed 100 color names

for that year, based on inspection of the referenced document.



So....can we give this a try?







Lew Phelps

Pasadena, CA

1929 Hudson Town Sedan