How to match touch-up paint when you don't know the paint code?

[AffableCurmudgeon]

Hi,

I bought this old car with a great paint job. Don't think that the current color is a factory color. Looks like it was painted a custom shade. What would be the best way to match color for touch-up paint? Do any auto supply places have a color wheel for matching paint?

Thanks.

 

[ScottsGT]

They have color chip books, but you kind of have to know the make and year to find the color. Post a pic. Some might recognize it.

 

[CraigStu]

The ones I have dealt w/ have some kind of sensor. They came out to the car in the parking lot, used the sensor and then mixed up the paint. I would call around and ask. Also some of them can put that paint into a rattle can. I have used that service several times w/ great results. Those that could do rattle can also had several primers and clears in rattle cans. Works great to touch up a bumper or paint an air cleaner or whatever to match the car.

 

[EDS01SS]

a body shop or a automotive paint supply store will have a camera that they can put on the paint and it will tell them what tints and how much to use to make that specific color. once they have that they can put it on a card to fine tune the varience

 

[Kevin54]

Hi,

I bought this old car with a great paint job. Don't think that the current color is a factory color. Looks like it was painted a custom shade. What would be the best way to match color for touch-up paint? Do any auto supply places have a color wheel for matching paint?

Thanks.

Are you looking to spray a panel or just touch up some scratches? If it is just a couple scratches, you may be able to get by with the paint chip method. If it is a panel, then you would need the camera. But depending on the paint, who painted it......it's all a 50/50 crapshoot anyways. All you can do is get close as possible.

 

[AffableCurmudgeon]

Thanks all.

Found a place close-by in west Chicagoland area that can match the paint and sells it by a little touch-up bottle or spray can.

 

[DGersic]

Thanks all.

Found a place close-by in west Chicagoland area that can match the paint and sells it by a little touch-up bottle or spray can.

Where? I need to do something like this, hoping to match a custom purple.



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[AffableCurmudgeon]

Where? I need to do something like this, hoping to match a custom purple.

RestoPaint in West Chicago. http://www.restopaint.com/

 

[K13]

a body shop or a automotive paint supply store will have a camera that they can put on the paint and it will tell them what tints and how much to use to make that specific color. once they have that they can put it on a card to fine tune the varience

This is not exactly how the camera's works. It finds the closest existing colour in it's colour library and provides the mix formula for that colour. It will not create a custom formula for a colour so if a colour is not a preexisting colour it will give you the closest match.

 

[DGersic]

RestoPaint in West Chicago. http://www.restopaint.com/

Cool, thanks. That’s pretty close.



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