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With Chris Curwen & Expert Auto Painter - Dave Gage (Car Cosmetics)

Sept 11th, 2007 - Issue 20

In this issue:

• Automotive Paint Colors: How to decide on the right one for your project.
• Matching the old car paint color using auto paint color codes and various other methods.
  
• Questions & Answers: Questions from three of our subscribers are answered for you this week.
  

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Choosing the right car paint color for your project is a very important step.

Depending on the age of the vehicle and the size of the area to be covered, you will no longer be able to simply walk into an auto paint supply store and ask for a tin of blue paint, there are too many shades of blue to choose from for that; you will need to be much more specific.

Regardless of what it is that you're going to paint or how you decide between the countless automotive paint colors, our advice to ensure you are satisfied with your car paint color selection is to examine your anticipated color under as many different lighting conditions as possible both indoors and outdoors.

The process of choosing between automotive paint colors can be confusing as well as frustrating due to the many different automotive paint colors to choose from. Be patient and take your time.

Look at various automotive industry magazines to gain your ideas and inspiration from other car enthusiasts.

Whether your vehicle is stock or is highly modified, with a minimal amount of searching you are bound to find at least one magazine that caters to your same automotive interests.

Visit car shows and ask car owners what made them choose their particular car paint color scheme.

These people may lead you to some invaluable suppliers and products. They can also help you to identify possible mistakes and help you to avoid making them too.

One thing you need to take into consideration when you are trying to choose a car paint color is: Does the color 'work' with the particular body style?

Often, especially on older classics and vintage vehicles, certain color schemes prove more visually appealing compared with others.

Experienced car painters have a knack for envisioning the outcome of cars painted using specific colors.

From their own experience gathered from being immersed within the industry over many years, they know which colors look best and are in style for most types of vehicles.

So a good idea would be to start by asking them for their opinion. Even try taking your vehicle along with you to help them come up with some ideas.

True auto enthusiasts can be found in a variety of places, especially car clubs for your particular make of vehicle.

Members have an interest in a particular vehicle or they wouldn't join. If you have an older project car that you can't decide on a color for; ask car club members for their advice.

By speaking with these people, it should help you to at least narrow your color choices to a select few. 

Always bear in mind that if there is any chance you will be selling your vehicle at a future date, you will need to choose a color that will still make it saleable.

Matching the Old Car Paint Color

Finding the correct color for blending in repaint areas is very simple on newer vehicles.

You will have to look at the vehicle's ID tag car color paint code. This information can be found for you by an auto paint supply store member of staff who will examine its VIN or its color and options tag.

You need to be cautious however when dealing with auto paint color codes printed on VIN or color and options tags; sometimes the auto paint color codes don't match the color that was sprayed on the vehicle at the factory. Only a small percentage of these errors occur, but play it safe.

Tell the person who is looking up the color for you what the basic base color of the vehicle is. This way if the car color paint code is for blue paint and you have a green car you won't be wasting your money or the suppliers paint on something that you can't use.

If you run into this predicament, choose your car paint color from various paint selection charts. Most automotive paint suppliers will have volumes of OEM paint chips that are organized by year and who manufactures the vehicle.

Make sure you understand that similar automotive paint colors from different years and manufacturers can be very close to each other but different.

Ask the person in the paint store to help you confirm that the actual color you are looking at is an exact match for your vehicle. This process has gotten much harder with the introduction of more automotive paint colors.

If a car color paint code has variations, the person who is mixing the paint will always supply the prime formula if the paint is to be used for a complete paint job.

If the paint is going to be used for repairs only then you will have to take color chips of each variant and compare them to the vehicle being repaired to find the exact match.

Once you have determined the exact color match, it is a good idea to note it for future reference. You never know if you will need to purchase more paint in that color in the future.

Another method used to determine the paint formula on any vehicle is the use of a color spectrometer. This is an expensive tool that in most cases you won't find with your local paint retailer.

However, they may have access to one through a paint distributor so it won't hurt to ask. This is a great alternative if you can't find the exact color match using auto paint color codes.

