question about s13 gold base coat?

[Armstec_S13]

Ok, well I have an 89 S13 coupe.

I recently completed my silvia front end, now I want to keep my car the OEM champagne gold color, the paint is awesome on my car so I want to just paint the front end.

I bought some paint awhile back because I was gonna put a chuki front bumper but scrapped the idea, but the paint looks a lil darker than on my car, I know it needs to be blended, anyways.

I noticed that the OEM base coat is not metallic nor cleared I asked the paint shop and they didn't know,I would really like to use that as a base coat for the before the real color is applied, does anyone here know the color? All I know its a baige/gold but I dunno if there is a color code for that.

I will post pics later.

[TheRealNap0le0n]

shiiit i was thinking about this the other day as i too have the super awesome grandma gold/ champaign color and want to keep it

[ZX88]

kg4 fools

[TheRealNap0le0n]

where do you find the color code... lol and thanks...

ive never really looked for it b4

[Armstec_S13]

I was readin up on your thread the other day and didn't even think to ask you, thanks man, I'd much rather use the real base coat than just primer.

[nando]

base coat refers to the color

base/clear refers to base coat then clear coat over top of it

if you bought paint with out knowing the paint code then you prob have the wrong color... or your paint has faded on the car. not that it is cloudy or pealing but has lost some of its true pigment under the clear

most people say their paint is flawless but in reallity it prob has changed from the original color but the clear is still glossy

gold metalics are hard to match just by panel painting. ( just painting fenders to match the doors) tho your bumper will match your fenders and your hood will match you fender because you will be painting them all the same color.

but if you want to use the color you have under the new paint you are going to buy (as stated in your original post)... paint the parts with the old paint. three or four coats and let them dry about 15 min between coats at about at least 70deg) then wet sand the paint flat with 600 grit and a flat block. just make sure you dont burn throught or you will have to apply more paint.

on the round parts and the edges try to curve the sand paper to contour the parts and sand with your hand... dont use you r fingers use your palm because if you use your fingers you leave heavier sanding marks where your fingers were and it might create trails for the new paint to settle into

when your ready to paint the right color you def should paint the front end and also blend into the fenders with the new color and clear every thing you painted

hope this helpsgood luck

[Armstec_S13]

Thanks for the post, I definitely understand what you mean about the paint under the gloss, since the car is 20 years old the color is brighter than originally painted in 89, that's what im worried about, the paint I bought awhile back was from the color code on my car, I was looking under the hood and saw the non metallic color, it seems to me to be some kind of enamel? That's why I called it a base coat, I figured I would use that color after the primer and then using the metallic paint last then gloss.

Cause from what my neighbor told me it would be good to use that color as a base instead of the primer, from what he said dark primer for dark colors and light primers for bright colors, something about the contrast,He used the example if I used a dark (black) with that gold that the final color would be a bit darker than if I used a light (gray) primer.

Who knows, im not gonna paint the front end, but I have to get all the materials for the paint.

*edit*To nap0le0n, the color code should be on the little metal plate inder the hood on the firewall on the passenger side, it has engine code, vin, color code and other stuff.

I am not exactly sure but I think the color code for the gold was "656" something like that, but I didn't know about the "base coat color code. Other than what ZX88 posted.
Modified by Armstec_S13 at 1:21 AM 1/23/2010

[240life]

[Armstec_S13]

Thanks 240life, that clears up the color code ZX88 posted, 89-90 were "656 champagne pearl" and the color code ZX88 posted was for 91-93 "KG4 sandstone beige"

I knew the color code for the car color but what about the non gloss non metallic color under the hood? That's what im looking for.

[240life]

i honestly think its the same paint with out clear, it gets dirty overtime kinda looks different due to its climate... I have never heard of a car manufacturer increasing the cost of an economy car with different paint under the hood....maybe previuos owner had front re sprayed by MAACO??

[SkinnyKibbles]

The auto zone near me doesn't sell that color... they're convinced that its discontinued.... There is a color that is reasonably close though. Slightly darker shade.

[nando]

when the car gets painted at the factory. the clear is mostly concentrated on the parts that will be exposed to sun light. the clear has UV protectiong and makes the color last for years. if id didnt have the uv protection then it would fade in a few years

also if you remove the fenders and or doors you will notice that there is no color in some spots but still has primer. the parts are covered by a special coating then assembled to the car, then sent to the paint dep. then the car is sprayed then cleared

the paint in the engine bay has clear just not enought to produce a clean shine to it and to the point that it is protected from oils and grease and what not.

if you want to reproduce that non shine effect either just use the base color or use whats called a cut in or edging clear...but usually it does not have the UV protection that regular clear has.

[Armstec_S13]

i honestly think its the same paint with out clear, it gets dirty overtime kinda looks different due to its climate... I have never heard of a car manufacturer increasing the cost of an economy car with different paint under the hood....maybe previuos owner had front re sprayed by MAACO??

Yeah I think you're right, the paint is a "stage" paint from the factory, so the color under the hood doesn't have the metallic/pearl gloss on it, its kinda like a candy color, base coat then the paint that's transparent.

No not a maaco re-paint I've seen other gold 240's online and my friends parts car that had the non metallic non gloss beige paint under the hood.

Hey nap0le0n, if you get the chance can you check under your hood? To confirm