Painted Parts? Anyone know a source

[hollis092]

I am looking for a company that offers paint to match services. I need a front RH fender painted to match (white diamond tricoat). While I was at it I was going to have a new bumper valance painted to add a bit of detail and some tow hooks up front.

 

I have spoken with the folks at Revemoto and they believe they can match with no problem, but just wanted to query the masses here to see if anyone has experience with this.

 

My local body shop told me a few months back they could do it, now another resource there tells me they would only be able to do the matching if I let them paint the hood and door to "blend" the paint together.

 

Is this accurate, I know WDT is a finicky color, but have heard from alot of sources that with the VIN and a look at the color, it can be matched no problem.

 

Any sources, opinions welcome?

[blackout07]

Surely there are reputable body shops near you. That's where I would go. There's dozens in my area. Or why not hit the body shop at a dealership?

[Duelin]

White Diamond Tricoat is a hard color to match. And a majority of body shops have to blend in order to get it to match. Which is really not a match. It is just blended into the other panels to the point that you don't notice the difference.

[hollis092]

Surely there are reputable body shops near you. That's where I would go. There's dozens in my area. Or why not hit the body shop at a dealership?

 

Yeah there's a few really good one's around. I've been talking to a local body shop that fixed our trailblazer a few years ago and they are working on a quote. Only thing is they are pushing me to blend into the hood and door which will cost a bit extra and I'm not sure it would be of much help.

 

On the other side, Revemoto.com - based out of Houston, says they can match it no problem. Its $407.00 shipped for a painted to match fender.

[02suburbanZ71]

Yea most have to blend into panels. I'd take it to a few body shops

[blackout07]

White Diamond Tricoat is a hard color to match. And a majority of body shops have to blend in order to get it to match. Which is really not a match. It is just blended into the other panels to the point that you don't notice the difference.

I'm aware. But since it exists it's a fair assumption that it can be replicated by good shops.

Yeah there's a few really good one's around. I've been talking to a local body shop that fixed our trailblazer a few years ago and they are working on a quote. Only thing is they are pushing me to blend into the hood and door which will cost a bit extra and I'm not sure it would be of much help.

 

On the other side, Revemoto.com - based out of Houston, says they can match it no problem. Its $407.00 shipped for a painted to match fender.

[Duelin]

A little food for thought. If Revemoto doesn't see your vehicle how do they know what to match it to? They will take a middle of the road paint mix for your paint code and spray it. Now if you have a computerized paint mix system and look at your paint code there could be 8 or 10 different tints. Revemoto doesn't have your vehicle to compare to see which tint is the best match. Also the color of the primer will make a difference. What primer was used on your vehicle? What primer will they use light gray, dark gray, black, beige, brown. Each one can affect the out come. Now how about the base coat and the pearl what mfg. will they use? Or will they try and buy a factory package. Now is the factory package going to match. On factory paint each plant can use different mfg. One could use Pittsburgh, another could use DuPont and another could use Sherwin and Williams. So a factory package might match and it might not. Now lets look a the binder for the pearl. Is it going to suspend the pearl the same as your factory mix on your vehicle did? Now looking at the clear coat. There are so many different options it hard to touch base on all of them. They are not all the same. Price is one factor probably the biggest one. Most like to use what ever is the cheapest as long a it looks good. Remember beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. What looks good to them might not look good to you. Also one mfg's clear coat might have yellowish hue. Another mfg's clear coat might have a blueish hue to it. The different hues makes a difference in the out come.

 

Now when it comes to painting with pearl it makes a difference in the position of the panel when it is painted. Will it be laying down or will it be standing. The pear l move around before it dries. Your vehicle was sprayed with a turbo bell system. They are using a paint gun.

 

When I worked for GM The plant that I worked in had a lot of problems with paint. The mfg. was Sherwin and Williams and was controlled in house. There was times if we had to do a paint repair we couldn't match our own paint. That went on for quite a while. So when the contract ran out with Sherwin and Williams they brought in Pittsburgh Paint. Also one of the conditions was that Pittsburgh Paint would run the paint system and was to be responsible for it. None of that hey Sherwin we have a problem and they say, Well we will send someone to check it out in a couple of days. By that time the paint is used up.

