Repainting panels, to blend or not..

[Logannz]

I'm about to get some replacement panels (guard and bumper) repainted. I've located a couple of paint shops locally who use Dupont Cromax paint (as used by the factory), one shop wants to paint just the new panels with colour matching to account for any fading, the other wants to blend into the adjacent panels (hood and door)

Has anyone got opinions on this, I'm concerned about how this will look on the blended panels.

It's a V8 Vantage, 2006 in Onyx Black.

I'd appreciate any advice.

[mybrainhurts]

Hood...?

[Logannz]

Bonnet in my part of the world of course.. was't sure if this was a US based site..

[tonyhall38]

Just had my front end re sprayed due to stone chips etc.....front valance , bonnet , wings and doors...all blended in on the roof pillars and back quarter panels.....looks like new.....but I would have thought it depended on the colour of your car....black would need blending......mine is lightning silver so a metallic finish , so needed blending...

[GlynV8]

tonyhall38 said:

Just had my front end re sprayed due to stone chips etc.....front valance , bonnet , wings and doors...all blended in on the roof pillars and back quarter panels.....looks like new.....

Tony - who did you use to do the work?
Contact details for a good bodyshop are always useful to have.

[paddy328]

I would say to blend it. I've seen too many examples of poor colour matches and the paint job in general.

I've said it before, but there is no finer bodyshop than sl restoration in crawley.

[Sunray3006]

DEFINITELY blend - if they don't get the match right it will stick out like a sore thumb and I have had experience of this with an AM bodyshop who would only paint to panel edge (posts in the archives somewhere).

Gave up with AM, went and sourced my own independent bodyshop who blended and she's now a stunner (again posts in archive).

Hope that helps.

[clarky5150]

All depends on the panel. Something like the front PU which has a horizontal join on a vertical plane and is low to the eye is fine to be painted and fitted (blending into bonnet and wings does however get rid of stone chips) something like a wing with light catching top edges would stand out far more any differences in shade and metallic.
BE WARY tho. There is blending and there is blending.
Some shops consider painting a part panel and then blending the laquer with a fade out spray into the remainer of the same panel. This is the modern 'smart repair' tecnique and altho looks great to start will usually dull and become noticeable over time.
Dont forget that when blowing into an adjoining panel to get the base coat to match the entire of that panel will be flatted and re laquered. This in its own right can darken some lighter colours. It all has to be seen in perspective. You will never get a perfect match and if you are critical enough you will never be happy unless the whole car is repainted.
I consider myself to be fairly anal when it comes to paint finish and will usually paint correct detail any new toy i get.
I have however been more than happy with some paint shops that have for example taken the stone chips out of a TVR griff nose cone and faded the repair into the front wings beautifully. On the flip side my brand new V8V in 06 went straight back to Aston to get the ste paintwork rectified including a crease running top to bottom of the drivers door not noticed on final inspection.
The shop you are using, check their current work. Have a nosey around the shop. If they have an album of past work, look through it. If they are not prepared to allow this then walk away.

[WayneB]

Logannz said:

I'm about to get some replacement panels (guard and bumper) repainted. I've located a couple of paint shops locally who use Dupont Cromax paint (as used by the factory), one shop wants to paint just the new panels with colour matching to account for any fading, the other wants to blend into the adjacent panels (hood and door)

Has anyone got opinions on this, I'm concerned about how this will look on the blended panels.

It's a V8 Vantage, 2006 in Onyx Black.

I'd appreciate any advice.

I would go for the blend technique, it will make it a lot more difficult for you to be able to see where the new paintwork was carried out.

Only the coloured basecoat is actually faded out over the adjoining panels, the full panels are then clearcoated so you wont get a degrading of the blended join.

Colours fade over time, painters use different sprayguns, tips and air pressures, hold the guns at various distances from the car and the basecoat paint is mixed by weight and small mistakes in tinter weights etc is not uncommon resulting in variances.

Then there are different paint textures, and the original paint will be worn unlike the new.


Sometimes you can get lucky getting a good match panel to panel, but with all of the possible variables the blend technique works best.

[NBTBRV8]

Blend. Steer away from the body shop who won't.

[laracer]

Not sure if AM Approved but blending for me - can you see the join?

http://addictedtoauto.co.uk/latest-video/the-cheap...

[clarky5150]

Loving his work. Theres a saying for that in my part of the country... 'It'll be rate!' ( with strong Derbyshire dialect and complete lack of enthusiasm by the person half arseing the job at the time)

[mybrainhurts]

Logannz said:

was't sure if this was a US based site..

How very DARE you...?

[WayneB]

laracer said:

Not sure if AM Approved but blending for me - can you see the join?

http://addictedtoauto.co.uk/latest-video/the-cheap...

I remember watching my dad painting his 1948 Vauxhall Velox in the driveway with a Flit Gun when I was a kid.

You have to do what you can when money is tight.

[tonyhall38]

paddy328 said:

I would say to blend it. I've seen too many examples of poor colour matches and the paint job in general.

I've said it before, but there is no finer bodyshop than sl restoration in crawley.

would highly recomend sl....

[paddy328]

And while you're in crawley, why not pop and see a fine upstanding pillar of the community and get some custom sill plaques.

[Logannz]

Thanks for all the feedback, most appreciated. I've located a good paint shop locally (I'm in New Zealand btw), they use only Cromax paint and will blend as required. All clear coat will be flattened to match the factory paint and polished. I will post some pictures of the whole repair process in a week or so once it's all done.

[Little Donkey]

tonyhall38 said:

paddy328 said:

I would say to blend it. I've seen too many examples of poor colour matches and the paint job in general.

I've said it before, but there is no finer bodyshop than sl restoration in crawley.

would highly recomend sl....

Did they do your wheels, Tony?

[tonyhall38]

No....wheel works in crawley.....£60 a corner + vat....total strip and re coat , any repair required included...