CUCV Camo Paint Pattern

[biped]

I'm getting ready to have some body work done to replace rust with new sheet metal + paint. I like the camouflage look and want to know where to find the original pattern used for my '86. This is going to be expensive. I'll probably spend $5,000 and increase resale value $500.

Bruce

 

[gottaluvit]

I'm getting ready to have some body work done to replace rust with new sheet metal + paint. I like the camouflage look and want to know where to find the original pattern used for my '86. This is going to be expensive. I'll probably spend $5,000 and increase resale value $500.

Bruce

Better keep it then! The pattern should be pretty easy to see with some google image searches. The CUCV that won MV of the month (only CUCV that won any) in May last year. It is virgin. His pics will show the pattern well.

https://www.google.com/url?q=http:/...ds-cse&usg=AFQjCNFA0-bWcrk9ZI8SOl6u3i6vSvejlg

 

[cucvrus]

Pictures are available everywhere of CUCV's and the pattern is no pattern. It is sprayed in the same areas freehand. A proto type model/example just helped to keep the paint somewhat uniform on each CUCV so they were all the same. Originally they were robotically painted. This help keep the scheme uniform on each unit. If done one by one different results are achieved. One guys idea of camo vs another guys is 2 different things 2 different schemes each person would have a different idea of the combination and paint scheme. They adopted the same uniform camo scheme to make all the vehicles look somewhat the same. When new and lined up the were identical paint and the fenders and doors and each part were exactly the same. Kept the uniform camouflage scheme until they were repainted. IMHO I like the look of the original camo scheme with the trim and grille green. I think it shows a well painted vehicle that a lot of attention to detail was used. Many things in automotive look best with the factory set up. And then get mutated as time goes on. it is the original that seems to hold the value and be the real treasure. The survivors as they call them. The res-tiqued not the restored are fast becoming the higher priced in vehicles. Your opinion may vary and that is fine. i just notice lately that people are wanting the patina and mild imperfection to go with the age and add character to the vintage vehicles. Not the same as classic cars. But even some of them are clear coating over rust and dents and minor impofections. the useable and not afraid to drive restorations are going that way.

 

[Hasdrubal]

There are two patterns, old and new. Here's the old, which is what I resprayed years ago ;

 

[gottaluvit]

Pictures are available everywhere of CUCV's and the pattern is no pattern. It is sprayed in the same areas freehand. A proto type model/example just helped to keep the paint somewhat uniform on each CUCV so they were all the same. Originally they were robotically painted. This help keep the scheme uniform on each unit. If done one by one different results are achieved. One guys idea of camo vs another guys is 2 different things 2 different schemes each person would have a different idea of the combination and paint scheme. They adopted the same uniform camo scheme to make all the vehicles look somewhat the same. When new and lined up the were identical paint and the fenders and doors and each part were exactly the same. Kept the uniform camouflage scheme until they were repainted. IMHO I like the look of the original camo scheme with the trim and grille green. I think it shows a well painted vehicle that a lot of attention to detail was used. Many things in automotive look best with the factory set up. And then get mutated as time goes on. it is the original that seems to hold the value and be the real treasure. The survivors as they call them. The res-tiqued not the restored are fast becoming the higher priced in vehicles. Your opinion may vary and that is fine. i just notice lately that people are wanting the patina and mild imperfection to go with the age and add character to the vintage vehicles. Not the same as classic cars. But even some of them are clear coating over rust and dents and minor impofections. the useable and not afraid to drive restorations are going that way.

Indeed. By pattern, I meant making the same, yet freehand. When I was in, we had all our 5 tons (dumps) painted and I remember how nice they looked lined up in the motorpool. They were very "uniform".

 

[amgeneral72]

This was the 3 color NATO pattern for the M-880 and the M-715.

TB 43-0209

View attachment m880_camo.pdf

 

[4x4 Forever]

• TB 43-0209, 29 Oct 76, Camouflage Painting of Military Vehicles
• This ought to get you going in the right direction. Please post pics of your progress and end result.

​

 

[Russm]

There are two patterns, old and new. Here's the old, which is what I resprayed years ago ;

Which colors are 1, 2 and 3?
And where could one buy them? I vaguely remember a website, but its already tomorrow and time to sleep.

 

[tim292stro]

Get all the info you want straight from the horse's mouth:

TB 43-0209 (Army.Mil website)

1 = Black (37030)
2 = Green 383 (34094)
3 = Brown 383 (30051)

 

[biped]

Paint Problems

My body shop guy says these paint codes don't mean anything to "modern" shops that sell auto paint. Is there a cross over guide to ID these colors in todays paints.

My back-up plan is to just paint the truck OD but I really wanted the camo.

