# Resurrecting Campus Green Paint thread



## Aieeejo

Hi All,
I read through several older discussions here and around the www universe about where to find Campus Green paint, and with the exception of Koolest Kolors I'm striking out.  I'm not able to pay $68 per can for spray paint or $78 for a half-pint, or $220 for a repainting kit (primer, base coat, 2 cans of spray, and clear coat) to refinish a hundred dollar bike.  
It looked like maybe the Sherwin-Williams Auto Refinishing shop might be a great lead, but I just talked to a manager at one and he spent 15 minutes with me only to come up empty-handed.  He says his system has no references to ANY Schwinn paints (although he can easily find Harley colors and many others by just inputting the company name).  When I asked if Sherwin-Williams corporate might have additional resources to search he said they won't.

I know I can get a primer, aluminum base coat, and clear coat at cheaper prices from many places close to my home, however that still leaves the main ingredient.  Ideally I'd like to go authentic, so before settling on a generic, almost-right color, are there any tips out there where else I should try?  If I understand correctly, Schwinn's color uses gold flecks to provide the metallic sparkle, which seems to be somewhat unique or unusual (ie not easy to duplicate).

Thanks for any help!


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## 1motime

Go back to the paint store or another GOOD auto paint jobber.  Ask to look at the FLEET colors book.  Dupont, PPG, RM   Lots of colors. Should find something close


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## cyclingday

I would rethink your haste in abandoning Koolest Kolors.
They went to great lengths to get these paints right, which wasn’t easy, as you are finding out.
They have supplied this hobby with an outstanding product.
If you want to do it right, they have made it possible.
As the old saying goes, it ain’t cheap, because quality never is.
Just sayin!


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## Aieeejo

1motime said:


> Go back to the paint store or another GOOD auto paint jobber.  Ask to look at the FLEET colors book.  Dupont, PPG, r.m.   Lots of colors. Should find something close



Unfortunately I'd be basing it off my imperfect memory, as I don't have a sample to bring in for matching.  On the up-side, it's not for touch-up, but a full paint job, so uniformity isn't an issue.  But we'd have to assume I (or my kids) will sell it one day, and having a real Schwinn color would be my preference.
I tried Sherwin-Williams because a few other folks have said they used to be the paint manufacturer for the Schwinn company.


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## Aieeejo

cyclingday said:


> I would rethink your haste in abandoning Koolest Kolors.
> They went to great lengths to get these paints right, which wasn’t easy, as you are finding out.
> They have supplied this hobby with an outstanding product.
> If you want to do it right, they have made it possible.
> As the old saying goes, it ain’t cheap, because quality never is.
> Just sayin!



Based on many enthusiasts' comments, I'm completely confident that Koolest Kolors is THE #1 source.  And maybe one of the ONLY sources, which is why they can charge 5 times the retail price for their exclusive product.  (For reference, I note that they aren't the only supplier of primer, aluminum base coat, or clear coat, yet they still charge exorbitant prices for those, too.)   I'm not as confident that their quality is that superior to other paint producers, warranting a 500% markup.  Since paint colors aren't trademark (or is it copyright?) protected, all it takes is the code or a sample to create a new batch.  
If I had the money to spare, there's a good chance I'd suck it up and buy the KK brand, but it's currently not an option for me.  That's the only reason I'm abandoning them - it's well out of my budget.  (I imagine I'm not the only one in that boat.)


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## bikecrazy

I can match most radiant Schwinn colors with Duplo metal paints, but Campus Green is a no-go. It is a odd ball color that was never very popular outside of bicycles. I did come close by spraying candy blue over a gold base. KK is your only bet if you want accuracy.


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## Aieeejo

bikecrazy said:


> I can match most radiant Schwinn colors with Duplo metal paints, but Campus Green is a no-go. It is a odd ball color that was never very popular outside of bicycles. I did come close by spraying candy blue over a gold base. KK is your only bet if you want accuracy.



Just out of curiosity, bikecrazy, would Sierra Brown be any easier?  That was the original color of the bike, which was never my favorite.  It's a '73 Collegiate, and I stripped/repainted it around 1990 with some other non-Schwinn color, and now I'm ready to bring it back into the correct palette.  Kool Lemon was the other color it was offered in.  I guess my preferences in order would be Campus Green, Kool Lemon, Sierra Brown.  As long as I can do it significantly under Koolest Kolor's $221 price tag.


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## Ernbar

I was able to match the Kool Lemon color of my 1973 Continental using two shades of Testors yellow enamels in the small square bottles that cost under. $1.50 each. I used it for touch ups and you can’t tell where the touch ups are at. Notice the very visible red primer on the chips.






I feathered the chipped edges with fine sandpaper and shot the chips with my fine tipped air brush using my home brewed Testors paint.





It’s a perfect match. I was able to touch up the rest of the scratches and chips using my air brush and the custom mixed enamel paint.


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## Aieeejo

Ernbar said:


> I was able to match the Kool Lemon color of my 1973 Continental using two shades of Testors yellow enamels in the small square bottles that cost under. $1.50 each. I used it for touch ups and you can’t tell where the touch ups are at. Notice the very visible red primer on the chips.
> 
> View attachment 1178977
> 
> I feathered the chipped edges with fine sandpaper and shot the chips with my fine tipped air brush using my home brewed Testors paint.
> 
> View attachment 1178988
> 
> It’s a perfect match. I was able to touch up the rest of the scratches and chips using my air brush and the custom mixed enamel paint.
> 
> View attachment 1178989



Turned out great! Nice job!


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## bikecrazy

You picked all the really tough colors! Someone told me that Ford has a yellow that is very close to cool lemon. If you can figure out what model and year, you can order duplo touch up spray cans. Sierra brown may be able to be color matched at an automotive paint store. Mine will sell custom matches in a can for about 25$.


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## Aieeejo

bikecrazy said:


> You picked all the really tough colors! Someone told me that Ford has a yellow that is very close to cool lemon. If you can figure out what model and year, you can order duplo touch up spray cans. Sierra brown may be able to be color matched at an automotive paint store. Mine will sell custom matches in a can for about 25$.



I just read two posts on 2 other sites that Testor's Mystic Emerald (Lacquer paint) is a pretty close color to Campus Green; the only problem there is that it comes in 3oz aerosol cans.  So a whole bike will probably need several cans.  Still at least 50% less expensive than Koolest Kolors though. Another guy says that there's a very close powder coat color called Illusion Money from PrismaticPowders.  So maybe there are other options after all.  Not genuine Schwinn colors, unfortunately, but hard for a non-expert to tell the difference without a side-by-side comparison.
Thanks for the tip on Kool Lemon.


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## GTs58

It would be much easier matching the Kool Lemon color and cheaper by savings from doing a silver base coat. Dupi-Color, Krylon, Rustoleum and others have paint in various shades of yellow. I wonder what Dupli-Colors Ford chrome yellow looks like in real life.


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## bikecrazy

The Testers green lacquer I had was too green. Not a perfect match.Campus green is more of an olive green. Yellow is probably your most economical bet at achieving a good color match. The bike will look great!


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## Gordon

I could sell you a campus green frame and you could build it with your parts.


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## Ernbar

[QUOTE="bikecrazy, post: Yellow is probably your most economical bet at achieving a good color match. The bike will look great!
[/QUOTE]

I love that Kool Lemon color and the green is very nice too. Either color is not a difficult task to achieve since it’s a complete re paint and the colors will look great even if tad off in shade that can only be noticed if placed side by side with the original color. 
 Grab a set of decals from BB on eBay and your bike will look brand new.


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## Jeff54

There aint no gold in Campus green. It's a delusion perpetrated  by a dope. I have a 1969 campus green super sport, it's an aluminum base. 'wink'. It's not the metal coat, that gives the whole colored appearance, it's the top coat.     What you need is to discover an exact match of the translucent/transparent top coat. Because the under or base is a crinkle like aluminum mixed in clear. Scanning original paint for top coat is next to impossible. And if you don't have an original bike to create from scanner then,  At best you'll needs to find a metal flake  (all of their touch up, Spray can or containers,  paint for Opal, radiant and flamboyant are metal flake) touch-up or repaint paint that Schwinn made for it and scan that.

Most of Schwinn's paint was produced by auto manufacture's companies, especially DuPont. Yet B/C there's 2 parts, a layer of aluminum and topped like candy, translucent/transparent, there's no 'listed' automotive paint code for it.


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## Aieeejo

Jeff54 said:


> There aint no gold in Campus green. It's a delusion perpetrated  by a dope. I have a 1969 campus green super sport, it's an aluminum base. 'wink'. It's not the metal coat, that gives the whole colored appearance, it's the top coat.     What you need is to discover an exact match of the translucent/transparent top coat. Because the under or base is a crinkle like aluminum mixed in clear. Scanning original paint for top coat is next to impossible. And if you don't have an original bike to create from scanner then,  At best you'll needs to find a metal flake  (all of their touch up, Spray can or containers,  paint for Opal, radiant and flamboyant are metal flake) touch-up or repaint paint that Schwinn made for it and scan that.
> 
> Most of Schwinn's paint was produced by auto manufacture's companies, especially DuPont. Yet B/C there's 2 parts, a layer of aluminum and topped like candy, translucent/transparent, there's no 'listed' automotive paint code for it.



Thanks, Jeff54.  Great post with good info! 
I also inquired with the Kool Kolors folks and am posting their response below.


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## Aieeejo

I was unfamiliar with the Schwinn (now KooleStuff) process and decided to go to the source.  Here's what they say:

(Me) 
Hi there. I'm looking at your Schwinn paint restoration kit and can't figure out what the aluminum base coat is for? There's already a grey primer, and I believe the Campus Green color has gold-colored flakes. What purpose does the aluminum base coat serve?
Thank you very much. 

(KooleStuff)

The silver / aluminum base coat has to be applied after the primer in order for the candy color (which is very sheer ) to work properly...if you don't it's a disaster. The color has to be applied in very, very light coats to achieve the right look... patience is an understatement

GW 


Gary & Lori Wold
www.koolestuff.com


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## cyclingday

Obviously, not Campus Green, but the application is the same.


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## Aieeejo

Cool - very interesting.  I've never seen that anywhere else. Thanks CyclingDay.  That gives a little more perspective on redoing it from bare metal.
Do you think the modern-day equivalent of "baked on" is powder coat?


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## Aieeejo

Looking at Prismatic Powders' (powder coat) colors, it looks like maybe Ultra Illusion Green might be a close match to Campus Green, no?








						Prismatic Powders - ULTRA ILLUSION GREEN
					

ULTRA ILLUSION GREEN, product ID PMB-5346. Prismatic Powders offers more than 6,500 powder coating colors, equipment, and apparel all available all with fast direct shipping.




					www.prismaticpowders.com
				




Otherwise, as bikecrazy suggests, Kool Lemon might be a more forgiving color to try to match....


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## GTs58

That doesn't look like a good match to me, plus it appears to be a very heavy metallic.  

Powder coating is basically a powdered plastic that is electrostatically applied and then baked/melted on the metal. It's not the same as paint. The solid colors like Kool Lemon was a three step painting process leaving the aluminum base coat for the candy colors out of that process. I haven't come across anyone that has matched a true Campus Green with an off the shelf spray paint or powder coating. Doing powder or a metallic paint is not the same as candy paint over a reflective base coat and would not be considered a correct finish for a true restoration if that's what you're shooting for. Koolstuff obviously has the paint code for the correct candy color but the whole process using that paint is also not correct for a true restoration. It's a modern paint that requires a clear coat.


