Arabian Sand Dark and Copra Drab colors

[wrndln]

I am currently painting my 28 special coupe. The main color is Arabian Sand Dark (ASD) which is done. The beltrails, quarterpanel/door mouldings and windshield frame color is Copra Drab. I had the local auto store mix the paints for me. I have the main body painted ASD and today I painted the windshield frame and hinge Copra Drab. I am using PPG concept. I got the sheets with the color codes from Model A news Aug 2004 (Vol 51 No 4). The code for ASD is 433 and Copra Drab is 440. I can hardly tell the difference between the ASD and Copra Drab. They look close to identical in color. The chips in the Model A Ford Paint and Finishing Guide show the two color being similar, but the Copra Drab looks a little darker brown. Has anyone painted their model A this color combination. I would like to know if the two colors are indeed almost identical or if the place I bought the paint from somehow messed up. It is possible the codes are wrong, but I don't think so. I am thinking when I pain the quarterpanel and door raised mouldings, the two colors could be almost indistinguishable. Any help would be appreciated.

[MCHinson]

I am no expert but if they look almost indistinguishable, something is wrong. My paint code list that I printed out a few years ago agrees with PPG 432 for Arabian Sand Light and PPG 440 for Copra Drab but they certainly should not be indistinguishable. Is it possible to have your paint supplier double check to see if they made a mistake?

[wrndln]

After the windshield frame paint dried, I held the windshield frame painted Copra Drab up against the Arabian Sand Dark and I couldn't see the difference between the two colors. There must be a problem with one of them. I sure hope it isn't the Arabian Sand Dark, as I have painted the whole car inside and out with it. I think the Copra Drab maybe a little lighter than the paint chip in the book shows. I guess I will have to go to the paint store and try to find out why the colors are so close.

[Richard in Anaheim CA]

wrndln

My 28 Tudor is painted Arabian Sand and Copra Drab. Nice Colors, in 25 years I never called it "Dark Arabian Sand" just Arabian Sand.

You can see a pictures by logging on www.MAFCA.com then "Fun Stuff", "Photo Gallery", 1928 Vehicles", Tudor Sedans" and finally scroll down to the 3rd picture.

Richard
Anaheim CA

[wrndln]

Richard,
There is an Arabian Sand Dark and an Arabian Sand Light. According to the Model A Ford Paint & Finishing Guide, the Arabian Sand Light was only used on roadsters and phaetons in 1928. That is why I painted my coupe Arabian Sand Dark. 28 Tudors, if painted original colors, were Arabian Sand Dark only, not light. From the picture on the MAFCA site, I can't tell which color your car is. Copra Drab is used for trim with both the dark and light Arabian Sand. I know that the Arabian Sand Light would have more contrast with Copra Drab than the dark would. I am hoping the Copra Drab is the problem. If the Arabian Sand Dark is the problem, I would have a lot of work redoing the car. At this point, I probably wouldn't redo it, even it is not right. I will need to check with the paint supplier and check things out. Later addition to the message: I compared the color chip in the paint guide with the actual Copra Drab frame and they look different. The paint place is mixing up a 1/2 pt of Copra Drab. I can compare the paint they made a couple of years ago with what they are making now to see if it is different. Hopefully they will be.

[Farrell In Vancouver]

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My colors on the 1928 Special Coupe are the same, close but a subtle contrast. There is definetley a difference in natural light but under the shop light its real close just a tad more brown in the copra drab.

[John LaVoy]

The picture to the left is a 1928 phaeton painted Arabian Sand light with the copra drab trim, the Arabian Sand dark should only be a little darker than that.

[wrndln]

John,
There is much more contrast between ASL and Copra Drab than ASD and Copra Drab. I seems to me that if I paint the qpanel and door mouldings, it would look almost exactly like ASD.

[John LaVoy]

When I did the phaeton another fellow did the exact same thing only in the ASD and there was still contrast to the Copra Drab. Not as much as the light but it was obvious that it was a different color.

[Richard in Anaheim CA]

If you don't correct a problem to your satisfaction immediately, you will relive this moment every time you look at your car.

Sorry. Don't ask why I know

Richard
[email protected]

[Lacrown]

Originally Posted by wrndln

After the windshield frame paint dried, I held the windshield frame painted Copra Drab up against the Arabian Sand Dark and I couldn't see the difference between the two colors. There must be a problem with one of them. I sure hope it isn't the Arabian Sand Dark, as I have painted the whole car inside and out with it. I think the Copra Drab maybe a little lighter than the paint chip in the book shows. I guess I will have to go to the paint store and try to find out why the colors are so close.

So are you saying roadsters were not painted arabian tan dark?

[wrndln]

I originally posted the message you are referring to. I think you mistyped the "arabian tan dark" in your post. Do you mean Arabian Sand Dark? 28 roadsters WERE painted Arabian Sand Dark and also Arabian Sand Light, with Copra Drab belt mouldings. I was stating PPG Copra Drab Concept paint is definitely not the correct color. I ended up using Dupont ChromaPriemer single stage Copra Drab. It WAS the correct color as it matched the color chip in the Paint and Finish booklet.
Rusty Nelson

[Lacrown]

Thank you very much I am getting ready to paint an early 28 and planning on painting it Arabian Sand Dark (I did use tan by mistake). For some reason I thought I heard somewhere early 28's didn't have the dark. Thanks again Larry form the great white north.

[wrndln]

Larry,
Open cars had the option according to the Paint and Finish booklet of either Arabian Sand Dark or Light. Both the light and dark main colors had Copra Drab for the belt mouldings and French Gray for the pin strip. Closed cars only had Arabian Sand Dark as a paint color. I have no idea why Ford did this, but evidently they did if the paint book is correct and I believe it is. My advice is to NOT use PPG Concept (maybe any PPG paint for Copra Drab) for your Copra Drab. If you do, I think you will be real disappointed.
Rusty Nelson

[Lacrown]

Rusty, Several years back I had my supplier (at that time PPG) get me some paint #'s for Model A paints and I wasn,t ready for them at that time and now I,m ready and he has changed paint companies (I think Sherwin Williams). I hope we can cross reference or something. Don't think for one minute I am a professional, I am a back yard 'tinkerer' but like doing things as close to correct as I can. Larry

[C26Pinelake]

It is time to put the gun down. You are not yet at the point of no return. If the paint store did not make an error you might want to change the second color, otherwise people may look at the finished product as a mistake. Wayne