Need help Matching GM factory color to enamel paint for cladding (new Pics)

I had a local shop mix me up some rattle cans of metalic green using brand code 4301 OEM code 45, 47, 52d, WA9539.
the description reads: MEDIUM GREEN, POLO GREEN    Mixing Scheme: DELSTAR (DAR) (U 9539 is the code in my glove box).

My 02 is described as Forrest Green Metallic. So I painted the trim areas of the side cladding and it looked very close. (see 1st pic)

Then I painted the front bumper and it looked lighter when actually next to the factory paint. (2nd Pic)

So I went back to the local shop and said I want to paint the rest of the cladding using my spray gun, mix me up a quart of 2002 Forrest Green Metallic. The guy took the code right of the GM reference page. This now turned out a shade lighter than the rattle cans. So I looked at the label on the liquid can and it says "Brand Code: 5409 Description,: FORREST GREEN Codes 57, WA387E Mixing Scheme: DELSTAR (DAR)"

The 1st batch was made using the code from the glove box and the 2nd from the supposed color description from GM for my truck.

So I'm wondering if the code for rattle cans is different from spray guns, or is my truck not really Forrest Green Metallic?

Part 2 is this:  If enamel paint will never be a exact match to Factory base / clear coat, is there a darker metallic green by GM that would be a better match in enamel than what I am using? I'm asking this because because I think I already know I will have to shoot the whole thing over. 

I know the paint will darken a bit when fully cured, but it's way off from what I wanted to archive. Looking at it now makes me want to hurl chucks  just thinking of what I will have to do to correct it.

More info:  There are 5 thin coats on the bumper & lower cladding, and only 3 heavier coats on the sides. (the spray gun does such a nicer job  )The shop said if there are not enough coats, it will come out lighter. I don't think this is the case,  as the bottom of the doors already have several layers of green from the 1st paint job. It has a total of eight coats and is the same color as the door cladding at the top.

i get
2002 Chevrolet Avalanche Med Green Met

searching your glove box #

Boy I never been given the wrong color from a paint store befor.....lol    bummer, that just aint right!

http://keystonepaint.com/Cars2002/GENERAL%20MOTORS%202002.pdf

Thanks for the link. 

The Forest Green met. looks much darker on the base sample.

I wonder if I should go with the dark green met. 4 rows down in an enamel? 

I might have to waste $20 on a single rattle can and spray it in the finder area to see  what happens.

your color also came up in Plastic cote spray cans..... there are usually at least 4 shades of any given color code, Variant, Its hard just winging it.


I prefer  auto paint systems ..anyhow have you tried this color on top of  a dark base color? red primer? black primer?

The first time it was on a black primer. The first pic in this thread.

This last round was over gray.

Maybe that has also something to do with it. I have some the paint left over in a tupperware container. I will take two of the plastic diamond plate from the bumper I'm not using anymore and do a primer comparison test tomorrow.

Looking at that chart I could not find my listed code WA9539. I did find a Medium Sage Green Met. with a 2 digit code of 45 (which is on the spray can label) on the 2nd page, is this M3307 Dupont # the same as mine?

I see 9539 on the top of page 4

Z66Modder said:

Looking at that chart I could not find my listed code WA9539. I did find a Medium Sage Green Met. with a 2 digit code of 45 (which is on the spray can label) on the 2nd page, is this M3307 Dupont # the same as mine?

Click to expand...

medium sage green metallic is the North Face Edition of green.

Alaska_AV. said:

I see 9539 on the top of page 4

Click to expand...

Thanks I found it. next to it is Polo green 9529 which this enamel color in the spray can is supposed to be both.


So I did the test with the dark primer and light primer. It looked at first as if the dark primer made it appear darker, but once enough coats were applied, it appeared about the same, My test was with only 4 coats and I applied 5 on the bumper, and it was still too light.

My next step is try a dark green sample or get a custom color made.

ohiobellboy said:

medium sage green metallic is the North Face Edition of green.

Click to expand...

I wonder if mine is not really Forrest Green because it's a Z66 edition?

The more I think about it, the more I know I want a dark color on the cladding. I was toying with the idea of using a charcoal or black color.

So if I went with a deep dark green which looks almost black in the shade, and shows metal flake green in the sun, I think I can pull off the same effect.

ya 2 tones are fun

Z66Modder said:

The more I think about it, the more I know I want a dark color on the cladding. I was toying with the idea of using a charcoal or black color.

So if I went with a deep dark green which looks almost black in the shade, and shows metal flake green in the sun, I think I can pull off the same effect.

Click to expand...

This could turn out pretty cool. Can't wait to see the finished product.

I just ordered a can of #5382 True Dark Classic Met. Green.  The regular Dark Classic looked a little too much of a sage color.

This is not a 2002 color, but a 2001 GM color.  If it dries lighter (like the rest), it should be what I want for the cladding (crossing fingers) .

The can won't be ready until Friday, so I will post results tomorrow night. I plan on using the sample plastic I painted last night and see how it comes out on top of it with 2 coats to start. No real hurry, I have to wait a few more days for the last paint to cure before I can reapply any coats.

The new paint test went well I think. It is difficult to capture the exacts colors with high reflective piat, but here goes.

Here I satarted with the original test panel:






Then I sprayed 1 layer of the True Dark green on top.

Here are the first results. do you think it will be too dark?

I think it looks better

hard to tell how close it is, up close

It is a shade darker. but that may work in my favor. I finally figured how to photograph the paint sample without all the reflection. Here is the black plastic box I painted at work today in bright light. You can see it will be very green when exposed.

Here is an update. Painted the tailgate panel with the new color (single coat).  It's appears slightly darker than the factory, but close enough. I mean if you compare it to the corner cladding on each side of that panel (that have the Forrest Green paint), it's night and day.

Looks good sir.

looks allot better to me with the darker color

good luck with your project

Here is a sneak preview of how the lower cladding turned out. I heard the weather was going to be rainy by Wed. so I shot the whole works right after work today. That wasn't easy. 

I love it. 

MY GAWD! Are you sanding before painting?What's your prep like?  PLEASE: Follow Up.....On How It Holds Out Or Chips Up

omahava said:

MY GAWD! Are you sanding before painting?What's your prep like?   PLEASE: Follow Up.....On How It Holds Out Or Chips Up

Click to expand...

Lots and lots of sanding (wet). I used my electric sander where ever possible, the rest all by hand.  It looks like I will have to re-shoot the rear quarter panels, as they were exposed to the night air and did not dry properly (where they wrap around to the tailgate).

I took a few pics just now. I was unable to lacte the camera before the sun got too low to get a direct shot. I see I have some overspray in a couple places, darn tape slipped. 

I think that looks GREAT!!!!!!