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## Aieeejo

GTs58 said:


> That doesn't look like a good match to me, plus it appears to be a very heavy metallic.
> 
> Powder coating is basically a powdered plastic that is electrostatically applied and then baked/melted on the metal. It's not the same as paint. The solid colors like Kool Lemon was a three step painting process leaving the aluminum base coat for the candy colors out of that process. I haven't come across anyone that has matched a true Campus Green with an off the shelf spray paint or powder coating. Doing powder or a metallic paint is not the same as candy paint over a reflective base coat and would not be considered a correct finish for a true restoration if that's what you're shooting for. Koolstuff obviously has the paint code for the correct candy color but the whole process using that paint is also not correct for a true restoration. It's a modern paint that requires a clear coat.



I agree with your technical assessment, but for practicality's sake, most of us can really only come close.  A lot of our mass-produced bikes aren't collectibles  - they're just 'vintage era'.  At least in my case, I'd like to restore to something near original but only for a reasonable cost.  Having an old bike that looks new is pretty cool for me.  And if my kids sell it in 15 or 20 years at an estate sale, it'll look good and hopefully won't depreciate too much.  Thanks for your insight on the advantage of Kool Lemon (non-metallic). Gives me something to think about when choosing between 2 options.


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## Ernbar

GTs58 said:


> The solid colors like Kool Lemon was a three step painting process leaving the aluminum base coat for the candy colors out of that process.




GT I was unaware that Kool Lemon was a 3 step process. I have a 1973 Continental and Speedster both in Kool Lemon and the only other color I could see from chips and scratches underneath the yellow paint was red oxide primer.


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## bikecrazy

I am going to stick my neck out here and voice an opinion on cool lemon. On karates cool lemon has a silver undercoat and on full size bikes it does not. The color on both is almost exactly the same. My guess is that ALL the karates got a silver undercoat during the factory paint process to speed up production. I really can’t see how a silver undercoat vs red primer undercoat will alter the final color by that mutch.


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## Ernbar

bikecrazy said:


> I am going to stick my neck out here and voice an opinion on cool lemon. On karates cool lemon has a silver undercoat and on full size bikes it does not. The color on both is almost exactly the same. My guess is that ALL the karates got a silver undercoat during the factory paint process to speed up production. I really can’t see how a silver undercoat vs red primer undercoat will alter the final color by that mutch.




It sounds logical to me. It may also be possible that some full sized bikes got the silver treatment while others didn't?


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## GTs58

bikecrazy said:


> I am going to stick my neck out here and voice an opinion on cool lemon. On karates cool lemon has a silver undercoat and on full size bikes it does not. The color on both is almost exactly the same. My guess is that ALL the karates got a silver undercoat during the factory paint process to speed up production. I really can’t see how a silver undercoat vs red primer undercoat will alter the final color by that mutch.




No Kool Lemon bikes that Schwinn produced had the silver undercoat, NONE. The frames were acid dipped, coated with red oxide primer and then shot with the yellow paint. The aftermarket Schwinn matched paint for Sting Rays is the only paint where it is suggested/required underneath *their* Kool Lemon paint. Why? Because *their* Kool Lemon paint is so thin it doesn't cover the red oxide primer without multiple coats of the yellow taking twice as much paint that will cost the buyer twice as much. This is why you'll see the silver base underneath a Lemon Peeler, it's been repainted.


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## 1motime

If the yellow available is too thin and since it a solid color instead of metallic try a white for base.  Yellow will cover with less coats


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## Tuna

I am also looking for a match for Campus Green and since I will be spraying it in a gun, I was looking at House of Kolors.  What are your thoughts on this Kandy Basecoat Organic Green.  I already know that it can be really difficult to see the true color on a monitor.  It's like listening to recorded music.  The speakers and equipment change the sound in subtle ways.  

I am looking at a picture of a clean, original paint, Campus Green bike in bright sunlight and this sample. 





__





						Kolor Details - House Of Kolor
					

Single Column Template



					www.houseofkolor.com
				




They look close to me.  What do you think?


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## GTs58

Tuna said:


> I am also looking for a match for Campus Green and since I will be spraying it in a gun, I was looking at House of Kolors.  What are your thoughts on this Kandy Basecoat Organic Green.  I already know that it can be really difficult to see the true color on a monitor.  It's like listening to recorded music.  The speakers and equipment change the sound in subtle ways.
> 
> I am looking at a picture of a clean, original paint, Campus Green bike in bright sunlight and this sample.
> 
> https://www.houseofkolor.com/kolors/detail/index.html?i.d.=HOK000962-01&ref=kolors
> They look close to me.  What do you think?




The sample doesn't show up for me. Copy and paste the photo.


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## Aieeejo

Tuna said:


> I am also looking for a match for Campus Green and since I will be spraying it in a gun, I was looking at House of Kolors.  What are your thoughts on this Kandy Basecoat Organic Green.  I already know that it can be really difficult to see the true color on a monitor.  It's like listening to recorded music.  The speakers and equipment change the sound in subtle ways.
> 
> I am looking at a picture of a clean, original paint, Campus Green bike in bright sunlight and this sample.
> 
> https://www.houseofkolor.com/kolors/detail/index.html?i.d.=HOK000962-01&ref=kolors
> They look close to me.  What do you think?



The link just goes to an intro/sign in page.  It took some searching around, but I think the formula is KBC09?

Looks beautiful.  Without a side-by-side it's hard to say exactly how close it matches, but it looks darn close to me.
What would the approximate cost be, do you know?


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## Jeff54

Aieeejo said:


> I was unfamiliar with the Schwinn (now KooleStuff) process and decided to go to the source.  Here's what they say:
> 
> (Me)
> Hi there. I'm looking at your Schwinn paint restoration kit and can't figure out what the aluminum base coat is for? There's already a grey primer, and I believe the Campus Green color has gold-colored flakes. What purpose does the aluminum base coat serve?
> Thank you very much.
> 
> (KooleStuff)
> ​
> The silver / aluminum base coat has to be applied after the primer in order for the candy color (which is very sheer ) to work properly...if you don't it's a disaster. The color has to be applied in very, very light coats to achieve the right look... patience is an understatement
> 
> GW
> 
> Gary & Lori Wold
> www.koolestuff.com



IDK what They're doing except my 69 has red lead primer and Schwinn did NOT use a clear coat. Given that, I expect their "Formulas" are biased , primarily, on old touch up paints and or Scanners from original bikes. and they are NOT the same as what Schwinn did on factory paint. The only reason I can imagine that they want to apply a clear coat on a radiant color would be because their colors include small metal flake and clear coat creates the depth that looks like Schwinn.

Lotta years gone by but I used both; cheep rattle can and Schwinn's own spray paint long time ago. I Spent good money on Schwinn's crap paint. Except for better color match, regardless of the BS Schwinn Dealers, claiming it being harder and so much better, it chipped off just like the cheapest possible rattle can junk. It's a metal flake and did not have a the same  depth and body of original paint. So, I mean, it wouldn't be a big secret of theirs, I'd ask em about metal flake verses a translucent/transparent "Campus green." Otherwise you shouldn't need to waste money on clear coat. And Hell, for  more than 200 bucks, on rattle can junk, I'd be at the counter of auto and industrial paint store ordering up  up a scan for Imron paint. Trek Used in the 80's and, I think 90's too. Ya can't get it in Calif. But It's not outlawed in other states. There's a store near me that claims they can scan and color match my Trek but I haven't tried em. Yet I used it on my 41 Chevy early 80's. It Nailed my color code 'Cameo Cream' and is the hardest,  longest  non-baked paint me ever seen. For Auto or Bike non professional albeit  Ur Not gonna multy-coat and it'll be tiny metal flakes  and ya gotta mix it timely, correctly but,  it's pure awesomeness.

Also, Schwinn's 1st coating is not an acid wash/dip it's a Phosphate dipped coating over raw steel as Rust inhibitor.   It's a win, win B/C you are coating inside the tubes too. Hence, Cool Lemon  is 3 coat. 1. Phosphate, 2. Red Lead primer, 3. Yellow. [wink]'.  BTW NO! ya can't apply Phosphate over paint or stuff ya sanded down unless it's all the way down to raw steel.


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## Tuna

Sorry about the missing link.  Let's try this:


This is a candy apple finish.\


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## koolbikes

Something to consider ...
Original Schwinn bicycles that have this Campus Green paint color usually had color matching items, such as Seat Cover, handlebar grips and ten-speed handlebar wrap, if your using these item on a facsimile restoration, they will standout like a sore thumb, as they do not match very well with other green colors.


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## koolbikes

Tuna, What happen to the second color sample?


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## Tuna

Oh, your right.  I had posted two accidentally.  It was more olive color than the one that is there now.  Looking at all the color samples at House of Kolor, starts getting my eyes to get confused.  There are 105 Kandy Green's.


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## koolbikes

What was the name of that olive green color, looked very close, that candy apple green finish above has more of a emerald tint.


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## Tuna

Here is the other one that I posted:


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## 1motime

Tuna said:


> Here is the other one that I posted:
> 
> View attachment 1180737



closer match


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## GTs58

Trying to match an existing paint color with paint images online is a no win situation. You'll be throwing away money buying a paint match doing that and it would make Kool Kolors paint seem dirt cheap. If you cannot get a real sample in your hand to compare you're just wasting your time and money. Find a pristine Campus Green chain guard and have it color matched using the best section of paint, maybe the back side, and have the paint store mix up a couple cans of Acrylic Enamel in a very fine metallic. I say fine metallic because you won't be doing an aluminum base coat underneath a candy paint.


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## 1motime

Acrylic enamel is legal in Arizona?  Original poster is in Florida.  Hasn't the National Rule kicked in yet?


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## GTs58

1motime said:


> Acrylic enamel is legal in Arizona?  Original poster is in Florida.  Hasn't the National Rule kicked in yet?




Why would acrylic enamel be illegal?


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## Aieeejo

GTs58 said:


> Trying to match an existing paint color with paint images online is a no win situation. You'll be throwing away money buying a paint match doing that and it would make Kool Kolors paint seem dirt cheap. If you cannot get a real sample in your hand to compare you're just wasting your time and money. Find a pristine Campus Green chain guard and have it color matched using the best section of paint, maybe the back side, and have the paint store mix up a couple cans of Acrylic Enamel in a very fine metallic. I say fine metallic because you won't be doing an aluminum base coat underneath a candy paint.



Now THAT'S an outstanding suggestion!  Just today I noticed a neighbor had a Campus Green Schwinn Twin Deluxe parked in his driveway.  I knocked on his door to ask for a closer look and he was more than happy to show it off.  He recently picked it up on Facebook Marketplace from an older lady who was asking $50.  It's early 70's (he believes) and in nearly pristine condition - original paint, painted-on Schwinn logos (not decals) which are wearing a little thin due to regular washings.  Barely any chips or scratches at all.

Turns out he & I have a lot in common besides being neighbors (retired military, similar specialties, both of us are alumni of the same small-ish company two towns over which closed down last year).  Great way to get to meet a neighbor.  He offered to loan me his air compressor & paint gear when I'm ready for my next refurb, and/or to help with it, and in the meantime he'll let my wife & I borrow the bike for an evening ride if we want.

