Shades of Color help

[Don Jordan]

Boy I do hate to complain but here goes. I'm having my car painted. I went to look at it Saturday and it's not the color I wanted. Now I don't know what to do. I would feel horrible asking the guy to paint it again - but it just doesn't look like a stock color. I took him chips and pictures I thought he knew what I wanted. I've seen pictures of cars the color I want. Sort of a sky blue.

Please look at this color and tell me what you think. Maybe it's right and I can't tell. I'm so annoyed.

[NatesSedan]

Judging from the sky in the background it looks pretty close. I like the color myself but...I am not the one who owns it so it doesn't matter. Did you try the sample on the car in the same light? They should be close, though base color will affect that somewhat.

[49roadster]

I had the same type of experance when I had one of my cars painted. When compaired to the chip I gave the painter it just was wrong. I suggested I buy the paint and he spray the car again. He agreeded and the 2nd was a very good match.

[claybill]

that blue is too raw.! it needs to be grayed down a bit.

claybill

[Norm's Coupe]

I like that color blue too. But.........it's not my car. If you want it lighter, don't be bashful. You'll be stuck with that color a long time if you don't speak up now. He probably won't be mad, he'll just charge you to paint it again, and smile on the way to the bank with your check in hand.

[Frank Elder]

Looks like no. 43 to me. Richard Petty blue.

[Young Ed]

I think is more the color you were thinking of. I agree yours came out way darker.

[claybill]

the blue color now on your car is 'intense' with a pure pigment.not just darker or lighter. it must be shaded down a bit..car colors are usually subdued..(long term appreciation)hot rod colors and race car colors are more intense. (for visability.)

shading down car colors from the intense ,raw colors is done by adding a touch of white and 2 touches of umber. (kind of a dark dark brown). ready mixed colors are toned this way. like going to the paint store where they have those squirt things that mix paint colors for your house interior etc.

if you want a stand out color...you got it!!! if you want a blend in color..change it!

bill

[GeorgeLeonard]

Im betting that you will learn to like it and be happy with it when its all put back together. But either way, Im sure you will like it if you have it repainted as well. Just my 2 cents

[RobertKB]

Have it painted the colour you wanted. You chose the colour because you liked it! If it is the colour of the car in the foreground of Young Ed's post, it sure is nice and very different from what you got. I am thinking of repainting my coupe that colour eventually. My coupe is a different factory blue now but I might stick with it for convenience sake. I will post a picture so you can see if that is closer to your colour. Good luck!

[Don Jordan]

I printed up the picture of the coupe Ed sent and a picture of my car and e-mailed them to the guy. I truly like the lighter blue better. My wife said the darker blue looks "modern" (though I'm not sure how to define that).

thanks for all the input. The worst thing that can happen is it gets put back together and I learn to like it. It still looks better than it did when I rescued it from 20 years in the desert.

d-

[Young Ed]

Don if you need more pics of that car let me know. I should have a bunch. He's a member of my region.

[oldmopar]

My thinking is if it is a inexpensive macco type paint job and it looks good except for the color I would learn to like it. If it is a high cost paint job I would have the shop repaint it the correct color or give me a large refund.

[Don Coatney]

Remember that not all computer screens are created equally and the color you see on your puter can look a bunch diffirent in sunshine.

[steveplym]

I personally like the color of your car Don and it will look much different once back together. That is my opinion though and yours is the one that counts.

If you don't like it I'd have them fix it now before you paint the rest of the car. Once you get it all back together it will be harder to make yourself take it apart to do it all again.

I am partial to that color though. Looks close to the color on my car. Which is not a stock color.

[Tim Frank]

I think there are two seperate questions here.

1) If you don't like the colour, should you just live with it? H*LL no!Get it done the colour you want. Anything less and you'll be second-guessing yourself for a long time.

2) Who pays? Tough one. Matching from a colour chip is notoriously inaccurate. The viewing light is a big factor as is the gloss and brand of paint. If it was a factory paint chip, with a code, in all probability the painter just had the paint mixed from the "textbook recipe" and never gave it another thought. I would suggest that if you just went to the paint shop guy, explained the situation and asked how much it would cost to re:shoot it a slightly different blue, that he would be pretty gentle with you.