Re: Looking for right paint

Posted by PackardV8 On 2008/10/18 6:45:56

Reds seem to be a problem. The best thing to do is take a sample to a QUALIFIED paint store to match by eye or paint equipment that can match it by somekind of machine they have. GOOD luck finding a paint store with qualified people to do it.


REDS seem to "orange out" over a period of 15 to 20 years no matter how careful one is to keep the car out of the sun or other harmful environments. I had often heard this from various professional painters over the years but never experienced it my self until about 10 years ago.

I have a 48 Chief painted DD acrylic laq. FACTORY PACK 64 chevy Granada red. Painted at my own hand using all DD products about 1973. In '96 i had to touch up the rear fender. Used the left over paint from the EXACT SAME CAN i had painted from 20 years earlier. THe shade difference is astounding. The 73 shade was a dark, almost maroon red and so was the touch up 20 years later. BUT the paint around it had turned a brighter red and almost orangish compared to the dark red.

For over 10 years there were many arguments in the Indian world over "Indian Red". What was correct and what wasn't. It became an indepth analysis by many qualified veteran Indian owners, dealers etc. Red was popular on Indians in their day. There are even owners that have NOS parts still in storeage with original paint.

After many years of argueing and analysis everyone, even the most stubborn, determined that there is really no way to determione EXACTLY what shade of red is correct or incorrect due do ageing and i suppose chemical break down etc.

It's strictly a guessing game and one can get close. But noone really has any benchmarks for correct shades. Only correct shades that have aged over the years.