Hot Rods Super Bell Coupe

Guys,
I am recreating Jim Ewing's Super Bell Coupe. Headed into body work and paint soon. Some time back there was a thread on Jim's car. One of the members stated they know the current owner (I believe in Maryland). If you know this gentleman, I am searching for the correct paint code to match the International Orange color Ewing used originally. Possibly you could send me the current owner's contact information or even ask if he knows the actual paint code as there are several shades.
Thanks for the help.
Jim

 

@frank morawski (of Bel Air, Maryland) is the current "caretaker" of Jim Ewing's Super Bell Coupe.

 

Since I built most of that car, I can tell you that the paint was a military surplus item. It was sourced from a surplus yard in El Monte, Ca. in the early 70's. Probably the closest you can get is tangerine. There's no paint code for the original color.

 

Ewing had been given the paint by a friend, the code, if it ever was known may be lost to time.

 

Ewing found the paint at the surplus yard. We bought several gallons of it and used it on two or three cars. I shot my cousin's baja bug with it,and my small sheet metal brake is painted with it. The only code was military.

 

......I don't think Frank gets on here much, but HAMBer, hrm2k is good friends with him and posts now and then. Hit him up with a PM (conversation) if you need more details on the car..........Don.

 

How about some more pics of your recreation?

 

Yeah post more pics of the build.

 

Thanks gentlemen. I will try to find Frank. Hopefully he touched up something. There was a past article in rod and custom telling the story of how the paint was purchased. That article calls it International Orange. Some say that is the color of the Bay Bridge but that shade is much too brown. Unfortunately the multitude of pictures and reproductions show the color in many shades depending upon lighting. I will post a few more pixs - have to download my phone. thanks again, Jim

 

Frank is on Facebook. Send him a p.m.

 

Don,

You are correct! ... Neither @frank morawski nor his long-time friend (since 1965), @Rich Venza frequent the H.A.M.B. anymore ... but both are active on Facebook.

NOTE: I first met Frank & Rich at the 2010 Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance ... where they were showing Frank's recently completed restoration of the famous #17 Fred Carrillo Roadster:

​

I can certainly contact Frank and/or Rich to inquire about the paint code ... but I seem to remember Frank saying he never found the original paint code ... for the same reason that @Weedburner 40 stated [i.e., it was a military or Caltrans (California Dept. of Transportation) paint code].

 

I found this on Hot Rod's site in an article about the Super Bell Coupe. "The lacquer paint, gallons and gallons of it, was military surplus manufactured by FP Fuller of Los Angeles, California, in March of 1958! He bought it for $1 a gallon." https://www.hotrod.com/articles/0012sr-super-bell-coupe/

 

One of my all time favorite cars!

Would love to see more photos of your car. What engine are you running? Pretty common knowledge that Jim Ewing had all kinds of problems overheating with various different engines until he put a V6 in there.

Sounds to me like you should contact Dale / Weedburner 40 for any build info.

 

THANKS FOR POSTING!!!!! I will definitely keep up with this build!! If I didn't have my car I would build the same thing you are doing. THANKS AGAIN...………..

 

Pretty bad ass the people on here. Pete Eastwood, Pat Ganahal, Marty Strode, Dale Caulfield .. sh*t man ... can't beat it.

Anyways. You can get a hold of whoever you choose to ... but if it were me, that color is a fleet code. "IF" it's a CalTrans standard as other have said.

Do you have a paint store worth its salt ? Likely so, you're in Michigan.

Look up 2011 Tangier Orange ... its GM's name for a special order shade used by CalTrans for years.

You'll get different codes from the 1970's up .. but the color is a non metallic same. The formulation of the paint product ingredients changed .. but the color has remained for 60 years plus.

Hope Tennessee is treating Dale right. How cool is that ? Wanna' know something about the Super Bell coupe ? Call Dale man !!

This place rules.

 

Thanks Kid! Tennessee is treating us great. Even though it was a long time ago, I do still remember most of the details about the coupe and the build. I can answer a lot of questions about it. Plus, somewhere ( still unpacking from the move),I have the only in progress photos in existence.

 

Standard industrial orange in the 60's was called Omaha Orange. A lot of company trucks were painted with a color called that. The trouble I always had was that there were a lot of Omaha Oranges out there. Everyone seemed to be different when you had a repair.

 

Can't help much on the OP question but I always like an opportunity to post this pic I took in '80 or '81, Santa Maria I believe! Consider it a "TTT". Priceless experience it was!

 

I met Frank years and years ago when he was working at a Fiberglass Company makin' Hot-Rod parts. He was and is always great to talk with. I've included a few pictures I shot at the Rodders Journal Rival held at the Pilmlaco Horse track near Balt. Md. in 2012. The Super Coupe was there is all it's glory. As Frank and I spoke I notices a few cracks in the top of the coupe near where the insert would have been. Frank told he was plannin' on getting after this over the next winter. The next time I saw the coupe the crack was gone and painted so you couldn't tell !!! All that said Frank most likely has a paint code or formula for this iconic color. With today paint scanning cameras it makes it easier to find lost colors.
By the way this color looks to me a lot like Chevrolet Engine Orange from the 6o's....
NaCifan

 

Weedburner40, PLEASE PLEASE post the build picks you have of the SBC!! Can't get enough of this car...…….

 

Fruehauf trailers offered a nice orange paint. I always thought this was what was on the super bell coupe. But I am glad to know the truth about it now.

 

26, I will try to find them and get them posted.

 

Few more pixs. The wheels are rollers to be replaced with Rocket or Real Rodder wheels and bonneville tires.

 

Will you be using Jim's trademark Bush Pilots wings on the nose? HRP

 

answered by the guy who built
Most of the car and painted it in the second reply and then everyone ignores that the most credible source on the planet answered the question already lol geesh.

project looks super super cool looking forward to any build and finished photos you post

 

X2

 

Shouldn't the wheels be covered by deep dish Moon caps?

 

Thanks Weedburner40. Looking foreward to the picks and any information that you may offer...……….This is so kool………..

 

Thanks for everyone's help. I spoke with Frank at length last evening. The paint used to repair the crack in the roof was custom mixed by Frank's dad. Even though no paint code exists and Fuller Company is no longer in operation, Frank and Weedburner have given me enough information to get as close as humanly possible. May have a paint code in another week or so. Most likely lay down the color this spring. Will update the photos as we go. Please send any more information or ideas when available. I do not plan to use spun moon wheel covers (only thing about the car i never liked). I am going more for the 'Frank' look as it was Frank who installed the Halibrands Jim could never bring himself to buy. Also, my car is only patterned after the SBC. I am not attempting to duplicate the Ewing car only use it as a model of one of the baddest looking street rods ever to roam. And I will drive the wheels off of it (without ignoring my other friends in the garage). Thanks again, Jim.

 

I love this place