Now that I read this great idea of taking a bike part like a chain guard to a shop for paint matching, I'm lucky to know someone with an available donor sample - no random eBay purchases necessary!

FWIW, this was my first up-close inspection of a Campus Green in a few years, since recently taking an interest, and I was a little surprised to realize that there aren't any metallic specks in the paint.  It's clear to see the metallic/aluminum undercoat beneath the thin color coat finish, which gives it that shine from a distance.  So as nice as all of those metallic paints look for a rehab, it's obvious they won't be close Schwinn matches.  Progress!


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## 1motime

GTs58 said:


> Why would acrylic enamel be illegal?



Acrylic enamel has not been legal for auto refinishing since around 2000 in California.  Just after lacquer was eliminated in 1998.  Everything went to urethane due to VOC levels.
I was told that all of the US would adopt a National Rule around 2015 to duplicate California.  I never really paid a lot of attention after switching to urethane.  I was running a business.


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## 1motime

Aieeejo said:


> Now THAT'S an outstanding suggestion!  Just today I noticed a neighbor had a Campus Green Schwinn Twin Deluxe parked in his driveway.  I knocked on his door to ask for a closer look and he was more than happy to show it off.  He recently picked it up on Facebook Marketplace from an older lady who was asking $50.  It's early 70's and in nearly pristine condition - original paint, painted-on Schwinn logos (not decals) which are wearing a little thin due to regular washings.  Barely any chips or scratches at all.
> 
> Turns out he & I have a lot in common besides being neighbors (retired military, similar specialties, both of us are alumni of the same small-ish company two towns over which closed down last year).  Great way to get to meet a neighbor.  He offered to loan me his air compressor & paint gear when I'm ready for my next refurb, and/or to help with it, and in the meantime he'll let my wife & I borrow the bike for an evening ride if we want.
> 
> Now that I read this great idea of taking a bike part like a chain guard to a shop for paint matching, I'm lucky to know someone with an available donor sample - no random eBay purchases necessary!
> 
> FWIW, this was my first up-close inspection of a Campus Green in a few years, since recently taking an interest, and I was a little surprised to realize that there aren't any metallic specks in the paint.  It's clear to see the metallic/aluminum undercoat beneath the thin color coat finish, which gives it that shine from a distance.  So as nice as all of those metallic paints look for a rehab, it's obvious they won't be close Schwinn matches.  Progress!



Try to find a paint shop that still matches by eye.  It's a dying art.  If they use a camera it will match to the closest existing formula.  If that is the case ask if they can do a spray out.  
Better than wasting paint.  No returns on this!


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## Tuna

Thanks for the replies.  These are all valuable.  I did not completely rule out Koolest Kolors.  I am keeping an eye out for a inexpensive campus green Schwinn.  Or a neighbor with a campus green bike.  But with Covid-19 tearing through my neighborhood, I'm not buying until this calms down.  If I get real antsy, I may just spray it sky blue.  I used DupliColor over silver metallic and it came out great on a Schwinn American. Campus Green is my preferred color, if I can hold out. 

By the way, I will be spraying over silver metallic again for this Continental.  Then finish with a 2 component clear coat.  I am also concerned that the Koolest Kolors 8oz can would not cover a frame and fork and I don't even know if a 12oz spray can can cover a frame and fork. And why is the 8oz can more expensive per ounce than the spray paint.  The can does not look like it is a two component paint? 

I am similar to the original poster that doesn't want to spend over $200 for paint on a bike that is worth $100 for the finished bike.  I am not flipping this. I know I will be spending more than the bike is worth.  I am just trying to minimize the impact to my wallet.  Especially, now.


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## GTs58

Schwinn did not use a metallic paint. The Chestnut Cruiser 5 I had was the newest Schwinn I've owned and it didn't have a metallic paint. Thru the 60's Schwinn used an aluminum base under the candy that gave the illusion of a glittery reflection. I believe Schwinn changed the silver base product at some point and it gives that glittery illusion a more pronounced look. They did have later paint colors with the names using the word pearl and that paint was not the same as the regular colors. I've spent lots of time and money matching the Radiant colors and I can say from experience that the base paint underneath the Candy colored paint makes a huge difference in the final outcome. You can get the color matched in an acrylic enamel metallic and it will look identical until you look at it real close in the sunlight. 

Can you tell that the top and a few spots on the face of my chain guard has been painted with an off the shelf Dupli-Color metallic touch up paint? 






Here is my Radiant Blue paint match using Dupli-Colors Blue Metalcast, a candy, over a Flat Silver base coat.


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## rennfaron

cyclingday said:


> Obviously, not Campus Green, but the application is the same.View attachment 1179597



Wait a second... (about the plant badge). You did get it.


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## cyclingday

Ha!
I was wondering, if anyone would notice.
No, it’s a fake that was printed up from the eBay listing and put in an original employee badge jacket.
It was a gift from a friend who made it.
I tried hard to get that original, $600 hard, so this freebie is a nice consolation prize.


----------



## 1motime

GTs58 said:


> Schwinn did not use a metallic paint. The Chestnut Cruiser 5 I had was the newest Schwinn I've owned and it didn't have a metallic paint. Thru the 60's Schwinn used an aluminum base under the candy that gave the illusion of a glittery reflection. I believe Schwinn changed the silver base product at some point and it gives that glittery illusion a more pronounced look. They did have later paint colors with the names using the word pearl and that paint was not the same as the regular colors. I've spent lots of time and money matching the Radiant colors and I can say from experience that the base paint underneath the Candy colored paint makes a huge difference in the final outcome. You can get the color matched in an acrylic enamel metallic and it will look identical until you look at it real close in the sunlight.
> 
> Can you tell that the top and a few spots on the face of my chain guard has been painted with an off the shelf Dupli-Color metallic touch up paint?
> 
> View attachment 1180873
> 
> Here is my Radiant Blue paint match using Dupli-Colors Blue Metalcast, a candy, over a Flat Silver base coat.
> 
> View attachment 1180874
> 
> View attachment 1180875
> 
> View attachment 1180876



Nice match from here


----------



## Adamtinkerer

I'll just add that a campus green fork would have a nice clean sample on the tube where it's been covered.


----------



## cyclingday

I remember as a kid, wanting a Campus Green, Typhoon.
Of course, I got a CalTrans Orange Huffy instead.
So when this little gem popped up last year, I snagged it.
I guess you could call it, my mid life crisis.
Only no crisis here.
I love this little beauty.
It’s 50 years old and still looks and rides like the day it was built.




I don’t remember being so cognizant of a particular color of bike before.
But, I do remember this one.
The Campus Green, Schwinn was love at first sight.


----------



## bikecrazy

I used the Metalcast blue on one of my project bikes and the color looks identical to my og Continental.


----------



## Aieeejo

GTs58 said:


> That doesn't look like a good match to me, plus it appears to be a very heavy metallic.
> 
> Powder coating is basically a powdered plastic that is electrostatically applied and then baked/melted on the metal. It's not the same as paint. The solid colors like Kool Lemon was a three step painting process leaving the aluminum base coat for the candy colors out of that process. I haven't come across anyone that has matched a true Campus Green with an off the shelf spray paint or powder coating. Doing powder or a metallic paint is not the same as candy paint over a reflective base coat and would not be considered a correct finish for a true restoration if that's what you're shooting for. Koolstuff obviously has the paint code for the correct candy color but the whole process using that paint is also not correct for a true restoration. It's a modern paint that requires a clear coat.



Now having seen one up close & personal (I was just going from memory until yesterday) I agree 100% on the incorrect metallic appearance.   Glad I'm not too impulsive on buying shiny things at first glance!


----------



## razinhellcustomz

Aieeejo said:


> Based on many enthusiasts' comments, I'm completely confident that Koolest Kolors is THE #1 source.  And maybe one of the ONLY sources, which is why they can charge 5 times the retail price for their exclusive product.  (For reference, I note that they aren't the only supplier of primer, aluminum base coat, or clear coat, yet they still charge exorbitant prices for those, too.)   I'm not as confident that their quality is that superior to other paint producers, warranting a 500% markup.  Since paint colors aren't trademark (or is it copyright?) protected, all it takes is the code or a sample to create a new batch.
> If I had the money to spare, there's a good chance I'd suck it up and buy the KK brand, but it's currently not an option for me.  That's the only reason I'm abandoning them - it's well out of my budget.  (I imagine I'm not the only one in that boat.)



If I were you ,I would check out a Dupli Color paint chart at a O'reilys or major auto parts store. They maybe able to find something close. Good luck and ride on. Razin.


----------



## Tuna

Back to House of Kolor.  TCP Global is an online supplier of automotive paint supplies.  I bought my paint gun from them years ago.  When I did a search for House of Kolor, I came across them again as a paint supplier.  I didn't know they sold paint too.  

They have HOK in organic green in 12oz aerosol cans, pints, half pints and 4 ounce cans.  The aerosol is pre-mixed or perhaps it is like Eastwood where you have to push a button on the bottom of the can to mix the base coat paint with the reducer.  The point is aerosol spray cans are available as well as smaller batches of paint at reasonable prices.  And this is good paint!

12oz Aerosol      $35
half pint can        $38 + 4 oz reducer $10
pint can               $68 + 8 oz Reducer $15
4 oz can              $21 + 4 oz reducer $10 (that is the smallest package of reducer)

I'm thinking that the 12 ounces in the spray can is 8 ounces of paint + 4 ounces of reducer.  So, it is equivalent to the half pint.  It is more expensive per ounce because it must be repackaged in a spray can.  

I could get the 4 ounce can just to check the color or  I can call TCP and see if they can send me a sample card. But, I still don't have a bike to match it against.  It might be all good until someone shows up with an original campus green bike.  

The good thing is I'm not in a rush and I am determined.


----------



## Tuna

I just ordered two cans of aerosol spray from TCP.  I am taking a chance because it may not be an exact match, but the only way that I'll know is to spray it and compare it to a original Campus Green on the steerer tube so that I get the true color without fading.  

I'll post pictures along the way.


----------



## GTs58

Tuna said:


> I just ordered two cans of aerosol spray from TCP.  I am taking a chance because it may not be an exact match, but the only way that I'll know is to spray it and compare it to a original Campus Green on the steerer tube so that I get the true color without fading.
> 
> I'll post pictures along the way.




The only way to get an exact match is by getting the Candy Green tinting correct and using a correct silver Aluminum base coat. A metallic or pearl type paint is not the same thing even if the color is close. Over the years I've experimented with paints trying to duplicate the Radiant Red and Blue with off the shelf spray paint. I came pretty dang close 9-10 years ago matching those two colors. Here's a quick sample I did when trying a new silver base I found about three years ago. I should have done an outside shot in the daylight, the flash doesn't do it justice.  LOL


----------



## 1motime

GTs58 said:


> The only way to get an exact match is by getting the Candy Green tinting correct and using a correct silver Aluminum base coat. A metallic or pearl type paint is not the same thing even if the color is close. Over the years I've experimented with paints trying to duplicate the Radiant Red and Blue with off the shelf spray paint. I came pretty dang close 9-10 years ago matching those two colors. Here's a quick sample I did when trying a new silver base I found about three years ago. I should have done an outside shot in the daylight, the flash doesn't do it justice.  LOL
> 
> View attachment 1210479
> 
> View attachment 1210480
> 
> View attachment 1210481



Very close match at least in the photo.  Would be fine for a complete.  Touching up chips are tough with tinted clears.  The thickness of the touchup shows differently.  Only so much can done but better than bare metal or primer!


