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Paint on 57 Coupe de Ville-Duco or Lucite?

Started by cappy102, October 10, 2017, 05:58:35 PM

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cappy102

To all CLC paint experts:

There is much touch-up work to be done on my 1957 Coupe de Ville. The original repair manual lists 2 different, and incompatible, lacquers for this model year (actually 3, if you count the Eldo metallic colors). For the series 62 the factory lists either "Lucite" or "Duco" lacquers. Does anyone know if there is a way to determine which brand of lacquer was used on my car?

Hoping to find some kind of factory paint record, I tried to access the actual date of manufacture using the VIN, but got no hits. Also, any discussions of paint types on this forum were primarily about color matching, etc, and posts dated back to 2008.

Colors are upper=Tahoe Blue, #24; lower=Orion Blue, #20.

Any info, links, or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

1957 Cadillac Coupe De Ville
1981 Moto Guzzi V50 Monza

Jon S

1957 and 1958 were Duco. Lucite was first used in 1959 as "magic mirror" lacquer. Rather than polishing the Duco lacquer, the Lucite was heated on car body so as to reflow and provide a super glossy finish. Both lacquers are obsolite and EPA banned.
Jon

1958 Cadillac Sedan De Ville
1973 Lincoln Continental Coupe
1981 Corvette
2004 Mustang GT

Mike Josephic CLC #3877

I'm afraid that John S is quite correct.  Even if you could find the exact
kind of paint that was used, the formulation and materials used to make that
paint in 1957 are no longer available.  Add on top of that -- there are very few
places in the U.S. that still allow spraying of lacquer paint due to emission
standards. 

If the car needs extensive touch-up (which I think you indicate) then your best
option is to do a full repaint in a modern basecoat / clear-coat system.  Your
color can be perfectly matched.  The newer paints are much more durable and
take a lot less effort to maintain.

Mike
1955 Cadillac Eldorado
1973 Cadillac Eldorado
1995 Cadillac Seville
2004 Escalade
1997 GMC Suburban 4X4, 454 engine, 3/4 ton
custom built by Santa Fe in Evansville, IN
2011 Buick Lucerne CX
-------------------------------------
CLCMRC Museum Benefactor #38
Past: VP International Affiliates, Museum Board Director, President / Director Pittsburgh Region

Bob Schuman

As listed in the 1959 Master Parts Book, the first use of acrylic lacquers in production was on 1956 models. Only three colors were acrylic, paint codes 93,95, and 97. In 1957 there were four acrylic colors, codes 92,94,96, and 98. Your codes 20 and 24 were the nitrocellulose lacquers as GM had been using for years. In 1958 there were five acrylic colors, codes 90,92,94,96, and 98. Although four of those codes were the same as in 1957, the color names and the manufacturers paint numbers were not the same. In 1959 all Cadillac colors were acrylic lacquer.

All of the above is only for historical accuracy. I agree completely with Mike Josephic'srecommendation.

Bob Schuman
Bob Schuman, CLC#254
2017 CT6-unsatisfactory (repurchased by GM)
2023 XT5

cappy102

Thanks for the information. I do remember tales of paint shops exploding back in the day (nitrocellulose is the stuff from which gunpowder is made, after all).

Since this project is, for now, a refurb, and the paint is still serviceable, a new paint job is not yet on my list.

There are numerous rock chips, and dings around the door edges, but overall the paint is fair to good. Last week I did a clay bar/polish on a section of the trunk lid, and it came back to life.

It might be possible to touch up with a modern coating, although finishing it down could be a problem because of different hardness between touch up and original paint.

Has anyone else tried this kind of thing with the old lacquer?

Thanks again!
1957 Cadillac Coupe De Ville
1981 Moto Guzzi V50 Monza

Mike Josephic CLC #3877

#5
I believe that an acrylic enamel paint will work for touch up in small areas.
An enamel should adhere without issue.

I would get an automotive paint supplier to spectro a spot of one of your
colors and make you up a pint for trials.  Pick a spot that's not sun faded
or if you have a piece of interior trim that looks good.  You can brush touch
enamel then after drying wet sand with 2000 grit if needed.

Mike
1955 Cadillac Eldorado
1973 Cadillac Eldorado
1995 Cadillac Seville
2004 Escalade
1997 GMC Suburban 4X4, 454 engine, 3/4 ton
custom built by Santa Fe in Evansville, IN
2011 Buick Lucerne CX
-------------------------------------
CLCMRC Museum Benefactor #38
Past: VP International Affiliates, Museum Board Director, President / Director Pittsburgh Region

cappy102

Thanks, Mike...I've been told that we do have someone in the area that is supposed to be a paint-matching wizard. We'll see.
1957 Cadillac Coupe De Ville
1981 Moto Guzzi V50 Monza