Topic: Silver Paint

[JimVonBaden]

Is it just me, or do the silver Sky's always look like they have 2-3 shades of silver paint?

My new one sure does, and I noticed other silver Sky's do as well.

See what I mean?







As far as I know mine has never been repainted, in part or all. I am pretty good at spotting non-factory paint.

Jim

[Uranium-238]

My car is black, and when I first got it it all appeared to be the same shade, but 2 years of daily driver duty later it's like every panel is different.

[SHiNY]

Hit a deer, your body shop will fix that for you.

Actually, all cars do, it's just more noticeable on the silver.

[JimVonBaden]

Hit a deer, your body shop will fix that for you.

Actually, all cars do, it's just more noticeable on the silver.

I assume you mean all these cars do? I've owned several new cars, and paint only looked different when the plastic bumpers faded, and that was when I was in the desert in AZ or NV!

Don't get me wrong, I am not complaining, just making an observation.

Jim

[SHiNY]

I assume you mean all these cars do?

Your assumption is correct. Mine is silver and had the same problem with the doors. I thought it was only mine until I pulled up to the body shop the other day to check on it while driving Reedred's car (the "merlot" red). My painter glanced outside and said "Do all those cars have the same problem with doors?" I never noticed it before on Reed's, only mine, it must just be in certain light, but yes, on all the Skys.

P.S. Don't tell Reed, he'd be heartbroken if he found out!

[1LILNDN]

Welll !!!   Mine was a different color , Its a Carbon Flash and the Passenger Door was like Matalic over primer.When I took it back they redid the fender.   

[DeepBlueGXP]

I noticed the same on both of our GXPs.  The paint tends to look a little off on different types of material.  The front and rear bumper are plastic, the door and hood are metal and the side fender is fiberglass. 

[spicy3480]

The doors have always looked way different then everything else on mine.  Also, the rear fender has a variation also...I have a black car.  Most of them have come like that from the factory.

[Gentleman Jack]

I've never noticed that on mine.  I will have to take a better look...

GJ

[SHiNY]

I've never noticed that on mine.  I will have to take a better look...

GJ

Don't do it. Once you notice it, it will bother you.

[JimVonBaden]

The doors have always looked way different then everything else on mine.  Also, the rear fender has a variation also...I have a black car.  Most of them have come like that from the factory.

Wow, I always thought black was black. I didn't know there were shades of black.

Anyhow, like posted above, once you see it you can not unsee it!

Jim

[Sol Asylum]

Wow, I always thought black was black. I didn't know there were shades of black.

Just like white is white?  Anyone that has ever had to do color matching with paint for a customer knows every color has an unlimited number of shades.  Metalics colors just make it worse.

[sunnygator]

I had a bodyshop guy ask me when my bumper had been repainted, but it hasn't been!  The plastic color on my "cool" Sol is a little different in some lighting conditions.   Silver sure hides the dirt though!

SG

[sunnygator]

Wow, I always thought black was black. I didn't know there were shades of black.

Anyhow, like posted above, once you see it you can not unsee it!

Jim

No, black isn't anything by definition, so how could it be black?

[Rogue]

I haven't noticed variances in the black on my coupe, however in general the solid colors (red, black, white) with no pearl additive should not change from panel to panel. It's common in the metallics and those with pearl additives because of the nature of the flake (the paint, not the owner). The sunlight reflects differently off each individual flake. The Brazen finish on GXPsy is an extreme example of the effect. Depending on the curve of the panel or the direction of the sun you can see orange, red, or gold all at the same time. That is not a defect in the paint, but rather, the intended result.

[spicy3480]

There were parts of the black that looked more greyish....that's what I meant.

[Rogue]

No, black isn't anything by definition, so how could it be black?

It depends on how you're creating the black. In subtractive color (eg: paint) black is the presence of all colors. In additive color (eg: lighting) black is the absence of all color. Take your pick!

[Rogue]

There were parts of the black that looked more greyish....that's what I meant.

Is this on a factory finished panel? Or one of your aftermarket panels? If a factory panel then the greyish could be primer showing through an overly thin colorcoat, or some hazing of the clearcoat. If it's on an aftermarket panel it could be either of the above or an improperly mixed colorcoat. Or, it could just be the sunlight playing games with you. Is it always the same panels that look greyish?

[pharmboy]

My 07 black Redline doors look like different shades of black also from day one. i believe that GM in failing to extend the sight lines creases from front and rear fenders panels, it gives the a
rounded look of the Solstice. I cant believe that GM would create two shades of black for
two models. it would not surprise me if the doors are inter-changeable to save costs (hence
the lack of cease lines in the doors) Only noticeable in certain lights.  Unrelated but Ultra Gauge
solved my pet peeve of the sky in its sunken gas gauge that is unreadable in daylight, since the fuel light comes on -- you had better be looking for gas station. i was relucant to tear into dash to install black-cat overlays to replace the black faced gauges. lv brace came in , will put on
tomorrow

[Brad Kenny]

I have a '07 white Sol. I have done a lot of detailing of my car and have noticed and "differences" in the polar white color. It all shines up the same with the corrt TLC and polishes and glazes, etc. The only thing I have noticed not exactly the dame as the rest of the car is the mirrors cases on the brightest of sunny days and I write that off to sun angle. I guess I also need to take a more critical look at my car to see if there are differences between materials. Thanks for the thread and for the interesting aspect on paint. Off topics, does anyone have a highly recommended shop to do aftermarket painting for our cars. Thinking of making the racing stripes more permanent.

[ChopTop]

A couple of painters have told me that silver is one of the most difficult colors to color match due to its natural reflective properties.  I also read the main reason car manufacturers choose it for their show cars is because it forces the viewer to look at the shape of the car and not the body panels. Since the Sol has convex doors the eye looks at the shape, but the SKY doors are flat so it reflects the light differently which could give the optical illusion it has different shades.

[JimVonBaden]

That makes sense!

Jim

[TomatoSoup]

I think the reason for the differing shades on all the cars may be that the panels are painted off the car - probably in different locations/batches - and then mounted to the frame.  Unlike most modern monocoque's where the whole car is painted at once. 

Plus the differences that DBG mentions about the bumper vs. metal body parts - the biggest differences on my Brazen are between the bumpers and body.

[JimVonBaden]

Angle and lighting sure do make a difference!





Jim

[jwvess00]

Hi there!

The "Tarnished Silver Metallic" on my wife's '07 Malibu (which may not be the Solstice silver, but it's close) is a royal ***** to spray.  It's almost impossible to match.

GM released the "prime" color, which is the regular color (not to be confused with primer).  They also have "variants" which are subtle changes in the color or metallic size/density.  If you're going to repaint a panel, you must use the "variant card deck" to figure out which variant of the color you've got.  The paint number is insufficient unless you're repainting the whole car (in which case you just use the "prime" color).

I assume (!) that the prime/variant mess is because GM can't guarantee that all of the cars that color are going to end up the same, so they push the problem off to the body shop.

The only way you'll ever get a color match on this color is a whole-car repaint by a good painter (which leaves GM out).