Schwinn colors ??

[Coby Romero]

Unlike cars there is no bicycle color code chart so a list of colors won't do much good unless you have parts to match from. I usually just carry part from a bike t my local jobber and have them match it. If I went down there and said "I need dark red for a '38 Schwinn motorbike" I don't think I would get much help. V/r Shawn

Actually I think I have that color. I currently have some custom colors matched in our system for someone that has been a Schwinn distributor since 52. When he retired and his passed he started restoring a bunch bikes he had stashed away. I have custom tinted a few and some before I started. I have 3 ivorys 2 coach greens. A version of coppertone. He said those always varied in color. Blue from late 40s early 50s B6. Opalescent green. Red from a Phatom lemon peeler yellow. Grey Ghost. One of the stingrays blues. That is just a few. I even have some of the seat colors in our vinyl paint. Schwinn is like Harley we have to search by name. PPG doesn't have a database that I'm aware of but we do in our system. I could probably match the Radiant blue I'm about to send off but I won't be starting on that project for awhile so I'll let them have the fun. It's really challenging making base clear metallics look the same as old enamel.

 

[Mymando]

I would be interested in the metallic red for the 57-58’ phantoms if you have it or you can provide it in a color? Thanks nice job on your detective work!

 

[Freqman1]

I agree with the color variance thing and not just on Schwinns and not just due to environmental affects. I've seen at east three shades of apple green used on Schwinns. I've also noticed original paint bikes with Sheetmetal, especially tanks that are slightly off. Even with standard paint formulas there will be some variance and if tanks, guards, or racks were painted one day and frames a months later then it stands to reason you won' always have an exact match. I keep a notebook of all the paint codes I get mixed with the year and model of bike. I probably need to move this to a digital format so I have it in more than one place. I also started air brushing small sheet metal squares with the colors as well so I have, basically, a big paint chip. V/r Shawn

 

[Coby Romero]

I would be interested in the metallic red for the 57-58’ phantoms if you have it or you can provide it in a color? Thanks nice job on your detective work!

It's the early red i have. I want to say he used House of Kolor for that color. Wouldn't that have been called Radiant Red?

 

[Coby Romero]

I agree with the color variance thing and not just on Schwinns and not just due to environmental affects. I've seen at east three shades of apple green used on Schwinns. I've also noticed original paint bikes with Sheetmetal, especially tanks that are slightly off. Even with standard paint formulas there will be some variance and if tanks, guards, or racks were painted one day and frames a months later then it stands to reason you won' always have an exact match. I keep a notebook of all the paint codes I get mixed with the year and model of bike. I probably need to move this to a digital format so I have it in more than one place. I also started air brushing small sheet metal squares with the colors as well so I have, basically, a big paint chip. V/r Shawn

I'm trying to align color names with colors. The earlier colors were just called by color like red was just red. I'm trying to align dates. Like the red I have when I did redid my 51 Phantom I think was just called bright red

 

[Mondo]

I would like to start with Ballon tire and middle weight. I work for a PPG paint distributor. I have a few colors matched. I would like to list color years available. I'm about to send off a set of radiant blue forks for a 62 Jauger I'm restoring.

Would you happen to have matched Spicy Chestnut??

 

[Coby Romero]

I would be interested in the metallic red for the 57-58’ phantoms if you have it or you can provide it in a color? Thanks nice job on your detective work!

I would be interested in the metallic red for the 57-58’ phantoms if you have it or you can provide it in a color? Thanks nice job on

Would you happen to have matched Spicy Chestnut??

I don't believe

 

[Mondo]

I don't believe

Ok, thank you for the reply.

 

[coasterbrakejunkie1969]

Does anyone have a list of Schwinn colors from 1st year to end year?

You should start a thread and let us in on the formulas you already have. I like many others looking for legit Campus green code. I have read that it is the aluminium undercoat primer that gave the sparkle effect of the later colors and is difficult to reproduce with only paint. Any thoughts?

 

[Coby Romero]

You should start a thread and let us in on the formulas you already have. I like many others looking for legit Campus green code. I have read that it is the aluminium undercoat primer that gave the sparkle effect of the later colors and is difficult to reproduce with only paint. Any thoughts?

Not necessarily a aluminum primer but yes aluminum undertone with a transparent top coat. The issue we have trying to match an enamel is the metallic or metal flake lay flat in a single stage and the newer metallic stand up refract light differently also gives a coarser appearance. I don't believe they could achieve a metallic look in a single component paint with the metallic in the top coat because it would make the paint grainy. So they would have to apply the metallic then a top coat to cover the grainy undercoat. Same as base clear just using a tinted top coat there for giving it a metallic look.