Questions regarding paint and color matching

[haydenm315]

As mentioned in another thread, I sideswiped the basketball pole on my driveway last night when I was backing up. I scratched the ground effects piece that goes on the door up pretty good and am looking into repainting them.

I searched around the forum and learned I must sand, prime, and paint with a flexible paint. The one question left unanswered is how to match the paint. My car's color code is W or Performance White C/C (BMP). Strangely enough, my helms doesn't list this code as a regular taurus color. A is listed as a SHO color for as Performance White (BBR). I'm hoping they actually sell something called performance white at the store or have a color code for matching factory colors. Suggestions?

 

[jelloslug]

Well the easy way would be to just replace the damaged panel with a good one that is already the correct color. If you want to fix it take your car to an automotive paint store (not a body shop) and have them color match some paint very close to the damaged area. You will then need to get all the stuff for painting: Primer and activator/reducer, base coat and reducer, clear coat and hardener, tape, mixing cups, clean-up thinner, etc. A small touch up gun (bigger than an airbrush, smaller than a full sized paint gun) can be bought for around $30. You will need to sand until it is smooth but you want to try to remove a little of the factory finish down to the plastic as possible, the new paint will stick to the old paint much better than the plastic. You may even want to get some adhesion helper for the first coat. If you paint it on the car mask the whole car, the overspray goes everywhere.

 

[rangerj]

Is the panel damaged, or is the paint just scratched? If the paint is just scratched you can find a "Dupli-Color" spray can to match your factory color. It may not be a perfect match but it should be close enough. If your car is painted with the base coat-clear coat method, then a coat of clear will have to be applied over the new paint. Clean the area with alchohol and wet sand with 600 grit wet/dry sand paper. Sand so that the scratch is feather edged or the fresh paint will show the edges of the scratch.

While I agree with what was said above, it would involve a lot of equiptment you may not have, or have access to, like an air compressor and respirator.
The new paints can be very dangerous to your health, especially paints that require "catalysts" or "activators". Some paints, like Dupont Imron, can **** you if you breath the spray mist, and others can have their toxins absorbed through the skin. Leave this stuff to the professionals. rangerj

 

[haydenm315]

I think the paint is just scratched, but it could be etched into the plastic. I'm assuming I should probably leave it on the car and just mask extremely well around the panel? How difficult are the side panels to remove without breaking something?

 

[rangerj]

DO NOT REMOVE THE PANEL. If the scratch is in the paint it can be sanded and featheredged out, then painted. If the panel is scratched the scratch can be filled with primer or glazing putty (also called "spot putty).

To fill with primer use a "filler primer", also available from Dupli-Color. After masking everthing you do not want to paint, sand the area and feather edge the scratch in the paint. If there is a scratch in the plastic put on a coat of primer. Did it fill in the scratch? NO, then sand the area lightly and apply another coat of primer. Do this until the scratch is filled. Or you could fill the scratch with spot putty. Be sure to let it dry completely (overnight).

Then sand the area smooth and apply a couple of coats of primer. Sand the primar lightly to knock off the rough surface of the primer and wipe with a clean lint-free cloth. Then you can apply several coats of color. Apply several light coats until the primer is covered and the color looks even, and wait about 5 minutes between coats. The last coat should be heavy but do not run the paint. rangerj

 

[NotSoSlowSHO]

www.paintscratch.com sells paint.

And even "rattle can" style for such a touch-up

 

[stangconcepts]

If you do not want to take on the project and you feel ok about removing the panel, Ship it to me and I will fix and paint it for the cost of the supplies. I have all the tools to do so,a shop and a paint booth.