Not touch up paint. I am looking to repaint my car and don't really know where to look to find the factory paint. The particular color I am looking for is for a 1990 GTU Harbor Blue.

Dave

 

on ur car

 

That's cute, I mean paint that can be put into a paint gun and sprayed on the car. Let's keep the the smartass comments out.

 

most body shops will be able to mix up somthing pretty close. They can take the factory paint code and look it up. Sometimes in might not be TOTAL exact/dead on but you most likly wont be able to tell a difference with the naked eye (Unless you have one painted panel and one unpainted). Even if the paint is a shade off it just looks newer rather than different. Just remember... you get what you pay for.

 

As FCguy said, bodyshops should be able to find the paint code in their book. Im painting my fd over as we speak, it had to be special ordered because apparently its some "special" kinda paint.

 

If you are talking about the formulation, the painting process in an automotive manufacturing plant is different then 'aftermarket' - meaning body shops. You will not find 'factory' paint - at least none that would do you any good. Factory paint is applied and cured at much higher temperatures, simply because they paint the body as a bare shell.

While body shops can/do use heat curing, it's a lower temperature, to prevent damage to plastic/rubber trim that may still be on the vehicle. The paint that is sold to repair shops are formulated differently.

Also, nobody (paint distributors or suppliers) stocks colors. Paint manufacturers predetermine a color formulation for a given paint code, and then supply it to the resellers. When you place an order for a given color, they mix it (via a computer controlled system) at your local supply shop with a base color and measured amounts of other colors (and met flakes, if applicable) to achieve the color you want.

 

.. good info man

 

your paint code should be on a metal tag on the firewall. might be two letters. any body shop can mix it and sell it to you.