Abubaca

iTrader: (3)

OK, so once I've decided on what color I'd like to paint my car (which I haven't quite done yet), -I have a few questions about the specific color. Case in point, the car is an 88 Iroc, in gunmetal/medium grey metallic. I like the idea of the one year color, but am considering a slightly different grey. Specifically Corvette C7 Shark Grey. First question. Is there a way to see the color in person, without having a neighbor with a Shark Grey Corvette? Do they have color chips? Can I order a small amount and spray something? The gunmetal grey and shark grey look a bit different, but I'd really like to compare in person to see if the extra work of a color change is worth it. Also, and I'm not suggesting that I'll do this, but what about custom mixed colors? You so often hear on these various build shows that the builder chooses a custom mixed color. What's the process for that? Seems like if I work at the body shop supply house, that guy would be a giant pain in my rear!

Short of just choosing a color from a production car you see out on the street....how do you choose a color? Seems almost infinite, and a huge rabbit hole you could disappear down into for weeks!

bluegrassz

iTrader: (3)

The automotive paint supply shop will have many chip books to look through in person. You can order a pint to do spray out cards and to play around with too. You can even order the color in a arenol can. The custom colors will involve trial/error spray outs. You can spray the base and add a pearl coat over top or even add pearl or different metallic to the base. The more coats, the different results.

For instance, using the base/factory gray either the Iroc or Corvette. You can add black to the base to darken it or add say blue/red metallic for a different look. Its all up to you. A custom color or pearl coats get a bit tricky if you have to respray a panel say from a accident. We wont even get into the different variants of the factory colors. What ever color you select, make sure you get the "recipe" so to speak. That is the amount of each base mixing color so you can duplicate the mix.

But yeah, finding the color you like on a car and getting the paint code will be the simplest route.

KEVIN G.

Depending on the paint manufacturer you choose, the chips in the books are usually small. They're getting better...and the cards are now small D-ring bound 2x4-ish "decks" that are actual sprayouts, with color variants... and not printed chips of old. If you know a shop, or someone at a shop, they might be cool enough to show you their chip decks...these larger cards are easier to get a sense of the color...but it's nothing like an actual sprayed panel. But, unless you know the color code of what you want, it can get a bit daunting. The decks are arranged by manufacturer, and then color...so you can get all the charcoal decks from all the MFR's and lay them side by side...you won't really see any difference other than subtle shades. (Unless you're really good at color, and are able to differentiate slight color shifts...charcoals as a rule, will either slide red or yellow/green)

IMHO I would rule out a "custom" color...people brag about wanting to add this or that to a color to make it "custom" but unless you are measuring the weight of the tint or pearl you are adding, you better mix up enough to paint the car twice. As @@bluegrassz said, you never know what can happen during assembly, a scratch or other mishap can cause a repaint, so if you're not sure of exactly how much of a tint you added...you get the picture.

Akzo/Sikkens was the only manufacturer I have seen that handled customs the right way...but I'm not sure if they still do it, because it wasn't sustainable. They actually had custom chips...several books with a huge number of color variants, solids and metallics. All the chips had holes in the center, so if you needed to match an existing color, you could take the chip to the car and can see the shift. They had codes for what must have been hundreds, maybe thousands of color variants.

Also, if you're doing a color change... you need to think about all the interior metal on each panel (hood underside/inside of doors/hatch, edging and jambs)

Some paint stores will sell you half pints of color, mixed...which will give you a decent amount of sprayable material...but you will still need clear, solvents, hardeners, etc... I know a PPG jobber pretty well in Greensboro, so if you pick PPG, I can put you in contact with him.

Good luck

Abubaca

iTrader: (3)

I have no interest in getting a custom color, I was more curious how one goes about getting to the final color. Trial and error. Makes sense.

As for test pints, (or whatever small volume I can buy) sounds like a good idea. I'll practicing on some test panels quite a bit, so doing so for a color comparison is certainly worthwhile. I feel like the factory gunmetal is neutral, but hints at some steel blue hues in certain lights, whereas the Shark Grey hints at a yellow/pewterish tone. But it's so hard to tell from photos.