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997 Metalic Paint Matching

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Old 04-07-2009, 02:01 AM
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hikejohn
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Default 997 Metalic Paint Matching

What are the odds that a good painter can absolutely match a Porsche metalic paint...panel to panel without having to blend? Any experience with this?
Old 04-07-2009, 02:46 AM
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Edgy01
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Today's paint shops are getting better at this challenge but you have to seek them out by asking for referrals from people who have found them. As you know, the metal flake greatly complicates the match process because matching requires not only a color match, but a flake size match, as well as a flake alignment match.

Hence, the reason I special ordered a non-metallic color!
Old 04-07-2009, 10:57 AM
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waiting for PDK
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You're giving me flashbacks to my college summer job but metallic paint is difficult to match for the reasons Dan mentioned. Silver is the most difficult, followed by champagne colors. Darker colors are better matches (assuming your car isn't faded). Not to get you too anxious, but the amount of orangepeel won't match the original paint either.

I would stop by the bodyshop and inspect their repaired cars to gauge for yourself. Friday afternoons are generally best (since most working people will keep their rentals until the weekend to pickup their cars).
Old 04-07-2009, 12:56 PM
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kasendorf
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I had to do a litlle cosmetic work on my Silver cab. The shop that I used has a pretty good reputation for working on Porsche's had about 10 911's being repaired from dealers and individuals when I was there. They insisted on some blending for all of the reasons that Dan stated. I also believe that the brand of paint that they use at the factory cannot be used in the US (some chemical restriction) adding to the problem. I let them do their thing at the body shop and the job came out perfect. Good luck
Old 04-07-2009, 03:08 PM
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red89
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Originally Posted by hikejohn
What are the odds that a good painter can absolutely match a Porsche metalic paint...panel to panel without having to blend? Any experience with this?
It can be done. Don't let them paint a panel that doesn't need it. Nothing weather's the elements like factory paint.
Old 04-07-2009, 05:56 PM
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mikejohn
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My experience with metallic paints are the body shops end up clearcoating the entire side or panels viewed together in addition to the panel requiring color. They all seem to claim it won't look right unless you do.
Old 04-07-2009, 07:14 PM
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mal28
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My porsche dealer did an excellent job matching Atlas, you could not tell the original from the painted area
Old 05-24-2009, 12:32 PM
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red89
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Originally Posted by mikejohn
My experience with metallic paints are the body shops end up clearcoating the entire side or panels viewed together in addition to the panel requiring color. They all seem to claim it won't look right unless you do.
Most DO claim that
and they are FOS
Old 05-24-2009, 01:01 PM
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cole328
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I have Basalt Black body shop specializing in foreign cars matched it perfectly
Old 05-24-2009, 08:32 PM
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saltydawg
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I had some recent body work done on a BMW from a very respected shop that uses only original water based BMW factory paints. I was told that even if a shop uses the exact same original paint, the color will vary due to environmental conditions such as temperature, humidity, altitude, etc. Blending thus becomes necessary for both metallic and non metallic paints.

I suspect the job can be done without blending and the differences in color may be subtle enough to be indistinguishable.
Old 05-24-2009, 09:31 PM
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red89
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a good shop will have toners to make subtle changes for a perfect match. More than one try is usually necessary and lots of experience helps.
Old 05-24-2009, 11:16 PM
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Jerry Fisher
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My son had paint blending work done aorund both his wheel wells and the rear corner of one fender.
His Boxster S is dk blue. The work was perfect and "blending" unnoticable to my critical eye. Find the right body shop--it can be done with the new paints.

After seeing how "easy" it was, I had simiar work done on my wife's amulet red A-6 with the same excellent results.



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