Paint matching

[yosh18981898]

I'm thinking about finally fixing the bubbled paint around my fuel hatch. I am planning on grinding it down to bare metal, coating it with that rust converter stuff, bondo-ing it until the contour is perfect, priming it and then wet sanding, priming agian and then sanding it super smooth. My question is this: is it even possible to get a perfectly matched paint, and if it is, how do I go about applying it to make it look perfect?

The rest of the body is still in near-perfect condition and the fire-engine red paint still has an extremely deep, wet, glossy shine to it. I want the repair to look as good as the rest of the body.

Any help would be appreceited

 

[jimbo74]

i would say do all the prep work and take it to a body shop... they have the tools and experience to get it blended properly

 

[yosh18981898]

The only problem with a body shop is that they charge you to paint it. The only problem with them charging to paint it is that I'm a broke college student (or will be as of next september). So I'd rather save money and do it myself.

 

[jimbo74]

well the only problem with that is unless you have the experience and the tools to do it, it wont or ever will look exactly like it is supposed to

 

[MONMIX]

It will not have the results you desire if you do it your self.
Red is a very difficult color. It has a zillion variences.

 

[Glacier991]

Monmix is right, older (read aged) reds, oranges, yellows and bronzes and some browns are VERY difficult to color match and blend. Silver? A snap.

 

[mf94_4x4]

Yah i have to agree, i tryed to fix the same problem on one of my other cars, did all the rust removal, bondo, and priming, i then painted it and tried to blend it in.....It came out OK but up close it was very noticable.. if u want spotless results get a pro to do it..

 

[Folken]

A 2001 paint job

Yah i have to agree, i tryed to fix the same problem on one of my other cars, did all the rust removal, bondo, and priming, i then painted it and tried to blend it in.....It came out OK but up close it was very noticable.. if u want spotless results get a pro to do it..

Here's a question. What about standard grey? I have a 2001 Explorer Sport that is Navy Blue with the grey running boards and grey bumpers. Is the standard grey a difficult color to match? My right running board and rear bumper have some scratches in them that are rusting.

 

[Glacier991]

Gray isn't so bad. It fades less, and the eye is more forgiving to minor variations. It should blend well.

 

[MONMIX]

you will better your odds going with a professional automotive paint.
PPG, Sikkins, what have you.

 

[Glacier991]

PPG even makes a blender for use in spot repairs. Often though you may end up doing an entire panel, depending.