Andalusite Blue
 

I want to paint my car Andalisite blue so I took the NEW paint and finish guide to my PPG dealer to scan the colour chip. They look for the closest match to a more modern car’s colour. The only one that came up was a 2005 Mitsubishi dark grey but it was not a high percentage match. They mixed a small amount for me anyways and it actually looks pretty close to the chip in the book, but is kind of “muddy” looking, not quite what I want.

A friend has a car painted Andalusite blue, which I really like, and matched his paint to an old supply of Ditzler lacquer applied to a test card which he still has. He had it scanned and found to match 1977 Ford Midnight Blue. It is nowhere near the sample colour in the paint and finish guide, which kind of baffles me because the guide was supposed to be matched to original Ford samples. I know lacquer has changed since 1930 so perhaps that accounts for the difference, but it really is dramatically different.

I will probably try to get that shade if they can formulate it in a low VOC paint (he used DCC single stage urethane and I will have to use Shopline).

Before I commit I’m wondering if anybody else has found a match for this colour in a modern car’s paint formula? In the archives I saw that somebody found a Mercedes midnight blue that was found to match Andalusite. Any others?

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

My understanding of andalusite blue is it's one of those
Ford "almost black" colors that you need bright sunlight to see the blue.

Can't they still mix any tone you provide a sample of? I have another car (1990 Eclipse) I'll be painting and I'll want a few notches towards red from the factory slightly maroon color.

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

You have picture of your friends car????


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Re: Andalusite Blue
 

Here's my brother-in-law carhttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/202...d304cc758b.jpg


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Re: Andalusite Blue
 

My 29 Tudor was painted with a Ditzler acrylic lacquer Andalusite blue in 1980 and still holds its beautiful color. In shade it looks blue and/or almost black, in direct sunshine it shows a kind of lavender rose undertone on highlights. I still have a can and a half left over, which is still good and I can still use it for very minor touchups. The only readable note written one one can is "121". It does not even come close to the color shown in tinkirk’s brother-in-law’s roadster. This was matched to an original spot on an inside part of the car.

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

I believe roadster is Washington and riviera blues

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

Yes. Could have been Andalusite too, though.

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

Try TCP global they have all the old formulas

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

I have the formula for Andalusite in PPG's DCC Concept line. We just sprayed a 40A body in it last week, so I know it is an accurate formula. With that said, if you are using a PPG Jobber, simply have your store contact PPG's library in Ohio (-call their Tech support and they will transfer them to that department) and they will give them the formula to mix it in whatever line PPG produces. Don't settle for anything less or factory pack color.

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

This is my 30' Sport Coupe painted last year with Andalusite

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

Here is an update.

My friend confirmed that his test sample was nitrocellulose lacquer, Ditzler #121. I took it back into the PPG paint jobber, along with the info on his left-over paint label and they confirmed that it matched Ford Midnight Blue, PPG #15282. Brent, is that the same number you are using? In their computer, it was listed for 1928 - 1936 Fords, which is strange. Also, when the jobber called PPG support on my first visit, they could only provide a mixture formula for Andalusite Blue in water based paint, which doesn't translate to solvent based apparently. Brent, you must have had better luck with them.

I had a small amount mixed up in JTX single stage urethane (we can't use Concept here because of the high VOC) and sprayed my own test sample and it looks perfect. In outdoor light it seems to match the old paint and finish guide chips quite close, but not the new one at all. I tried to take a photo to show the comparison but too much reflection for a clear picture.

I checked paintref.com and autocolorlibrary.com and found there are a number of variations in names for the same Midnight Blue code (3G), but when I asked my jobber to check these, they appeared to be metallic paint. However, when I searched for PPG #15282 on paintref.com it shows 1979-80 Ford Fiesta Midnight Blue, Ford code X9 and X0.

Anyways, I am now happy that I have the right colour - for me at least, and hopefully the above information will help others wanting to use this colour.

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

https://media.fotki.com/2v29HyK4DxHuj7.jpg

I got the PPG Envirobase formula, base-clear for Andulusite Blue, from PPG, and had it shot out with 3 minor variations, pulling out a bit of the black and crimson pigments. Under most lighting conditions, you would be hard pressed to tell one sprayout from the other. But PPG still has the old formulas adapted to modern paints.

https://media.fotki.com/2v29H8DHnxHuj7.jpg

https://media.fotki.com/2v29H8DZhxHuj7.jpg

I love the color, and it is what was on it when my father purchased the cabriolet new in late 1929. As you can see, the light conditions really affect the color you see.

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

The Ditzler 121 would indicate it is the same color I used on my Tudor in 1980, just different chemistry.

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

The color of the roadster seems far too light to me to be Andalusite blue.

When I had paint mixed for my car, the shop got the best match to the Andalusite Blue color chip in the book with a SAAB color named "Embassy Blue" That color was sufficiently close such that the expert at the shop could tweak the formula manually to the point where I was not able to tell the difference to the color chip.

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

A PPG dealer should be able to use the code IM121 for Andalusite Blue. My grandparents had our car painted at *cough* Maaco and they were able to get a really good match on Andalusite.

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

MAACO can do very nice work if you are willing to do a lot of the prep work, or pay them to do it. I had a small side business working up cars for a good paint job and had Maaco, and other, "quick" shops shoot the sealer and color. I think I got extra nice jobs because they liked them sitting out front as a kind of advertising. The money you're spending or saving will be in the prep.

Andalusite Blue
 

I love that paint too! Nice car.


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Re: Andalusite Blue
 

TCP Global!!!!!

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

My 1929 Tudor was recently painted using PPG’s Deltron. Calling PPG, at first I received the IM 121 formula being water based. On my request PPG actually regenerated this formula to solvent based. I have both formulas if you need them.
And indeed, Mercedes Midnight Blue comes very close. I also have that for emergencies.
DO ! Spray a dark gray primer. DO NOT use red primer, it will make the Andalusite Blue look a little red when in the dull sunshine.

Re: Andalusite Blue
 

BTW, a paint chip does not have sufficient surface for the paint shop to scan properly.