My '81 GS is in almost-museum-quality shape after only 60k miles and being garaged its entire life. It needs some work on the top of the right fender and on the bottom half of the right door. I've been told that matching the original paint (which is basically as new) will be very difficult using today's paint versus what they used 25 years ago, and that reshooting the whole side of the car might be the only way to do it. For its 25th birthday (I'm the original owner) I want to put the car as close as possible back to new (it's dead stock original). As originality is this car's forte, I want to preserve as much of the original paint as possible. Any opinions, and more importantly can anyone recommend the right body/paint guy in the metro New York City area to do this? Thanks.

 

if it was mine id repaint the whole door (its mask offable), and i guess the fender is too. i think you're looking for a place that does hot rods or show cars or something. not just a regular collision shop.

 

i got a $25 spray can of tender blue paint for my 85 and it was almost a perfect match.
http://www.paintscratch.com/

 

I'll vouch for paintscratch. Coincidentally, I also got tender blue for my '85. They sell you both the color and clearcoat, and you can rub the clearcoat out to a brilliant shine. I was really pleased.

But it's tough to get a good match with a spray can, because the layer of wet paint tends to be thin, which makes the metal flakes lie flat, which makes the paint look lighter. You might do better to order the paint in a jar and use a gun.

 

personally. I dont think your gonna find that paint job.

its too outdated and the formula might be down the drain.

you can call mazda north and ask them the recipe for the paint and take it to a paint shop but thats all I can advise

 

Thanks guys. Looks like paintscratch and the services of a good body/paint guy might be the way to go.

 

i went to 1 of the mazda dealerships in western new york hoping to get some maya gold (M5) cooked up. I was told by the collision shop that their computer no longer went back that far - 1983.