Another paint question

[Valerian]

Right ....i've read through all the old posts about where to find the paint code on a Fronty.
But....when i go searching through paint suppliers codes things seem to get very confusing.
I believe that the very last number on the plate attached to the bulkhead is the paint code number.
If this is correct then my paint code is 99L and my car is a 1999 Fronty B SWB.
I can't seem to find any info online as to which colour 99L would be. Can anyone help?

The only 99L i have found is Pearl Blue which was applied to cars in 1988/89.
My car is a silver/grey metallic colour.

[gregster]

Hi mate,

Dont mean to sound rude but are you planning to paint you door yourself...if so are you experienced in painting?

The reason I say this is silver is an absolute pig to paint, if you want a really nice match to the rest of the car.

I have resprayed loads of cars and wouldnt consider doing silver anywhere other than in my mates oven with its excellent lighting,
and even then, with a door, I would probably fade it out half way through the wing and rear quarter and then clear the whole side...if not paint the whole side of the car.

The problem is with silver is that the colour varies massively depending how it is applied...
lay the base on heavy and it will be very dark...
lay it too light and it will look very course (almost like a metalflake)...
if not applied evenly it will be stripey...
even variation in air pressure will give annomolies in colour pigment...

Drop coating can help ( a very light coat dusted over after, from a kind of step back away from the car, to give an even finish if doing a complete repaint...but on a panel it will just make it look grainy)

Preparation is critical with silvers too, any excessive scratching or scoring from keying up will show up like a sore thumb through the finished paint.
With silvers it will not cover anything thats not perfect...it will "amplify" it when finished and cleared.

I am up for anyone having a go at stuff themselves and will always give whatever advice I can to help,
but if your car (other than the door) is really nice looking it might be plan to find a local bodyshop who will match the paint to the actual colour on your car from their scheme, and paint it for you.

Cost would obviously be more than doing it yourself, but I genuinely fear if you buy the materials and do it yourself, then you will end up at the bodyshop anyway, unhappy with the results (and probably end up paying more as panel need more prep to undo the work you have done).

I really dont mean to sound insulting by this post, but I have had nightmares with silvers before that have cost me money instead of earning it...
and I have painted cars for years and do custom work so should be able to get it right probably more than most...

If you car is a scratched up offroader go for it yourself...if it is a pretty, tidy example, please get a bodyshop to do it,unless you are really confident.


Useful tip...if you know anyone locally who has a car front or fleet of vans, ask them who does their trade paint work, and how much they charge per panel (normally how its done) you will be suprised how little it can cost if they are putting a fair amount of work the bodyshops way.

We used to charge £75/panel to fit and paint inclusive of paint but with cust supplying panel for trade jobs...and thats about the going rate round here.

Bearing in mind the bodyshop wont have to fit, and wont have a whole car clogging up their workshops/booth...I reckon you should be able to get it done a fair bit cheaper especially for cash.
That way it should look right and wont cost a whole lot more...by the time you have bought primer,basecoat,thinner,lacquer/clearcoat,scotchbrites,masking materials etc


Hope this helps you mate...again no offense intended...

Laters

Gregster

[Valerian]

I have done quite a lot of paint spraying in the past and you're quite right that silver is a pain in the back side to match perfectly.
I have some stone chips to touch up which have been touched up by the previous owner with a colour far darker than the original.
As for the door, I've located one off a scrapper but unsure of it's exact colour code yet. I'm rather hoping it'll be the same colour code.

From reading old posts the part about the code that confuses me is that people quote a four digit code and then the last number on the plate.

i.e. ****/99L

Where do you get the first part of the code from?

[gregster]

Dunno mate..had a quicky look at my lechler scheme codes and the only codes ending 99L's I can find are not silvers???

Will have a look at my frontys here and see if I can suss it out...when/if it stops peeing down!

Laters

Gregster

[Road Hog]

First things first,the last entry on the plate is not necessarily the paint code,it was a generalised assumption made by a poster some time ago & needs correcting
It will only be the last code if there were no post construction options fitted.

The above applies to your car as the code you give 99L on a 1999 car is .......... 592/99L: Barolo Red Perl, Rabiata Red

592 ......... Barolo Red is the Opel code & name.

99L ......... Rabiata Red is Vauxhall code & name

EDIT: can you post a piccy of your plate please

[gregster]

Don't know if this link will work for anyone else...use it at robs but cant remember if it I autosaved a password on it

Sadly your fronty's code isnt on it mate!

http://www.glasurit.com/COLOR/new-color-online/m1frameset.php

[Valerian]

I can't post a pic of the plate just yet coz it's getting dark outside.
I did write down the last two lines though earlier:-

T96 VA6 VC1 V79 V96 V66
XQ2 2F3 82L 93D 99L

Should be pretty accurate although it can be difficult to read when the whole plate (including the letters and numbers) is silver.

Can i assume if i find a scrap car with more or less the same codes on it's plate that it will be a near as dam it match?

[Road Hog]

I think it will be 82L is your paint code .................... back in a moment

[Road Hog]

Yep deffo Silver Star II

[Valerian]

Many thanks for that A friend.
So i just need to find a scrapper with the same code now.

147/82L,83U: Star Silver II Met [Bertone] (99-)

[gregster]

Dont know if this is a 2 or 4 door but might be worth asking the fella

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FRONTERA-PASSENGER-SIDE-MIRROR-IN-SILVER-BREAKING_W0QQitemZ110380955967QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item19b337b93f&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1689|293%3A2|294%3A50

I think the 2 doors are longer than the 4 door on a B but if they are the same...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/vauxhall-frontera-w-reg-2-2-dti-breaking-for-spares_W0QQitemZ270428324564QQcmdZViewItemQQptZUK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM?hash=item3ef6c8c2d4&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1689|293%3A1|294%3A50

Hope this helps ya matey...

Gregster

[Valerian]

As far as i am told the SWB doors are the same as the LWB.
I've also managed to find a door down in Southampton which i'm 80% sure is the right colour.
Just wish the chap would get back to me with the paint code....grrrrrr

[Valerian]

Managed to take a piccy of the plate this evening:-