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Just wondering if anyone has ordered and applied TCPGlobal's Restoration Shop brand of paints. They are the only source I could find that still has the ability to custom mix paint in accordance with the original Packard color code taken from the ID Plate. I started with their "Auto Color Library" and punched in the required information for my car and then the Ditzler code off of the "Orchard Green" chip and "O" code Packard number. I needed a quart of Acrylic Enamel and quart of reducer to paint my wheels with and ended up paying less for both + shipping than what Finish Masters wanted for just the quart of "close match" Dupont Centari GS157.

http://www.tcpglobal.com/autocolorlibrary/

I've been to their plant in San Diego. Very impressive, while they cannot tell you who their supplier is for their Restoration paint, the store room is packed full of pallet after pallet stacked three and four pallets high of PPG paint.

Their paint library goes back to 1903 has contains over 125,000 'paint chips'. Granted the older ones may have changed, but they can and will match to it.

I have it from a very reliable source that the Restoration paint will meet all PPG specifications.

I plan on using it on my 901 when I get ready to paint it.

Thanks Marty, their "Paint Library" was what I was impressed with in addition to the fact that they have access to the original mixing formula's. The PPG paint is extremely expensive but if the Restoration Shop paint meets the same spec's then I'm all for saving some money.

Hey, Gary,

They are probably using PPG's less expensive brand, Omni. Yes, PPG Concept single stage is expensive, but you will use up to three times as much of the Omni to get the same coverage, and although the results will appear similar, the long term performance of Omni is suspect. I usually never use Omni colors or clear- it's worth it to spend more on PPG. That is why I would steer away from the product you have discovered.

I am testing the Omni black flattened to a satin finish for engine and chassis parts. To illustrate the difference, when you make satin from PPG Concept, you use 9300 Black mixed with 995 flatting agent 1:1. With Omni, you use only 25% of the 995 flatting agent to get the same result, because the Omni is much thinner.

What I do, however, is buy my PPG products in smaller quantities. Most jobbers will mix a half pint for you. You may spend $45 instead of $80, but if it's all you need, why spend more?

Another way I try to save $$ is to use Omni primers. The Omni high build primer surfacer is around $90 a gallon compared to the PPG K38, which is almost $300 a gallon. The K38 is awesome, but doesn't come in quarts, and I just can't afford it unless I have built it into the price of the job.

I also sometimes use Omni reducers and hardeners with PPG paint, except for quality work. I will stay with PPG hardeners on the final color coats, although I will use the Omni reducers.

I have been working in the auto body industry since 1976, and have used PPG products all that time.

Ahhh...good point Joey. I certainly appreciate the education. I've never heard of Omni but I too have been involved in and with the automotive paint and body business starting in the early 70's when my BIL and I gained experience by painting our own hobby cars. Starting out, we used Martin Senour Lacquer and Acrylic enamel with hardener and then switched over to the Dupont Centari. I haven't painted any cars since around 1984 when we ultimately closed our paint and body shop. This was just around the time that base coat/clear coat was beginning to come on the scene. When I started looking into the availability of the "Orchard Green" paint for my car, I found out that no one had the mixing formula for it anymore and the only way I could get it locally was to have it color matched. Anyway, I figure I would try the Restoration Shop paint on my wheels and see how it goes...it seemed to get good reviews and if it doesn't work well then the mistake will have cost me about $60.00...the same quart of paint in PPG Acrylic Enamel would have cost me $109.50 without reducer and shipping. Besides, all but the outer lip will be covered up by the wheel covers so I felt like less expensive paint would suffice for this particular application and would be a good test case too. Thanks again for your valued input.