Vauxhall Paint Codes
Scott Bowers
I am attempting to find the correct (white) colour for my Vauxhall Nova
1.2 Merit 3 door hatchback 1989F.
Having purchased a can of VAUXHALL GLACIER WHITE from Halfords ,
believing it to be correct white according to the Halford`s Paint Can
Catalogue I have discovered that it is the wrong shade.( It is too
"bluey".....The white I`m looking for is a similar shade to the Halfords
White PRIMER ! )
The paint code shown on the car VIN plate is E474 058
Can anyone help me identify which white it is or point me to a website
with a list of codes.?
Failing that I`ll have to make a trip to a Vauxhall dealer or Paint
Motor Factors next weekend.
Thanks
Scott
--
Posted via Mailgate.ORG Server - http://www.Mailgate.ORG
Peter Watson
rfscot...@hotmail.com says...
bought a tube of touch up paint from a Vauxhall dealer. My car was
'Glacier White' but they also had 'Polar White' in the range...
However it seems very unlikely that their would be two whites around the
same time? Perhaps the paint on your car has 'aged' and that's why
there's a difference?
Peter
Scott Bowers
news:MPG.17240a0af...@news.cable.ntlworld.com...
> I had a white F reg Nova and remember having to check the colour when I
> bought a tube of touch up paint from a Vauxhall dealer. My car was
> 'Glacier White' but they also had 'Polar White' in the range...
>
> However it seems very unlikely that their would be two whites around the
> same time? Perhaps the paint on your car has 'aged' and that's why
> there's a difference?
>
> Peter
Thanks for the comments.
I agree that there might be some fading on the car , but I also checked
it against the inside of the door which I assumed would have kept it`s
colour and it definitely is a lot different.
If I can positively identify what the paint code E474 058 represents,
then that will be a starting point.
I only hope that I`m not going to have to respray the whole car ! {:o(
Thanks again
Will Warburton
polar white and glacier white are the same colour, opal/vaux
your paint code should be something like two numbers then a letter usually L
as the letter.
or in Europe E then 3 numbers. I worked for a paint place a while ago but I
carnt remember the code it should be glacier. spray cans or crap from
halford for matching ok for painting wingmirros etc but for edge to edge
there pants. we sold aerosol cans made to match your car from the basic code
and chipping the paint (colour chips)
"Scott Bowers" <rfscot...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:2bca16299cd92333ba3...@mygate.mailgate.org...
st...@painting-pointers.co.uk
"Scott Bowers" <rfscot...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> Hi
>
> I am attempting to find the correct (white) colour for my Vauxhall Nova
> 1.2 Merit 3 door hatchback 1989F.
Glacier white is also called "Casablanca white" the colour code in PPG
formulae is GEM 474. Your problem is probably due to there being about
ten different shades of Glacier white.
Your best bet would be to take the car to a paint mixing factor as they
will be able to accurately identify and match the colour.
Halfords are not very clever with paint identification.
Steve.
--
Vehicle Painting Pointers: http://www.stephen.hull.btinternet.co.uk
Coachpainting tips and techniques + Land Rover colour codes
StrongArm Powered Risc PC 600, 80Mb + 2MbVram, RISC OS 4
st...@painting-pointers.co.uk
"Will Warburton" <will.wa...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
> polar white and glacier white are the same colour, opal/vaux
> your paint code should be something like two numbers then a letter usually L
> as the letter.
Polar white colour code is GEM 452, it is a different colour to Glacier
white and it also has about ten different shades.
Dave Plowman
Scott Bowers <rfscot...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> I agree that there might be some fading on the car , but I also checked
> it against the inside of the door which I assumed would have kept it`s
> colour and it definitely is a lot different.
White does tend to age. Try polishing a bit of the door jam with T-Cut or
Brasso to get back to the real colour.
--
*Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
Dave Plowman dave....@argonet.co.uk London SW 12
RIP Acorn
Scott Bowers
news:0e374227...@btinternet.com...
> Glacier white is also called "Casablanca white" the colour code in PPG
> formulae is GEM 474. Your problem is probably due to there being about
> ten different shades of Glacier white.
>
> Your best bet would be to take the car to a paint mixing factor as they
> will be able to accurately identify and match the colour.
>
> Halfords are not very clever with paint identification.
>
> Steve.
Just to be more accurate, the paint I bought from Halfords was actually
labelled 453670 Vauxhall Glacier White.
I`ve used Halfords spray cans on other cars in the past and the colour
match has
always been fairly accurate.( Usually a good match with the inside of
the door..This time however , the shade difference is definitely nowhere
near.)
Can I assume that the Colour Code quoted on the VIN plate as E474 058
is classed as Vauxhall Glacier White or does this code refer to a
different named colour?