----------



## Tuna

Decades ago I worked in a Schwinn dealership.  I used their lacquer paint to paint a bike for a customer using first Rusty Metal primer, then Schwinn Aluminum base coat and finishing with the color coat.  This is what is typically called a candy apple paint finish. 

I have done several more Schwinn frames using the same technique since then.   This is the Continental as it is now, waiting for the color coat.    It is going to be interesting.  My plan is to put the color coat on lightly in thin coats so that I doesn't go too dark and the silver below will still be able to shine through.  After the color coat, it will get decals and then be clear coated.  

The House of Kolor paint is a candy apple paint designed to go over a metallic base coat.  Typically that would be either gold or silver (aluminum).  Schwinn only used aluminum base coat as far as I know.


----------



## Tuna

The paint came in.  That was quick.  It is in a single component spray can.  




Interesting how they fill these.  The cap seems to be part of the filling system.  Then they put a disk into the cap to trap the paint.  It would be easy to spot the color I was looking for if I had a bunch of these paint cans.  No looking at labels needed (assuming that the caps don't get mixed up.  

The bottom of the can states net weight 7.5 oz.  The label that was applied after filling the can states 12 oz.  It is probably a good thing I got two cans.


----------



## Tuna

Here is a picture of the top of the cap.  There is a nipple on it that looks like it mates with the can before the spray cap is placed on.  Neat process.


----------



## Tuna

I prepared a piece of pipe with silver paint.  I sprayed the House of Kolor organic green over the silver.  Here is how it looks.  





How did that happen.  I tried to force it to focus on the pipe and it still managed to focus on the background.  How are we ever going to have self driving cars if we  cannot get the camera to focus on subject?  Sorry for the rant. This is the only picture that I have.  You can still see the color.  You may notice that the finish is not shiny.  This is intended to be clear coated in the next step.


----------



## Jeff54

Tuna said:


> I prepared a piece of pipe with silver paint.  I sprayed the House of Kolor organic green over the silver.  Here is how it looks.
> 
> View attachment 1215324
> 
> How did that happen.  I tried to force it to focus on the pipe and it still managed to focus on the background.  How are we ever going to have self driving cars if we  cannot get the camera to focus on subject?  Sorry for the rant. This is the only picture that I have.  You can still see the color.  You may notice that the finish is not shiny.  This is intended to be clear coated in the next step.



Don't mean to be messin wit your bubble but think it's not the same shade, a little brighter maybe. ., Like, maybe a touch of olive or brown/tan is missing. I think that scanning any color match, because of the aluminum base under the green transparent/translucence, it's always going to pick up the reflective aspect and be a tinge too bright. 

But, seriously, does it matter that much? B/C when ya done it'll be nice and shinny new looking once again.


----------



## Tuna

You are right @Jeff54 it is missing some olive brown/tan.  It is not the color that I though I was getting.  You didn't burst my bubble, I see it myself.  Right now I have a light coat on the frame and it looks more like Schwinn Lime Green, and I have one or two more coats on the fork and it looks like dark green.  This is not going as easy as the Schwinn American in Sky Blue with Duplicolor.  

This is a challenge.  One other thing that you are right about is if I can't get the color to match, it will still look shiny and new.  





I will try to keep posting on progress.  I will probably try to go just a shade darker on the frame.


----------



## GTs58

Might need a little red? I personally like that new color better, but I'm a Lime fan.


----------



## Tuna

Thanks for the reply, I agree with you @GTs58. If it wasn't for the fact that I want it to look like Campus Green, I like the color too.  It looks a bit like the green on an 70' Peugeot's.  

I went for the spray can on this paint because the it is simple.  If I had a pint of paint and was using my spray gun, I could blend in some red.


----------



## Rivnut

I went by the local paint jobber today and asked about the book that I used to match paint on my 70 Buick Skylark a few years ago and found a perfect match. They have a DuPont book that holds an enormous number of paint chip flip-fans. Each color is one shade off from the previous and following chip. There's an oblong hole in the middle of the chip for holding over what you bring in and want to match.  Just keep thumbing through the chips until you find the one that matches.  These are not colors used by different auto manufactures, they're something that DuPont put together to show how many colors can be made with their base colors.


----------



## Rivnut

Jeff54 said:


> Don't mean to be messin wit your bubble but think it's not the same shade, a little brighter maybe. ., Like, maybe a touch of olive or brown/tan is missing. I think that scanning any color match, ibecause of the aluminum base under the green transparent/translucence, it's always going to pick up the reflective aspect and be a tinge too bright.
> 
> But, seriously, does it matter that much? B/C when ya done it'll be nice and shinny new looking once again.




When I had my laptop connected to my monitor with the bigger screen, I could see both the laptop screen and the monitor at the same time.  In almost every instance, the same object was a different color on each screen.  There is no way to say whether a color is correct by looking at it on a computer screen.  You see the same thing with all of the TV's lined up side by side at Best Buy.   Unless you're viewing it with the naked eye in natural light, you cannot say a color is correct. 

My wife just got a new 2020 Buick EncoreGX.  It's painted Azure Blue.  I looked for a picture using Google images.  If I looked at 30 pictures, I saw 30 different shades of the same color.


----------



## 1motime

Rivnut said:


> When I had my laptop connected to my monitor with the bigger screen, I could see both the laptop screen and the monitor at the same time.  In almost every instance, the same object was a different color on each screen.  There is no way to say whether a color is correct by looking at it on a computer screen.  You see the same thing with all of the TV's lined up side by side at Best Buy.   Unless you're viewing it with the naked eye in natural light, you cannot say a color is correct.
> 
> My wife just got a new 2020 Buick EncoreGX.  It's painted Azure Blue.  I looked for a picture using Google images.  If I looked at 30 pictures, I saw 30 different shades of the same color.



New cars may have different shades of the same color.  Slight differences.  More than going by the color code now.  The VIN is used.  Tracks where and when the vehicle was painted.


----------



## razinhellcustomz

Tuna said:


> I prepared a piece of pipe with silver paint.  I sprayed the House of Kolor organic green over the silver.  Here is how it looks.
> 
> View attachment 1215324
> 
> How did that happen.  I tried to force it to focus on the pipe and it still managed to focus on the background.  How are we ever going to have self driving cars if we  cannot get the camera to focus on subject?  Sorry for the rant. This is the only picture that I have.  You can still see the color.  You may notice that the finish is not shiny.  This is intended to be clear coated in the next step.



How many coats? Color looks light. Try another coat. Good luck. Razin.


----------



## 1motime

Try over a dark red primer.  The problem is its wasting paint


----------



## GTs58

1motime said:


> Try over a dark red primer.  The problem is its wasting paint




It's being shot over a silver/aluminum base. Shooting a green candy over a red primer surely wouldn't work.


----------



## 1motime

GTs58 said:


> It's being shot over a silver/aluminum base. Shooting a green candy over a red primer surely wouldn't work.



What he is spraying is too light and bright.  The silver is adding to that.  Campus green is darker and browner.  Red or brown base might shift the color in the right direction.  Went the spray can route instead of just having a match done.  Cans have been paid for.  Sounded like he shot the frame a week ago.  Should have been cleared right after


----------



## Tuna

Thanks for the replies.  Yes, you are right about looking at the two monitors.  And the frame is light because I didn't want to get too dark, because I can't go back.  I wanted to sneak up on it.  

Anyway, attached are pictures of the fork. It is a little darker than the frame, but I think it needs to go more olive (red/orange) to be correct.  It is a good idea spraying over red primer.  I think the color might be right but I don't know about the candy apple effect.  

Well, that is the dilemma that I'm in now.


----------



## 1motime

You are spraying a lot of paint!.  Get a piece of sheet metal.  Mask of sections with different base color and number of coats.  Mark what you are doing.  Then mask off half of that panel and clear it.  You will have a sample of what the final look is.  A original part with Campus Green is important to compare with.  Until then it is all a guesstimate!


----------



## GTs58

I just came across a beautiful shot of a 72 Campus Green Breeze.


----------



## Tuna

Yep, thanks @GTs58.  Nice picture.  It shows the paint well.  As we all knew, too emerald green looking on my paint.


----------



## Tuna

I was able to track down where I went wrong.  House of Kolor has a range of formulations that they call organic green.  I saw that TCP Global had "organic green" n a spray can and jumped at it without doing my home work.  The color sample that I listed in post #38 is the one that I wanted.  It still might not have been a "dead on" match but it should have been closer.  Since I was spraying the whole bike I wan't too concerned. 

By the way,  I learned one more thing trying to figure out where I went wrong, I spoke to a helpful rep' at TCP Global named Sonny and he asked if I had sprayed it over black base coat.  "Well, no."  He said that this was designed to be sprayed over black.   I did come across that when I was looking at HOK Kandy colors, but figured that since Schwinn painted over silver, I was going to do that too.  I saw a video by Jon Kosmoski, the founder of House of Kolor, where he talked about candy colors over black to give it depth.  Wow, that is new to me.  This has been a learning experience.  

I still have to figure out my next move.  Whether I will respray with another color or leave what I have.


----------



## 1motime

Be mindful of how many coats you are putting down.  The paint is designed to get coverage and then stop.  Too many coats might not be durable.  Lots of base coats are designed to be clear coated within a time window.  Miss that window and might have adhesion problems.  Ask your helpful rep.  He should know!


----------



## GTs58

Tuna said:


> I was able to track down where I went wrong.  House of Kolor has a range of formulations that they call organic green.  I saw that TCP Global had "organic green" n a spray can and jumped at it without doing my home work.  The color sample that I listed in post #38 is the one that I wanted.  It still might not have been a "dead on" match but it should have been closer.  Since I was spraying the whole bike I wan't too concerned.
> 
> By the way,  I learned one more thing trying to figure out where I went wrong, I spoke to a helpful rep' at TCP Global named Sonny and he asked if I had sprayed it over black base coat.  "Well, no."  He said that this was designed to be sprayed over black.   I did come across that when I was looking at HOK Kandy colors, but figured that since Schwinn painted over silver, I was going to do that too.  I saw a video by Jon Kosmoski, the founder of House of Kolor, where he talked about candy colors over black to give it depth.  Wow, that is new to me.  This has been a learning experience.
> 
> I still have to figure out my next move.  Whether I will respray with another color or leave what I have.





Spraying a candy color over black will only change the black. Shoot a green candy over black and you'll just get an altered Black looking like a really super dark midnight green. I was shooting Testors candy over Black 56 years ago and there is no possible way you're going to duplicate a Schwinn paint using a black base. If these people are telling you need a black base then their paint is not going to replicate a Schwinn color and you'll be defeating the purpose/reason of using a candy over a silver base. The silver base is used to reflect the light back thru the candy color and this is why so many people call Radiant, Opal and later Schwinn colors a metallic. Sonny is definitely leading you down the wrong rabbit hole and Jon must have been saying it will give the Black some depth. Layers of clear will give any paint some depth but black under a candy color will kill any color candy you shoot over it. The paint has to be tinted to the correct color you want and the base has to be the aluminum/silver to duplicate the reflective effect that Schwinn candy paint has.




