Correct paint color

[Marine_81]

Hopefully someone can help here: I have a '63 Simplicity Model W, and am in the process of repainting some of its implements. The tractor and all its implements appear to be red. My uncle repainted the snow blower a few years ago, which I have to do again, with #1685589 powder orange. He said after some research, he discovered this to be the right paint. It is a fairly light orange (almost the same as Chevy orange), and does not match the original red equipment. My uncle said everything used to look orange, it just darkened with age (the tractor was only in the sun when it was used, and stored in a shed). I just bought three cans of the powder orange, and wanted to make sure this really is the right stuff, so I don't waste it, and it was very expensive. Is 1685589 the right paint?

[bud119195]

I use duplicolor chevy oarange 1607 on my stuff

[Guest]

My two cents worth - Simplicity made walk-behind tractors for Montgomery Wards for many years. The Wards versions were painted red while the Simplicity versions were orange. Perhaps yours is actually a Wards version? I have been told by several knowledgable Simplicity dealers that Simplicity used a different shade of orange paint on the old equipment that is different than either the Powder Orange or the Deep Orange paints that are sold today. The old orange was a shade darker than the Powder Orange and a shade lighter than the Deep Orange. Some restorers use the Powder Orange and others use the Deep Orange. Neither is technically correct - it's just a matter of what you prefer. I myself use the Powder Orange because it distinguishes the older equipment from the present-day stuff that is painted the Deep Orange. Also, I have never seen a paint substantially darken with age. Usually they end up fading to a lighter shade with exposure to sunlight. Perhaps thats another reason to use the lighter Powder Orange? In the end it's really what you are happy with! Good luck with your restoration.

[Marine_81]

I can verify, but haven't yet; the tractor is most likely a Montgomery Wards product, which explains its redness. We used to have many, many things that my grandfather bought through Wards, so I'm sure that's where the Model W came from.