Thinking about new paint for the Z, taking color suggestions

[280Z Turbo]

My Z's paint keeps getting worse. There are many areas that need to be redone and some rust that needs attention. The only thing to do is paint.

The original color of the car is "Light Brown Poly" code 301. This is the color that's under the hood and everywhere else the PO missed when he painted it whatever color it is now. The current color is fairly close to this, so it doesn't look wacky when I pop the hood.

Frankly, burnt orange/brown sucks, so I may end up pulling the motor/brake lines/etc. to match the engine bay to the body when I paint.

FOR PEOPLE THAT KNOW SOMETHING ABOUT PAINTING CARS:
I'm looking at paint prices right now. I'm probably going to do a 2 stage paint, but I'm not sure. This car is garaged and isn't a daily driver, so UV damage isn't a real big concern.

How much paint do I actually need? What about primer?

I'm going to do all the prepwork myself and my uncle said he would help me spray it, so I'm just looking at raw material cost.

Here's the current color of my Z today:





Here's some ideas I had:

1969 Chevrolet "Dusk Blue" metallic to match my dad's Corvette:


GM "Sunburst Orange Metallic":


A Z just like mine painted in 350Z "Lemans Orange Metallic":

[ifcar]

The orange is so close to what you have now, I wouldn't bother. The blue is rich and subdued, but probably pricey. Black is always a winner, but you have to keep it clean.

Never painted a car myself (I prefer to just let them deteriorate), so I can't help you on the rest.

[280Z Turbo]

It's not a matter of changing the color, I mainly just want fresh new paint.

[ifcar]

Then I'd go with whatever you have now. It and gray are the two colors I think of when I think of the 280Z, and gray is drab.

[Raza]

I like blue, and I think it would look good. 

[280Z Turbo]

Let me explain the car's color history:

-Nissan painted it "Light Brown Poly" back in 1976. It is still the factory color under the hood.
-Some PO painted it a color slightly different than that probably some time in 1980's. I have NO idea what color code it is now.

This is what the original Datsun paint looked like:



I don't really care for 1970's brown.

[Raza]

What about white?

[280Z Turbo]

I hate white.

It shows the dirt. It's boring. It has no depth.

[Danish]

I'd go with White or Blue or Black

Dark Horse Candidate: Silver

[ifcar]

I hate white.

It shows the dirt. It's boring. It has no depth.

From what I've seen, white doesn't actually show dirt as much as a dark color. But it certainly is boring, and looks out-of-place on a sporty car IMO.

[280Z Turbo]

From what I've seen, white doesn't actually show dirt as much as a dark color. But it certainly is boring, and looks out-of-place on a sporty car IMO.

I think Raza suggested it because it's the traditional Japanese racing color.

[AutobahnSHO]

I like the oranges, except for the GM crap.  maybe the current Z color??

If you don't want to go orange/brown, DON'T do grey or silver, they're boring, white seems lame too on such a shweet ride.  Blue seems out of place, although I drove a 78 B210 coupe that was blue.

If you feel the need to switch completely-
One of my favorite toys when I was about 6yrs old was a Matchbox 280Z. It even had a plastic trailer 'hitch' on the back to pull the horsetrailer we had..     I used to pretend that the back window slid up and had a huge gun pop up (ala GoldenEye.)  I would only suggest it because you seem like the type of manly man that can pull that color off-

Deep, rich, purple.   

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Well its too bad you don't live in my area, i just happen to be part owner in a autobody refinish store.

I'd give you a great deal, but since your not in my area i guess your SOL.?

Anyway i don't know what brand of paint your looking at but i'll give the the breakdown of needed materials(and costs as far as PPG paint goes).

First off since your covering a factory finish you won't have to worry too much about primers of any sort, unless you start doing some bodywork then you will need to use a primer surfacer(to fill bondo/sand scratches) and a primer sealer(to seal the surfacer and other bodywork).