1motime said:


> What he is spraying is too light and bright.  The silver is adding to that.  Campus green is darker and browner.  Red or brown base might shift the color in the right direction.  Went the spray can route instead of just having a match done.  Cans have been paid for.  Sounded like he shot the frame a week ago.  Should have been cleared right after


----------



## Tuna

Yes, Schwinn was painted over silver.  The problem is that I have the wrong color.  Not olive enough.  The other information was just what the HoK rep' said.  Not that it is right for a Schwinn.  And keep in mind that is used silver as the under coat.  Starting with the wrong color is the problem.  I didn't realize that HoK had a range of colors that they called organic green".  

I could use go with the non-Schwinn color that I have now, or sand it off and try again.


----------



## 1motime

If you decide to strip the base color don't bother sanding it off.  Wipe with acetone and save time and your hands.  Wear gloves though!


----------



## GTs58

I have a thought. That paint you used needs a clear over it right? If I was hell bent on getting the color closer to Campus I would get a clean chain guard example and take to a Sherwin Williams store or auto paint store and have them scan it. Have it mixed in a single stage acrylic enamel clear base for a candy paint. Test the final mix and if it's got the "color" use that over your existing paint for tinted clear coat.


----------



## 1motime

That was suggested a long time ago!  Only way to get an accurate match!


----------



## Tuna

Thanks, I am keeping an eye out for a cheap campus green bike to buy or something to borrow, but have been striking out.  I like the acetone idea for striping the paint.  Better than sanding.  Especially around the fork crown.


----------



## Tuna

Thanks @1motime that acetone tip worked great.  I still had to sand and reapply silver to get back to even silver coverage as would be expected, but your tip saved me hours!  

As this stands I have the following choices:

  1.  Buy the paint from Koolest Kolors
  2.  Buy a touch up bottle from Koolest Kolors spray it on a card and bring the sample to my local automotive paint shop who already said that they can match whatever I bring in.
  3.  Buy a complete bike in campus green to color match.  Problem is I am not seeing campus green bikes for under $100 and that is still way more than I am willing to spend for a bike that I don't really need. Sure I can paint that one too and sell it but, I have enough projects. 
  4.  Buy a campus green fork on Ebay.  There are two listed now, both are $35 a piece.
  5.  Give up on campus green and paint it sky blue since I have done it before using Duplicolor and it came out darned good.  
  6.  Mix hunter green and olive green together, add some clear coat that should be close enough.  Ok, I was just throwing this out there, I won't actually do it.  

Here is is back in silver.  




Or keep it silver.  It doesn't look too shabby.


----------



## razinhellcustomz

Tuna said:


> Thanks @1motime that acetone tip worked great.  I still had to sand and reapply silver to get back to even silver coverage as would be expected, but your tip saved me hours!
> 
> As this stands I have the following choices:
> 
> 1.  Buy the paint from Koolest Kolors
> 2.  Buy a touch up bottle from Koolest Kolors spray it on a card and bring the sample to my local automotive paint shop who already said that they can match whatever I bring in.
> 3.  Buy a complete bike in campus green to color match.  Problem is I am not seeing campus green bikes for under $100 and that is still way more than I am willing to spend for a bike that I don't really need. Sure I can paint that one too and sell it but, I have enough projects.
> 4.  Buy a campus green fork on Ebay.  There are two listed now, both are $35 a piece.
> 5.  Give up on campus green and paint it sky blue since I have done it before using Duplicolor and it came out darned good.
> 6.  Mix hunter green and olive green together, add some clear coat that should be close enough.  Ok, I was just throwing this out there, I won't actually do it.
> 
> Here is is back in silver.  View attachment 1242515
> 
> Or keep it silver.  It doesn't look too shabby.



So what are your plans for the bike after it's painted? Have fun with this. Razin.


----------



## GTs58

Maybe someone here close by can loan you a CG chain guard for a color match.


----------



## Arnold Ziffel

2020 Mini Cooper  color  called BRITISH RACING GREEN IV    (also available on some 2019 models, was a new color in lineup in 2019)

To my eyes, this is one of the closest available colors today.    Do Not Confuse this  NEW for 2019 color with the earlier Mini Cooper color which is much darker.  The earlier darker color is British Racing Green II  which was seen on Mini Cooper models before 2019.

You are likely to see  this new  2019 and 2020  Mini  Cooper  color called British Racing Green IV   appear in  Touch UP paints at the Advances/AutoZones/Pep Boys/Oreilleys/Car Quests/NAPA within the next few years if not already  available now.

Go by a Mini Dealership and  look at the 2020 Mini Cooper in British Racing Green IV.      If  you like the color and think it looks close  enough,  get the Factory Paint Code,  and  then you can visit an auto parts or auto paint supply store and get a  small enough amount mixed in  aerosol spray  as one might for large touch up work........this should be enough  to paint a  bicycle frame  in your backyard  in rattle can fashion.    You can do the same with just about any ancient  Automotive factory paint code or paint chip chart.   There are hundreds of metallic green shades that will be close if not near perfect from various American and Imported cars from about 1947 to the present day.    Metallic green colors on automobiles were most popular during the 1947 to 1973 era,  and relatively few green shades were seen after 1973 as green largely fell out of favor.     Metallic green was at it's peak of popularity during the fifties,  probably during the 1949 - 1961 era.         Look at  ancient Pontiac,  Cadillac,  from the forties and early fifties and color charts from nearly all GM brands, FORD/LINCOLN/MERCURY,  Chrysler/Plymouth,  Nash-Rambler, AMC,    VOLKSWAGEN,   PACKARD,  KAISER-FRASER,  and  whatever make you wish to view the color chips of.        If you find a color chip on some ancient chart that you like,  it might be best to have  your favorite local paint place "scan" that actual paint chip with their computer.        PAINT Chip charts can be viewed in many locations online and one can purchase old paint chip charts for maybe $1  or  $2   from  various  sellers on the bay,  or  from folks on various automotive forums.


----------



## Tuna

Thanks @Arnold Ziffel .  I saw that color Mini in a parking lot and even got so far as looking up the touch up paint for it.  I backed off because I realized that I am only relying on my memory of the original Schwinn campus green color.  Good idea also on looking at paint color codes from older cars.  As you point out, green cars were once popular.  Not so anymore.  By the way, I see lots of Jeeps in shades of green but none that I believe are quite right.  

@razinhellcustomz I am going to put most of the original bits back on it.  That is a testament to Schwinn's chrome.  It was rusty but cleaned up well. It will probably have upright handle bars.  I have a pair of Wald bars that I may want to try first.  That will make this more like a Suburban though.  I also have the original handlebars as well as other alloy dropped bars if I want to keep the dropped bar look.   Perhaps once the paint and decals are complete, I will start a build thread.


----------



## Tuna

You know @Arnold Ziffel , your doubly right about green cars in the past.  My dad bought a 1967 Ford LTD in a green metallic that could have been close to Campus Green, but I don't trust my memory.  The color is called Dark Moss Green.  This Mustang actually looks lighter than I remember the color being.  However, it is a picture in direct sunlight, so that will affect the color.   Lots of greens back then.


----------



## 1motime

Paint stores do not keep paint chips for old colors anymore.  Way too many colors, no demand, and when paint types changed due to regulations paint manufactures did not bother to reformulate into new product.  Cameras are only good on a flat surface 12" x 12". and only to an existing formula.  Cars are now mostly metallic.  Campus green is a Candy.  Different look as original poster is finding out.  Guys that match by eye are a dying breed.  Most stores will not do a spray out anymore.
On and on........  Paint match is getting to be a HUGE pain.  Then you have to pay up!


----------



## Tuna

I think am going to pay more than I want to as long as I want campus green.  The sure bet and one that doesn't require so many steps and favors is to just buy the Koolest Kolors paint.  Once that is on the bike anything there after I can try to match up to a Mini or Toyota or Jeep.  I am hoping a half pint will cover a Continental frame and fork.


----------



## 1motime

Tuna said:


> I think am going to pay more than I want to as long as I want campus green.  The sure bet and one that doesn't require so many steps and favors is to just buy the Koolest Kolors paint.  Once that is on the bike anything there after I can try to match up to a Mini or Toyota or Jeep.  I am hoping a half pint will cover a Continental frame and fork.



If you find a color that makes you happy go for it!  1/2 Pint is not going to do it.  Pint minimum.  Always have some for touch up later also


----------



## razinhellcustomz

Tuna said:


> Thanks @Arnold Ziffel .  I saw that color Mini in a parking lot and even got so far as looking up the touch up paint for it.  I backed off because I realized that I am only relying on my memory of the original Schwinn campus green color.  Good idea also on looking at paint color codes from older cars.  As you point out, green cars were once popular.  Not so anymore.  By the way, I see lots of Jeeps in shades of green but none that I believe are quite right.
> 
> @razinhellcustomz I am going to put most of the original bits back on it.  That is a testament to Schwinn's chrome.  It was rusty but cleaned up well. It will probably have upright handle bars.  I have a pair of Wald bars that I may want to try first.  That will make this more like a Suburban though.  I also have the original handlebars as well as other alloy dropped bars if I want to keep the dropped bar look.   Perhaps once the paint and decals are complete, I will start a build thread.



Coll. Keep us posted. Thanks. Razin.


----------



## Tuna

Years ago, I had a Schwinn Heavy Duti frame that was beat up and yellow.  I painted it Rustoleum black.  That was the best decision I could have made.  

This campus green odyssey  has been nightmarish.  I ordered a half pint of campus green, and @1motime , you are probably right, one half pint may not do it.  I will probably spray a piece of cardboard or something with silver, then campus green over it and save it so that I can get it color matched anytime in the future. Maybe right after it comes in.  We'll see.  

Sky Blue on the Schwinn American was so easy too.  It is not too late to go Sky Blue.


----------



## razinhellcustomz

Tuna said:


> Years ago, I had a Schwinn Heavy Duti frame that was beat up and yellow.  I painted it Rustoleum black.  That was the best decision I could have made.
> 
> This campus green odyssey  has been nightmarish.  I ordered a half pint of campus green, and @1motime , you are probably right, one half pint may not do it.  I will probably spray a piece of cardboard or something with silver, then campus green over it and save it so that I can get it color matched anytime in the future. Maybe right after it comes in.  We'll see.
> 
> Sky Blue on the Schwinn American was so easy too.  It is not too late to go Sky Blue.



It's never to late until you start painting. I always wanted to do an old bike in Ford Grabber blue from the 70's ford color chips.


----------



## Tuna

I did that in the 70's.   I don't remember what bike it was but I was so infatuated with the color I went to the auto parts store and bought it.  It might have been my sisters 20" Fair Lady(?).  I just loved that color.


----------



## Tuna

I got my pint of paint in from Koolest Kolors. I am concerned about coverage, but I figured that I would go ahead anyway.  This morning driving to work, I see a Toyota Camry that looks to my eye like Campus Green.  I looked for pictures online and found this Toyota Tacoma forum thread thread with pictures of various "Spruce Mica" trucks.  Interesting the thread starts out with one poster describing Spruce Mica as follows: " spruce mica is kinda like olive and emerald mixed IMO".  That is exactly what I have been saying about campus green.  









