Color Information Page

Here I will try and describe why coming up with these older colors is not easy.  There are a number of reasons.  Please understand this process before ordering paint from anyone.

• The paints used to paint with originally are no longer available.  This means the pigments used to make those colors has changed also.  Different pigments can cause color mismatch at different angles even if it matches under one angle.  Different pigments will also react differently to different types of light.  Reds especially can be effected and this is called metamerism.

• Most of the original paint numbers that you see posted around the internet have been discontinued by the paint companies.  While this is potentially good information as to years models that a paint may have been used it will not get you a color.  Also that information is not always accurate.  For example in 1973 PPG listed one yellow paint formula for Ski-Doo.  I have three and probably will be coming up with a fourth color for that time frame.  Any Ski-Doo collector will tell you that there were multiple colors used.

• A lot of the current paint information is a color that matches to someone's standard of color match, but not the original paint code.  This could be a good match, it could be a not so good match.  Vintage Paint will try to verify that colors we offer are acceptable color matches.  A lot of my formulas will be based from paint manufacturers formulas for the different snowmobile manufacturers so we should be starting with a better match at that point.

• Variations in the color used by the companies.  A company doesn't care if unit 1 matches unit 2 as long as they both look good.  There can be differences in spray equipment, paint suppliers can change.  Here are some current automotive color chips that are of the same paint code, hence should be the same color.  But the paint companies have to come up with alternates to match the variations applied at the factories.  Keep in mind that this is with multi-million dollar paint operations that no snowmobile manufacturer ever dreamed of having.  Just think what the tolerances probably were back in the 60's and 70's.  I deal with a powder coating company that can't match white from one day to the next!  Click on the pictures for larger versions.

• Probably an even larger reason is different substrates.  A fiberglass hood is gel-coat, a Polycarbonate hood is pre-colored and not paint, powder coating and of course paint used for tunnels etc.  It is very hard to completely match those types of products to each other.  Even a different colored primer or substrate can effect color.  Look at bumpers on today's automobile's, very seldom do they match the rest of the car.

So you can see that color is a touchy subject.  I will not list any color as a "the only color available" as I have heard a few collectors brag.  Once I heard, "my color is the ONLY color out there that is correct".  While I appreciate the work he did to achieve his color, that statement is presuming that every sled was the same color as his from the factory.  I doubt that!

What Vintage Paint will try to achieve is a quality color match for the average sled for that make and model.  I may come up with variations for certain models if needed.  There will eventually be a color sample posted on the website for you to compare to, but please understand that computer monitors can vary a color quite a bit.  If you need a one off color because you need it to match your exact sled, you may need to do some leg work for your self.

We will always be interested in hearing constructive feedback to enhance our color library.

Now you have purchased my paint.

Here are some tips to get the best color match out of it!

The color of the ground coat can change the color and cause more coats of paint to achieve adequate hiding.  You can also use this technique to adjust the color if desired.   White will almost always give you a cleaner color as a ground coat compared to gray like most people use.

Yellows and Oranges.  If you put yellow over a gray the color will be greener and take more coats to hide.  I most always use white under yellow.

Bright Reds.  White or a very light gray

Dark Blue/Greens/Maroons I like a dark gray or black.

Silver's, Medium Gray.

A uniform color for the entire hood will also help coverage and color consistency.