Earlier on, I had a bit of trouble separating DuPont 5248/General Motors WE5919 and DuPont 60680/General Motors WE5915 but it does seem easier with scans instead of chip photos or actually comparing the samples in person. 60680 falls between 5248 and 54701 on the fleet charts but as you guys can see, those three can be hard to tell apart at first glance under bright light.

I'm wondering if 60680 may be the equivalent of 3404 because it's not 6808. LOL

And now we have the original automotive name for Socony Red as well and along with the Duco formula as an extra added bonus.

I first came across Sealing Wax Red here on this webpage last summer. I'm not sure what in particular I was searching for at the time but when I first saw the image of it I thought hey, that looks a heck of lot like the Socony Reds. The Dulux code is 93-1491...

https://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au/c ... _1934-1951

Then, checked it out on PaintRef where it is listed as a Duco color for Oldsmobile in 1932 and Buick in 1933...

https://paintref.com/cgi-bin/paintdetai ... t=246-9831

Quickly found Volkswagen Sealing Wax Red shortly afterward, Duco and Dulux 82959...

https://paintref.com/cgi-bin/paintdetail.cgi?ppg=71025

Ordered in a VW Sealing Wax Red chip since there were no reasonably-priced General Motors versions currently available back then. The VW chip did not quite match the Socony Reds in the fan deck so I put it aside and then went to Strasburg.

Lo and behold, once I started in here recently with Regatta Red and Mohawk Maroon, saw the pictures of LV #126 and scored the General Motors Sealing Wax Red chip on a DuPont 1932 Olds sheet. Excellent timing, huh?

Anyway, that's that story as short as I could make it and here are what should be all three Lehigh Valley reds, General Motors WE5884, WE5521, and WE5880 over my beautiful Snowbird White siding behind them...

Honestly, I was somewhat skeptical that the Lehigh Valley had ordered their C420's using the Reading's 5248 Safety Always Lemon Yellow but according to this dual chip match again with 60680, there it is...

A quick note on the LV's gray since I don't think we've covered it so far. That's DuPont 55704...

https://paintref.com/cgi-bin/paintdetai ... t=93-57704

Since it seems to be mostly listed as a transit color, here's a quick alternative example on a retired Golden Empire Transit bus...

http://web.archive.org/web/200208191403 ... /Pside.jpg

I have this sample in the 1967 catalog but not the fan deck. A slightly bluish gray, here it is with 5248 Yellow accurately representing the Lehigh Valley's C420 factory paint combo...

The Western Maryland used 3404 as it's safety yellow...

Long gone are the days when Michelin Man could enjoy a hassle-free, quality cigar once and a while although he was rarely seen without one but at least Morton Salt Girl isn't sporting a rather sparse full beard as of yet... ;)

There's been several versions of the Morton Salt girl over the years.

I wouldn't be surprised if the next version changes the "I Need To See The Manager" Karen haircut.


Brian Helfrich

LOL Brian!!! Yeah, this particular incarnation of Morton Salt Girl does seem to have an uncanny ability to remain current. Originating in 1968 with a new groovy mod look, she also fit right in with the '90's grunge scene even without all the scabs and tracks on her arms. Now that she's well past the age of consent, however, maybe she could grow those pigtails back again... ;)

Okay then, before we start having way too much fun here, Sunoco Yellow is listed on PaintRef under General Motors WE5915...

https://paintref.com/cgi-bin/paintdetai ... ode=WE5915

In the 1963 DuPont National Fleet Color Specifications catalog, Sunoco Yellow is listed as Dulux 93-60680 so that officially ties those two codes together even though I had previously color-matched them here at home.

Sunoco outlets are very common in PA and surrounding states so this might be the best alternative example for the later Lehigh Valley yellow since we should probably try to avoid Morton Salt Girl as much as possible at least until she gets rid of that tell-tale inverted bob Karen cut...

WE5919 and WE5915 are easier to tell apart under lower lighting conditions, even more so if you tilt your head about twenty degrees to the right... LOL

The Lehigh Valley's original postwar lettering yellow is DuPont 014/54292 Imitation Gold like the B&O, CNJ, and WM as represented here by Martin-Senour 8410. The flag in the herald is most likely Aluminum...

Here's a better a triple chip match with DuPont scans. The nose number is also Imitation Gold since it can look a little brighter in photos when applied over the red instead of the black...