I decided to spray some test samples on paper and do a direct comparison of available spray can red engine paints to the discontinued Krylon Buick Red. The 3 I used were Krylon 2114, Duplicolor brake caliper paint BCP100, and Duplicolor engine paint DE1653. The results speak for themselves and what you see in the pics is how the 3 actually differ. I used 2 light coats of Duplicolor engine primer grey, 1 light and 2 medium coats of color, allowed 24 hrs to dry. The DE1653 is a little bit lighter in color than the other 2 , and the BCP100 most closely matched the 2114.
Thanks for doing this! I have 1 can of 2114 left, so it was time to start looking for an alternative. The caliper paint is definitely close for a non concours guy like me
Same here. I try to do it right, but I'm not going to spend a small fortune to track down the correct out of production paint.
The Bill Hirsch engine paint is almost a exact match too . Plus its good to 500 degrees . I posted pictures on here in another thread
So which one most closely represents the factory color? The one on the left looks lighter than the 2 to the right. The 2 to the right look the same to me, but I'm also colorblind (red/green) deficiency. I can tell it's red, but couldn't say which shade of red it is.
Krylon 2114 looks best to me, but, what do I know - I'm still using the Dupli-Color 1608 1200* stuff.
We just sprayed ours with the DE1653. It looks great. I'm not looking to win a trophy for this. Just want it to be presentable when the hood opens up.
I used the Rustoleum universal engine red based on a prior post. But I have to say if I was doing it over I would use the duplicolor paint simply because it sprays so well and seems to hold up well. I also love their clear gloss, great stuff.
The 1653 is what I have been using here for the last couple years.. I had switch to Rustoelum Universal red there for a while, it was a good shade, but horrible to work with.. look at it funny and it ran like crazy.. took forever to dry... I really like duplicolor paint, how it sprays, and it's dry time and finish.. I will say, use in a well ventilated area, it really smells bad now, different than similar duplicolor paints did before. I just wanted to add, that in my experience, all engine paints darken once they heat cycle.. the 1653, like the 1608 before it, is the closest thing I have found to Buick red, after the heat darkens it a bit. I have a very nice valve cover from 1970 here that I use for paint match, and it matches that pretty much spot on.. When they come back from the dyno.. a bit too bright before the heat, for sure. I always used to wonder why folks used that 2114 paint, because every engine painted with that, I saw out at the track and on cruise nights looked too dark to me. Then a customer supplied some to me, to paint his engine with, and after I sprayed it, I realized why it's used.. it looks pretty much right on, out of the can.. before the heat.. I have some pictures on my desktop here of the before and after, and if I get a chance later, I will try and find and post them. JW
@Jim Weise I totally agree re Rustoleum -- it literally takes a week to dry and is not the most resistant to gas. I had my valve cover powder coated as I've struggled to get any rattle can paint to hold up on valve covers -- regardless of brand. Was totally worth it...
The Krylon 2114 is most closest to the factory color, right out of the can, before any heat cycles but has been no longer available for 4 or 5 years now. The Duplicolor BCP100, in this test, most closely matches the 2114, it is just the slightest shade lighter. For the next phase of this test I think I will bake the sample sheet in my oven at 250 F for an hour. Or maybe cut it in half and bake half of it to compare with unbaked.
I have some valve covers in good shape, panted with Krylon 2114 back in the mid 80's, with lots of time on them. I will compare those with the test samples to see how the color has changed over time/temp.
So, if the good matches in color are no longer available what is the closest match that is currently being sold?
Yes the Bill Hirsch paint is the closest I have found. But as in your picture it appears too Pinkish . That is because of the sunlight . If your hood was on it is the correct hue . In the direct sunlight it appears too light but in normal enviroment as with the hood on its correct. And it appears this engine has never been run because of the missing Distributor and wires and throttle spring return