Also, if I went to a paint mixing factor , can they supply the exact
shade in an aerosol can ?
Thanks for any help you can offer.
st...@painting-pointers.co.uk
"Scott Bowers" <rfscot...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Halfords are not very clever with paint identification.
> Just to be more accurate, the paint I bought from Halfords was actually
> labelled 453670 Vauxhall Glacier White.
Halford's will have their own interpretation of colour codes, In this
case their code is 453670 but Vauxhall's code is 474.
> I`ve used Halfords spray cans on other cars in the past and the colour
> match has always been fairly accurate.( Usually a good match with the
> inside of the door..This time however , the shade difference is
> definitely nowhere near.)
Yes but when more than one shade is involved like there is with
Glacier white Halford's identification then falls over.
> Can I assume that the Colour Code quoted on the VIN plate as E474 058
> is classed as Vauxhall Glacier White or does this code refer to a
> different named colour?
The 474 number on your VIN plate corresponds to Vauxhall Glacier white
or Casablanca white, they share the same colour code because they are
the exact same colour.
> Also, if I went to a paint mixing factor , can they supply the exact
> shade in an aerosol can ?
Most paint factors will mix the correct shade (unlike Halford's) and
will put it in an aerosol for you.
John Laird
wrote:
>Yes but when more than one shade is involved like there is with
>Glacier white Halford's identification then falls over.
It would be slightly more useful if you clarified exactly what you mean by
"more than one shade" (ten, was it), rather than simply repeating it ?
Is it just that after so much time, a wide variation of ageing will have
occurred, or was there in fact more than one factory colour, all called the
same ?
I try and look after the paintwork on my cars by cleaning and especially
waxing as regularly as my aching muscles allow. It's noticeable how GM's
Glacier White can still look nice and bright (mine is 11 years old) when
many others have turned a gruesome dull magnolia.
John
st...@psopgagmle.org
> Having purchased a can of VAUXHALL GLACIER WHITE from Halfords ,
Their paint is poorly matched in my experience. Get it from a main
dealer or take part of your car to a paint mixing place and get it
made up to suit.
-- Steve
st...@psopgagmle.org
> Is it just that after so much time, a wide variation of ageing will have
> occurred, or was there in fact more than one factory colour, all called the
> same ?
Re-using the names of colours for different shades... that would be SO
monumentally stupid that it is probably true. My estimation of the
car industry drops another notch :-(
-- Steve
st...@painting-pointers.co.uk
John Laird <jo...@laird-towers.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
> It would be slightly more useful if you clarified exactly what you mean by
> "more than one shade" (ten, was it), rather than simply repeating it ?
I wasn't very clear i admit, perhaps this will help.
Many colours only have one shade or one name, "Metropolitan white"
for example is a Vauxhall colour with only one shade and name GEM 8418.
It has no additional letters that would donate a colour variant.
A single shade or non variant would be called a "standard shade",
If a colour has more than one shade then these are called variants.
Vauxhall Glacier white which also happens to be called Casablanca white by
Vauxhall is GEM 474 which is also a standard shade, but this particular
colour has variants,
For example:
Glacier white GEM 474(D) shows one such variant as a letter (D) which
denotes a "dark shade".
Car manufacturers often only provide the standard colour code in this
case Glacier white 474 they rarely show variants, This is why mixing
usually has to be done at a paint factor because they would identify and
mix the correct shade that matched the car and not just guess it.
Even main dealers can get this wrong they usually only supply the standard
shade which very often is incorrect.
It's up to the paint factor to mix the correct colour variant out of the
possible eight as in this example IYSWIM.
Glacier white GEM 474 Standard colour with no shade indicator
Glacier white GEM 474(D) Dark shade
Glacier white GEM 474(Y) Yellow shade
Glacier white GEM 474(L) Light shade
Glacier white GEM 474<V> Violet shade
Glacier white GEM 474<DI> Dirty shade
Glacier white GEM 474<VI> Vivid shade
Glacier white GEM 474<B> Blue shade
It is not uncommon for vehicle manufactures to have the same colour with
multiple name sharing.
Land Rover for example have Ivory white, Chamonix white and Davos white
that are all the same colour but with different colour variants.
> Is it just that after so much time, a wide variation of ageing will have
> occurred, or was there in fact more than one factory colour, all called the
> same ?
They are all slightly different but they are all called the same.
> I try and look after the paintwork on my cars by cleaning and especially
> waxing as regularly as my aching muscles allow. It's noticeable how GM's
> Glacier White can still look nice and bright (mine is 11 years old) when
> many others have turned a gruesome dull magnolia.
Regular polishing does help to enhance paintwork and keeps paint looking
new.
John Laird
wrote:
>In message <krtlbusg3dcct04lr...@4ax.com>
> John Laird <jo...@laird-towers.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
>
>
>> It would be slightly more useful if you clarified exactly what you mean by
>> "more than one shade" (ten, was it), rather than simply repeating it ?
>
>I wasn't very clear i admit, perhaps this will help.
>(snipped)
Wow :-) Thanks for the clarification. I was aware that paint shops had to
match "shades" but had presumed this was primarily a function of weathering
and ageing. I guess that still has to be factored in.
Do the manufacturers care about exactly which shade comes out in a batch at
the factory or is it okay as far as they are concerned that it is "within
spec" ?
John
Will Warburton
when u buy wall paper it come in batches so you bay rolls all in the same
batch so the patter shade matches
So like cars Vauxhall cannot make enough paint to cover the entire
production run of astra cavaliers novas etc so the paint is mixed in batches
and some times the shade is slightly off from the original.
also cars made in a different country may use a different paint supplier and
so a perfect match may be hard to achieve.
"John Laird" <jo...@laird-towers.freeserve.co.uk> wrote in message
news:krtlbusg3dcct04lr...@4ax.com...
Will Warburton
although you have corrected me. to quote your paint suppliers reference
codes is a bit misleading if you went to a paint shop and asked for gem 474
then is that the colour code on the vin plate or your own mixing scheme
reference number?
<st...@pSoPgAgMle.org> wrote in message news:hemcq4...@pSoPgAgMle.org...
Scott Bowers
> dealer or take part of your car to a paint mixing place and get it
> made up to suit.
>
> -- Steve
Thanks for all the answers.It is obviously an involved subject.
It looks as though the answer for me would be to get it made up at a
paint mixing placeinto an aerosol can.
Any idea how much this will cost for a standard size aerosol can ?
Can you buy it in a larger size aerosol ?
st...@painting-pointers.co.uk
John Laird <jo...@laird-towers.freeserve.co.uk> wrote:
[snip]
> >I wasn't very clear i admit, perhaps this will help.
> >(snipped)
>
> Wow :-) Thanks for the clarification. I was aware that paint shops had to
> match "shades" but had presumed this was primarily a function of weathering
> and ageing. I guess that still has to be factored in.
Indeed and coupled by that fact that some colours have more variants
than others does make colour matching far more challenging.
If you thought Glacier white was a bad example to cross colour match
then Ford Diamond white with over 25 variants would be even more of a
challenge, this can be particularly troublesome on older cars that have
suffered from faded paintwork, However this task would usually be the
responsibility of a sprayer to match and not necessarily a paint factor.
Given the basic formula a good sprayer would be able to alter and match
the colour until the correct shade is perfected, this can often reflect
on the overall price of a paint job.
> Do the manufacturers care about exactly which shade comes out in a batch at
> the factory or is it okay as far as they are concerned that it is "within
> spec" ?
I don't believe so,
Some vehicles don't carry a paint code, they have either been missed
completely or not stamped on at all.
The ones that do have a number stamped will only show the basic colour
code anyway.
st...@painting-pointers.co.uk
"Will Warburton" <will.wa...@ntlworld.com> wrote:
>
> although you have corrected me. to quote your paint suppliers reference
> codes is a bit misleading if you went to a paint shop and asked for gem 474
> then is that the colour code on the vin plate or your own mixing scheme
> reference number?
The GEM reference codes i have quoted here are from the PPG colour
directory,
The codes on mywebsite show LRC for Land Rover but the PPG code is LRR,
The important part though is really only the number.
Although each paint manufacturer will have their own colour codes and
may have to cross match them, the colour will still be the same.
In the Glacier white example it's only the 474 thats required by a paint
factor to identify the colour, 474 is on the vehicles VIN colour plate.
GEM is PPG's colour identification for General Motors.
Other paint suppliers may well be different but 474 is still the code
they'll need.
st...@painting-pointers.co.uk
"Scott Bowers" <rfscot...@hotmail.com> wrote:
> > Their paint is poorly matched in my experience. Get it from a main
> > dealer or take part of your car to a paint mixing place and get it
> > made up to suit.
> >
> > -- Steve
>
> Thanks for all the answers.It is obviously an involved subject.
> It looks as though the answer for me would be to get it made up at a
> paint mixing placeinto an aerosol can.
>
> Any idea how much this will cost for a standard size aerosol can ?
It was about ten quid last time i bought a cellulose mix.
The price varies does though.
> Can you buy it in a larger size aerosol ?
I think two sizes are available.
Scott Bowers
>
> It was about ten quid last time i bought a cellulose mix.
> The price varies does though.
>
> > Can you buy it in a larger size aerosol ?
>
> I think two sizes are available.
>
>
> Steve.
Thanks Steve.You`ve been very helpful.