The truck has been in the body shop since late February. Rust has been replaced with new sheet metal but paint is kicking me in the butt.

biped

Get all the info you want straight from the horse's mouth:

TB 43-0209 (Army.Mil website)

1 = Black (37030)
2 = Green 383 (34094)
3 = Brown 383 (30051)

 

[tim292stro]

Well with all due respect to your body shop's experience, they aren't trying very hard. For professional consumer body shops, two paint manufacturers are very common: Sherwin Williams, and PPG. Both companies have a division that supplied paint to DoD of the CARC variety, so for certain they possess the color recipe. I sent an email to PPG yesterday "pretending I was in your situation", and they replied with a very helpful email today. Here are the cross-references they sent for the above three FS-595 colors:

Black (37030)- PPG brand code: 34184
Available in PRIME:
Concept- DCC
Delfleet Essential-ESSS
Delfleet Evolution-FDGH
Global-BC
Omni- MAE, MBC, MTK, MBX, MTX
Shopline- JB, JBX, JTX
Available as a color match:
Deltron-DBC

Green (34094)-PPG brand code: 403108
Available in PRIME:
Delfleet Essential-ESSS
Delfleet Evolution-FDGH
Available as a color match:
Deltron-DBC
Delfleet Evolution-FBC

Brown (30051)-PPG brand code: 25368
Available in PRIME:
Delfleet Evolution-FDGH
Omni-MAE, MBC, MTK, MBX, MTX
Shopline-JB,JBX, JTX
Color match available in:
Deltron-DBC

The email came with the same advice I would have given you (my slight edit in yellow): "If your paint supplier is having trouble making a color match to FS-595 colors, please have them call [the color lab for the manufacturer]. The color lab is a free service offered to licensed resellers, and we can match any color or provide the appropriate formulations for standard library colors from more than 50 color libraries including FS-595 color codes."

My last advice for you is that if you are having the body shop get the paint and they stonewall you, offer to do the research and talk to the paint vendor on his/her behalf. The body shop may just be afraid that if they make a mistake, they'll be on the hook for it, thus some reluctance.

 

[biped]

Tim, thanks for the help. My body shop consists of one man that works 4 days a week and a manager/owner that hold down a full time job elsewhere. He comes in evenings and on Saturday. It is really hard getting anyone interested in doing "restoration work. I got your paint info sent to the shop and hope to hear something Monday. Thanks again.

biped

 

[tim292stro]

Yeah, so then add extra emphasis on my last chunk of advice, talk to him - find out how you can partner on this restoration to take the clerical work and outcome risk off him and he'll probably be more interested in how it turns out.

That's how I started with my mechanic about 13 years ago, and now he always wants to see what I have in mind next.

 

[biped]

Went to see my CUCV. It's been 6 months and will be another 6 weeks. Progress is being made. It's filler work. I bought the paint for them. The truck will be green all over and brown and black camo on top of the green. Grill guard, both bumpers and mirrors will be green only. Question of clear coat came up. Don't know. I don't want a shiny paint but I do want to preserve the paint. Any suggestions?

 

[ZiggyO]

This may sound labor intensive but the results are worth it in my opinion....... I put down three coats of my base-- in this case, the 383 green.... I add a synthetic enamel hardener to the first two and allow a full cure between coats. Yes, the hardener makes it more of a satin to almost semi-gloss finish, but I found that if I spray a third lighter coat of just the paint without the hardener just after the second coat has tacked over but hasn't fully cured, it brings back the flat finish but retains hardness and durability of the hardened paint.......

Z

 

[biped]

Ziggy0, Thanks. I think painting the truck green will be one day and the brown/black the next. Clear coat remains a question. Your plan seems better but I'm at the mercy of a body shop. Time is money.

 

[ZiggyO]

I agree with you there.... time is money from a business perspective (and in the fairness of full disclosure, we have a full collision repair/ hotrod restoration shop in the family)..... I was just saying that if anyone wanted to tackle the job themselves, its possible with the oil alkyd enamels to have both a flat finish coupled with hardness and durability.......

Z

 

[cucvrus]

I always paint wet on wet. If you allow the green to fully dry and add the brown and black you will get nasty dry edges. Do as you wish. I have done many different color variations of the camo in many different colors and always get the best results wet on wet. The colors seem to melt in and dry smoother and retain the flat color better. I have had a few that have dry edges and are a real challenge to wash and clean. I still have a few paint jobs that get dry edges on the over spray. That is a hard thing to control when you are painting in a barn. So far I have been happy and others have also. And yes the oil alkyd is a very good alternative to CARC. Much easier and cost effective. I seen a few latex paint jobs that looked great. Anything beats a spray can paint job. Rollers do better.

 

[biped]

You guys are all right! So, it will be wet on wet, all same day and clear coat on top. I'm 30 days away from paint. They asked that I be there on paint day. I think its to share the blame. This will be their first camo and probably the last. My paint is acrylic.

 

[Another Ahab]

Ziggy0, Thanks. I think painting the truck green will be one day and the brown/black the next. Clear coat remains a question. Your plan seems better but I'm at the mercy of a body shop. Time is money.

It's been proven: