BMadden

It's virtually impossible to achieve "perfection" with the paint on these cars unless you go through an extensive wet sanding process and then you're left with a car that has virtually no clear coat left.

D'ZR1 Messiah

I'm going with the right car is the new paint.

Bob-G

I agree with those that said the Left car is the new paint. Nice to see a video comparison of both none the less.

Foosh

The lighting in the video isn't great, but as photographed, they both look like Sebring Orange cars on my monitor, and no Sebring Orange production cars were painted in the old plant. In that lighting, I don't see any real difference, but slight edge to the left as depicted in the video above and the way it was shot. They both have OP and some panel waviness characteristic of SMC body panels.

I hope to hear they're really Torch Red, otherwise they're both new plant cars. Having owned a '14 and just having taken delivery of a new plant Sebring Orange '18, my close-up, in-person inspection in the same bright lights of my garage are clear that my '18 is an improved finish and OP is definitely reduced, but not gone, and some SMC panel waviness is still there.

Bottom line: 1) no mass-produced car by any manufacturer will be free of OP; 2) cameras are very deceiving; and 3) only a close-up, in-person inspection in various lighting conditions can see the difference.

B-Vette

I'll play, I'm going with the right car as the one with the new paint.

RickConti@Coughlin

Thanks, it is hard to tell and was kind of my point, although I had hoped for better lighting etc...I have so much going on, I just said I'm doing this now.

Every year regardless out of what facility, the paint has gotten better...

Next Vlog I will tell you guys which car it was and we will have fun with another subject and I actually learn something in that video too, see you guys this weekend on YouTube

Thanks for the comment and watching!

RickConti@Coughlin

OMG, that is funny, Now I wish I would have thought of that....then on the follow up Vlog I could reveal the new paint shop car.....damn good idea.... oh well

Thanks for watching, hope I made this enjoyable at least for you guys!

Baron37075

You ALWAYS make every video enjoyable!
Left (New), Right (Old). Really can't tell...just guessing.

RickConti@Coughlin

very kind, thank-you!

rob62

Couldn't pick out a single imperfection on the one in the middle.

dfettero

Saw a video showing color difference in the Long Beach Red from the new paint shop.

Rick, Have you compared them side by side?

Frosty

The problem with doing a comparison such as this is two fold.

1. It is much harder to see OP on a computer screen (at least my low resolution laptop) vs in person.
2. The old paint shop had a lot of variation. On the numerous cars I have looked at, sometimes the paint looked great and other times not quite so great. There is a lot of variability and there will probably still be a some variability between cars.

I have personally compared two silver cars in a dealership showroom that were fifty feet apart. One was painted in the old based on the VIN and the other was painted in the new based on VIN.

With those two particular cars and silver paint color, it was drastically obvious as the car painted in the old paint shop had a lot of OP and the paint even looked somewhat dull. The later VIN that was painted in the new paint had minimal OP and the paint was much more reflective, so glossy that it seemed to "pop" in comparison with the other silver.

So in summary this VLOG is more about having some fun than really drawing any conclusions on the paint as the cars can be cherry picked to support Rick's agenda, which could be to move those left over 2017s and early pre-plant upgrade 2018s before the 2019s hit the floor in large numbers. Just sayin... Look at my signature quote

tractman

I chose the one on the Left, it looked better on the vertical side of the front fenders around the vents.

Bob-G

Do you have the link to the video you saw? I have an 18 LBR and am curious to see the comparison.

Corgidog1

left looks better-sure hope that was done in the new body shop....

Foosh

I hadn't seen your post when I offered my comments below yours, but I had the same impression as you, because my monitor displayed what appeared to be two Sebring Orange cars, and because it wasn't painted on production cars until the new plant opened, all of those were painted in the new plant. I couldn't detect any clear differences.

As for the GM investment in the new plant, improvement in paint quality was only one of many goals. The more important reasons for the investment were:

a) the equipment in the old plant was aging, probably unreliable, producing variable quality, and overdue for upgrade;

b) space was limited in the old facility, which was also limiting color choices as well as better ways to paint (the longer lower temp curing process is one example);

c) better equipment and environmental controls in the new facility should produce more consistent quality, eliminating the old variability in paint finishes many have complained about over the years; and

d) Expanding the capability of the plant other than just a new paint plant gives GM the option to increase production and possibly start building something else.

I'm sure there are probably more reasons, but all I can personally attest to is that my new plant 18 is overall better in paint, fit and finish, and overall build quality than any of my previous 3 Corvettes.

tcinla

I was going to go with the Left as the OLD paint because I saw some dimpling. THen I saw the Right and also saw dimpling.

I vote both are from the old.... ;-)

FX VETTE

BMadden

VNAMVET

Left