Paint Codes for FIRE ENGINE RED....

[RedBarchetta]

I'd like to hear from others as to what are the best paint codes for a true, deep fire engine RED. I'm not talking about those shades of red that look orange-red. I mean deep red, almost blood red. The shade of red that burns your retinas and attracts the cops.

I'm seriously considering ordering an SPF, but I'm not convinced that their factory red shade is dark and deep enough for my tastes.

And please don't tell me about burgundy...that's too dark.

[G.R.]

I don't know if this is a close enough color but VW had a color in the late '80's called Mars Red--don't remember the paint code but I think it was PPG--I had my 280ZX repainted that color in '87--was a very deep red and seemed to change color at night under different lighting ie gas station or streetlights turned almost a blood red in low light-FWIW

[foothills gary]

My '02 Toyota Celica is a true red called appropriately "Absolutely Red".It is the same red used on the Lexus IS300 and 430 Roadster.It reminds me of Porsche"Guards Red",or the common red used by Ferrari.It is incredibly easy to touch up stone nicks,and is one of two choices for my ERA(the other is black).The paint code is Toyota PO3.It definitely burns the retinas,and attracts the cops!

[NeedAntiVenom]

Red,

Try these:

"Inza Red" PPG #5283
"Roma Red" PPG #5204
"Milano Red" PPG #4779/4781

Make you look at a variety of pictures - the color can vary greatly from picture to picture. Get a sample before commiting.

[RedBarchetta]

Here's a good link that shows how red from a manufacturer's viewpoint (in this case, Lamborghini) can take on several hues.

Notice Red Mic 3TC (PPG #224147) about 15 paint chips down. It's much deeper and more vibrant than Diablo Rossa 2CT just below it. Diablo Rossa almost looks orange in comparison.

http://www.lambocars.com/paint.htm

[RedBarchetta]

Originally posted by NeedAntiVenom
Get a sample before commiting.

Absolutely! I will buy a quart of the 2 or 3 finalists and spray a test panel in my garage before I make the final choice. I'm also going to use different colored primers underneath, as I'm not 100% sure which shade the SPF factory would use on a dark color (they should use a darker primer, but you never know).

Thanks for the codes!

[strictlypersonl]

This might help.

Auto Color Library

[RedBarchetta]

Originally posted by G.R.


I don't know if this is a close enough color but VW had a color in the late '80's called Mars Red--don't remember the paint code but I think it was PPG--

Code 72434, 1986 color. IMHO, it has too much orange in it, but it definitely is bright.

[ff2_emtb]

Call some firetruck manufacturers and ask them. You might try Pierce, Ferrara, Seagrave, or Sutphen. Go visit your local fire station and ask them for the codes off the truck (assuming they are red) or if they have a bottle of touch up paint that came with the truck. If all else fails, I have a code to a red that came off our fire truck that we used to paint our 1929 Chevy parade truck. I will see if I can get a good pic of it in the sun.

Travis

[SFfiredog]

I write the specifications for all of the rigs that the San Francisco Fire Department buys. I can assure you that there are hundreds of shades of reds on file at all of the fire apparatus manufacturers. I enclosed a photo of one of our heavy rescue squads being built at this time at American LaFrance in Charleston, SC.
SFFD uses a beautiful deep, rich red for their rigs. Borderng on Maroon.
I believe the number is PPG Concepts 78377
I will verify that number at work on Monday for you and re-post if necessary.

Happy Thanksgiving,
--Mike

[Snakebit]

Try Ford Probe 1996 Rio Red

[Howard Bosworth]

Check out the LaFrance red actually there are at least three American LaFrance reds . Looks like the SF in SF DOG post. You want the one they commonly used up untill the 80's. They also have a real ugly orange red.

A SPF at the DV Fling had an outstanding red from PPG. As I recall it was not common to US market and may have had a little gold content.

[Bear2001]

Suggest that you go to the local Pep Boys, a virtual pallette of paint colors.

The manager let me take all of the "red' out into the sunlight to select the correct one. He and a couple of the counter guys helped weed out the ones that had any of the orange or brown hues. One of them was an "ex cop" his comment was "that's the one"

The final selection was from Plasti-kote "Nissan 5428/Bright Red.

[RedBarchetta]

I went to the auto paint store earlier today and bought two pints. One was 1965 Ford "Rangoon Red"; the other was 2000 Dodge/Chrysler "Radiant Fire Red". FWIW, the Viper Red has more orange in it when compared to the Radiant Fire Red.

I'm going to spray some test panels and take a look at them in the sun.

[RedBarchetta]

Originally posted by SFfiredog

Happy Thanksgiving,
--Mike [/b]

Mike, to you as well! And thank you for the fire engine references. I'm going to check those out, too!

[RedBarchetta]

Originally posted by RedBarchetta
I'm going to spray some test panels....

Well, I finished the test panels using two portable steel car ramps as the canvas. Both ramps were first covered in a neutral primer gray for uniformity. The colors were applied with a Binks bottom feed gun approximately 30 minutes apart. The Chrysler "Radiant Fire" is DEFINITELY a deeper red than the Ford Rangoon Red (which has a much more orange tint when compared side by side).

I've researched all the Ferrari colors, too. Their red, though very bright, is definitely on the orange side of the red spectrum.

I'm learning real quick that there are two camps in the "I like red" group. They either favor the bright red (orange/red) tones or the blood red (deep red) tones. It just comes down to a matter of personal taste/choice.

I have a few more domestic shades to check out, as well as the actual fire engine codes. Those are a little tougher to research.

[Tommy]

Like you, I was trying to decide on an eye-popping red for one of my cars in 2001. Every time I saw a red car, I would study it to see if it was the right color. Eventually, I found the Torch Red on 2001 Monte Carlos to be my favorite. You might want to give that one a look.

[Don]

Porsche Red:

Dupont: B9230F

[RedBarchetta]

Originally posted by Tommy


Eventually, I found the Torch Red on 2001 Monte Carlos to be my favorite. You might want to give that one a look.

I checked it out. Tends to be in between a Viper Red (more orange) and Radiant Fire Red (more red). I have a feeling a test spray would yield results close to the Rangoon Red. THanks for the hint!

[Unique580hp]

If it helps, here is a photo of my 427 Unique. It is painted Viper Red with Toyota Superwhite stripes. I have not noticed it looking orange. (although a digital photo on low resolution sometimes makes any red look that way)

ps the car is for sale