I have a 94 Vette with a paint code of 75. The windows sticker had Dark Red Metallic for the paint. The Dupont Code is B8947.
Question: What is the difference between the Dupont code B8947 and B8947K. The reason for this kind of question is that I had a local paint shop paint the front bumper and hood and boy did it not match. The new paint had a copper metallic color in the red. The orginal paint is more red (Brilliant) then the new paint. Was told by the paint shop that they could not match the paint and now they want to paint the entire car - More money for them.

 

A color match is the hardest thing to do. A blend is about the only way to go. Go to the Dupont store with your numbers and see if they match up.
Good luck.

 

I don't get it; almost every fairly modern paint shop now color matches via computer. They "read" the color on the car, sometimes around the mirror or fenders, and then the paint is mixed by pushing buttons. What is your shop doing? Or not doing? And more importantly, how are they doing it?

If they're starting with the original "code" and then mixing by hand or some such, they're in the dark ages, no pun intended. I mean, good grief, even Lowes and Home Depot are mixing paint from chips I bring in with computer scanning!

With all due respect, you sound like you need a newer and/or better shop.

 

First off I sell Dupont paint for a living. The K behind the stock # indicates Chromabase paint. As for the color being off, virtually every color you find will have alternate formulas based on variances that come from the different assembly plants. Some colors will have as many as 6-10 variances of the same code. A good quality painter can start with a recommended formula and manually tint it very close but it does take patience and time.

You didn't say why they painted the bumper and the hood but if there was no damage on the rear of the hood they should have blended the paint on the hood so there would be no color change where it meets the doors. At this point your only option is to blend into the doors. Also even when blending the painter should have done a test spray out of the color to make sure it is within reason to make a good blend.

The computer match that was mentioned will read the color to make a blendable match but asking for a panel match is usually not realistic. Home Depot may mix there paint by pushing buttons but that is not the case with automotive paint. Dupont has a system that requires the technician to manually load the tint onto computer controlled dispenser. He then pushes a button on the computer and the tint is dispensed. He then loads the next one and so on. This pours the tint very accurately but it is still only as good as the formula.

For a shop to tell you they can't match the paint is quite poor. Every collision job that goes through a shop requires a paint match and a decent shop should be able to give you one. Good Luck

 

Hello everyone,
I would like to thank everone for their input to this paint question.

 

Well, it's tough to argue with you seeing as how you sell the stuff. But I've been to several very high end paint places and not just for Corvettes. Matter of fact, some of the places I go to are reluctant to take Corvettes. I'm always shown the "state of the art" stuff that they've got and I agree with you: there is still a degree of human invovlement. That's why I called it an art. Oops, I take that back. I didn't say it was an art in this thread; I did in another.

It depends from what I've seen not only on the equipment which is beyond what I could've imagined just five or so years ago. But it also takes the human element and the patience to determine what mix will work, and what will endure. Time is of course money. And that's why I say that many of the shops I've been to won't take Corvettes. Some of them are so high end that their charge for a minor repair or partial paint of our cars would make us feel faint. It's a combo of tech and techician/artist. Forgive my ignorance if I suggested it's all done by machines, programs, and robots. Such is definitely not the case.

 

I do find it interesting to say the least how many painters I call on that do not know how to match paint. They depend on the camera or an alternate chip chart to get it close and just blend it. This will work most of the time but for a special or tough job these guys cry the blues that paint companies can't match the colors. There are a few that take extra pride in their work and go the extra mile to make a perfect match and some can even tint the paint perfectly so they can panel paint a repair without blending. These are the places that you would want to take your Vette.

 

"These are the places that you would want to take your Vette."

CF68 is right on with this statement above, but expect two things:

1. these shops/techs/artists are very hard to find--much of it is by word of mouth, and

2. you WILL pay for it--it doesn't come cheap, re the time it takes to do what I could only call, an "artful" job, a job that may in fact be better than the factory ever could.

When I was starting to restore a car in 1990, there were (and still are), $1500 full-car paint jobs that looked stunningly great, and there were for the same car, $11,000 paint jobs. And everything in between. You pick.

 

Your post is interesting you sound like a jobber, but a paint match is difficult to say the least. There are many variables involved in a "perfect" match. 1. is the age of the paint to be matched. 2 is the care of the old paint. 3. using the proper base coat color.

A improper base coat will throw off even the best hand color match.

Most modern paints don't cover very well, DuPont included.
A factory base coat number should be used on every spot job. This will help the color coat hid the repair area.

I've used DuPont products since 1979 with excellent results.
I've sprayed Imron at 33 above and 96 degrees with good results.
Centari also, Chroma Color also.

For me I get the color package custom tinted by the retailer and then I do a spray match. I apply the factory base coat number and then follow up with the color and clear coat.

In this way I can get to within 90% on a butt match.
No one is going to get 100% on a butt match or even a "747" blend.

I don't agree with a blend unless theres no other choice. Its painting an area that doesn't need paint and opens one up for paint problems down the road.

I do agree a good painter can get a real close match. I allow 1-2hrs for a custom paint match.

 

Here is my before pic:

I had a new mirror installed and the local body shop was able to match it very well. The next year I took the car to them to have some rock chips, scrapes and the rear lid repaired/repainted This is what I got back:

They apolligized and offered to paint the entire car at a discount as they were unable to match the 17-year-old finish. Here are the final results. I have a total of $1,800 into the paint job.


I am picking up a red hardtop from Vette2Vette on the 15th. The painter saved extra paint for me so I will be getting that done in the same shade.
Interesting postings from the pros above. When I picked the car up I found a wooden stir stick taped to a piece of cardboard(or somthing like it) behind the seat. It had several shades of my "Medium Brown Metallic" paint sprayed on it so it looks like they did try. They just couldn't get er done!