What color is my Pennant Blue '54 ... really?

[Jim L.]

My '54 is Pennant Blue and there is absolutely no doubt that it left the factory as a Pennant Blue car. That said, I wonder if, before it left the factory, could it have started out as a white car?

Reason I wonder about this is that in places where the original blue paint is chipping off (the car is unrestored so there are many such places), there is white underneath. I can think of only two explanations for the white:

1. The factory used white primer

2. The body was originally white and was repainted Pennant Blue before the car was completed.

What's the real (or most probable) story?

Thanks,

Jim

[Wayne W.]

Re: What color is my Pennant Blue '54 ... really?

My '54 is Pennant Blue and there is absolutely no doubt that it left the factory as a Pennant Blue car. That said, I wonder if, before it left the factory, could it have started out as a white car?

Reason I wonder about this is that in places where the original blue paint is chipping off (the car is unrestored so there are many such places), there is white underneath. I can think of only two explanations for the white:

1. The factory used white primer

2. The body was originally white and was repainted Pennant Blue before the car was completed.

What's the real (or most probable) story?

Thanks,

Jim

The factory made some bodies with white gel-coat. Strangely most that I have seen have been painted blue. Those bodies are a real pain. They usually have a lot of gel-coat cracks, especially at the edges of panels where it is very thick.

[Mike M.]

Re: What color is my Pennant Blue '54 ... really?

my 54, vin 2184, a polo white exterior, had matte fiberglass panels for door skins and the contained a heavy coat of white gel coat. the rest of the panels were constructed with fiberglass cloth and lacked the thick white gel coat.mike

[Wayne W.]

Re: What color is my Pennant Blue '54 ... really?

In the top picture you will see the gel-coat ground away to the fiberglass. This was on the front fenders. It was much thicker in other places. The complete body except for a few lower pieces was gel-coated.

In the lower picture you will see that same gel-coat buffed to a gloss, just to prove that is what it it is.

The story goes that it was an experiment in gel-coat coloring to eliminate painting. I dont know if that has any truth.

[Bill W.]

Re: What color is my Pennant Blue '54 ... really?

my old 54 # 2765 was blue and had the heavy very cracked gel coat.

[Jim L.]

Re: What color is my Pennant Blue '54 ... really?

In the top picture you will see the gel-coat ground away to the fiberglass. This was on the front fenders. It was much thicker in other places. The complete body except for a few lower pieces was gel-coated.

Wayne,

The gelcoat showing through in the picture you posted looks very similar to the white that is peeking through the blue on my car. That must be what I'm seeing. It occurs to me that if this is gel-coat, it won't come off on a rag soaked with lacquer thinner, but if it's white paint it will. I'll do that experiment tomorrow.

Thanks to all who have responded!

Jim

[Russ U.]

Re: What color is my Pennant Blue '54 ... really?

Jim-

I have a bunch of photos of Jim's car on my website: Jim's 54. I was wondering about all the white showing on a car that is definitely a blue car. The gel coat thing makes sense. Learn something new every day.

If you take a look at the pics of Jim's 54 on my website, you will see a trophy sitting on the passenger side of the 54. Please do not ask about the trophy. It is a Top Eliminator drag racing trophy that Jim won in the 54. I think it is the only trophy Jim ever won. I cannot endure the story one more time.

Russ

[Randy G.]

Re: What color is my Pennant Blue '54 ... really?

Russ:

Not to hijack the thread, but does anyone have a source for the interior gold color paint? Carol at Warner's old place told me Wal*Mart has it in a rattle can in their stores but I've never seen anything close to it.

Randy

[Jim L.]

Re: What color is my Pennant Blue '54 ... really?

If you take a look at the pics of Jim's 54 on my website, you will see a trophy sitting on the passenger side of the 54. Please do not ask about the trophy. It is a Top Eliminator drag racing trophy that Jim won in the 54. I think it is the only trophy Jim ever won. I cannot endure the story one more time.

Aw, you're just jealous that your '53 hasn't won anything.

Jim

[Russ U.]

Re: What color is my Pennant Blue '54 ... really?

Aw, you're just jealous that your '53 hasn't won anything.

Jim

Wrong!!!! My 53 won a Gymkhana in 1959. And Dave Elie didn't need a 23 second handicap, or whatever headstart your 54 had in the infamous drag race.

[Jim L.]

Re: What color is my Pennant Blue '54 ... really?

Wrong!!!! My 53 won a Gymkhana in 1959. And Dave Elie didn't need a 23 second handicap, or whatever headstart your 54 had in the infamous drag race.

Well, you suckered me in on that one.

But, hey, a win is a win. And besides.... my '54's trophy is bigger than your '53s trophy.