Stepdown Rocker Color

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in HUDSON
There have been a few threads on this forum asking about the correct silver color on stepdown rocker panels. I believe (correct me if I am wrong) that the original color was called Velachrome and is no longer available. With current technology the color could possibly be accurately matched at the paint supplier via computer matching and the eye of an experienced paint man. The problem is that there are very few original survivor rockers left in excellent shape and then you would have to get the owner to take it off his Hudson and take to the paint store to be scanned.

What I ran into yesterday may help those looking for that exact color. I was cleaning, getting ready to install, the mirror on my '52 C8 and noticed the color on the back was very close to the silver on my rockers. The color for my rockers was given to me by a very knowledgeable Hudson enthusiast and is supposed to be almost exact. In comparing the two colors, the colors were close but the tones were slightly different and the mirror's silver paint had more depth and sheen to it.

This is along post to say that the color on the back of the mirror is probably the same as the rocker panels. There are a lot more survivor mirrors out there and are much easier to carry to a paint store than a rocker. So if you are in the midst of a correct restoration and have a Hornet or Commodore mirror, you now may have the correct color for your rockers. Just remember that tail piece behind the skirt is not painted totally silver.

I am just passing along an observation, I could be 100% off base.

Comments

  • 53jetman
    53jetman Senior Contributor
    The tail piece behind the skirt was all completely the velachrome color on 1952 & 1953 cars. They started painting all of that panel at the same time they dropped the rear bumper a couple of inches and monted the taillights lower and toward the side of the rear quarter panel.



    Jerry Bean

    53Jetman
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    SRCraftsman2-



    I recently acquired a really good rearview mirror, and that was precisely what I planned on doing when it comes time to paint the rockers.
  • RL Chilton
    RL Chilton Administrator, Member
    53jetman-



    I've been told that before, but this is going to be one of those "concessions" I make, 'cause those pieces look WAAAY better not being all the same color. Makes the lines of the car flow better.
  • 53jetman
    53jetman Senior Contributor
    I have to agree, the car looks better when the tail sections of the rockers are painted as they were in '48 & '49 with the body color on the very rear of the section, outlingin the side styling of the car. I suppose they felt that since they had dropped the bumper down, it would not show the little bit of color on the very rear.



    Jerry BEan

    53Jetman
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