Paint matching

Any color can be matched with todays paints and systems. There are computer scanners that can formulate a blendable match on most colors. Many automotive paint jobbers have this equipment. Usually the panel (like the hood) is painted and then surrounding panels are "blended" making the repair invisiable. Doing just a hood panel and without blending can show.

 

A good auto store with a paint Dept. will have a special camera, clean a part of the car real good,then the paint guy will take a picture right up on the spot and that gives the mixer the exact color.This way you can blend easy or touch up.

 

With todays technology there should`nt be any problem for a good body shop.

 

I would caution you to respray the entire panel in question, not blend it midway across. I asked a paint/body tech about this and he said that over time you may notice some difference in color as it ages.

For example, on my 328, I had my front bumper resprayed for the usual stone chips (on the 328 it's a piece of fibreglass that unbolts from the car, so there are nice seams all around it.) I also have a few chips on the nose panel near the Ferrari badge, but he advised against doing a partial respray there for the reason above.

If you have any rust, though, it's not worth doing an expensive repaint. The whole car probably needs to be stripped, repaired and repainted.

 

I see so many new cars with obvious panel repaints, I assume minor accident repairs. I guess the insurance-fed body shops aren't taking the time to really get the color nailed down?

 

I just had a quart of lacquer red paint mixed to match my 77 308 and it matches prefectly. Just bring a part of the car to any good auto paint store and they'll match it. In my case I dropped off the louver section and they used that to match the color. The trick is to use more lacquer thinner as you blend it out when your spot painting.

Jim