How to match new paint to old?
I am almost ready to paint my 71 LT-1 with Sunflower Yellow paint. The paint mixing guru at my paint supply house, wants to know what standard the judges use to tell if the paint on a car matches the original. Do the judges have paint chips that they compare to the color on the car when they judge them? What do I tell him to use as a standard when mixing the paint? Can he just use a Dupont chip from a book, or is there something else? Also he said I need to use white sealer underneath, and not gray. Is this correct? The paint is a Sikkens variety. Thanks for the help, Mark
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Re: How to match new paint to old?
Judged by a bunch of color blind old men.
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Re: How to match new paint to old?
The white sealer is required for sikkens for bonding, bleeding. There is a lot of knowlege required to attempt to paint a corvette to appear as factory for judging, I suggest watching the paint/fiberglass dvd sold here at ncrs for a start, searching the arcives, all the info. you can get will certainly help before painting and buffing your corvette. Good Luck! SteveComment
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Re: How to match new paint to old?
While there is a lot to know when attempting to paint a corvette as original, if we just talking about the color match here I suggest you find some area of the car that still has the original paint on it for comparison. On my car, which is 923 Riverside Red, I first got the color formula from the paint manufacturer and then sprayed it on a sample card and compared it to areas of known original paint. My car had been repainted previously, but they had not painted under the convertible deck lid, or the door hing wells so those areas were original color and had not seen much sunlight. There was also a lot of factory color under the (original) carpet and under the interior door panel trim. The formula that the body shop got from the manufacturer was a perfect match (to my eyes) but hey, the Riverside Red is a very common color on C2 Corvetts. I have just completed a frame off complete restoration of my car and it will first be judged in August, so I guess I'll find out more then. Do get the DVD before you spray, you may not want to do all the things you have to make it look original, but at least you will make informed decisions.
Last edited by Jeff B.; June 23, 2010, 09:05 PM.Comment
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Re: How to match new paint to old?
Mark, if the car has the original paint on it, another place to look for unmolested paint is behind the rear license plate for paint that is probably not faded (too much). If it has been repainted, it is a crap shoot unless, as suggested in Jeff's post, you can find original paint in the places he identified.
Best regards,Comment
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Re: How to match new paint to old?
Color blind ole men......
, you must be talking about the paint judges!
Paint will change over the years, no matter the paint. No where on the car no matter how protected the area will you be able to find the paint as it appeared 45+ years ago. It'll be close but to match origninal luster, depth or pigmentation will be a daunting task.Comment
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Re: How to match new paint to old?
The key things you are looking for are "appears to be as originally applied." Don't get too wrapped around the half shaft trying to perfectly match the color on the car. You can get very close with most paints if you have the correct formula. When you put the color on, don't overdo it. Everyone knows the jams are not polished, but most don't know that the sides of the car weren't buffed out all that well on original cars. The flat, horizontal surfaces got buffed because they were very visible. Reflections should be very crisp in that area. As for the sides, reflections should be a little fuzzy. If you really want to get all the details get ahold of John Ballard. John has a wealth of knowledge on original paint application and methods. At the Heartland regional John participated in the advanced judges class and from his comment I learned a ton about original paint on Vettes. He used my original car and a very nice, repainted car to show what to look for. John is the man.
Oh, and by the way, one of the guys at the regional had a color standard for my Targa Blue, and when he laid it on my 39 year old original paint car, in several places, it dissappeared. So much for the "fading and changing" theory.Kurt Geis
Chairman, Midway USA Chapter
Targa Blue 1972, Top Flight and Duntov Award, 2014
Arctic White 1994, Top Flight, Hrt. of Amer. Reg. 2011
Arctic White 2013 60th Anniv Special Edition Conv.Comment
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Re: How to match new paint to old?
Thanks to one and all for the replies. Hopefully will have the LT-1 at Bloomington next year. Will have it judged, and see how I did! MarkComment
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Re: How to match new paint to old?
Need to find yourself one of these.... Those tip card paint chips are not very reliable IMO. For that matter my sample never matched any repaint, but was dead on balls accurate when I checked an LT1"s untouched door jams, at an NCRS meet
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Re: How to match new paint to old?
I was. Thanks for the replies. MarkComment
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Re: How to match new paint to old?
Oh no, something else for me to sweat if I go for Top Flight with my '72 LT-1 w/AC Sunflower Yellow coupe.
Before you go, I'll send you a paint chip from my car to give them to use as a "correct sample". Sure it's been repainted! But that should smooth the way for me, when I show up some day.
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