You will probobly need 3 qt's of paint, maybe 2 depending on what color you decide to go with(obviously the same color will cover very well). You will need probobly 3qts of clear as well. I'll give you prices for both in gallon quantities, this way you can figure it will be less, or you will have no surprises if you need more material. Prices will very from region to region, depending on a few factors.

Anyway you will need paint.

250-350 a gallon for any color other than heavy metallic blues/greens/etc(basically silvers and your stock color should fall in that area).
200 a gallon for black
400-550 for reds and heavy pearl colors
higher for custom colors.

Now if you came into my store and were doing a complete i would recommend a different line of paint, which is of equal quality but doesn't offer the OEM matchablility of the higher line of paint(quoted above).

In that case you could get any color you wanted for less than 300 a gallon.

Next you will need clear, like paint you will be looking at anywhere from 100 a gallon(with hardener) to 280 a gallon(PPG concept clears).

If you do body work factor in another 100-150 for a couple quarts of primer.

You would be looking at 300-400(for one line), or 500-700 for the higher end stuff(bascally what they use on high end customs).

Not cheap, but if you have someone who knows how to spray you can really save alot over a shop job.

[280Z Turbo]

The car has been repainted before and not very well, I might add.

I put my race number on my car in painter's tape and it peeled away some of the aftermarket paint on there now.

I think I may have to sand down to the factory paint.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Sand it down back to factory paint or primer.

If it where me i would seal the whole car(a 2k primer sealer, about 30-60 dollars a qt, you'll need probobly 2-3) and then go from there.

[AutobahnSHO]

Yowsers, how cheap is the paint that someplace like Maaco uses?

I'd toyed with getting my white van fixed/painted (scratches up front, a dent and decent scratches in the back, door handles were painted but now muffed up,) but I'm guessing it would be a bazillion dollars..

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Yowsers, how cheap is the paint that someplace like Maaco uses?

I'd toyed with getting my white van fixed/painted (scratches up front, a dent and decent scratches in the back, door handles were painted but now muffed up,) but I'm guessing it would be a bazillion dollars..

The reason maaco gives those cheap jobs is because all they are quoting for is to spray the car, and they use pre packaged colors. If you start factoring in bodywork and major prep and maybe a unique color the price climbs to a normal bodyshop price. Atleast thats how i understand it, plus the quantity they buy in lowers the price.

If you walked in my door i could give you a gollon of white(any actual factory coded white, not just generic) and a gallon of clear with hardener and the reducer for the paint(all you would have to do is tape it off and sand and spray), all for about 180 with tax.

[280Z Turbo]

I'm thinking about going with Porsche Slate Gray Metallic. PPG charges $227 a gallon for it.

It's interesting that Porsche charges thousands more for Slate Gray Metallic when the plain Guards Red color costs more.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I'm thinking about going with Porsche Slate Gray Metallic. PPG charges $227 a gallon for it.

It's interesting that Porsche charges thousands more for Slate Gray Metallic when the plain Guards Red color costs more.

What a automaker charges for stuff normally has little to do with the actual cost.

Anyway thats a good price for a gallon of PPG paint(i'm guessing its deltron/DBC basecoat).

Throw in a gallon of good clear(concept dcu2021/dcu2042) and your looking at about 500 for the total job.

[280Z Turbo]

What if I just did a single stage paint?

I don't think I really need a clear coat finish and without it, repairs would be easier.

[TBR]

From what I've seen, white doesn't actually show dirt as much as a dark color. But it certainly is boring, and looks out-of-place on a sporty car IMO.

You are right on both counts, the dust from my long gravel driveway doesn't show up nearly as badly on the Prelude as it did on the Durango. But, it isn't the most exciting of colors for sure.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

You should be able to get that same gallon of porsche silver you were looking at in a single stage urethane(ppg Concept DCC). its is basically their deltron basecoat grade of paint with concept clear in it.

probobly around 250-300 a gallon, just add hardener and reducer. You would save probobly 100-150 dollars.

