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Q&As since 1989


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Restoration Detailing Colors

I am restoring a couple of older cars. 1st is a 1967 Mustang GTA and the 2nd is a 1970 'Cuda. The detailing books list different color patterns for the under hood items such as: Cadmium, Gold Cadmium, Red Cadmium, Zinc Cadmium, Silver Cadmium, Zinc Phosphate, Phosphate & Oil, Dichromate, Zinc Dichromate, and Red Zinc Dichromate.

I am on an extreme budget and have no intentions of entering the vehicles in concours shows but I would like to have the vehicles restored absolutely as close as original. I know that Eastwood Co. offers paints to match colors such as Gold Cadmium and Silver Cadmium but I can find nothing on the other colors. These are very confusing as to what they should look like.

Is there anything on the marlet aside from expensive plating processes that I can apply myself.

Thank you for any consideration that you can provide to my question

Ken Shaffer
Charleston, West Virginia
1999

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1999

Unfortunately, no paint looks like plating. Nothing that is easily applied and cheap looks like the real plate. But for colors,
Cadmium-is a matte or bright white somewhat like a new dime
Gold cadmium- a semi matte mid yellow to a mild old gold color, frequently with a little iridescence.
Red Cadmium- is a dye,varies from a fire engine red to a bright purplish red.
Zinc Cadmium- No Idea
Silver cadmium- a very bright new dime
Zinc phosphate- a matte to smooth light to mid grey.
Phosphate and oil- same as above but with an oily look
Dichromate and zinc dichromate are the same as gold cadmium
Red Zinc dichromate is the same as red cadmium

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida