New Paint Judging Standards

[Joe C.]

I have 2 handouts from the Seminar last month. There is a typo on one of them. If the metallic flake size/content differs from original, what is the originality deduction, 20% or 50%. Color SHADE difference is a 20% deduction.
Thanks,
Joe

[Joe C.]

Re: New Paint Judging Standards

OK..........found it in a third handout. Flake size deduction confirmed @ 50%.

Joe

[Chuck S.]

Re: New Paint Judging Standards

Sheesh...That's a big hit! I'm glad I don't have a metallic color.

I have found you can't even match the flake size on a car built last December, let alone one built forty years ago! For a new car, the manufacturer is very important...ideally, your paint brand should be the same as the OEM supplier for a perfect match. For what it's worth, GM's OEM paint on Chevys is a medium large metal flake...I suspect the brand is DuPont. The exact color match sold by PPG has a very fine metal flake.

The current trend is toward larger metallic flake size...it makes even the boring colors pop in the sun. I remember most of the early metallics in the sixties having a fine metallic flake, and I suppose that's why the standards have been set so high...to keep modern large metallic flake off classic Corvettes.

[Joel Falk]

Re: New Paint Judging Standards

Chuck, that is about how it was described by Tom Ames at the recent judging retreat.

[Chuck S.]

Re: New Paint Judging Standards

I'm glad to hear Tom is still preachin' the Corvette paint gospel.

[Roy B.]

Re: New Paint Judging Standards

The size of the flake can change the tint of the color,C1 and C2 used a fine flake hardly noticeable if correct . Had that problem on my 55 copper color.

[Stephen B.]

Re: New Paint Judging Standards

Joe, it appears that it's better to be shady than flaky in the world or NCRS. lolol. I know, bad pun.

[Richard M.]

Flakey Opinions-:-)

Our 63 SWC is silver blue. At the Regional many judges said it was a very old laquer repaint. We got full deduct for Star/Bowtie which is understandable but never got the explanation of originality. Some other knowledgeable folks said it was painted about 35 years ago when you could get it. It showed it but they said the flakes were very small like original. Please give me your opinions. Is this metalflake size correct for the 63. I'm considering a wet sand to bring it back to life. 8 hours buffing helped but not enough.

Rich
ps(not trying to hi-jack the thread, just thoght it was a good one to ask)

File very big so not linked here. Common pin is for scale. You can zoom in.

[Dave Sly]

Re: New Paint Judging Standards

So I've got a 59 with Frost Blue as the original color. I purchased PPG Laquer. It has not yet been painted. Is there anything I can (should) do to address this metallic flake issue?

Thanks,
Dave

[Chuck S.]

Re: New Paint Judging Standards

If PPG's modern paint is any indication of their preferred flake size, you'll probably be OK...the PPG metallics I have matched recently look like the old sixties lacquer as to metal flake size. It sure doesn't match the new GM cars, but did closely match a ten-year-old Avalon.

Before I painted the car, I would probably shoot some test panels and solicit the opinion of a well known NCRS paint judge or the NCRS "Tech Adviser". That way, you can still decide what action to take if the flake size turns out to be atypical. Paul Schuster is the current "Tech Adviser" for Body and Paint; his contact info is on the front inside cover of The Corvette Restorer

[Wayne W.]

Re: New Paint Judging Standards

I know the offset (BC-CC) for Silver Blue in PPG is very good. I havent compared it directly with a known original, but the color and flake looks good to me.

[Chuck S.]

Re: Flakey Opinions-:-)

Wow, Rich, that is reely fine metallic...even smaller than I remember. Even with a vision aid (:D), you can hardly see discreet particles. As for correctness, you should ask a C2 judge or paint expert.

In spite of the appearance of the metal flake, a repaint is very hard to conceal from judges that know what to look for, and where...guys that have painted cars for a long time know where to look for the signs. In Bowtie judging, a repaint would disqualify you even if the metal flake was perfect.

Unless you're willing to risk damaging your paint, I wouldn't do anything further but wax it. I certainly wouldn't risk a color sand...too thin. This is just my humble, non-expert, flakey opinion.

[Kent K.]

Re: Flakey Opinions-:-)

Rich,
The problem you encountered, was that the judges determined your wife's '63 was repainted sometime during its lifetime. Star/Bowtie judging is for original stuff only. If it ain't original, it just don't get passed. There are no condition points, just pass/fail on originality. Surely if I'm incorrect, someone will jump in and straighten me out.
Kent

[Patrick H.]

Re: Flakey Opinions-:-)

Kent,

You're correct.

The paint may have "appeared like" original paint in most respects so may have done OK for Flight judging. But, since it wasn't the original paint from St. Louis, it failed for Bowtie qualification.

Patrick

[Patrick H.]

Re: Flakey Opinions-:-)

Kent,

You're correct.

The paint may have "appeared like" original paint in most respects so may have done OK for Flight judging. But, since it wasn't the original paint from St. Louis, it failed for Bowtie qualification.

Patrick