						Spruce mica.....
					

OK, so I'm getting close to getting the price and configuration that I want from a few dealers but honestly, I'm still unsure about color.  I tend not...




					www.tacomaworld.com
				




Mr. Murphy and is damn law come through again.  I will paint with Koolest Kolors Campus green, then I will look for a Toyota Spruce Mica to compare.  There could be some subtle difference that are not visible in internet pictures.  Stay tuned.


----------



## Tuna

Here is the Toyota Spruce Mica on a Tacoma:





This is from a TacomaWorld forum member named BlueRidge.  Nice picture.  

A little olive a little emerald.


----------



## GTs58

I think that Teeyota green is way to dark. The 1968 Firebird green is closer but still not exact. This would be my choice for Campus cause I love this color. Verdoro Green.


----------



## Jeff54

This green bike inside Waterford isn't exact , no tomatoes here but, so far in suggestions, is a close match.  https://waterfordbikes.com/road-cat/  Zoom in on the green example: It's got that Sparkle like Schwinn's candy and just a shade maybe off. Scroll through to see the green and me likey that blue too.



			https://waterfordbikes.com/road-race/#


----------



## Tuna

@Jeff54 I didn't even think about Waterford. Good idea, it does look a bit emerald green.  Thanks for the lead with the '68 (I think) Firebird @GTs58 .  I agree with you that the Toyota looks dark.  I think it is dark too, however with candy paints, they are not applied full strength. It will start out light green and get darker with each coat. That's why I think it could work.  You can make the same argument for Vedoro Green.  An extra coat will darken it up.  The important part is the color and not the tint or concentration.   I think your Firebird is the right color or close. 

I'm going to spray some  Koolest Kolors Campus Green on an aluminum sample panel first.  I may visit a paint shop, see how much it cost for the spectrum analysis, then make a decision what paint to use.  Normally, it would be easy, use the Koolest Kolors, it's paid for. But, if it doesn't cover with the half pint, I'll have to buy more.  We'll see after I test spray this panel and think about it for another week.


----------



## Tuna

So if Verado Green is too light and Spruce Mica is too dark..... what if we mixed the two together.  This is getting crazy. 

I opened the can from Koolest Kolors up to get ready to spray a sample.  It was raining all day, so I didn't get a chance to paint.  However, here is a picture of the paint.  Many CABE members have commented that there was no metallic flecks or flakes in Schwinn radiant colors and that might be true.  This paint looks like it has some metallic fleck in it.  I can't wait to try a test sample.


----------



## 1motime

Tuna said:


> So if Verado Green is too light and Spruce Mica is too dark..... what if we mixed the two together.  This is getting crazy.
> 
> I opened the can from Koolest Kolors up to get ready to spray a sample.  It was raining all day, so I didn't get a chance to paint.  However, here is a picture of the paint.  Many CABE members have commented that there was no metallic flecks or flakes in Schwinn radiant colors and that might be true.  This paint looks like it has some metallic fleck in it.  I can't wait to try a test sample.
> 
> View attachment 1249536



It has something in it.  Mica is a VERY fine plastic reflective flake  Might also be some sort of pearl


----------



## Eric Amlie

Tuna said:


> Many CABE members have commented that there was no metallic flecks or flakes in Schwinn radiant colors and that might be true.  This paint looks like it has some metallic fleck in it.




According to the January 1966 Schwinn Reporter, bronze flecks were added to Sky Blue, Radiant Coppertone, and Violet paints.
Campus Green had not debuted yet, but I would imagine that the flecks were added to that as well.


----------



## Jeff54

Tuna said:


> So if Verado Green is too light and Spruce Mica is too dark..... what if we mixed the two together.  This is getting crazy.
> 
> I opened the can from Koolest Kolors up to get ready to spray a sample.  It was raining all day, so I didn't get a chance to paint.  However, here is a picture of the paint.  Many CABE members have commented that there was no metallic flecks or flakes in Schwinn radiant colors and that might be true.  This paint looks like it has some metallic fleck in it.  I can't wait to try a test sample.
> 
> View attachment 1249536



That's not the top candy coat, it's touch-up or similar to what Schwinn sold as a repaint.  That explains why they're wanting you to put a gloss coat over it but, actual candy paint that Schwinn did,  it is not.  The sparkle in Schwinn's bikes comes from the  aluminum base.

Aluminum is mixed with clear and sprayed over red lead then, transparent- translucent color coat 'Candy' is sprayed over it. The colored  top coat in Schwinn's bikes did not have any sparkly metal flakes at all.





Interestingly, this sample is on a 55 Opal red,  under where badge protected it from exposure. and the clear that aluminum flake is mixed into,  has cracks in it, just like actual opals do, fractions .. I mean, you can not see this in photo as it looks like the red is cracked, but it's not, the cracking is reflecting through the red.  So, it indicates that radiant colors did not have the same effect but otherwise through all the years, at least into early 80's they're all Candy.


----------



## Jeff54

Campus green

I did not take this shot, IDK 3-4 year ago, 1969 Super sport, for depth of paint but B/C, at the time, Peeps were confused if This color and paint was the same as all others. Red lead primer, Aluminum coat; seen in edges of chips,  and green. However, at that time, I did try not, in this photo but others,  unsuccessfully, to shoot through the transparent top coat and what's so different. . my Measly 10 year old 5k camera , doesn't have the capability that newer does, without needing to use lights, a tripod and reflectors to get a good shot. . Regardless, I still have this bike and, there is no metallic, zero in the green candy top coat.


----------



## Arnold Ziffel

Good  CAMPUS GREEN  picture & excellent information and just a superb example of the finest Do It Yourself workmanship possible!!!








						Schwinn Continental Build - Bike Forums
					

Classic & Vintage - Schwinn Continental Build - Nice work on the strip-down. I like seeing the frames at the bare metal state.



					www.bikeforums.net


----------



## Jeff54

Arnold Ziffel said:


> Good  CAMPUS GREEN  picture & excellent information and just a superb example of the finest Do It Yourself workmanship possible!!!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Schwinn Continental Build - Bike Forums
> 
> 
> Classic & Vintage - Schwinn Continental Build - Nice work on the strip-down. I like seeing the frames at the bare metal state.
> 
> 
> 
> www.bikeforums.net



Prob sounding like a butthead but, it's a quest, a riddle that remains unsolved. Personally, I think, besides getting a correct translucent color, the issue is and always was the home-made version of baking the paint on; 360 degrees. First ya got the Phosphate dip. )frequently misunderstood as dipped primer) and it's baked? Next is the red or reddish brown primer that's baked on, Aluminum is baked and finally the color coat baking too. Layer after layer baked flat and very thin.. The finish mostly ends up as thin or less than your typical primered and single color  coating that's not baked.

You end up with a serious problem when the paint builds up so thick; it chips just looking at it. Even back in the day, using Schwinn's own paint, despite all their claims, just primer and a single coat, it chipped the same as the cheap stuff.

That is going to be a major problem in the thread you are referring too, it's way too thick.  Anybody got a Pizza oven? How about a double oven? Or, potentially, taking cheapest  way for solar heating water: Build a box about 6" deep, paint it black inside and cover with Plexiglas; Let the sun shine!  and IDK but cook it for a week or so. .  I mean, might be a way to get this paint to lay down. Alternatively, just what they did: Cook each layer, one at a time {If it works} in your new Solar baking box. .


----------



## Tuna

I finally got the frame painted in Campus Green.  I was concerned about a half pint from Koolest Kolors not being enough.  It was.  There is enough paint left over to paint fenders, if I ever need to.  One good thing about getting it from Koolest Kolors is that it is the right color.  No guessing.  

I thinned it with a reducer and clear coated over it.


----------



## Arnold Ziffel

The 1972 and 1973 Chevrolet CORVETTE  had  a  beautiful green  color   called  ELKHART GREEN  poly.
It was 1972 and 1973 only  and  only seen on the Corvette.






						what colors were 1973's painted and what %'s - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion
					

C3 General - what colors were 1973's painted and what %'s - I'm curious if there is any information out there on just how many different colors were available from the factory on the 1973's and how many of each of those colors were produced. Mine is painted in Elkhart Green and I have yet to see...



					www.corvetteforum.com
				









						How many elkhart green corvettes in 1973 - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion
					

C3 General - How many elkhart green corvettes in 1973 - Hi, i just bought a 73 vette. It is Elkhart green and i havent seen to many of them. I was just wondering if anyone knew how many were produced in 1973. Also, does anyone know how many beige/dark bronze were made in 1981. Thanks a lot, Rob



					www.corvetteforum.com
				









						72 elkhart green - CorvetteForum - Chevrolet Corvette Forum Discussion
					

C3 General - 72 elkhart green - hi isnt the elkhart green the 1st or 2nd most sold car in 72? i've been to 6 classic/corvette shows and i never seen one i dont think that is an ugly color i got one and i like it and everyone tells me that is a nice color some even ask me if is a custom color...



					www.corvetteforum.com
				













						Elkhart Green Poly 47-946 (1972)  Touch Up Paint for 1972 Chevrolet Corvette
					

Order pro grade Elkhart Green Poly 47-946 (1972) touch up paint for 1972 Chevrolet Corvette.




					www.paintscratch.com


----------



## Tuna

Here is the Continental painted and decaled, out in the sun. I still have plenty of work ahead to finish the bike, however, this is about paint.  I had some mis-steps, however now that the paint is finally finished, I have to say that the color looks right.  Well, of course it should, it came from Koolest Kolors that knows the formula and charges for that exclusive knowledge.  

Is there an alternative to spending about 6 or more times as much money as either a Duplicolor paint or being able to custom mix the color at an automotive paint supplier?  At this point, I don't know.  

There are many car colors that have been listed above that when the bike is finished I would like to compare to my bike.  If I find something that is really close, I will post it.  I will have to bring my bike to a few car shows to check out some of these colors.  I am working, thank goodness for that, so it will take some time. 

If anybody else finds anything that works and is less expensive, please post.


----------



## 1motime

Great looking Continental!  You did a good job.  Looks like it will be comfortable with those bars.  Color looks good and it is close to finished.  
Not every bike gets that far


----------



## Arnold Ziffel

I don't remember if  a   2016 - 2018 HONDA HR-V  factory paint color called "MISTY GREEN PEARL"  had been previously mentioned earlier in this thread,  but  it  deserves a look because it  is  an oustanding green that might be an acceptable alternative for someone that is seeking something somewhat in the ballpark of the range of Campus Green.









						2018 Honda HR-V Color Options, Codes, Chart & Interior Colors
					

See 2018 Honda HR-V Color Options, Color Chart, Color Codes and Interior Colors for LX, EX, EX-L Navi




					www.vehiclehistory.com


----------



## Jeff54

Yeah, I see where you're going with that, it's close but a bit dark. And in most photos quite a bit darker. Yet it's got a very close color, tone or shade within it. Just water it down, or that is, lighten up up just a tad, with what I got no clue. This photo, like many advertised by manufactures or promotions is enhanced or shot with golden highlighting from sun or filters that brightens it up. .  I always get a sense that, Schwinn's radiant campus green is a dark forest green with a pinch of mustard.


