The graphics below are scans of paint chip sheets for Willys vehicles from 1952 to 1954. They are an approximation of the colors used by Willys, and should not be considered a replacement for actual paint chips. Click any sheet on this page to open a large copy (100K JPEG), in a new browser window.
See also Willys Paint Samples 1955-58 and Willys Paint Samples 1959-65.
Acme 1953 |
Ditzler 1953 |
The Acme Paint 1953 sheet, the 1953 CJ-3B Parts List, and a Dupont 1952-53 bulletin (200K JPEG), list only Woodstock Green as being used on the Jeep CJ-3B. A Ditzler bulletin dated July 1953 also lists Cadet Gray and Saber Rouge as being used on the Jeep.
Note: see also Nason sheets for 1952: page 1 and page 2 (100K JPEG's).
Du Pont 1954 |
Du Pont 1954 |
Ditzler 1954 |
Nason 1954 |
Charlie Cherry notes: "I've acquired a 1954 Willys paint chip sheet by R.N. Nason. Curiously, the color Gale Gray metallic is an exact, dead-on, in-the-sunlight match to the original paint on my '54. Could it be the same color as the Persian Gray on the Du Pont sheet? Other colors seem similar as well, like the Nason's Granada Green vs. Du Pont's Signal Green. Some of the colors even have the same names (Bristol Red, Arctic White, Beryl Green)."
The Ditzler sheet also uses the name Gale Gray.
Jim Kearney comments that his 1954 CJ-3B (VIN CJ-3BOB54-10160) has "much original paint on the firewall and for sure it was a metallic paint and it certainly has a blue-green look to it. Signal Green, which according to your paint chart has some blue in it, appears to be a better match than Island Green, which does not."
The back of the Dupont sheet (130K JPEG) lists two-tone combinations used on some models.
Footman loops were all black except the one at the top center of the windshield frame, which is whatever color the windshield frame is painted (sometimes body color but normally black). Wheels were also sometimes body color but normally white or black. Steering column, brake and clutch pedals, and engine were apparently black. Fan shrouds, seat frames and undercarriage were black or apparently sometimes olive drab. Windshield pivot brackets may be black or body color.
Jim Marski points out that "Even original paint chips are good primarily to determine the actual factory paint color of your vehicle if you do not have the paint code. They are many times inaccurate and too small to get a reliable scan on a paint store's 'color eye' paint scanner.
"Both PPG and Du Pont have color libraries that good automotive paint stores can access to get info on old colors. In some cases the libraries have current formulas for old colors, but not in the new high tech paints, i.e. there may be a formula available for the paint in lacquer or enamel, but not a base/clear coat. In other cases, the library may have the original factory sample which can be scanned to produce a match.
"If neither of these works, determine if there are any parts of the vehicle with original paint in good condition such as inside the toolbox lid, that can be brought to your paint store to be scanned. If none of the above work, the paint store should have a book of colors by hue, which you can use with an original paint chip to find a close match. Looking through colors by year and manufacturer is tedious at best."
You can use SMPTE colour bars (40K JPEG) to check your monitor. The bars are the primary and secondary colours -- look for a lemon yellow and a bright red. Adjust contrast and brightness so you can just barely see three distinct shades of grey in the lower right section.
Elsewhere on the web, see CJ2A Paint Chips 1946-1948 on The CJ2A Page, and chips for most years at AutoColorLibrary.com.
Additional information is welcome. -- Derek Redmond
Continue to Willys Paint Samples 1955-58 and Willys Paint Samples 1959-65.
See also CJ-3B Specifications.
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