Paint quality
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 655
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From: RIO RANCHO NM
Paint quality
Have they improved the paint process on the C7? IICR there were some thread in discussion of poor quality paint and finish. Has there been an improvement in the process? The reason I ask, the 2017 I was looking at tonight seemed to have much better finish from previous last couple of years. No trapped dust and the finish seemed much smoother and less grainy.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 15,554
Likes: 555
From: Eagle, Idaho
You really need to look at the specific car you're interested in. We found (and bought) one that was pretty good, but not as good as our 2007 Z06 or our MY 2002 Vert. While looking we saw some great finishes as well as some that had terrible orange peel.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Lawton, OK
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Have they improved the paint process on the C7? IICR there were some thread in discussion of poor quality paint and finish. Has there been an improvement in the process? The reason I ask, the 2017 I was looking at tonight seemed to have much better finish from previous last couple of years. No trapped dust and the finish seemed much smoother and less grainy.
Team Owner
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 25,583
Likes: 16,942
I don't think there is as much variability between cars as people often report. It's more a function of viewing them in different lighting conditions and the base color of the car.
You can look at a car in bright sunlight and think the paint is very good, and then examine it again under fluorescent lighting and come to a different conclusion. It's also easier to see OP on dark colors. A white car will have the same amount of OP, but it's much less noticeable.
Lastly, people often mistake OP for panel waviness. The composite panels, particularly the front fenders and doors, have detectable high and low points with their complex shapes, which become noticeable after painting. That's not OP.
You can look at a car in bright sunlight and think the paint is very good, and then examine it again under fluorescent lighting and come to a different conclusion. It's also easier to see OP on dark colors. A white car will have the same amount of OP, but it's much less noticeable.
Lastly, people often mistake OP for panel waviness. The composite panels, particularly the front fenders and doors, have detectable high and low points with their complex shapes, which become noticeable after painting. That's not OP.
Last edited by Foosh; Jan 2, 2017 at 01:24 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 10,352
Likes: 9,631
From: Lawton, OK
C7 & C8 Events Correspondent
Tech Contributor
2020 C8 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2020 Corvette of the Year (track prepared)
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (appearance mods)
C7 of Year Winner (appearance mods) 2019
2017 C7 of Year Finalist
2015 C7 of the Year
St. Jude Donor '14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19
I don't think there is as much variability between cars as people often report. It's more a function of viewing them in different lighting conditions and the base color of the car.
You can look at a car in bright sunlight and think the paint is very good, and then examine it again under fluorescent lighting and come to a different conclusion. It's also easier to see OP on dark colors. A white car will have the same amount of OP, but it's much less noticeable.
Lastly, people often mistake OP for panel waviness. The composite panels, particularly the front fenders and doors, have detectable high and low points with their complex shapes, which become noticeable after painting. That's not OP.
You can look at a car in bright sunlight and think the paint is very good, and then examine it again under fluorescent lighting and come to a different conclusion. It's also easier to see OP on dark colors. A white car will have the same amount of OP, but it's much less noticeable.
Lastly, people often mistake OP for panel waviness. The composite panels, particularly the front fenders and doors, have detectable high and low points with their complex shapes, which become noticeable after painting. That's not OP.
And would add that the OP on top of the waviness on the composite panels, especially the front fenders and doors, creates some of the worse appearing paint work. My 2017 Admiral Blue Grand Sport has some of this appearance as seen in this photo that shows part of the door (under florescent lighting too).
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