kdlp

Yes, I know this is a Corvette Forum but I am thinking about spraying my '81 with this DC color. (It was pretty non-stock when I bought it so I'm not worried about maintaining original color, etc.)

The info I'm picking up off the street is that "Inferno Red Crystal Pearlcoat" has a number of formulas. Talked to a guy with an early Magnum and he says it started as a tri-color, then at some point DC switched up to a basecoat/clearcoat formula...

Is there anyone working a bodyshop here that might have access to paint codes? Could you check out a 2004 Inferno Red formula versus a 2008 Inferno Red and see if they differ?

Also, I'd love to have the Dupont or PPG paint codes for whatever you find....

Thanks,

kdlp

PS - I did post this in the body shop forum a couple of days ago but thought I might catch a few more eyeballs here...

Glass Act

I don't have the codes you are looking for, but do know about the paint used.
2004 thru 2006 are tricolor - base/clear/pearl
2007 thru 2008 are base/clearcoat
They are different in color, 07 - 08 are missing the pearl additive, which makes the color a shade darker.

kdlp

Thanks, very much. That explains what I've been seeing and not understanding. It also explains what I've been hearing from people who have a little bit of info, but not the explanation.

Now that I know the years I can research the paint codes through a local body shop.

Any idea what color (light/dark) primer the factory has under the base?

kdlp

Glass Act

kdlp,
2004/2006 a grey primer was used to reflect the pearl
2007/2008 was dark red primer too deepin the redish top coat
Hope this helps

FRSTR90

So what about the '02 Inferno red? Would that be just like the '04?

BTW - That is a nice color!

kdlp

Again, many thanks! Guess I'll go make myself a nuisance at the body shop and see if I can get them to do some test panels for me. Have a bit of wet sanding to do on this project and it should be ready for the paint booth.

Have a great weekend!

kdlp

kdlp

FRSTR,

I'd guess that it would be the tricolor. What I heard was that DC had problems with the early paint and switched to base/clearcoat. I don't know what the "problems" were, but the solution was to simplify the process.

Obviously I agree about it being a nice color. A friend of mine won a Chrysler Sebring in an internet contest and both my wife and I thought it would make a good Corvette color. I kept seeing different shades of the color with the same name and couldn't get a straight story on what I was seeing.

kdlp

Glass Act

FRSTR90,
kdlp is correct, 02 is a tricolor, but dark primer was used instead of grey on 2002. Suppliers who supplied things like bumper, facia and other small trims, created a color match issue for Chrysler. The reason was in the mixing of paint. Chrysler had a min/max of agents to be used, this min/max varied, some suppliers used the min scale as a cost saving in paint supplies which was huge over say 500.000 parts. Chrysler changed the mix to one standard viscosity, this is where the different shades were created, yet it's all the same code and color name. Creates a re-paint nightmare for bodyshops trying to match panels of different years, not only because the the two different additives, (tricolor or base clear) but also because of the different primer coats. But a good painter can get the match right. On a complete re-paint this is not an issue, except with the tricolor or base/clear mix which will look a different shade when placed side by side. some after market paint makers like, PPG or Dupont, may only have one paint mix to cover all years 2000 thru 2008, when really there are 4 mixtures, if we include which primer to use on which year. Hope this helps you understand why a difference.