COA Exterior Color question

[Stephen Colen]

I am restoring a 1960 Roadster and the COA states the exterior paint color is Light Ivory, no code supplied. When I review Porsche literature the color light ivory code 6404 doesnt appear until 1964-1965. The only color for 1960-1961 listed anywhere is Ivory code 6004. What color do you suggest I paint the car? Light Ivory or Ivory?
Thanks

[Jeffrey Leeds]

The COA is derived from the factory Kardex and sometimes the translation from the original German notes is not as precise as we would hope it to be.

Porsche's color identification code uses the first two digits for the model year identification and the third and forth digits as the color for that year. In this case the 60 identifies the model year and the 04 the color.

John Wilhoit has probably done as much - if not more - research on 356 paint colors as anyone in the Registry.
He sells paint sample card through his eBay store:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Porsche-356-4-X ... 1095007758

Comparing his 6004 color sample with his 6404 sample shows a slight difference to my eye, which is not unusual with color variations year-to-year for these cars even if both have the same color number.
I would get a sample card from Wilhoit and try to match the listed color number 6004

Jeff

[Jim Alton]

Many folks have called Porsche and gotten corrected Certificates of Authenticity--I suggest you do the same.

My guess at the most likely explanation is that your CofA was prepared by someone without the best German language skills.

In German, 6004 was Elfenbein (elephant bone, i.e. ivory) while 6404 was Hell Elfenbein (light elephant bone, i.e. light ivory). But, if someone had become used to translating Hell Elfenbein as light ivory they might not have picked up on the fact that Hell made a difference in the paint color.

Of course, a 1960 Roadster could have been painted light ivory as a special order, which is why you should get PCNA to double check the Kardex.

[Roy Lock]

A while back, I posted a Porsche of America bulletin to dealers dated Jan 64. In it, all the paint formulations at that time were listed. You can search under my name and find the complete document.

Here is the summary of what it is for Ivory. There are 3 different formulations for the same nomenclature.

Also, you can not depend on paint sample cards or viewing it on your computer screen.

There will always be variations in display on the computer screen that can be way off. The colors on the screen are combinations of red, blue, and green. If you have your computer display adjusted to bias any one of the colors, it will be off. Manufacturing in computer screens variances also account for inaccurate colors.

As for sample cards, you must know who formulated it, what was the reference, how it was stored, the shade of the card or metal stock used as a sample, the color of the primer, etc.

There is no exact match. Just get close and enjoy what you have.

[Jim Alton]

Roy,

I agree that insisting upon an exact color match is a fool's errand, but I believe Stephen Colen was asking whether 6004 Ivory and 6404 Light Ivory were the same.

Willhoit's on-line representations of 6004 Ivory and 6404 Light Ivory are obviously different, and the formulas you show for Ivory and Light Ivory show a lot of yellow pigment in Light Ivory and little or none in Ivory.

[Roy Lock]

Jim, I believe I answered the OP's question with this statement I showed all the formulations to silence all doubters about that statement.

Here is the summary of what it is for Ivory. There are 3 different formulations for the same nomenclature.

I still do not believe what I see on the computer screen. Always question you source if you want to be 100% sure.