Source of spray touch up paint?

carl

carl

True Classic
I know I asked this once before but can't find the thread. I had to do some minor rust repair on the white 77 and would like to hit it with the factory white paint and one or two cans of premade factory color would be just what I need. So who do I get it from?
 
I'd look for automotive paint stores near you, the ones that cater to the auto body repair trade. Many have a service where they can prepare spray cans of custom-mixed colors, basing the color mix on (1) a formula that they have in a database for the year, make and color of the car, or (2) by using the specialized digital scanning camera that works with their mixing system--they scan the car's paint in-person.

Now the bad news---the formula approach (assuming they have info for a 1977 FIAT X1/9) does not take into account all of the things that affect paint on a car such as sun, weather, age, neglect, etc etc. And the scanner/camera approach is at best a starting point needing a trained and creative eye; matching paint is an art form, not science.

I would imagine that FIAT's white for 1977 was not a base coat-clear coat and does not have any metallic component to it, so you have that going in your favor :) Looking up the old color charts, for 1977 (+/- a year) there were four whites: 212, 224, 233, 258.
 
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Type "Fiat color code nnnn touchup paint" into Google and see what it says. There are more than a few companies that provide this service. Here is one of the top results of that search. I put in the model year of 1977 and selected "All models" since the X1/9 wasn't listed. It shows codes of 233 and 258 for "White". Do either of those match the code on your 77? Just curious if they even have the proper 77 codes listed.
 
There's a company near Ephrata PA called Colours Inc. They can either color match with a paint sample, or they can match factory paint as long as a color code is provided to them. They have a 1qt minimum. Of that qt, you can have them use some to make aerosol spray cans. I've used them on three separate occasions, with perfect results. I typically have then make 2 spray cans, which leaves roughly half a qt of liquid paint, that can then be used as brushed touch-up or in HVLP gun. I've had them mix for my X1/9. Fortunately the original paint code decal is still under the rear trunk lid. I think they are franchised and/or would ship.
  • Phone: (717) 859-2500
 
I've used paintscratch.com.

Ordered touch up spray for a mitsu about 15 years ago, great match.

Just ordered small tube of touch up for my x, will have it Wednesday. We'll see how good it is even though they don't guarantee the match due to the age of the vehicle.
 
carl said:
I know I asked this once before but can't find the thread. I had to do some minor rust repair on the white 77 and would like to hit it with the factory white paint and one or two cans of premade factory color would be just what I need. So who do I get it from?
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I've used http://www.automotivetouchup.com/ with good results. If they don't list the color you need give them a call. They made up a batch of paint for my orange '77.
 
Over here we have a number of suppliers that do custom filed aerosol cans for a similar price to a stock cans. I prefer these as you can take in your car and they can scan the existing paint so you end up with a match as close as possible to the existing 'weathered' colour. If your car is the original factory colour, then simply search for the colour code and order that colour, as being white you may not have the same issue of weathering.

http://x19gr.50webs.com/colour.htm
 
Carl, what paint code does your doorcard (I believe) say? I was able to get a $25 dollar can of 390 Metallic Green from PPG that matches the original formula. Unfortunately mine was repainted to not the same green. I need to find the two new greens for mine and or repaint to the original color.
 
AKimball92 said:
Unfortunately mine was repainted to not the same green.
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Good point Andrew, as being 30 years since production ceased many X's will have been resprayed. That's why I prefer the custom can approach where it's matched to the actual car colour. I think it only cost me around $22 a can for custom cans that also employed a high quality fan nozzle.
 
I couldn’t get automotivetouchup.com to make any of my new red X which is a pretty common color.

I had bought the paints for the Miata and my old Golf from them and it worked well. Not super durable but good matches.
 
The paint code off the sticker shown is 258

IMG_0594[1].JPG

The green paint code sticker was next to the vin plate at the top of the passenger side fender. Is this the normal place for a 77? In any event, I'll try one of the on-line places. Most of the touch up area is at the bottom of the passenger door and sill.
 
carl said:
The paint code off the sticker shown is 258

View attachment 17401
The green paint code sticker was next to the vin plate at the top of the passenger side fender. Is this the normal place for a 77? In any event, I'll try one of the on-line places. Most of the touch up area is at the bottom of the passenger door and sill.
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The green sticker probably came off the bottom of the trunk lid. I touched up the inside of the trunk area of a white '80 Spider using off the shelf automotive touch up spray paint. There are lots of different shades of white available. I think a Ford color was a pretty good match to the Fiat color. It looks good - inside the trunk...
 
Thanks, Mike, that's the kind of info I need. I bought a can of generic Rustoleum white (their red was a perfect match for my red Bertone) but alas it was off enough to be noticeable. I thought of going to the auto parts store and buying three or four cans of different touch up spray paint to find one that's the closest. I looked up the two web sites mentioned above. One had the color but only uses basecoat/clearcoat and the other lists one white for a 77X but not my code.
 
Bertone also built a Volvo body, you might want to check and see if the Volvo paint would match your car.
 
carl said:
Thanks, Mike, that's the kind of info I need. I bought a can of generic Rustoleum white (their red was a perfect match for my red Bertone) but alas it was off enough to be noticeable. I thought of going to the auto parts store and buying three or four cans of different touch up spray paint to find one that's the closest. I looked up the two web sites mentioned above. One had the color but only uses basecoat/clearcoat and the other lists one white for a 77X but not my code.
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The Dupont historical paint chip charts say that 258 (#42728) plain old "White" is a 1980 color. On their paint chip charts, the most common white in the previous years was 224, called "Corfu White."
 
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