Dodge Sea Foam Green (517 (1956)) Touch Up Paint

The Look

This color is a time capsule of 1950s optimism. It captures the exact moment when car design shifted toward the bold fins and heavy chrome of the Forward Look era. While your 1956 Dodge might have shared the road with flashier three-tone paint schemes, this pastel shade stands out for its calm, minty presence. It was a staple for the Coronet and Royal series, offering a clean, cool aesthetic that defined the mid-century driveway. Because this color has likely been on your car for decades, the pigment has probably shifted under the sun, giving it a character that new cars simply cannot replicate.

Technical Details

You are working with a Solid finish. Unlike the "poly" or iridescent colors that were starting to gain popularity in the late fifties, this paint contains no metallic flakes or pearls. This makes your job significantly easier because you do not have to worry about the "mottling" or tiger-stripes that happen when metal particles settle unevenly. The challenge with a light pastel like this is its tendency to show every imperfection in the surface underneath. If you apply the paint too heavily in one spot, you might see a slight darkening at the edges of the repair, so lean toward multiple thin layers rather than one heavy coat.

Best Practices

Before you spray or dab Dodge Sea Foam Green (check for code 517 (1956)), you need to shake the container for at least a full minute. The heavy white and green pigments in these older formulas like to settle at the bottom, and skipping this step will result in a translucent mess. You can find your body code plate on the firewall or cowl under the hood, though on some 1956 models, it might be located on the driver's side door pillar. Always test the color on the included card to see how it reacts to your specific lighting. When you start the repair, keep the container moving to ensure an even distribution of color across the panel. Allow plenty of drying time between layers to prevent the paint from sagging or trapping solvents.