920 Gold

[JohnnyO]

I've got an original 175SR14 that might have been used once or twice shortly during its life. It is mounted on a rim stamped 11 69.

Still working on the damn paint. I think I've had 5 samples mixed by my shop and have mixed 4 of my own custom mixes too with the samples I purchased.

This really sucks.

John

[JohnnyO]

Update: So the drama continued until I said the hell with it and went with PPG Shop Line mixed in the off the shelf 23576 code. I had a sample of this and was spraying it on primed sheet metal. Me, being an inexperienced painter to say the least, had only put 3 - 4 light coats on. I wasn't happy with the color. My paint guy painted my valance corners for me so I could see the color and it looks great!

I asked him why it came out so much better and he told me it took 10 light coats to get the full color! 10! I had no idea you could even apply that much paint. He said even though my coverage looked even it wasn't deep enough. I guess that's why he makes the big bucks.

Anyway, it matches very close to the 40 year old samples I peeled from under the rear strut tower vinyl and the parts I have look great in the sunlight as well as the garage.

He is jamming the body and painting the engine bay now and I will pick it up next week to reassemble the body and install the engine, fuel and brake lines and get some of the smaller under body items back in.

I should be able to get the car back to him by the end of February for the topcoat.

the picture is from yesterday.

John

[Carl Beck]

It's black because I liked the way it looked. As you know, the BRE type spoiler was not a Nissan part or option, however many 240Z owners added them. With my color scheme, I liked it in "rally black".

Hi Guys:

Just a small correction - although somewhat off Topic - the Rear Spoiler was a Factory option. The BRE Rear Spoiler is just slightly different.. no flat place molded in for the badging, and no reinforcing ribs on the external front side.

The BRE Spook - for the front is strictly a BRE development/design.

FWIW,

Carl B.

[lbpdz]

10 coats? From an HVLP gun??

The results look great, thats for sure. It just seems like that would be a ton of material thrown down. Did you go with single stage? Did you shoot right over primer, or did you toss up a tinted sealer of some sort?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but I plan on redoing my 920 car also, and like most 920 people I am really sensitive about making sure the tint comes out correctly. You would think with all of the tech advancements we would be able to match a color.

I'm still a long way from paint, so I guess I am lucky to be able to learn from other peoples frustrations.

[26th-Z]

I contacted Pierre at Pierre Z Car and Les Canaday at Classic Datsun since they had been involved in the Z Program cars. They said that they used Dupont paint on the Program cars and both gave me the same formula:

That's interesting. Both Nissan and PPG say that PPG paints were used in the Vintage Z program. I have no intention of bad-mouthing either of these guys but Les restored no more than two of the Vintage Zs and neither Pierre nor Les painted any of the cars. We are well aware that "originality" was not a primary focus of the re-assembly efforts from either one of them. I am surprised to read the jabber about a color match chip for quality control purposes.

In a post further down, a reference is made to the dark green color as "908". There is no such color. "Racing Green", or sometimes refered to as "Grand Prix Green" is 907. I'm glad to read that you are all refering to 920 correctly as "Safari Gold". I just read in a magazine "Sahara Gold". Wrong!

There MikeB, I decided to be a prick about it! Cheers!

[AZ-240z]

That's interesting. Both Nissan and PPG say that PPG paints were used in the Vintage Z program. I have no intention of bad-mouthing either of these guys but Les restored no more than two of the Vintage Zs and neither Pierre nor Les painted any of the cars. We are well aware that "originality" was not a primary focus of the re-assembly efforts from either one of them. I am surprised to read the jabber about a color match chip for quality control purposes.

For what it is worth, when Pierre did my car, he outsourced the paint work where they also used Dupont 918 Orange. This is, of course, no verification that same was used on the VZ program cars.

Dan

[JohnnyO]

10 coats? From an HVLP gun??

The results look great, thats for sure. It just seems like that would be a ton of material thrown down. Did you go with single stage? Did you shoot right over primer, or did you toss up a tinted sealer of some sort?

Sorry to ask so many questions, but I plan on redoing my 920 car also, and like most 920 people I am really sensitive about making sure the tint comes out correctly. You would think with all of the tech advancements we would be able to match a color.

I'm still a long way from paint, so I guess I am lucky to be able to learn from other peoples frustrations.

I went with the original configuration. Red Oxide epoxy primer over light grey sealer then the top coat. My paint guy had a sample of the original paint which has definately changed in 40 years but it took him 8-10 light coats to get the depth of the color in the original sample.

You can tell from the thread that people have been trying to match this color and "that's about the closest you can ask for" seems to be the common answer. Like I said, after going with 3 or 4 Prophet gun samples from different areas I decided that the closest match was the PPG ShopLine 23576 in both single stage (wheel wells, under carraige and engine bay) and base/clear for the outer shell and jambs.

When you get to paint and have questions let me know.

John

[JohnnyO]

That's interesting. Both Nissan and PPG say that PPG paints were used in the Vintage Z program.

I'm glad to read that you are all refering to 920 correctly as "Safari Gold". I just read in a magazine "Sahara Gold". Wrong!

Thanks for the ad. I guess I am glad I went with PPG, not that I had a choice. All the local supply houses only carry PPG these days and it is getting harder and harder to get paint mailed.

Yes, Safari Gold is what everyone here is calling it. But for all that might be shopping the PPG paints, the color you get will be called Nissan Gold. This is what comes on the label printed by the supply house when you pick up your paint.

John

[texis30O]

The color is beautiful, but seems lighter and less brown than the original Safari Gold. It could be the light but the attached seems to be closer (IMO).

the above car is just a few #'s off from mine. It is here in Houston. It has a metallic finish to it. I have talked with the owner about it. My car was originally purchased in Ill. and driven down here by the owner. I am the second owner and have all the documentation on the car( window sticker, and boxes f extras.). I am about to be in a new house and garage where I will start picking away at getting the car back on the street. I am going back with original paints on the car to keep it O.G. I am #806.

[Diseazd]

Yes I've seen a number of pics of Frank's Texas car.....It's beautful. I asked him to post on this forum re his paint and he did. Zedyone K has more pictures of this awesome car.

[Zedyone_kenobi]

the above car is just a few #'s off from mine. It is here in Houston. It has a metallic finish to it. I have talked with the owner about it. My car was originally purchased in Ill. and driven down here by the owner. I am the second owner and have all the documentation on the car( window sticker, and boxes f extras.). I am about to be in a new house and garage where I will start picking away at getting the car back on the street. I am going back with original paints on the car to keep it O.G. I am #806.

Hey Texi300, welcome to Houston! We started a classic Z get together a few weeks ago in Houston. Had a great turnout...

Shoot me your email address and I can get you a copy of the member names and numbers of all the classic Z guys in this area. The purpose is to ask others questions, compare notes, check for spare parts, etc.

Here is a link to the pics Dis referred to..

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdamico/sets/72157623149004415/

Edited February 12, 2010 by Zedyone_kenobi

[texis30O]

I am back from the dead.... Have a few small issues to iron out. Then I am off to the dyno. But enough said here are pics of my 920 car...