Tuxedo Black

[SLR_dave]

This is a thread to assist with updates on the Dulon colour code for Tuxedo Black.

There is another fairly recent post talking about the colour 'Tuxedo black', with a link to the shed by 'Mr_Jones' on oldholden.com, (excellent reference) but, whilst the Mr Jones shed gives excellent pictorial examples of all colours HQ-HZ,it lists the GMH colour codes, not the current Dulon code, - that seems easy but not quite so for Tuxedo Black.

(yeah I know there will be heaps of paint and panel people falling over laughing at a fuss about matching black - but I want the right black!)

The advice I got for Tuxedo Black from a reputable PPG distributor was that 'it was just a black', but there is a listed replacement and Holden now call it Midnight Black. Not real satisfied, I had a look through the forum, - found the aforementioned post on this, same issue, - and Mr Jones was the provided answer, his shed lists Tuxedo Black as (2214 15991) a 1978 colour.

After seeing that post, going back with the 'Mr Jones' GMH code at two other paint shops didnt give me a certain answer, so I thought it was worth starting a thread on it. Also, coincidentally there was a post today regarding Sandman Paint colours - entitled 'Paint', it strikes me, to prevent doubling up, it might be an idea to have a subsection in 'paint n panel' which deals just with paint numbers and codes? Could save this sort of question repeating?

Anyways, the auto paint shops I talked to couldnt work out if it was Tuxedo Black, or Tuxedo Black Mk.2.

Internet searching helped me conclude that of course, Dulon or Holden, or both, change their paint codes from time to time.

Eventually found a site that gave that Tuxedo Black, came as Tuxedo Black (15991 Dulon) and Tuxedo Black Mk 2, (30861 Dulon) both available in 1978. Also when cross refencing to othe sites, that it seems to be that the Dulon code for Tuxedo Black Mk 2 was 15991 but is now 1K001/5131
I got a feeling this is gonna be the current GMH Midnight black. Possibly question answered?

(The sites I seached included uniquecars, gmh-torana, oldholden, monaroparts and others, just giving credit to the web-resources these sites provided.)

But back to Tuxedo Black, was it MK.2, and does anyone have the current (or ex) Dulon Code for it?

[mr.jones]

The original Tuxedo 15991 was not given a new Dulux code, I believe it is straight black tinter, it was always available pre mixed there was no formula listed. Tuxedo Mk2 is as you have typed.

Midnight Black has the old Dulux code of 31466 and was a 78/80 GMH Commercial colour.

All blacks are listed under the new codes of 1Kxxx
Warrigal is 1K002
Ebony Black is 1K004 (this is an 85 Isuzu colour)
1K003 is not listed in any material I have but may be either Tuxedo or Midnight Black try your paint people with this code

I just noticed you had 5131 listed, the Black tinter has a code of 5431 might want to check if your 1 should be a 4............ Blocker where is the grasping at straw emoticon??

[SLR_dave]

Hi Mr Jones, I didnt realise you were a member of this forum! Great to know you are, and thank you for answering so quickly.

Im still not quite clear though.

Going through the site last night I saw Bloker has a post from 2009 which I had missed and which gives the colour for the blackouts as Tuxedo black 15991 (full gloss).
http://www.mysandman.com.au/forums/s...nd-windows-etc

As you have now clarified, this was available pre mixed. But it doesnt seem to be available anymore and the current Midnight Black was suggested as the replacement.

But I am still unsure if 15991 is Tuxedo Black or Tuxedo Black Mk.2

The other paint shops I checked with were looking at name as there is no code, i.e.; what was it named, Tuxedo, or Tuxedo Mk.2?

Blocker pobably knows straight up!

Then it will be straight forward to work out if it actually is 1K01/5131 (the new Midnight Black) or something different.

So to clarify, thats my question, was it Tuxedo Black or Tuxedo Black Mk.2?


It is useful to know that all black colours are now 1K###. Looking at your sugestion;

I just noticed you had 5131 listed, the Black tinter has a code of 5431 might want to check if your 1 should be a 4

I had an internet search for 1K001/5431, and /5134 this arvo, both returned zero results. 1K001/5131 did come up as Midnight black, and 1K004 came up as Ebony (just as you said). 1K003 had no internet hits, but I havent asked a paint shop yet.

Postnote; (If anyone is after a brief goose chase up the garden path)!

Over the past few days I have found the same question relating to blackouts comming up across various holden forums Most of them (unique cars and parts.com, gmh-torana.com,oz gemini.com, cailais turbo.org) seem to reckon that the current colour for Tuxedo MK.2 is Midnight Black 1K001/5131, they also seem to reckon this is right for blackouts. Three have lengthy paint charts (uniquecarsand parts holdentorana.com and gmh-torana) Justcommodores has as a post listing Tuxedo Black Mk2 as 1K001-D.

Interestingly, as a side point, the ozgemini thread had a useful note on the need to satin down the sheen if you are also gonna use some of it for the top of the dashboard to stay within ADR. Worth knowing I think, it is economical to use the same paint if you are doing a full respray.

and for reference, here are the URL's;
http://www.uniquecarsandparts.com.au...es_gmh_M-Z.htm
http://www.gmh-torana.com.au/forums/...atabase/page-2
http://www.gmh-torana.com.au/forums/...-black-urgent/
http://www.ozgemini.com/forums/tech/...ic.php?t=21953
http://www.calaisturbo.org/colour-codes/colour-31.html
http://www.holdentorana.com/paint/?p=T
http://forums.justcommodores.com.au/...aint-code.html

But it seems to me at this point in time it just comes down to whether 15991 was Tuxedo Black or Tuxedo Black Mk.2

[HK1837]

Only top of car blackouts were gloss, lower stuff and interior are low gloss or satin. 568-15991 is the Dulon code for Tuxedo black, it was around from late HQ used wherever gloss black was required. Any special order cars from that time in black will be Tuxedo. The GMH paint combination code for it is 2214.

Tuxedo black markII is GMH paint combination code 1959, Dulon code is 568-30861. It appeared on colour chart A632 around 11/78 for Holden, Statesman, Torana, Sunbird, Commodore and Gemini and replaced Tuxedo Black.

The satin black used on lower body blackouts and on interior black is Dulon code 578-04149. I have tinter settings for it:

05431 - setting 450
03038 - setting 500.

[hainzy]

Its so black that its like, how much more black can it be? And the answers none. None more black...

[SLR_dave]

Its so black that its like, how much more black can it be? And the answers none. None more black...

Too cool hainzy, still laughing…. Great way to top off the thread!
Laughin at myself too for being so pedantic, but it did bring fruition!

[SLR_dave]

Thank you HK1837, that’s answered it well. I am sure very few realized on any Holden site that there are two exterior blacks!

For clarity, I take it then, that for a concurs restore, the upper blackouts would be 568-15991 (tuxedo) GMH combination code 2214, on a vehicle manufactured prior to November 1978, and 568-30861 (tuxedo Mk.2) GMH combination code 1959 on vehicles manufactured after this.

And the the lower blackouts are as you describe. (I dont actually understand the tinter settings, but the paintshop will).

That seems pretty concise to me! I’ll go and get some paint now.

I’ll ask around as well, if the shops have (new) 1K codes for these colours then I’ll add the 1K codes to this thread. Otherwise all done!

Thanks heaps to all!

[HK1837]

If you can find a Dulon book from the late 70's it'll have all the tinter settings in it for each paint, so you won't need a new code.