Im interested in obtaining a paint formula for Opalescent Silver Blue that has been matched from a car that was originally painted the color.
Yes, I know there are various paint manufacturers codes but Im not interested in them. Paint color bases change over the years and from manufacturer to manufacturer.
So if someone has actually matched their Original paint and were happy with how it matched back to the original color I would love to get the specifics of that match.
I dont have an original car to try and match myself and want the color to be correct. Paint is now far too expensive to have to settle for “Close”.
I have a 65 Mk10 originally opalescent Silver blue. The car has been repainted, not a great match and quite deteriorated. I can’t help you with the new paint specifics, but if you find a paint that you want to compare, I’m sure there are some original areas of paint in the boot that could be found. I could see if your sample matched.
Ron,
Do you think theres a removable part with still original paint? I would happily leave an adequate deposit on the part and do a computer scan and color chip match process on it then return it to you.
there is a spot that is almost certainly original, and unfaded on MKX
open the bootlid and observe 2 sheet metal box covers attached by a single screw
they cover the 2 latch mechanisms, remove the screw, and the original bootlid deck is revealed, which is painted body color in mine
Its extremely unlikely any respray would bother removing the lids, as there is no need
- take this chance to lubricate the mechanism
I will have a look later today. Although obviously cherished at one time, the poor car has been used poorly by some previous owner, so no guarantees. I’m rebuilding the IRS on the floor under the lift, but should be able to move the car down enough to see.
Yes, Tony, those lids are intact and, although themselves repainted, they indeed have not been sprayed under, the original OSB color showing. I’m not sure this helps much, as I don’t care to mail the boot lid! I’ve not found a removable part that hasn’t been resprayed at this point. It’s also possible that I’ll find something under the dash to match when I’m into that area in the next couple of months.
the only other spots I can think of, depending on whether they did underbonnet ?
there is some small brackets and bolt heads, try up around the RH rear engine bay
I think the bonnet pin locking brackets are removeable
All blown over with new paint.
Oh Well thanks for looking. And the Saga Continues…
If you have a paint sample that you want to compare, send it and I’ll have a close look and shoot you a photo. Otherwise, I’ll keep my eyes open for something when I’m under the dash in the next few weeks.
Spies Hecker have it, in Permacron. I have my car sprayed with their stock color for 1966 Jaguar Opalescent Silver Blue and it is a perfect match. As my car was this color originally it was easy to tell the color match is perfect, it just looks a WHOLE lot better!
Could you give the paint color code for the Spies Hecker? Is this a single stage paint or a Base coat /Clear coat?
I have no reference as to the original color. Which Is a huge part of my issue with matching it.
Unfortunately the mix label on the can has faded to unreadable, but as I mentioned it is a stock color they offer. I can try the paint & body shop I use to see if they have it in their records, but once again, it was ordered as a stock color, not a custom mix.
We found this after getting samples to match the original paint # from just about every paint manufacturer, it was the only perfect match.
It is a modern paint, so base color & clear coat.
BTW, the Rust-Oleum Hammered 7212 Light Blue is an excellent color match, very useful for engine bay parts and the like.
The paint code would be greatly helpful. I have to travel about an hour to get to the distributor that can even mix Spies Hecker. Tried Sikkens, but their tech division is very doubtful with retrieveing the code…
Ive given up on trying to find it Single stage. (Which would be very useful in painting the engine compartment and underside of the bonnet and boot).
Ive come to the conclusion that the worst part of restoration work is getting the proper paint color and rubber weatherstripping.
I dont know of any “opalescent” paints that are not COB, as it has little bits of mica in it and has unsatisfactory lifespan and appearance without clear over the top
I was stripping the floorboard of the mk10 the other day and the anti-rattle coating came up in big chunks. It has original paint on it. Whether it is good enough for you to match, I don’t know, but I’d be happy to send you a piece if you want to try. I have found no other removable pieces with original paint at this point.
Having an original unfaded painted article to match is definitely the way to go.
When I restored my A35 van a few years ago the welder painted the underneath in Island Blue, which was correct to some parts I had removed.
However when the spray shop painted the outside, again in Island Blue but from their supplier’s mix, it was totally different!
When matching my Daimler’s paint I took the fuel filler cap to a recommended paint supplier for them to scan & match and they said it was borderline too small to scan successfully, so for them at least a bolt head or the like would be no good.
Maybe Ron Smith could take his panel to a paint shop who will scan it and give him the data for one local to you to use?
One way to go is find a modern color that looks vey much alike to original, and just go with that
the more popular the better, Get the paint code
It is very unlikely any paint match from an original panel will come out the same as factory on the car imo
(imo, once again) there are many variations of opalescent silver blue on modern cars
I will admit choosing is damm difficult
my advice, if you have a woman in your life, show her pics of the original color in photos and jag saloon.com, get her to help look around at modern cars, snooping around shopping centre car parks 
my 420G is “Jaguar Dark Blue” for which I have a formula…but there are variations !
In any case, I have had people tell me not only from pics, but even looking right at it, they swear my car is black
There is an urban legend regarding the early Chev Sting Ray. A senior GM exec had a model of the " Mako Shark" show car which was painted light blue, fading to white, like a shark and wanted a fullsize car colour matched to it. After multiple unsuccessful attempts to match the colour, all being rejected by the exec, the team apparently sneaked into his office one night and resprayed the model. The next day the exec approved the colour match as perfect. May have been Zora Arcus Duntov . Story as I recall, can’t vouch for it. I’m currently trying to colour match “candy” colour on a motorbike. That’s a translucent dye sprayed over a metallic silver base coat. Managed to find a factory original, and found that the actual hue varied from point to point, as each pass of the gun makes the colour a little darker and even factory painters couldn’t get it perfect. I understand the reason for wanting the paint to be exactly right, but unless the car is parked next to an original,( and who is to know which is exactly that?) the shade that looks right to you might be ok. Good luck.
