# Schwinn Greens



## Pantmaker (Mar 31, 2014)

Does anyone know if the green color referred to as Opalescent Green in the 50's is the same as the later Radiant Green in the 60's? I have just never seen them side by side.

thanks


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## twomorestrokes (Mar 31, 2014)

there has been discussion and debate over at the schwinnbikeforum concerning opalescent green and radiant green. Personally I do not think they are the same color. I own a 1957 Jaguar mark II in opalescent green and it appears more blue to me then radiant green


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## 2jakes (Mar 31, 2014)

Pantmaker said:


> Does anyone know if the green color referred to as Opalescent Green in the 50's is the same as the later Radiant Green in the 60's? I have just never seen them side by side.
> 
> thanks





It's difficult to determine clearly online....





Radiant Green




Opalescent Green




Opalescent Green on Phantom (front) & Radiant Green on back ( Speedster).

Hope this helps !


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## bikecrazy (Mar 31, 2014)

You gotta be impressed with that response!


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## twomorestrokes (Mar 31, 2014)

Those photos of 2jakes show the difference clearly. Radiant green is much more green than opalescent. Opalescent appears more green in bright light and takes on a more bluish green in muted light. When I repainted the tank on my Mark II it was far too bright green. I stripped it and fogged a layer of candy blue first then went over it with green.


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## Pantmaker (Mar 31, 2014)

*Sweet Mother Mary and Joseph!*

Wow...Thank you very much this helped immensely.





2jakes said:


> It's difficult to determine clearly online....
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## 2jakes (Mar 31, 2014)

Pantmaker said:


> Wow...Thank you very much this helped immensely.




There's good advice from " twomorestrokes " in post # 5.

If you are painting only certain parts of the bike...
It'll take some "tweaking" to match the new to the old paint.

If you're painting the whole bike then it should be easier.  But note that the "opalescent"
colors have a reflective characteristic  which may cause it to appear brighter at times or a blue
hue depending on the light source.


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## mruiz (Mar 31, 2014)

Don't forget Emerald green.


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## GTs58 (Mar 31, 2014)

*They Are The Same But Different*

My findings on the two, Opal and Radiant, they seem to be the same candy tint. Schwinn used a gold base coat and I believe at least two different silver base coats. A grayish silver base will give you a blueish hue where as a bright silver will not. The darkness depends on the color coats, the more candy the darker it gets. There was also a product change but I believe the tinting formula between the two was the same. I've played around with a blue and a red candy using many many different base coats and the final outcome was a drastic variation in the final color of the candy.
On a 50 year old bike the exposed paint will definitely change color depending on what it was exposed to over the years.  

Here's some shots of an Opal and a Radiant fork. In person. I literally saw no difference in the two colors on the steertubes.


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## 2jakes (Mar 31, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> My findings on the two, Opal and Radiant, they seem to be the same candy tint. Schwinn used a gold base coat and I believe at least two different silver base coats. A grayish silver base will give you a blueish hue where as a bright silver will not. The darkness depends on the color coats, the more candy the darker it gets. There was also a product change but I believe the tinting formula between the two was the same. I've played around with a blue and a red candy using many many different base coats and the final outcome was a drastic variation in the final color of the candy.
> On a 50 year old bike the exposed paint will definitely change color depending on what it was exposed to over the years.
> 
> Here's some shots of an Opal and a Radiant fork. In person. I literally saw no difference in the two colors on the steertubes.








Sorry...but  there is a difference...perhaps your upload machine is color blind...


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## cyberpaull (Mar 31, 2014)

*61 Green Panther III*

they seem close


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## GTs58 (Mar 31, 2014)

2jakes said:


> Sorry...but  there is a difference...perhaps your upload is color blind...




Damn! Did you spill some of your toxic night cap mix on my fork?


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## 2jakes (Mar 31, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> Damn! Did you spill some of your toxic night cap mix on my fork?








Whoops ... my April Fool's  went awry....


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## GTs58 (Mar 31, 2014)

2jakes said:


> Whoops ... my April Fool went awry....




LMAO........Nah, it's just not Aprils Fools yet here in Arizona. What did you spill on my fork anyways? I have a green bike that I want to change to Toxic Blue.


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## 2jakes (Apr 1, 2014)

GTs58 said:


> LMAO........Nah, it's just not Aprils Fools yet here in Arizona. What did you spill on my fork anyways? I have a green bike that I want to change to Toxic Blue.








...Happy April 1st...


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## GTs58 (Apr 1, 2014)

*A Little Toxic Blue Taste Test*

Again, I believe the opal and radiant candy colors were formulated the same. The Opal in enamel and the Radiant was possibly a Lacquer. Steertubes are near identical but the opal aged different then the radiant. Sky Blue on the left,Opal in the middle and Radiant on the right. 

Crap, I can only get one picture to upload. M$^$%@$%R


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