----------



## sbarner

The human eye can detect about a million different colors, so getting an 'exact' color match is not really possible. We're making a huge leap just to claim that there is a single shade that Schwinn called Campus Green, and that every bike that rolled out of the factory with that moniker was that exact shade. Mix in the fact that you are applying paints made with different chemistry, applied using different methods and in different environments and you simply cannot duplicate the original; most likely your job will be better. At some point you have to make a determination that the match is "good enough," as there is really no other possibility. As with so many other things that we fret and stew about on these old bikes, no one else even cares. We've heard the phrase "It's only original once," but is that even accurate when you can pull off the head badge and see a different color underneath? Is it accurate to still call that original paint bicycle "Campus Green"?

This thread got me thinking about Campus Green and Campus Green Flek, which I recall from trying to spiff up my 1969 Varsity, which was the first bike in my family anyone ever bought new. I, too, bought into the idea that the Schwinn spray paint at the dealer's would be superior, and rode the 10 miles out there to plunk down my dough. I distinctly recall that the can read Campus Green Flek, and I always thought this was Schwinn's color name until reading through this thread and checking the catalogs. Sure enough, Schwinn always refers to it as Campus Green whenever listing it as a model's color option, but the 1970 catalog has a photo of the retail spray can which reads Campus Green Flek. I don't really recall anything about the paint I actually sprayed back in 1970 or '71 when I was touching up my bike, other than that it didn't hide the chips very well at all, but I suspect that the spray can color was a metallic, mixed to look as close as practical to the original finish, without the complexity of applying a two-layer paint scheme. I have a mint '72 Paramount in its original Campus Green and it is easy to see that there is no metal flake in the factory finish.


----------



## Goldenrod

There is a obvious idea the no one mentioned?  Can a set of expensive cans paint two bikes?  Sell half filled cans?


----------



## Goldenrod

Aieeejo said:


> Cool - very interesting.  I've never seen that anywhere else. Thanks CyclingDay.  That gives a little more perspective on redoing it from bare metal.
> Do you think the modern-day equivalent of "baked on" is powder coat?



My opinion is that the old backed on is to dry the paint fast and was a thinner paint. Powder coat seems to be a type of melted plastic that is put on at a much higher temperature? This is a rough guess from watching parts being painted sixty years ago.


----------



## coasterbrakejunkie1969

sbarner said:


> it is easy to see that there is no metal flake in the factory finish.



There never was metal flake i n the paint ,the metallic finish is due to the aluminium primer showing through the paint itself. Campus green will darken over time with exposure to the sunlight and you can no longer see the undercoat thru the finish.


----------



## razinhellcustomz

Goldenrod said:


> There is a obvious idea the no one mentioned?  Can a set of expensive cans paint two bikes?  Sell half filled cans?



FEE BAY much? HA!! HAAA!!


----------



## sbarner

coasterbrakejunkie1969 said:


> There never was metal flake i n the paint ,the metallic finish is due to the aluminium primer showing through the paint itself. Campus green will darken over time with exposure to the sunlight and you can no longer see the undercoat thru the finish.



Perhaps I wasn't clear in my post. Now, granted, the top of a spray can doesn't always match the paint inside, but in this case, I think it does, or at least did before the paint inside dried up. You can clearly see that the can is labeled Campus Green Flek, while all the catalogs listed the color as just Campus Green when it was a color option. The last photo is of the can lid next to my dusty 1972 Campus Green Paramount. The difference is striking in the contrast between the bike, which has a multi-layer, 'flamboyant' finish, and the spray can top, which has metal flake. Also, the paint can top is noticeably darker than the factory finish on the bike. Both the bike and the paint can have spent the vast majority of the last 50 years in the dark, as attested to by the lack of fading in the red printed on the label. I imagine that there has been some color change due to oxidation, but I think these are as close to what you would have seen back in 1972 as you're going to find.

What I was trying to say was that it appears Schwinn marketed a metal flake version of Campus Green in their spray cans and touchup to give a similar effect as the flamboyant finish applied at the factory. The metal flake version is called Campus Green Flek, while the factory color was called Campus Green. I wonder if this also carried through to the other flamboyant colors Sky Blue, Flamboyant Red, and Sierra Brown. Oh, and I'll point out that the can is labeled "ORIGINAL FACTORY COLOR" when it is obviously not so at all.


----------



## Arnold Ziffel

sbarner is correct.
That is the typical nature of most all TOUCH-UP Automotive 8oz to 12oz spray cans  &  TOUCH-UP small bottle with tiny brush built into the screw on cap,  or the TOUCH-UP "pens" that are like an EL-MARKO Magic Marker from 1967......for those of you that aren't baby-boomers, think in terms of a really big fat Sharpie permanent marker.

The TOUCH-UP paints are formulated to deliver consistantly accurate PAINT COLOR MATCHING,  yet because of their nature-method of application  are  distinctly different in formulation in most cases,  although the PAINT COLOR MATCHING is typically dead-on accurate to the Original Equipment Manufacturer's Paint Color,  IF & WHEN  THE  SPRAY CAN or Bottle or Pen HAS BEEN  MIXED PROPERLY......MEANING THE CAN HAS BEEN SHAKEN SUFFICIENTLY TO YIELD A WELL MIXED PAINT CHEMICALS & PROPELLANTS...........Obviously,  there are instances when age and after partial useage that it becomes sometimes nearly impossible to get consistant color due to evaporated solvents and inability to mix the contents as needed.
Anyone that has experience painting stuff with rattle-cans knows from experience that it is best to have multiple well shaken cans on hand because if you continue to paint with a rattle-can that is nearly empty, you can get the can to begin spitting and dripping rather than the normal consistant spray.   This is why you want to Change Spray rattle cans BEFORE the paint gets too near the end of the can.    YOU DON'T WISH TO TRY TO GET EVERY DROP,  BECAUSE THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS GOOD TO THE LAST DROP OF PAINT,  WHEN IT COMES To Rattle-Can SPRAY PAINTING,   You Will Simply Potentially Ruin An Otherwise Great Spray Paint Attempt  WHEN THE Near Empty Can Spits & Drips.......
Most people think they can shake it enough and get everything out of the can and save a few bucks by not having to buy a second can of the rattle-can Spray paint,  but  nine times out of ten,  it  messes up or at least  makes what would have been a near perfect spray paint job,  look  worse than average.

If you can get the Color Match  close enough,  and if  you are skilled enough to blend the TOUCH-UP painted portion with the factory painted portion  seemlessly,   nobody can really tell the difference.    As you know,  paint on  old automobiles, bicycles, or anything normally exposed to Sunlight for long periods of time will color change slightly after a long period of time.  Certain areas that are less exposed and more exposed to sunlight will color change (fade) differently  such that the roof , hood, trunklid of an automobile might be significantly different than the color on the lower doors and near the rocker panels after ten to fifteen years, even though the automobile still appears to the human eye to be the same uniform color overall.   The naturally faded portions are mostly seemless in gradual transition.    If one attempts to TOUCH UP an automobile panel or for example when an automotive body shop repairs a fender or replaces a bumper or body panel or door,  and they are simply just repainting & matching that replaced/repaired body panel or bumper  to the rest of the vehicle.   A good body shop will take into account and match the nearest body panels precisely so that the car appears to be one factory color and not unmatching red, blue, silver, or whatever, even though the unmatching color is the exact showroom color when the car came off the assembly line.
About forty years ago my wife had a silver 280ZX that someone ran into  her  when the car was two years old, and she always would describe the visible mismatch of the body shop's silver on the repair  as  when  a  hairstylist  messes up a color job,  and she'd always say professionals shouldn't screw up like that,  it is noticeably bad, like they are colorblind....  She probably told everyone to stay away from that particular body shop.


----------



## Rivnut

I bought a campus green 1969 middleweight frame with fork and chain guard at a swap meet the other day.  The bike was originally a Panther (stencil on chain guard) but I didn’t have all the accessories to rebuild a Panther so I took the easy way out and put together a Typhoon.  Had an old Typhoon chain guard decal put Panther still showed through. Got part of Panther off chemically, then sanded on it some. Didn’t get rid of all the Panther but did sand off some paint.  Got out some Testorsvmodel paints and started mixing.  For an “original” the chain guard matches the frame and fork pretty well. Pictures tomorrow when the sun is out.


----------



## Rivnut

Here’s the picture of the chain guard for which I mixed some Testors model paints to come up with some green to cover some bare metal and the original Panther screen print. It’s good as a 10/10. 10 feet at 10 mph but up close there are brush marks


----------



## Rivnut

Yesterday I decided to go to the local auto paint jobber and see what they had to offer.  I took The fork with me and came up with this Match.  I stepped outside and sprayed the part of the fork that was not painted and here’s what it looks like.


I think once a solid base of silver is laid down then top coated with this, it will be damn close.

This is DuPont paint. The guy at the paint shop only DuPont paints will work


Spectramaster Color Atlas. Code: SMS269


----------



## Oldbikeguy1960

Arnold Ziffel said:


> 2020 Mini Cooper  color  called BRITISH RACING GREEN IV    (also available on some 2019 models, was a new color in lineup in 2019)
> 
> To my eyes, this is one of the closest available colors today.    Do Not Confuse this  NEW for 2019 color with the earlier Mini Cooper color which is much darker.  The earlier darker color is British Racing Green II  which was seen on Mini Cooper models before 2019.
> 
> You are likely to see  this new  2019 and 2020  Mini  Cooper  color called British Racing Green IV   appear in  Touch UP paints at the Advances/AutoZones/Pep Boys/Oreilleys/Car Quests/NAPA within the next few years if not already  available now.
> 
> Go by a Mini Dealership and  look at the 2020 Mini Cooper in British Racing Green IV.      If  you like the color and think it looks close  enough,  get the Factory Paint Code,  and  then you can visit an auto parts or auto paint supply store and get a  small enough amount mixed in  aerosol spray  as one might for large touch up work........this should be enough  to paint a  bicycle frame  in your backyard  in rattle can fashion.    You can do the same with just about any ancient  Automotive factory paint code or paint chip chart.   There are hundreds of metallic green shades that will be close if not near perfect from various American and Imported cars from about 1947 to the present day.    Metallic green colors on automobiles were most popular during the 1947 to 1973 era,  and relatively few green shades were seen after 1973 as green largely fell out of favor.     Metallic green was at it's peak of popularity during the fifties,  probably during the 1949 - 1961 era.         Look at  ancient Pontiac,  Cadillac,  from the forties and early fifties and color charts from nearly all GM brands, FORD/LINCOLN/MERCURY,  Chrysler/Plymouth,  Nash-Rambler, AMC,    VOLKSWAGEN,   PACKARD,  KAISER-FRASER,  and  whatever make you wish to view the color chips of.        If you find a color chip on some ancient chart that you like,  it might be best to have  your favorite local paint place "scan" that actual paint chip with their computer.        PAINT Chip charts can be viewed in many locations online and one can purchase old paint chip charts for maybe $1  or  $2   from  various  sellers on the bay,  or  from folks on various automotive forums.



