Paint Information

[Tony Turner]

After a lot of hard work the Minneapolis-Moline Collectors, Inc have produced a paint chart. The chart shows what colors different parts of the tractor should be.

They have also done color matching with original paint and found a vendor to produce the correct colors at a very respectable price and low cost shipping.

I have been very impressed with how hard these guys have worked to produce a standard color chart and all the effort that was taken to make sure it is as accurate as it can be --- they've done a great job.

I know we've had the discussion on this forum many times about how sloppy Minneapolis-Moline was in regards to color matching from day to day and even from morning to afternoon. While I agree that color match was not their main priority, I also agree that we need a "standard" color chart and paint formula for collectors.

After spending thousands of hours restoring a tractor it became a crap shoot when it came time to paint. This project attempts to address that issue and provide a guideline to help in the decision making process.

We all know that no one can produce a perfect paint chart because there where so many exceptions. This paint chart is the best "general consensus" that any group of people could ever come up with 40 years after the fact.

Anyway, I have replaced the paint pages on this site with the updated information that has been provided to me by the Minneapolis-Moline Collectors, Inc. paint committee. You can follow this link http://www.minneapolis-moline.com/paint.html to view the new information. I have archived the old paint page for it's historical value.

I hope all of you will get behind this project and be as excited as I am that we as collector finally have a standard to follow....... I feel like we are growing up

Humbly,
Tony T

[Grabatire]

Couldn't have come at a better time. I'm getting ready to paint my 52 GTB.

[Steve Sewell]

Tony: Great info, thanks. In looking at the web site for the supplier I found a couple of things. http://www.equipmentcolor.com is an industrial enamel. This is a 'working' tractor type paint. Good stuff. if you go to http://www.tractorcolor.com you can get the automotive topcoat acrylic enamel that you can have a show finish. At a price. The automotive enamel is about double the cost of the equipment enamel.

- Steve

[lbell101]

Hi,

I own equipmentcolor.com. I'd like to thank the paint committee for working with us to get the approved colors. I also want to thank those who have been purchasing the paint and the people who operate this site. In return, we will strive to keep the colors accurate and the quality high.

In that light, the main reason for this post is to ask for feedback. Each of the MM color formulations are brand new. They were tested in house and now in the field with those initial purchases. So far the only negative issue has been coverage on the Late Yellow in LIC40 urethane. We've reformulated that color with nearly twice the tint content as of today. While yellows and reds will never cover as good as colors like black and white, I'm sure the issue is resolved with the reformulation. Color of course is the same. If you have used our paint, I'd appreciate any feedback good or bad. We've sold these same products for years with very good feedback and many return customers so I expect very little problems. But we would not have known about the Late Yellow issue to correct it without user feedback.

We are trying to get up to speed with the individual MM models, their size, and color combos. But with all the paints we sell for so many different combos, I expect we will never be knowledgeable as most here. So we may have to look up your particular tractor to get the colors. What I can promise is that we do mix paint accurately, every order is checked against the approved master, and we will do the best we can to keep our customers happy.

Thanks again!

Larry
autopaint@charter.net

[jameski]

I agree that a standardized paint and supplier is important, and good for basic restoration. However, If you want your tractor truly restored to original a paint chip taken from under the hood or any other spot not compromised by sun or anything else and can get the paint computer matched/mixed.
I had a friend who got a old unstyled JD L. He was in the process of starting to restore it when he found yellow paint. After checking it was one of 2 known to exist L industrial. No record of paint color was available, so he had to take paint chips from under the hood and get paint computer mixed so he could paint it the original color it left the factory with. So if MM always left the factory with different colors of yellow and you want it to look like the way it left the factory get the paint computer matched and mixed the same color it left the factory.

[NOHOG]

I used your paints on these two MM's and am very pleased with the outcome. I will be ordering more soon.
Thanks for good paint and service,
Adrian Hubele, Central Kansas
1960 GVI

1971 G1050

[skycarp2002]

Those are very nice looking tractors.

Did you use the acrylic or the urethane enamel on the tractors?

Did you have any problem covering the primer under coat?

The reason I ask these questions is, I have used a whole gallon of the acrylic enamel on my UT to paint the cast iron and many small pieces. I had a time covering the off-white undercoat on all parts, and used several coats to cover.

I still have the large sheet metal such as the gas tank, fenders and hood and side panels. I am thinking about switching to the urethane for the sheet metal.

[NOHOG]

Hey Thanks.........
I painted the GVI with acrylic enamel, and I painted the G1050 with urethane. Every thing got three coats, just the way I have always painted so was happy with coverage. Now I did notice some places not covering good but that was only on sharp edges and the threee coats seemed to take care of that. I had no problems covering the primer on either paint.
I do prefer the urethane, it just gives it that wet look.
I did apply 2 coats of clear on the G1050 sheet metal, mostly for a little more protection, and am happy with results and will continue to do so on next projects.
Hope this helps, Adrian, Central Kansas

[lbell101]

Those tractors look great. Thanks for the pics.

FYI - we did increase the tint content on the PG1, PG2 and Yellow a few months ago. You should have 2 to 3 coat coverage on all colors in either 30 or 40 series.

Thanks,

Larry

[Steve Sewell]

http://www.equipmentcolor.com

http://www.tractorcolor.com

- Steve

It looks like this company went out of business??? No more web site. So now what??

- Steve

[Jack Blaylock]

Steve:
I guess you will have to send him an email. Haven't tried his address...JB

[kevin moschenrose]

I read some place that they are in the process of moving to a different location is all.

[David Ritenburgh]

We are in the process of moving Midwest paint to Arizona, Also, we are switching to Martin Senior/Sherwin Williams. The plan is to get formulas developed and post them so they can be mixed locally. I appreciate everyone's patience during this transition.

[Jack Blaylock]

David:
So what happened to the website????? Are you physically moving it in a box or what??? Post again if you get it fixed.... We would like to see it..
JB

[Steve Sewell]

We are in the process of moving Midwest paint to Arizona, Also, we are switching to Martin Senior/Sherwin Williams. The plan is to get formulas developed and post them so they can be mixed locally. I appreciate everyone's patience during this transition.

Dave: Thanks for the info. Getting the formulas online will be great. That way if we are a quart short on a top coat we can run to our local dealer to get it and still be in the recoat window. Thanks for all your work on this. I also hope Midwests move works out - times are bad for business, hate to see anyone go under/lose their job.

- Steve