Calling all people with aftermarket hoods

[Clay]

I'm looking at picking up a used Saleen Aluminum hood, which is painted white. I have been talking with various people about painting it, and am curious as to how you guys got your paint done (especially people with Tungsten cars)

Did you just get it color matched? Does it match well? Did the painter use a paint code or use a computer to match the color? How much did you pay?

-or-

Did you get it blended? How much did you pay?

Half the people I talk to say just to get it color matched, but the other half say that it won't match the fenders at all unless I get it blended. Having it blended is significantly more expensive, so I don't want to do it unless it's necessary. Thanks!

 

[LAK3RS]

I'm getting my bumper painted/blended next week. I've been going back and forth with the person who hit me, insurance, etc. letting them know that it will be painted over and over and over again till it is perfect. I finally got everything together, so how ever much it takes, it will be done!

You're lucky you don't have an orange or yellow car, it's sooo hard to get the different shades to match up perfect with the car! Did you get a good deal on the hood?

 

[Hokiestang89]

I had a bunch of items matched painted for my car(vista blue) and they came out great, the painter explained that they start with the paint code but most colors have alternate mixes listed as well. If the car is fairly new you can get pretty close but i do know grey/silver colors along with reds are the hardest to match according to my painter, and he strongly recommends blending esp. if a lot of pearls or irredescents are in the color, which i believe tungsten has. If you do go the blend route just remeber that your stock hood will no longer match up, kind of a catch 22 i guess.

 

[06roush]

the body shop cant match my bumper and its been in twice.. they are tryin to make the color tho.. id try and get the color from factory..

 

[ZmanM3]

I had mine blended.

 

[Darth Stang]

Where did you find a used hood? Do they have anymore?

 

[Clay]

Any other help here? I'm looking for a "techy" type answer here. Bueller?

 

[KIMMER]

My brother's buddy owns a body shop and says to always blend it. It's near impossible to match a paint just using the paint code due to not being able to mix it exactly the same as the factory and fade/oxidation. Blending is the only way to go if you want it done perfect.

 

[2006GT500]

I have had all my Tungsten stuff painted based on the T8 paint code. That includes, front bumper, scoops, rear fascia, rear spoiler (when I had one) and side skirts. All have matched perfectly.

 

[Dread53]

Richey's did a couple of 3x5 cards for mine, which was not blended. The 'stock' piant code was way off, but they had some cards with the alternate blends. The interesting part was the match up - if the angle of the card was even slightly different it didn't match for crap. I'm thinking yours should be very similar.

Stop by a shop on a really bright day and bring out all the different shades for your color, then pick the one the works. Have them paint a card in that blend and then match that. We checked multiple body panels to catch all the different angles of the sun.

 

[Clay]

Richey's did a couple of 3x5 cards for mine, which was not blended. The 'stock' piant code was way off, but they had some cards with the alternate blends. The interesting part was the match up - if the angle of the card was even slightly different it didn't match for crap. I'm thinking yours should be very similar.

Stop by a shop on a really bright day and bring out all the different shades for your color, then pick the one the works. Have them paint a card in that blend and then match that. We checked multiple body panels to catch all the different angles of the sun.

So you didn't get it blended?

 

[Itchy]

I'm getting my bumper painted/blended next week. I've been going back and forth with the person who hit me, insurance, etc. letting them know that it will be painted over and over and over again till it is perfect. I finally got everything together, so how ever much it takes, it will be done!

You're lucky you don't have an orange or yellow car, it's sooo hard to get the different shades to match up perfect with the car! Did you get a good deal on the hood?

Wow that's not how things worked when I got rear ended. I was completely cut out of the process, and I even took it to a body shop where I know the owner. They put on a non OEM bumper... didn't know about that until after it was too late. I Tungsten car, and the paint matched well enough for me not to notice; so at least that worked out. I did get Progressive to cough up some diminished value money, but that took months of pestering and legal threats.

 

[ChevyKiller]

I had this same dilema. I had seen literally dozens of hoods I could easily tell they were off color from the car. Some worse than others.

I waited until I was ready to paint my stripes too and just had the whole car repainted with the new hood. I lost sleep over it so I know how you feel. Re-painting the whole car was the only thing I ended up being happy with and it came out perfect.

I'm not saying to do that just for a hood and remember I was doing stripes too so it made more sense, but I would say to get the fenders blended without a second thought. Every one that wasn't that I have seen in person looked like crap IMO.

 

[Quiksilver]

I just had almost my entire car done with a bodykit. I had many problems with the match. The colour is the same but the tone is off. It was done at Ford.

Apparently the density of the Metallic bits in the paint varies which can throw the tone off. I have now got it close by blending and adding many layers and mainly from complaining and making them do it over and over. I can see the slight difference but most people cant. It was in teh shpop so long I gave up eventually and am living with it.

Incidentally I had no problem with the hood but only with the rear bumper, ducktail and side skirts.