Paint Matching

MWMan · 8th August 2016, 15:39

I know there have been quite a few post on this, and the disappointment members have had with getting a good match. I had a hole in my bonnet coming from a rusted seam at the front. Ground it all out, filled it, sanded it, sprayed it with primer - and if I say so myself, it was looking pretty good. Ordered the White Gold 2 GMN and lacquer from Rimmers and sprayed it on, doing a pretty reasonable job.

However, as you can see from the photo, the colour is way off. Even when I get round to using the DA polisher to "blend" it in, I can't see it looking like the original. I know this is because the sun fades the original paint, so a coat of original colour will not look the same. However, if I took it down to a body shop and had it resprayed (which I may yet do), they would get an exact match. So obviously they are able to mix paints to get the exact colour.

I have searched the web for paint mixing firms, but everyone seems to offer to mix to the Car colour code - which in my case is 15 years old, and almost certainly won't match!

My question is - has anyone found somewhere that will mix a can of paint to match the actual colour of your, as it is now? It's probably a bit more expensive than a mix to a standard code, but its probably cheaper than a bonnet respray.

Jamiewelch · 8th August 2016, 16:01

Looks like you've masked an exact shape out to paint, you need to try and feather the paint in, I will be doing this when I do some paintwork on the rover 214. If you mask an area off and paint to the line you will see the line.

Teflon · 8th August 2016, 16:24

Most good bodyshops will blend in fresh paint to hide any colour mismatch. This video gives a good demonstration of how it's done and how effective it can be:

Using a DA polisher will just polish the paint - it'll still be a mismatch unfortunately.

Cliff

clf · 8th August 2016, 16:29

was it the correct white gold? recently I had read there were 3 variants, and it hasn't been some kind of mistake at Rimmer's?

as for the body shops, I believe with their expertise, they add a little of this and a little of that to obtain the aged match. well the better ones do, mind didn't unfortunately.

Juppy · 8th August 2016, 17:41

If you can spare the fuel filler cap i can get that scanned and spray cans matched to it. I work for a classic Triumph club and have a good relationship with our paint supplier.

Jamiewelch · 8th August 2016, 20:22

I'd never painted any body panels before, here are a few photos I took. What I did was mask off the bad area and prime it, I then took the paper off the car that was protecting the rest of the red paint. I left the paper on top as it was protecting the black plastic trim. Ignore the scuffs still on the bumper, I wasn't bothered about filling the marks, just wanted to paint them to take your eye off things.

Once the paper was off I feathered out the edge of the primer with some very fine sandpaper, then I painted the nightfire red over the primer and blowing some over the original red paint. Same with the clear coat. Bearing in mine the bumper is original paint, paint was mixed off the code. The paint is 21 years old on the vehicle.

Bearing in mind I haven't ever painted any panel on a car before this is the result

MWMan · 9th August 2016, 05:07

Thanks for all the input guys. I'm going to get some more paint and have a go at blending it into the rest of the bonnet. I may also take up Juppys kind offer and see if I can get some paint made up that would be an exact match.

thanks for the advice.

8th August 2016, 16:24	#3
Teflon This is my second home Lagoon 2.0 V6 75 Conn SE Saloon Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Chertsey Posts: 5,222 Thanks: 2,825 Thanked 2,920 Times in 1,570 Posts	Most good bodyshops will blend in fresh paint to hide any colour mismatch. This video gives a good demonstration of how it's done and how effective it can be: Using a DA polisher will just polish the paint - it'll still be a mismatch unfortunately. Cliff __________________ No. 4 of 6 Last edited by Teflon; 8th August 2016 at 16:26..

8th August 2016, 16:29	#4
clf This is my second home MG ZT CDTi Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: carrick Posts: 7,859 Thanks: 3,494 Thanked 2,657 Times in 1,973 Posts	was it the correct white gold? recently I had read there were 3 variants, and it hasn't been some kind of mistake at Rimmer's? as for the body shops, I believe with their expertise, they add a little of this and a little of that to obtain the aged match. well the better ones do, mind didn't unfortunately. __________________ It is not gloss primer .............. it is duct tape silver!

8th August 2016, 16:01	#2
Jamiewelch Posted a thing or two Alpina D3 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Cheslyn hay Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 58 Thanked 294 Times in 227 Posts	Looks like you've masked an exact shape out to paint, you need to try and feather the paint in, I will be doing this when I do some paintwork on the rover 214. If you mask an area off and paint to the line you will see the line.

8th August 2016, 17:41	#5
Juppy Newbie Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Mar 2014 Location: Market Harborough Posts: 17 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	If you can spare the fuel filler cap i can get that scanned and spray cans matched to it. I work for a classic Triumph club and have a good relationship with our paint supplier.

8th August 2016, 20:22	#6
Jamiewelch Posted a thing or two Alpina D3 Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Cheslyn hay Posts: 1,026 Thanks: 58 Thanked 294 Times in 227 Posts	I'd never painted any body panels before, here are a few photos I took. What I did was mask off the bad area and prime it, I then took the paper off the car that was protecting the rest of the red paint. I left the paper on top as it was protecting the black plastic trim. Ignore the scuffs still on the bumper, I wasn't bothered about filling the marks, just wanted to paint them to take your eye off things. Once the paper was off I feathered out the edge of the primer with some very fine sandpaper, then I painted the nightfire red over the primer and blowing some over the original red paint. Same with the clear coat. Bearing in mine the bumper is original paint, paint was mixed off the code. The paint is 21 years old on the vehicle. Bearing in mind I haven't ever painted any panel on a car before this is the result

9th August 2016, 05:07	#7
MWMan Loves to post Rover 75 Tourer Join Date: Oct 2015 Location: Bishop's Stortford Posts: 418 Thanks: 210 Thanked 289 Times in 124 Posts	Thanks for all the input guys. I'm going to get some more paint and have a go at blending it into the rest of the bonnet. I may also take up Juppys kind offer and see if I can get some paint made up that would be an exact match. thanks for the advice.