Matching colors: Diamond white pearl ????????

[LudicrousSpeed]

My father smoehow managed to back my mom's 2000 SLS caddy into a pole, scratching up the back bumper pretty bad. It is that Diamond white Pearl tri-coat.

According to the paint supplier, I bring the car in and match the color to the "valueshade" (Dupont) and then do a test panel with the valueshade as the base to figure out how many coats of pearl to match the original...

A friend told me to scan it with the gun and do it like a base-clear.

I know that the first way will work, but will the second??? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/think.gif

 

[rex]

I'd be leary of the scanned formula since there isn't a basecoat version offered for them.They are offered for most of the tinted clear tristages and aren't bad on matching other than you lose some of the depth.I've sprayed that color twice and you have to be very careful on the blend and it helps to use blending (base) clear to lose the edge,both times I could see my blend and it pissed me off.Nissan's white pearl blends out beautifully but that Caddy pearlcoat is dirtier and comes on pretty fast per coat.After you do the letdown panel to get the # of coats down I'd panel the cover if you can't pull the blend on the corner.That's just my opinion though,you might have better luck with this color than me.

 

[LudicrousSpeed]

quote]After you do the letdown panel to get the # of coats down I'd panel the cover if you can't pull the blend on the corner

[/ QUOTE ]

I understand what you mean on everything except this???

Also, I was told that the value shade is kinda transparent. Will I be able to blend this and will it cover the primered repair spot that I will have??

Thanks!

 

[rex]

Sorry man.I'm not really familiar with DuPont but if the valueshade sealer is a little transparent it's ok,your white base will get sprayed to get coverage.Ok,the letdown panel is just a test panel you'll seal and paint with the white base.Then mask off 3/4-4/5 of the panel and spray a coat of the pearl,let it dry and move the masking paper back to uncover the same amount and spray another coat of pearl,and keep doing this until you run out of room,then clear it.What you'll end up with is a letdown panel that has 1,2,3 etc coats of pearl so you can hold it up to the car and see which number of coats matches the best.You also do this for candys or tinted clear tristages when trying to match the color.If you happen to get a great match I'd 'panel' paint the cover meaning paint the whole thing.If the color isn't just quite on I would try to blend it on the corners,like if the damage is in the rear of the cover blend it where it wraps around to the sides or if it's on the side blend it where it turns the corner to the rear surface,then clear the whole cover.There is also the option of 1/2 coats or cutting the pearl mix 50/50 with a basecoat clear to get in between the coats of your letdown panel like if 2 wasn't enough and 3 was too much 2 1/2 would be cool.Just be sure to spray the letdown panel with the same pressure and technique you'll paint the car with.Pain in the butt,isn't it.Like I said,I don't like this specific color at all for blending so if there was any chance to panel paint it I would but it's not something you would do on the top surfaces or sides.At times urethane bumpers still don't match the steel panels so if this car is like that being a touch off will go unnoticed.I remember doing a new Nissan white pearl bumper cover and when it was put on it actually matched the fenders great but the original rear looked a touch yellow,but that's the way the car was new.

 

[TAZ]

I think any white pearl is one of the hardest matches to get right. You *have* to do a test panel first with these like Rex said. You also will not be able to do this in a basecoat clearcoat even using the match gun. Forget it on tri-stage colors.

I always have ended up tinting the basecoat (white), or the pearl coat. Be sure and get this right with the test panel before doing the real thing. If you don't, you'll probably end up doing more panels than you want...no matter how much your parents love you /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/haha.gif

Sounds like you can get away with doing just the bumper if is away from the 1/4's. Usually they are a tad bit different anyway.

I would seal the primer spot with a white sealer, then like Rex said, you should spray a clear basecoat (this will *really* help). Then you can blend your white, then you will need to blend your pearl.

Again, I can't stress how important it is to do a test panel before doing the real thing. And like Rex said, be sure and keep your gun's settings and your spraying very consistent to the real deal.

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/luck.gif

 

[Austin]

Reducing out your white base coat with clear base coat also helps with blending white pearls. It helps reduce the "dots" when trying to blend white. Just don't "waeken" the mix untill after you are up to coverage.
Austin