Paint Matching by Photograph

[F9K9]

Okay, I recently got an aftermarket hood and had it installed. The color didn't match up, the body shop owner/operator and I were none to pleased with the results.



He had me leave my old hood with him so that he could have a guy come over and "look" at it. I checked on the progress yesterday because two weeks had passed. I was informed that a guy from NAPA had come to the shop but, his camera was temporarily "down". I was told to check back early next week. From this I am assuming that they can mix a batch of new paint from the photographs. I have not heard of this technique but, I think it might be possible if, the lighting was somehow standardized. I really don't see how that could be done at the body shop. Has anyone heard of this process?

[HenryJ]

Yes.

It is not so much a photograph as a reader. The camera is placed on the item and takes a "snapshot" of the color. The information is then fed into the computer and using the information the matching color is formulated.
The computer color matching system has been around for quite a while.
The first systems required a time consuming "trial and error" method of calibration. Once calibrated the match was usually pretty good. This was a very expensive system and not too many shops invested. Most would rather mix and adjust using test panels.
I am sure the technology has improved quite a bit in both accuracy and cost.
I have been "out of the loop" since I had an allergic reaction to the hardeners. My last paint job was an expensive one. I stopped breathing about 5 o'clock in the morning and was transported to the emergency room. They spent eight hours bringing me back.
I had shot 40-50 gallons of paint and the isocyanates in the hardeners had built up in my blood stream to the point I had a reaction. Your body has no way of getting rid of the isocyanates, so they build up in your system. There are now warnings that chemical respirators are not sufficient and fresh air breathing apparatus is required. Yes, I was another "case study".

Back on track: The paint matching system should work as long as they have the system properly calibrated. It is way better than a guess. Make sure they do a test panel and check the match this time. When they did my truck they shot five or six test panels to get things as close as possible. Pewter is a hard match though since even GM lists nine variations.

[Jim]

Okay, I recently got an aftermarket hood and had it installed. The color didn't match up, the body shop owner/operator and I were none to pleased with the results.



He had me leave my old hood with him so that he could have a guy come over and "look" at it. I checked on the progress yesterday because two weeks had passed. I was informed that a guy from NAPA had come to the shop but, his camera was temporarily "down". I was told to check back early next week. From this I am assuming that they can mix a batch of new paint from the photographs. I have not heard of this technique but, I think it might be possible if, the lighting was somehow standardized. I really don't see how that could be done at the body shop. Has anyone heard of this process?

What color primer was used? As a experienced sprayer in the pic it looks to me like something showing through. Many people think paints are opaque but all have some transparency.

[F9K9]

Yes. .......... I stopped breathing about 5 o'clock in the morning and was transported to the emergency room. They spent eight hours bringing me back..........................................

DAM_, I for one am glad you did "come back" and am once again, amazed with your knowledge in so many areas

What color primer was used? As a experienced sprayer in the pic it looks to me like something showing through. Many people think paints are opaque but all have some transparency.

I really don't know but, will try to find out on my next visit there on Tuesday. I recently had him do my wife's front bumper cover on her cavalier (her color is similar to Brule's CC) and it was a very close match. I have been dealing with him on and off for 20 years and he has always done a decent job.

Brule and Jim , Thank you for sharing your knowledge, once again

[HenryJ]

Jim has a good point. I have seen improperly cured, or catalyzed primer bleed through and really change the color.

Hopefully Mark will join in and clear up any of the information he has on the newer color matching systems.

[F9K9]

If nothing comes from the body shop's attempts, I'll be okay with it. as it is. Like a bad hair cut, two weeks has cured my concern

I was just curious as to how it all worked

[TEXS10]

Hey Buddy, the hood looks good. But you are right it off a little. But that hood and truck look good !!!!!!!

[F9K9]

Hey Buddy, the hood looks good. But you are right it off a little. But that hood and truck look good !!!!!!!

