5.4ever

Hello everyone!!!!!

Im in the process of doing a widebooty conversion to my 2005 vette. After some research here in the regionals, I was directed to a great paint shop that promises to do the best job on matching m new quarters to the rest of the body. Thing is, they want to use the process of "Blending"

At first it made sense. yeah, blend the doors also so it would match the quarters! What a great idea, huh???? Well it turns out, many people dont think so. The point of blending the doors is that it will match the paint going on the quarters and there wont be a big noticeable difference between the door and the quarter(since they are next to each other) but what about the rest of the body? Will this procedure magically make the door blend with the new quarters AND the original paint in the front fenders??????? What about the rocker panels and the rest of the body???

When I asked the body shop to just color-match the paint and only paint the quarters, they said "it wont match" and "blending was necessary"

Is there any truth in this or is the shop doing it their way??? Im sure they will do a fantastic job, but If blending is not needed and I can save roughly 500 dollars by not having them blend, then I rather not...

BTW, the color of the car is precision red, only used in 2005, non-metallic and paint is in great shape. Thanks in advance.

DUB

Trying to butt-match a color is possible. BUT...the amount of time to get it perfect, often times exceeds the amount of time to do a "blend" into the adjacent panel(s)...so therefore butt-matching a panel perfectly can cost you and them WAY more time and money. I have done this type of color and panel replacement (factory quarters). And I have found that blending into the jamb and rocker...along with the door is needed to get the color perfect. "They" ARE NOT trying to get more money out of you....they are actually trying to give you the best repair possible. AND I would do it the same way...and butt-matching would be out of the question UNLESS you were willing to pay me for the countless test spray out panels needed to get the color perfect. And just because it is a solid color in good condition does not mean a thing. "They" still have many variables to consider and these all effect the color over time. So mixing up a color to formula does not mean it will be correct when applied...then this is where the tinting process begins and can take a long time to get the color PERFECT in all types of light and angles of view. Many colors have 7 to 8 pigments(toners) to achieve the color...and if any of them are off...the color will not match. AND thinking of using one of those machines that "reads" a color and provides a paint formula.....THINK AGAIN!!!! Those machines ONLY provide a color formula for a "blend-able match".... and often times I have done better myself instead of trusting that machine. MY EYES are better than that machine ever could think of being...when it comes to color matching.

"DUB"