CMP C-15 Toggle Switch Plates - base colour?

[Chris Preston]

'Evening All,

Would anyone on this board know the correct base colour for the Chev CMP C-15 Toggle Switch Plates (the plates with the toggle switches, on the Instrument Panel).

We have three CMPs in our collection - 1 X Chev CMP 3-Ton Breakdown Lorry, and 2 x Chev CMP C-15s, all with the No. 13 Cab, and the Toggle Switch Plates in all three need some cleaning up and re-working?

Thanks in advance.

Chris Preston,
Victoria, BC

[Maurice Donckers]

Grey background with black instructions

[Tony Smith]

I would have said Silver, or more accurately Aluminium/Aluminum.

[Maurice Donckers]

Hmm maybe different batches , the 2 sets I have are steel with grey back ground , but I noticed that the early 13cab ones where brass .

[Bob Carriere]

Chris.......someone had previously recommended model paint...... in the range of RCAF aircraft grey...... like the body shade of Canada VooDoo grey by Testtor's ....... a quick search of the forum in the last few months should get you some results.

http://www.mapleleafup.net/forums/sh...h+plate&page=2

Cheers

[Jacques Reed]

Hi Chris et al,

I think the colour refers to my post on restoring my switch plates.

As a bit of background on my choice of colour:

I tried numerous grey colour paints to find a close match to what was left on my original plates. Over the years I had accumulated quite a few different shades of grey aerosol remnants. Primers were too light and being matte finish they were not a good surface on which to apply decals. Other gloss greys were too dark or too light or too blue/grey. I also took the plates to the local hardware store to compare cap colour and chart colours. Again, no match.

I turned to various Humbrol and Testors paints which I had to seek a match, making at least 8 colour swatches. Again, much the same results as with the aerosol greys. Looking at a Testors colour chart it appeared Canada Voodoo Grey looked a good match, and a closer match than any of the previously tried colours in any event. Taking the switch plate to the local hobby shop and comparing it to the bottle confirmed it.

As we all know colour matching of 70 year old paint is very difficult. In the case of my original switch plates I had retouched them many years previously and even the original paint areas had been rust stained which I had cleaned with weak phosphoric acid. See photo attached. I also noticed a fine coat of blue dots on the grey paint, a result of someone in the past getting a bit too close while spraying some blue paint? No doubt there was some inground dirt on the plates too which would affect one's perception of colour.

So as per the attached photo it is a close match, but not a perfect match to the "original" colour. Yes, it possibly could have been tinted a bit darker in hindsight but with all the variables, rust, weathering, overspray and dirt on the original who is to say what is the exact original colour.

If anyone out there has a NOS switch plate it would be great to see a photo of it here by way of comparison of the colours.

Cheers,

[Chris Preston]

'Evening All,

Thanks very much for all your replies - much food for thought here. Once I have the plates stripped and repainted, I'll be using sets of Jacques excellent Toggle Switch Plate decal sheets to restore them to their original state. I'll be at the Museum tomorrow and will check out the other two vehicles more closely as all three are side-by-side. I believe one of them (at least) still has the original colour showing. More to follow on that, and photos to follow of the restored plates, using Jacques decals.

Cheers,

Chris - in Victoria (BC)