Thanks

Even the shop owner's wife walked in and noticed it right away

[AZS10Crew]

The "picture" your body shop guy was probably referring to is a spectrometer. Most body shop guys say "camera" or "take a picture of it" because it's easier than knowing what a spectrometer is. If NAPA is doing it, I'd imagine it's a PPG Prophet, which is what we used. It basically shoots light at the panel and takes a reading, repeated at least five times per panel to get a good sampling. They're recalibrated every 24 hours and have a message on the handheld unit that warns you to recalibrate. The whole unit is about the size of a brick, so it's portable. The panel needs to be flat and clean though to get a good reading.

As for coverage, primer shouldn't effect it unless they sprayed insufficient coats of color. Yellows traditionally cover poorly, so extra coats are needed to hide.

You might have your body man try to get ahold of a variant color deck. Most body shops will just use the "primary" for repairs and try and blend it in, but there can be as many as 5-7 variants of the "primary" or "standard" original color match provided to GM when they were picking colors for that model. The variants are due to different batches of color, different manufacturing plants for the vehicle, reprogrammed spray robots, different spray tips, etc. Anyway, the variant deck will have actual samples of all the known variants for a color so they can be compared to what's on the vehicle. Most body shops should be getting updates yearly from their paint jobber.

If worse comes to worse, and there's no Prophet or variant deck, the paint jobber should have the skill to physically match the color by trial and error. With it being a solid color and not a metallic, this should be fairly easy.

One other thing, the paint system they're using might effect the match also. If they're using a lower grade base/clear system, or God forbid a lower grade single stage system (gloss and color in one step), it could cause the match to be off. In automotive paint, cheaper means less toner per unit of paint, less variety of toners to make the color, among other things. If you trust your body man, he may not be cutting corners. But I've known a few guys that did insurance repairs with the cheapest base/clear they could buy ($15/pint compared to $60 per pint for the good stuff) just so they'd make more money on the deal. If he's using PPG and you need any more info, let me know.

[F9K9]

Good explaination thanks for taking the time

[badandy2003cc4x4]

As a thought why go through this hassel when your body man should be able to color match to your truck then repaint the hood on the truck and blend the color into the fenders so any slight variance in color will be undetectable due to there being a gradual transition from the new paint to the old.

[HenryJ]

...your body man should be able to color match to your truck then repaint the hood on the truck and blend the color into the fenders so any slight variance in color will be undetectable due to there being a gradual transition from the new paint to the old.

I may be at fault here. I don't like to have the fenders blended. Actually on ours it would need to blended into the doors since there is just not enough room in the fenders to make it gradual enough.
Nothing holds up like the factory paint. IMO the blended paint would not hold up as well and I feel that the compromise is not worth the expense.
It will cost more to blend it and the paint may not hold up as well. I would rather take a chance on a near miss in color match.
I offered that advice to Reed. That may be why they are not blending.
In fact a good body man should do test panels and come up with a pretty good match. It may require leaving your hood or truck to get the job done right though.

[badandy2003cc4x4]

hj thanks for the pointer I was unaware of duability isues then again my body experience is limited to hanging out in a fella from my mom's church's shop for a bout 6 months one day a week and that was about 9 years ago I know enough about body work to be dangerous

[HenryJ]

I painted for quite a while until an incident forced me to stay away from that activity.
I rely upon the expertise of a body shop veteran and my limited knowledge. I am sure there are paint jobs that are superior to the factory paint job. Some of the issues can just be differences in time of application. As with any paint job , preparation is 90% of the paint job. If the prep is good it will show.
There are some cases where blending is the affordable option. Such is the case in panel repairs. For the front of the vehicle there are concerns due to the abuse from road debris. If the hood "chips out" , a repaint is not that big a deal. If you blended the fenders, then those may need a repaint as well? Dunno?

[Steve2003]

I had my hood painted with the fenders blended in. It was $300 and a lifetime warranty. You can't tell a difference from the original hood, everything matches perfect. The paint job is so good it makes the hood look like it came stock with the truck.


Steve