When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Planning new hood for Maggie SC. Refinish suppliers for MY all use a base coat/ clear coat refinish process when I know the factory has a tint coat process (mentioned in GM brochures). GM will not divulge the contents of their paint spec document #19473 for the MY process or their primer spec 4799k. The numbers are as close as I have gotten to the truth and it is bugging the hell out of me. I know the refinish color pigmentation will be accurate but the depth of the color will not be a match because the tint coat will be missing. If you know the REAL story I would appreciate it. Or point me to who does know. You'd think they were guarding some top secret. After all, I think they have a responsibility to provide accurate information to those who want a precise match on their premium sports car.
There are many colors that are 3 stage from the factory (R81 red for Honda off the top of my head) but paint manufacturers use a bc/cc for a replacement.
If there is no 3 stage formula, the biggest factor affecting the color will be the color of the sealer. When I was trying to match my Nassau Blue to refinish my hood (I was attempting to NOT blend the fenders) I tried 3 different paint manufactures' (PPG, Dupont and Spies Hecker) and 7 variances. After all was said and done, the correcting factor for me was the darkness of the sealer underneath.
When you call your paint supplier, ask specifically if there is a 3 stage formula. Many times, they will just give you a bc/cc formula.
If I can help you, let me know, I'll look up the formula tomorrow at work.
Thanks Mark:
I have been told by various suppliers (Dupont, Sherwin Williams, PPG) that refinish is only BC/CC. Anecdotal reports about the "tint" process involved tinting the sealer coat and of course the color of the primer. The actual specs have escaped me.
I would suggest using the paint mfr's recommendations for the color code, and as you noted it will likely be a 2 stage bc/cc.
The trick most painters use to achieve a good match is to mix a small amount of color into the clearcoat. No, it's not the way the factory does it, but this is what most end up doing to achieve a decent match.
MY is notoriously difficult to match perfectly, and it will take some trial/error to get a good match, but it can and is normally done with 2 stage products.
I would suggest your painter shoot a white base coat first. (I wish mine would of). The dark cabon fiber causes a flop in the paint. Mine looks Great head on, but darker from the side and they shot it twice.
I am deeply saddened. When we ordered our FRC back in '99 (it's a 2000) the dealer gave us the option to get it in millenium yellow. We turned it down, thinking it'd look like a bumble-bee (had never seen the color before, it was new).
Do you know there's not ONE NON-Z06 FRC with millenium yellow???? I was kicking myself. . .
When my shop sprays any color, we always spray the prime color and any variances available. Once we find one close, we tint as necc. Recently when I tried to panel shoot my Nassau blue hood, we sprayed aloooot of test cards. Here are a few just to give you an idea of how many we spray sometimes. (still threw about a dozen out)
Though not perfect, the final result is acceptable enough to me without having to blend the fenders.
Thanks Y2KVert:
Impressive array of test cards. I'm not sure what you mean by available variances but it is clear that more than a little bit of experience and skill were involved in the choice. I may never find someone as thorough as you so I'll continue to look for more GM info on the MY process
Just for the record and further clarification. Variances are add'l choices for any given color. I wrote in a previous post for example about GM black. (GM code 17) PPG supplies what they call "prime" (meaning it "should" be the main color used) however depending on plant, time of year, etc, etc, there could be different variances. The color (GM code 17 in this example) has prime and 7 variances. Anotherwards, there is what the paint manufacturer says what they it should be but depending on when, where, etc, etc, when it was sprayed, the different variances may be blacker, darker, lighter, more red, more vivid, etc, etc....
That is why it's almost impossible to "panel" shoot any color. My shop guarantees color match if I can blend, not if I have to panel shoot.
Any reputable shop would take the time to spray test panels and try different sealers, etc, etc, to help produce the correct results.
Designer Imagines A Corvette That Looks More Like a Corvette Than the Corvette
Slideshow: A Jaguar designer's personal project imagines what a modern front-engined Corvette might look like if Chevrolet revisited the golden age of the Stingray.