Sticky Stuff
09-15-2018, 11:00 AM
#14
UPDATE, FOR THOSE WHO CARE...
Spent four hours this morning trying to get the originsl, factory 2S tape residue off the back of the salvage yard chip guards. What a job! Used a flap sander, Goop, a chisel and a putty knife. Did NOT use the expensive "eraser" disc that I got from Finishmaster because I could not find an arbor to fit. It has a M8x1.00 stud emanating from the back and NOBODY local has an arbor to fit. M8 x 1.00 is metric fine and, around here, such an arbor is unavailable. I thought of using a coupling nut and a bolt, but coupling nuts in M8 fine are unavailable except directly from China after three weeks on a boat.
Oh well, that job is done. On to primer and paint.
Spent four hours this morning trying to get the originsl, factory 2S tape residue off the back of the salvage yard chip guards. What a job! Used a flap sander, Goop, a chisel and a putty knife. Did NOT use the expensive "eraser" disc that I got from Finishmaster because I could not find an arbor to fit. It has a M8x1.00 stud emanating from the back and NOBODY local has an arbor to fit. M8 x 1.00 is metric fine and, around here, such an arbor is unavailable. I thought of using a coupling nut and a bolt, but coupling nuts in M8 fine are unavailable except directly from China after three weeks on a boat.
Oh well, that job is done. On to primer and paint.
09-18-2018, 12:16 PM
#16
The Saga Continues
I am truly sorry if I am boring you guys; please let me know if I am. Unless your HHTr is finished in Golden Teal Metallic, you probably won't be interested.....
Long story short: my $30 custom- mixed can of spray touch up paint doesn't match - not even close. Did not notice until my chip guards were sanded, primed, painted and clear-coated and I was ready to apply them to the car. Even had the 2S tape installed and peeled. Lesson: never again paint auto parts remote from the car. This may be old news to you diy experts, but, apparently, this 72 year old still has lessons to learn.
Anyway, I recently bought a can of spray touch up paint from my local Finishmaster. The guy went out to the car and read the paint code, so I was confident all was well. As I said, painted the parts, ready to install, and boom......
Went back to Finishmaster. Noticed as I handed the can to the guy that it said "Traverse Blue" on it. I assumed that was the problem, since my car's price sticker says "Golden Teal Metallic". Guess what? There IS no "Golden Teal Metallic" in Finishmaster's database.
Hmmm.....
The nice guys at Finishmaster, after facilitating a bit, supplied. me with a new can, marked "tinted for MUH". I have not a clue, but will try it and see..
I love this color, but.... a nice white one would have been nice, too...........
Long story short: my $30 custom- mixed can of spray touch up paint doesn't match - not even close. Did not notice until my chip guards were sanded, primed, painted and clear-coated and I was ready to apply them to the car. Even had the 2S tape installed and peeled. Lesson: never again paint auto parts remote from the car. This may be old news to you diy experts, but, apparently, this 72 year old still has lessons to learn.
Anyway, I recently bought a can of spray touch up paint from my local Finishmaster. The guy went out to the car and read the paint code, so I was confident all was well. As I said, painted the parts, ready to install, and boom......
Went back to Finishmaster. Noticed as I handed the can to the guy that it said "Traverse Blue" on it. I assumed that was the problem, since my car's price sticker says "Golden Teal Metallic". Guess what? There IS no "Golden Teal Metallic" in Finishmaster's database.
Hmmm.....
The nice guys at Finishmaster, after facilitating a bit, supplied. me with a new can, marked "tinted for MUH". I have not a clue, but will try it and see..
I love this color, but.... a nice white one would have been nice, too...........
09-18-2018, 01:25 PM
#17
Senior Member
Join Date: 03-06-2010
Location: Ohio
Posts: 6,869
It's gonna be hard to match, even with the proper paint. Many of the metallic "odd ball" colors used on the HHR (and others) will be that way. Especially from a spray can, but even with a full spray outfit and years of experience on your side. I used to do bodywork, back in the day, and had a knack for matching paint, but some of those metallics were just wild. (newer colors would be even harder) Air pressure, speed of application, thickness/thinness of paint. nozzle size on the spray gun, air temperature in the shop... Basically anything could affect how the metallic flake laid down as it dried, and that would affect the final color. Back in the day it was the silver/gold/light blue or green metallic that were the worst... Your "golden teal metallic' is "gold" flake in a teal toner paint.
With a spray can, what you can do is limited compared to what I just mentioned, but some still apply. Building up several light coats using a "dusting" method will look lighter in shade than laying on a heavy coat, generally. Air temp in the shop can be adjusted, Warmer dries faster than cooler, a longer dry time allows the flake to lay down flat causing a less "sparkly" color when viewed from different angles. If the color this time is "correct", or very close, a rattle can job can match close enough on those guards and it should look fine... If you were blending on a repaired dent somewhere else... Not so much, even with a full shop/tools/experience.
I would bet many of these fancy colors used on the HHR would require a full repaint to look right if it came to repairing minor/major damage as opposed to blending in or even painting a few panels. Your color is one of those "fancy" colors. They basically "can't be matched" by blending or panel spraying. Like back in the day a "candy apple" paint job cold never be matched and a full repaint would be required if the car got damaged... Some of these HHR colors are like that.
Also... for wear purposes, I hope your "paintshop" sells a compatible clearcoat to go over those guards once you get them right. They should last longer with a protective clear.
Good luck with your spraying.
(by the way, not boring me at all and my HHR is black 
)
With a spray can, what you can do is limited compared to what I just mentioned, but some still apply. Building up several light coats using a "dusting" method will look lighter in shade than laying on a heavy coat, generally. Air temp in the shop can be adjusted, Warmer dries faster than cooler, a longer dry time allows the flake to lay down flat causing a less "sparkly" color when viewed from different angles. If the color this time is "correct", or very close, a rattle can job can match close enough on those guards and it should look fine... If you were blending on a repaired dent somewhere else... Not so much, even with a full shop/tools/experience.
I would bet many of these fancy colors used on the HHR would require a full repaint to look right if it came to repairing minor/major damage as opposed to blending in or even painting a few panels. Your color is one of those "fancy" colors. They basically "can't be matched" by blending or panel spraying. Like back in the day a "candy apple" paint job cold never be matched and a full repaint would be required if the car got damaged... Some of these HHR colors are like that.
Also... for wear purposes, I hope your "paintshop" sells a compatible clearcoat to go over those guards once you get them right. They should last longer with a protective clear.
Good luck with your spraying.
(by the way, not boring me at all and my HHR is black )
09-18-2018, 02:50 PM
#18
Technical Moderator
Join Date: 01-23-2009
Location: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Posts: 24,670
Maybe your car was resprayed? There are charts available on the interwebs that show code that were used in different years. BTW, deciphering the paint code on an HHR is not as simple as looking at the RPO list; you have to use that code to look up another code on your Roy Rogers secret decoder ring.