On the green after 1973, you may be forgetting Chysler Dark Baby Poop Green Metallic and Light Baby Poop Green Metallic.
Chrysler must've had a warehouse full of 55 gallon drums of those colors left over still. I have seen hundreds of Chrysler Newports, Dodge Monacos, even Satellites,  Coronets, Darts and Valiants/Dusters painted those colors with Dark Baby Poop Green Metallic being their favorite I am guessing.
Not that it is a match for Campus Green, but at least one American automaker didn't give up on Green paint or Houndstooth interiors until they ran their stock of raw materials out.
Most of those cars today are only at car shows so I do not fault anyone for not remembering them, I am just throwing them in the mix.
Rob


----------



## Oldbikeguy1960

Tuna said:


> Years ago, I had a Schwinn Heavy Duti frame that was beat up and yellow.  I painted it Rustoleum black.  That was the best decision I could have made.
> 
> This campus green odyssey  has been nightmarish.  I ordered a half pint of campus green, and @1motime , you are probably right, one half pint may not do it.  I will probably spray a piece of cardboard or something with silver, then campus green over it and save it so that I can get it color matched anytime in the future. Maybe right after it comes in.  We'll see.
> 
> Sky Blue on the Schwinn American was so easy too.  It is not too late to go Sky Blue.



A little late for this post I am sure, but when doing a color match spray test it is best to use the substrate you will be painting (metal) with your Primer, Silver Base, top color and clear to get the best match.

Do not use cardboard, it is way more absorbent of most light frequencies than metal or plastic.

Anyone who doesn't believe this should try painting drywall with and without drywall specific primer/sealer. Paint absorbs into drywall differently than it does joint coumpounds.

Warning; the following story will take a few minutes but it is entertaining and will be worth it when you are finished.

I when I finished drywall in my construction/remodeling business up to about 2008 I would bid my drywall jobs with myself applying the Primer Sealer. I would get customers that wanted to cut corners that would want to do their own priming and paint.

I told them if they insisted and wanted me to do the job, they would have to sign a no fault agreement covering visible seams and texture/color differences between drywall board and seam coumpond. Otherwise they had to have a reputable painter prime and paint the work or they had no guarantee on the paint or surface match.

One couple signed the agreement, then when I was finished they painted the room with some cheap standard primer for repaints and  Wal-Mart paint. Not a problem with the paint, but that is what they used.

The room looked so bad it almost made me vomit on my Wheaties when I went to look at the results following their work. The seams looked like stripes of a different shade than the bare drywall. 

I asked about primer and at first they swore they used the primer I recommended. I said fine, let me see the can of primer you have left over.

At first they resisted, but after I picked up my notebook and both jobsite and digital cameras to leave they brought out the cans of primer and paint they used. When I asked who to them that primer would work, they said "the guy that mixed our paint at Wal-mart". 

When I told them they violated our signed release they got nasty and refused to finish payment on other work I was done with a few days before that was bid on a separate contract.

I love arguing with idiots, but these people were beyond reasoning. I went to the courthouse and filed a Mechanics Lien on the home and property. When they received their copy, they called a lawyer and sued me for (yes they did!) Breach of Contract for the drywall work. I countersued for the lien, lost time and wages for preparing the case and court appearances.

In court their attorney argued that the paint technician at Wal-mart was an expert witness. Even the judge had to hide the chuckle he got from that one!

When asked for my qualifications as a contractor, my apprenticeship or journeyman status and years of experience, I simply said here are my qualifications. I do repair and remodeling for ******* who owns the local Classic Car and Corvette dealership, and said "You know how picky those guys are, and he has called me back for other jobs. Since he and most of the judges here are Masons I knew the judge knew him.

I produced all our signed documents, photos of the work before and after painting including one of the couple feeling the seams for smoothness, as well as of their paint materials and a transcript of the basics of our discussion of the problem.

When the judge admitted the paperwork as evidence, he nodded inconspicuously my way and asked if the plaintiff was finished. They answered yes. 

 I prepared to start my case, but the judge said he was already prepared to rule so I didn't argue.

He admonished their attorney for even bringing this frivolous case before him, and  ruled in my favor as well as my lien and countersuit for lost time and wages.
They ended up paying me about $2500 more than if they would've left me alone.

Oh, and the judge called me back to chambers and invited me to join the Freemasons, which I respectfully declined. It still made a friend of him that day.

The moral of this story?
Substrate material does make a difference.


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## GTs58

Oldbikeguy1960 said:


> A little late for this post I am sure, but when doing a color match spray test it is best to use the substrate you will be painting (metal) with your Primer, Silver Base, top color and clear to get the best match.
> 
> Do not use cardboard, it is way more absorbent of most light frequencies than metal or plastic.
> 
> Anyone who doesn't believe this should try painting drywall with and without drywall specific primer/sealer. Paint absorbs into drywall differently than it does joint coumpounds.
> 
> Warning; the following story will take a few minutes but it is entertaining and will be worth it when you are finished.
> 
> I when I finished drywall in my construction/remodeling business up to about 2008 I would bid my drywall jobs with myself applying the Primer Sealer. I would get customers that wanted to cut corners that would want to do their own priming and paint.
> 
> I told them if they insisted and wanted me to do the job, they would have to sign a no fault agreement covering visible seams and texture/color differences between drywall board and seam coumpond. Otherwise they had to have a reputable painter prime and paint the work or they had no guarantee on the paint or surface match.
> 
> One couple signed the agreement, then when I was finished they painted the room with some cheap standard primer for repaints and  Wal-Mart paint. Not a problem with the paint, but that is what they used.
> 
> The room looked so bad it almost made me vomit on my Wheaties when I went to look at the results following their work. The seams looked like stripes of a different shade than the bare drywall.
> 
> I asked about primer and at first they swore they used the primer I recommended. I said fine, let me see the can of primer you have left over.
> 
> At first they resisted, but after I picked up my notebook and both jobsite and digital cameras to leave they brought out the cans of primer and paint they used. When I asked who to them that primer would work, they said "the guy that mixed our paint at Wal-mart".
> 
> When I told them they violated our signed release they got nasty and refused to finish payment on other work I was done with a few days before that was bid on a separate contract.
> 
> I love arguing with idiots, but these people were beyond reasoning. I went to the courthouse and filed a Mechanics Lien on the home and property. When they received their copy, they called a lawyer and sued me for (yes they did!) Breach of Contract for the drywall work. I countersued for the lien, lost time and wages for preparing the case and court appearances.
> 
> In court their attorney argued that the paint technician at Wal-mart was an expert witness. Even the judge had to hide the chuckle he got from that one!
> 
> When asked for my qualifications as a contractor, my apprenticeship or journeyman status and years of experience, I simply said here are my qualifications. I do repair and remodeling for ******* who owns the local Classic Car and Corvette dealership, and said "You know how picky those guys are, and he has called me back for other jobs. Since he and most of the judges here are Masons I knew the judge knew him.
> 
> I produced all our signed documents, photos of the work before and after painting including one of the couple feeling the seams for smoothness, as well as of their paint materials and a transcript of the basics of our discussion of the problem.
> 
> When the judge admitted the paperwork as evidence, he nodded inconspicuously my way and asked if the plaintiff was finished. They answered yes.
> 
> I prepared to start my case, but the judge said he was already prepared to rule so I didn't argue.
> 
> He admonished their attorney for even bringing this frivolous case before him, and  ruled in my favor as well as my lien and countersuit for lost time and wages.
> They ended up paying me about $2500 more than if they would've left me alone.
> 
> Oh, and the judge called me back to chambers and invited me to join the Freemasons, which I respectfully declined. It still made a friend of him that day.
> 
> The moral of this story?
> Substrate material does make a difference.





Excellent job at hijacking a thread. 🥱


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## Oldbikeguy1960

Not my intention, but the explanation of painting the right surface for a color match needed an explanation and it grew beyond planned boundaries.
Besides, any comment could be construed as hijacking by someone. In reality yours has nothing to do with matching Campus Green paint either.
 Even though mine was exhausting long, it did involve matching paint by using the right substrate to test paint, just likenyou use the right substrate to do a practice weld before you hit the project when you do not weld for a living.
Nobody put a gun to your head and made you read it.
Sorry if the story bored you.
Rob


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## Oldbikeguy1960

Besides, it was a 2 year old thread. It needed hijacked so it would be noticed again!


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## razinhellcustomz

Oldbikeguy1960 said:


> A little late for this post I am sure, but when doing a color match spray test it is best to use the substrate you will be painting (metal) with your Primer, Silver Base, top color and clear to get the best match.
> 
> Do not use cardboard, it is way more absorbent of most light frequencies than metal or plastic.
> 
> Anyone who doesn't believe this should try painting drywall with and without drywall specific primer/sealer. Paint absorbs into drywall differently than it does joint coumpounds.
> 
> Warning; the following story will take a few minutes but it is entertaining and will be worth it when you are finished.
> 
> I when I finished drywall in my construction/remodeling business up to about 2008 I would bid my drywall jobs with myself applying the Primer Sealer. I would get customers that wanted to cut corners that would want to do their own priming and paint.
> 
> I told them if they insisted and wanted me to do the job, they would have to sign a no fault agreement covering visible seams and texture/color differences between drywall board and seam coumpond. Otherwise they had to have a reputable painter prime and paint the work or they had no guarantee on the paint or surface match.
> 
> One couple signed the agreement, then when I was finished they painted the room with some cheap standard primer for repaints and  Wal-Mart paint. Not a problem with the paint, but that is what they used.
> 
> The room looked so bad it almost made me vomit on my Wheaties when I went to look at the results following their work. The seams looked like stripes of a different shade than the bare drywall.
> 
> I asked about primer and at first they swore they used the primer I recommended. I said fine, let me see the can of primer you have left over.
> 
> At first they resisted, but after I picked up my notebook and both jobsite and digital cameras to leave they brought out the cans of primer and paint they used. When I asked who to them that primer would work, they said "the guy that mixed our paint at Wal-mart".
> 
> When I told them they violated our signed release they got nasty and refused to finish payment on other work I was done with a few days before that was bid on a separate contract.
> 
> I love arguing with idiots, but these people were beyond reasoning. I went to the courthouse and filed a Mechanics Lien on the home and property. When they received their copy, they called a lawyer and sued me for (yes they did!) Breach of Contract for the drywall work. I countersued for the lien, lost time and wages for preparing the case and court appearances.
> 
> In court their attorney argued that the paint technician at Wal-mart was an expert witness. Even the judge had to hide the chuckle he got from that one!
> 
> When asked for my qualifications as a contractor, my apprenticeship or journeyman status and years of experience, I simply said here are my qualifications. I do repair and remodeling for ******* who owns the local Classic Car and Corvette dealership, and said "You know how picky those guys are, and he has called me back for other jobs. Since he and most of the judges here are Masons I knew the judge knew him.
> 
> I produced all our signed documents, photos of the work before and after painting including one of the couple feeling the seams for smoothness, as well as of their paint materials and a transcript of the basics of our discussion of the problem.
> 
> When the judge admitted the paperwork as evidence, he nodded inconspicuously my way and asked if the plaintiff was finished. They answered yes.
> 
> I prepared to start my case, but the judge said he was already prepared to rule so I didn't argue.
> 
> He admonished their attorney for even bringing this frivolous case before him, and  ruled in my favor as well as my lien and countersuit for lost time and wages.
> They ended up paying me about $2500 more than if they would've left me alone.
> 
> Oh, and the judge called me back to chambers and invited me to join the Freemasons, which I respectfully declined. It still made a friend of him that day.
> 
> The moral of this story?
> Substrate material does make a difference.



I know just hat you mean as my brother is a dry waller and has many years experience, but that's what happens when you have to deal with IDIOTS..


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