The tool referred to by Nick is called a "spectrometer" and indeed, it will assist in matching faded or non-factory blends of paint. The tool has been around the industry for at least 40 years. Special note here about PPG. A restoration shop owned by friends of mine has not always been satisfied with the results from the research library. What they prefer to do is send in an original paint chip either from the car or from the original paint chip pages and have THAT matched. Then they know what they are getting. For any of you that collect paint chips, you know that the same color will vary somewhat from one page to the next. At PPG their original reference chip could be on one end of a "range" or on the other. Also, the materials used to mix today are not the original materials because the EPA has forced changes in the chemistry over and over again. PPG can not sell original (for Chrysler) synthetic enamel nor nitrocellulose lacquer nor umpteen formulas since our cars were built. Because the chemistry has changed, the color "matches" have changed. Food for thought. Wayne ++++++++++++++++++ -----Original Message----- From: Sperduto, Nick <SperdutoN@xxxxxxx> To: <L-FORWARDLOOK@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Date: Wednesday, March 10, 1999 7:50 AM Subject: [FWDLK] more on paint >Here is some more info on paint. >A few years ago, I was trying to get 56 Chevy tropical turquoise paint. I >had the paint code and every supply house I went to said that it was only >available in enamel. >So I bought the enamel and painted the dash and the metal pieces that go >around the window on the inside. >My friend who is a painter took the window pieces and gave them to his body >shop supply house. When the Dupont rep came in, he took out some kind of >computerized meter and put it against my turquoise enamel paint and is spit >out the formuls to make that color in the newer chromabase two stage paint >system. > >This is just an fyi, I have a feeling that the old codes won't cross >reference. >I believe this tool the reps have is made so that you can match a paint >color on a car after it's faded a bit, this way you don't have to paint a >whole car to get the repair to match. > >Nick > |