Car In For Body Work? Three Steps Body Shops Take To Perfectly Match The Paint
If you've had a fender bender and your ride is in the shop for a little body repair, know that pulling out the dent and getting that fender as smooth as glass is usually the easy part. Considering the number of car manufacturers, most with several colorful models on the road, it's not surprising that matching your car's paint color can get a bit more technical. Three common steps taken to match auto body paint are explained below.
Finding the Color Code
When Henry Ford came out with his Model T, and for several years after that, your only car color choice was black. Not so in the modern world. Each car manufacturer has its own patented colors. Not all colors are used on all models. Adding to the confusion, some colors tend to change every year or so. The auto body technician needs the make and model year of your car to locate the information plate, which contains the color code. The plate is often on the end panel inside the driver's side door, but some manufacturers also have back-up locations. The actual code is usually a combination of letters and numbers. If your car is two-toned, two codes are usually listed.
Using a Color Finder
The technician then uses a color finder. This could be a reference book with all the shades listed or a computer program. Either way, the code brings up the exact formula for that color. Some body shops mix the paint by hand; other shops use a computer program that sends the right proportion of colors directly to the paint mixer. A test spray of the formula is then applied to your car. Adjustments are made until the paint shade matches.
Visual Matching for Color Fade
One issue that can throw the color match off is color fade. The formula matches the paint shade applied when it was at the factory. But sun, rain, and trips through the car wash can cause your car's paint to fade. Though technically all car colors fade at the same rate, that fade is more noticeable on shades that have more pigment. For example, your car was fire-engine red when it left the factory. After being on the road for a few years, that red seems just a bit duller, no matter how much you apply that body wax. To match your "new" red, the technician starts out with the color code formula and then the color is tweaked until it matches. This is why a professional auto body technician with an experienced eye has the final say on all color matches.
For additional info, contact local professionals.
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