 

A little humor before I end this rant. Right after Pittsburgh came in and took over we started to get a lot of Silicone in our paint jobs. They worked for weeks trying to find out where it was coming from. They couldn't find anything wrong with the system or the paint. And then someone, I am not sure who figured it out. When Pittsburgh took over they pass out all of these badges that said Pittsburgh Paint #1. So everyone in the paint shop was wearing these badges. Well come to find it out these badges were emitting Silicone and getting into the paint.

 

Another tidbit someone might be interested in. The plant that I worked in had a whole new building and new paint system. It was suppose to be the most modern in the world. The cost was hundreds of millions. Whan it went into operation it couldn't meet EPA emissions standards and GM was find $25,000 a day. Another bit of info. After a car was painted the paint would still be emitting emissions into the atmosphere up to 6 months.

 

Now I don't want you to think that I am trying to tell you what to do. That is your decision. I just wanted to give you s little information so you can make and intelligence decision one way or another.

[hollis092]

That's a lot of information right there.

[montyss]

And Duelin is correct plus some . Being that it is a Tri stage there are different variations for the first stage as well as the second stage , then its the number of coats of each of those two that changes the color making the possibilities almost endless so blending is the best way especially for Tri coat vehicles

[hollis092]

Yes, all understood. That being said, there are tons of white diamond vehicles (in as many variations as there may be), but I am sure that someone can match the paint with no problem. It just takes the right person with the right skills...

[montyss]

Sure it can be done but correctly blending is the only way to get it close to 100% . Butt matches with a Tri coat are pretty much unrealistic with all the variables involved .

The very first step is to start with a spray out card with the paint you are using ,The card is made by spraying the complete card with the first stage of the paint , next on the card spray it completely with 2 coats of the second stage dry it up , then cover up about 1 1/2" of the card ..spray the card again but just 1 coat dry it up , now move up another 1 1/2" cover both areas that you just sprayed and again 1 more coat do this all the way up the spray out card covering and spraying so there is 7-8 areas on the card showing the variations, after its done clear it and see which one comes Close to the color on the vehicle . So the card will show what 2 coats of the second stage will look like over the first stage all the way up to what 7 or 8 will . There is a considerable difference between each one when its done . A lot has to do with the amount of material the paint process applies in the factory , if the primer is showing through the first stage ect ...

[hollis092]

Sounds like we have some experienced painters in the crowd. I wonder what someone would do if they went with a pre-runner style truck and added flared fenders..? Guess they would need to paint the entire truck.

 

I understand a little blending could be needed, but am uncertain that the different stages play much into the finished product. The local body shop did say that if they input the VIN, their computer generates a paint that is almost identical to what was used to spray it in the factory. He did say that it still could need blending after that if the match wasn't close enough, but that would be something he could only tell after spraying the fender and after it was installed.

 

Like someone already mentioned, if it exists, it can likely be replicated.

[montyss]

from just a quick look at the online formulations there is 45 variants for GM's white tri color then its the number of the mid coat that changes the color for each .

On your color the first stage is like a creamy color with a touch of red in it , the mid stage (2nd) is a white pearl color that is really transparent so when it goes over top of the first stage the first stage still shows through and depending on the number of additional coats of the mid changes the end result color , most are in the 4-5 range of the mid but that depends transparency of the mid coat

get your paint number from your glove box its the lower numbers on the white label like wa xxxx

[blackout07]

I'm on board with the complexity of paint work, but it seems to me that GM would paint all of their vehicles using the same methods, paint, etc. so per the vin there would be a code right? I would never have thought that a good body shop would have to custom match factory paint jobs...they aren't custom jobs for goodness sake. Hell, duplicator does it.

[hollis092]

I'm on board with the complexity of paint work, but it seems to me that GM would paint all of their vehicles using the same methods, paint, etc. so per the vin there would be a code right? I would never have thought that a good body shop would have to custom match factory paint jobs...they aren't custom jobs for goodness sake. Hell, duplicator does it.

 

My sentiments exactly. By the way that new tahoe is sweeeeet!

 

I already have the code (BC/CC WA 800J or 98U) and will be talking to the local body shop here about a few things on Monday. This guy has done work for me in the past and explained that when they input the VIN the computer generates the exact paint used from the factory. The blending really comes into play when you have age/sun discoloration and the paint isn't exactly as it was when the vehicle was new. Mine's just over 2, and she is usually in the garage.