Painting grille surround

I bought paint online from paintscratch.com, someone here recommended them, with the intention of color matching the grill surround and painting eyelids. I started with the Toyota emblem in the grille for a test piece so I didn't ruin my grille. I roughed it up with 600 grit, used their flexible primer, gave it a wet sand, then multiple coats of color and finally clear. The end result, it's close, but you can notice the color difference. Anyone have experience with their paints? They color match the paint to your color code and use dulicolor clear coat. Any one else use their paints and how did it turn out? Color is super white if it makes a difference. Thanks!

 

how long did you let it dry? Paint will change color as it dries. The clear coat could also be the issue.

 

I painted my eye lids with some color-matched spray cans I got off of ebay. It is not exactly the same but you cant tell the difference unless you stare at it from 6 inches away. I dont think your ever going to get the exact match to be honest.

 

I let it dry 2 hours between paint and clear. 20 minutes between coats. I followed the instructions when applying the color. Light coats at first, then build up to the wet coat. I set it up to dry overnight. If the clear is the issue, any ideas?

 

I guess if I just leave the truck dirty I'll never know the difference! Unfortunately, my truck doesn't see a whole lot of mud and I'm on the anal side when it comes to things matching. One way or another, I'll get it right!

 

Yeah I understand what your saying but its one of those things where it will bug you for a couple weeks, then you wont even notice it anymore.

 

I gave up on colormatch for now and just did mine all flat black this weekend. We'll see how I like it for the time being.

 

I used the duplicolor for my eyelids (Super White) and the match was pretty close, but when i applied the clear, thats what threw the coloring off, but after a while you get used to it.

 

I'm supposed to be doing the BHLM and putting on white eye lids. But, if the paint doesn't match, I may switch gears and do a white head light mod and scratch the eye-lids. Ahhh, decisions....

In the end, you guys might be right, it'll bug me for a week then I'll forget all about it. I'll just pull into my parking spot so I don't have to see the front of the truck for a while.

 

Can't bring myself to go blacked out. Everything on my truck is color matched or stainless steel. I'm too far gone to start blacking things out now!

 

That's what I'm getting at. "clear" usually has a slight yellow tint, so it's really going to discolor something that's painted white.

 

I'm going to try some rubbing compound and maybe a wet sand tonight. I'll let you know what the results are!

Thanks for your help and input everyone

 

Even the touch up paint I got from Toyota parts is not a perfect color match(superwhite) Slightly darker. I even went back to parts and asked again. So I went to a local body shop to have then whip me up a bottle of touch up. (perfect I might add) Some shops do this. You can check local paint stores who do paint match and check to see if the color is the same as the one you ordered from online.

 

Would they make a spray can or just the small bottle of touch-up? The only reason I went to this online store was for the spray can.

 

Find a local paint shop and call. They do spray cans too. Look it up and ask. Ask body shops too. They sometimes ask for your gas lid to keep to make sure the color really match. Hope that help!

 

I found the solution! I picked up some Meguire's polishing compound last night and went over the newly painted part a couple times. It's still not perfect but it's a lot closer! It took a lot of the yellow out, hopefully I didn't just strip the clear coat...

 

I didn't do the rattle can but when the dealer color matched my grill they paint chipped it against the truck. Honestly, I think once it is on there you will not even notice and almost everyone else won't notice too. Cool to do your own!

 

I'll have some time over Labor Day and figured it'd be a neat project. I'm doing the BHLM and color matching eye lids also so I figured while I was painting... With the polishing compound it actually brightened up a lot and make the ratle can a lot closer to the truck color. I'll have to post up some pictures when it's done and let you guys be the judge.

 

Hopefully the paint has instructions for waiting how long between coats. Usually, it is just flash time which is about 10-20 minutes. You go past that then adhesion is not as good.

 

The course is usually, prep, paint, clear, color sand, polish.