[theastronaut]

I took the steering wheel to my paint shop and picked out the paint chip that matched the closest based on color, that's how we decided to use the Nissan code. The color is very close without tinting it, close enough that 95% of people would never notice a difference in color. Also, different types of paint will look different after spraying- basecoat only will spray "dryer" than single stage, and the metalic particle orientation will make the paint look brighter/lighter. Single stage will look darker due to the paint needing to be sprayed on wetter, and the metalic particles won't be as bright/noticeable so the paint appears slightly darker/browner without tinting it.

For the correct sheen, you have options no matter which brand paint you use.

With the Spies Hecker basecoat I used, I was able to mix it as an "underhood" application and not have to spray clear over it. This leaves the metalic particles suspended in the paint at the very surface just like the original paint would have been without a clear over the base (clear would make the paint look "deeper"). Adding hardener to the basecoat adds sheen, so you'll need to do a few test panels with different ratios of hardener mixed in to determine the amount of hardener/sheen. It won't have any UV protection this way, the clear is what protects the basecoat from fading. For a show truck/garage queen this isn't a problem, but the color might fade over time on a daily driver. I feel like this is the closest in apperance to the original paint.


If you clear over the base you'll need to add a flattening agent, roughly 15-20% to achieve the original sheen. The exact amount of flattener needed will vary based on brand and how much you're reducing the clear. You'll want to do a few spray out panels. The metalic particles will not be at the surface of the paint, so it won't look exactly like the factory paint did.


I haven't tried using a metalic single stage with flattener added in. I'm not great at spraying metalic single stage and making the metalic orientation the same all over, so I didn't want to attempt it inside a oddly shaped truck cab. It's easier to get the metalic orientation correct using basecoat, so that's what I did. If you try single stage, it'll have the correct look with the metalic particles at the surface of the paint. You'll want to use a slow reducer if you use single stage and you still need to add a flattener to reduce the gloss down to the correct sheen.


On my '66, I'm planning on spraying base/clear, but with a small amount of basecoat mixed into the clear so the metalic particles are at the surface of the paint like the original paint. That way it has UV protection, the basecoat has the correct metalic orientation, and the clear w/base mix is translucent enough that the base shows through but still has some pigment/metalic particles at the surface. Should be very close in apperance and hold up well over time.