Dodge Heather Rose (550 (1955)) Touch Up Paint

The Look

This color is the embodiment of 1955 optimism. While it was the star of the famous La Femme option on the Custom Royal Lancer, it found its way onto many other models during the mid-fifties explosion of pastel "jewelry" tones. It is a soft, lavender-leaning pink that looks its best when paired with heavy chrome and white accents. Since your Dodge has been on the road for seven decades, you are likely dealing with some level of oxidation. This shade was designed to be bright and cheerful, but age can turn it chalky, so prepare for the fresh paint to look much more vibrant than the original finish.

Technical Details

This is a solid finish, meaning there are no metallic flakes or pearls to worry about. The benefit is that you do not have to worry about the direction of the finish or "mottling" stripes. The risk is that solid pastels like this show every single surface defect. If your prep work is not perfectly smooth, this color will highlight the hills and valleys of the scratch instead of hiding them. Because it is a light color, it also has a lower opacity than a dark blue or black, so you will need to apply several thin layers to get full coverage.

Best Practices

If your car was built late in the 1955 production run, you can find the paint information on a small cowl tag located on the firewall inside the engine compartment. On earlier builds, you might have to rely on the serial number plate on the driver-side door pillar. Before you spray or dab Dodge Heather Rose (check for code 550 (1955)), you need to shake it for 60 seconds. This ensures the heavy pigments at the bottom are fully integrated. Test the color on the included card first to see how it reacts to your lighting. When applying, keep the container moving to prevent the paint from pooling, and allow plenty of drying time between layers to avoid runs.