The benefit if a BC/CC(basecoat/Clearcoat) system is the ability to use it for OEM type repairs. Basically blending in a repair on a panel into the rest of the paint job to make it look factory. If you are doing a complete a single stage paint(either Enamel, or Urethane) is a good way to save money(less material) and save labor(paint 2 coats of one product vs 2 coats of 2 products).

In your case DCC(single stage urethane) would probobly be the best blend of quality paint and cost savings.

[280Z Turbo]

Is this the paint that you're talking about?

http://www.ppgcarpaint.com/products.php?PPGCode=905887&PNId=17726&SPCId=14

SCHIEFER is German for slate, BTW. For some reason, PPG lists their German car paints in German!

[FlatBlackCaddy]

Is this the paint that you're talking about?

http://www.ppgcarpaint.com/products.php?PPGCode=905887&PNId=17726&SPCId=14

SCHIEFER is German for slate, BTW. For some reason, PPG lists their German car paints in German!

That is a single stage urethane paint, though it is from the lower line that i was talking about, the line is referred to OMNI.

Anyway that would work, generally a lower line of paint gives up the ability to match OEM paint. Since your doing a complete that is a non issue.

I always get a kick out of the german colors, they list them in german or a half assed american german name in my color books.

[280Z Turbo]

I thought I heard my uncle say that BC/CC paints are easier to work with than single stage. Any truth to that?

[JYODER240]

Personally shades of silver and gray are my favorite because of the way they reflect light.

Lexus' "Thundercloud" paint is one of my all-time favorites. Its a very metallic gray that has a slight bronze to it under some light.

[AutobahnSHO]

The reason maaco gives those cheap jobs is because all they are quoting for is to spray the car, and they use pre packaged colors. If you start factoring in bodywork and major prep and maybe a unique color the price climbs to a normal bodyshop price. Atleast thats how i understand it, plus the quantity they buy in lowers the price.

If you walked in my door i could give you a gollon of white(any actual factory coded white, not just generic) and a gallon of clear with hardener and the reducer for the paint(all you would have to do is tape it off and sand and spray), all for about 180 with tax.

How much paint would it take to cover a huge-a** minivan? 

I'm playing around with doing this someday- the Army self-help garages only charge a few bucks an hour to use the facilities.  The one up in Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland, is less than an hour from here, and has a paint bay..
First I'd try something that I wouldn't care gets messed up as much, like my grey van.
How about Orange with some silver flames?? 

[VTEC_Inside]

I'm with Autobahn... If you like the orange, at least go with the new Z color.

[FlatBlackCaddy]

I thought I heard my uncle say that BC/CC paints are easier to work with than single stage. Any truth to that?

They are, when doint repairs to a existing finish(replaced a fender, etc) its easier to match or blend paint off and have it match the rest of the car. Its also easier when you are painting it because you can sand between paint and clear to get a flater nicer finish.

However doing a complete paint job which doesn't involve matching is just as easy(slightly easier, less application of product which takes less time, cheaper) in a single stage then in BC/CC.

Anyway considering your uncle is painting this for you i would advise you try and use whatever product he's used to or more comfortable working with, that will probobly get you the best result in the end(i.e. if you paints BC/CC all the time don't show up with a gallon of some off brand Acrylic enamel).

[FlatBlackCaddy]

How much paint would it take to cover a huge-a** minivan??

I'm playing around with doing this someday- the Army self-help garages only charge a few bucks an hour to use the facilities.? The one up in Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland, is less than an hour from here, and has a paint bay..
First I'd try something that I wouldn't care gets messed up as much, like my grey van.
How about Orange with some silver flames???

Are you still overseas?

Anyway i don't know what the prices are like there but you can probobly paint a minivan(a full size panel van would be twice as much) with a gallon to a gallon and a half of paint.

Using a lower line of paint and doing a complete it would probobly cost you 300-400 for your standard whites greys blacks. It would probobly take a good weekend for you to do it(i'd do as much sanding and trim removal as possible at your place).