# Pic? Opalescent Vs. Radiant Green



## creebobby (May 25, 2018)

After missing out on the 58 Corvette sold here I got my brain on that green color.

What's the difference between the Opalescent colors of the late 50s vs. the Radiant colors that came after?

Are they both the same type of single stage metallic colors, just different hues?  (As opposed to the flamboyant 2 stage candy colors)?

Anyone have a side by side close up pic of Opalescent Green next to Radiant Green?

From pics it looks like Opalescent is more of a deeper emerald green, and Radiant is a slightly lighter 'green light' green?


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## Phattiremike (May 25, 2018)

I’m no expert but tried to have my red phantom paint matched by an auto body paint store it was opalescent red I was told.  Paint store said the couldn’t get an exact match it required a silver base coat.


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## GTs58 (May 25, 2018)

All the Opal,Radiant and Flamboyant colors were a translucent/candy paint shot over a silver aluminum base or in some of the very early cases a gold base coat. There was no such thing as a metallic paint with these colors.
I've messed around with all the examples I own/owned and believe the Radiant colors were formulated to match the Opal colors. I'm pretty dang sure there was a product change at the time the color name was changed and very possibly the new Radiant paint was applied electrostatically verses being applied with a spray gun. Some Opals are dark and that is probably the result of the person loading up the paint which will make any candy color darker. The electrostatic painted bikes that I have seen have paint that varies in shade due to a light to a heavier coverage. And when I say light, that starts at the lightest point where you can still see the silver base coat at the cantilever/ down tube joints and the seat stays (cantilever bars) to the seat post joints. The shade will vary from one tube to the next and it's somewhat deceiving due the lighting, reflection and shadowing. I've compared the Opals to the Radiants in Blue, Green and Red. The examples I tested showed identical colors on the steer tubes. Here's the Green with a 57 opal and a 62 Radiant.


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## creebobby (May 25, 2018)

Wow, GTs58, thanks for the info and the pics!
Seems like there’s lots of variation and it comes down to finding the right bike.

Personally I like the lighter greens.



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## GTs58 (May 25, 2018)

My favorite is the Lime.


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## GTs58 (May 25, 2018)

Here is what makes the colors look darker with age. Paint was chemically removed only to find out the frame had a base coat of rust.


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## creebobby (May 26, 2018)

That explains a lot!
Like on some of the ratty examples, the paint is pocked with rusty freckle splotches that seem to bloom from beneath the paint.


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## creebobby (Jun 13, 2018)

I just got an official can of Schwinn refinish Opal Green!
It’s a one stage paint but it has the lighter hue that I love.
Compare it to the headtube of a 61 Radiant Green Racer.


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## GTs58 (Jun 13, 2018)

creebobby said:


> View attachment 823329
> 
> I just got an official can of Schwinn refinish Opal Green!
> It’s a one stage paint but it has the lighter hue that I love.
> ...





I hope you're not referring to the cap as the lighter hue. Cap colors are rarely the same as the actual colors, close but not the same and they are intended for a quick visual of the contents color, not the exact color match.


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## creebobby (Jun 15, 2018)

A lot of spray can caps are painted with the actual paint inside the can.  This cap is metal and painted, so why wouldn’t the color be accurate?
I’m tempted to empty the contents of the can into a glass jar and see what color comes out . . .


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