The spectrometer works by scanning a portion of the vehicle that has the desired car paint color you are looking for.

The information collected by the spectrometer is then downloaded onto a computer. It will then decipher the paint color and come up with the matching car color paint code.

The spectrometer isn't 100% accurate all of the time but it works very well on one or two stage paints. Please note that this method was not designed for determining the formula of tristage paints or any finish that has special additives such as pearl or metallic.

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Questions & Answers:

Our first question this week comes from Andrew Greaney:

Question: Thanks for the tips - I enjoy reading the newsletter.

I would like some advice on how to go about spraying with aerosols - things like wing mirrors & spoiler fins.

Also, the main problem with the paintwork on my car are the scratches (through to primer) on most panels. A re-spray is out of the question. Any advice would be appreciated.

Ans: Using aerosols to paint wing mirrors etc. is quite an easy task. The same rules apply whether you are using a spray gun or canned paint.

First make sure the repair area is clean from any dirt, dust and debris. Then the surface to be painted MUST be flatted using 800-grit wet and dry paper also any damage such as chips, scratches etc., should be repaired.

The surface should then be cleaned thoroughly and then primed before applying the color.

As for scratches to the bodywork, unfortunately if these are deep enough, then a re-paint will be in order.

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Our second question this week comes from Patrick Clarke:

Question: I'm currently working on fixing a fiberglass body kit onto my car. On a basic level would you be able to give me some tips on preparing it?

Also, what are the ratios for primer, paint and lacquer when it comes to adding the hardener and thinner?

Ans: Fiberglass is an easy material to work with. Firstly, make sure that the kit fits properly by running a trial fitting, any trimming should be done at this stage.

Then any splits, cracks or pin holes should be filled. Then the kit needs to be flatted down ready to be primed.

2k primer should then be applied using 4 good coats, then flat down with 800-grit wet and dry paper before applying the color.

As for the ratios this depends on make and type of paint. Your best bet would be to ask your supplier for a technical data sheet, this will give you the correct ratios.

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Our third question this week comes from Rich Dawson:

Question: I have a 2006 Ford Mustang GT and I would like to paint racing stripes on it. However, I'm unsure of the surface preparation that is required.

What is involved and do I need to plan on clear coating the entire hood, top and trunk area?

Ans: It really depends on the types of stripes being used. Ideally painting them on is the best way to do them. If you can lay out a pattern on your car with tape, you're halfway there.

In this instance, it's not only fast and inexpensive compared to other types of custom painting, it's also easier to do yourself.

You may wish to look at custom painted car magazines or visit custom painted car shows to gain a good source of ideas.

Once you have a few designs in mind, try drawing on a sketch of the car. You'll be able to work out a lot of details that way and you may come up with a better way to enhance the effect.

It is highly recommended that you use a base coat/clear coat paint system for your stripes. The original paintwork needs to be lightly sanded where necessary, using 800-grit wet and dry sandpaper, this will provide a sufficient base for new layers to bond to.

Finish by clear coating the entire panel will ensure a nice flat finish with no edges around the stripes.

A base coat/clear coat paint system would be ideal if you intend to choose adding stripes consisting of more than one color. That way you can apply two coats of clear over the first color.

If you get any overspray from the second color on the first, you can sand it out of the clear without damaging the underlying color coat.

After applying the second color (and third, if applicable), apply two or three additional coats of clear over the area.

Flash and drying times are also critical to a successful multi-color paint job. Applying masking tape or masking paper to freshly painted surfaces that have not yet dried adequately will cause you much more work. Product information sheets will provide a specified time to allow the paint to dry before taping.

Likewise, clear coats must be added within a specified time or the base coat will need to be scuffed again using 800-grit wet and dry paper and additional base coats added.

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That's all we have for you this week. Thank you very much for reading. We both hope this issue has been of valued interest to you.

COMING NEXT ISSUE: We continue with our topic on Color Selection and cover 'Selecting a New Color' and 'Custom Finishes'.

Happy Painting!

Chris Curwen & Dave Gage
www.LearnAutoPainting.com