oops - help!

[craigw]

Being a complete f**kwit, I managed to scrape my griffith just below the front headlight, about 2 inches sq. taken paint off but not damaged fibreglass. Does anyone know if this means a whole front respray (which I've just had done!) or can it be touched up in any way. Colour is rosso pearl. All help gratefully appreciated guys as I'm now in a foul mood.

[GreenV8S]

Dunno where abouts in the country you are, but if you're near london give Tower View a call. They used to be a specialist body shop before they mnoved on to better things i.e. TVRs! They fixed a huge stone chip on the front of the V8S which had to be ground out, filled and repainted for a couple of hundred quid. (That was metallic green paint, not flip-flop or anything like that). So in principle local repairs are possible - but not cheap! Peter Humphries (and a green V8S)

quote:Being a complete f**kwit, I managed to scrape my griffith just below the front headlight, about 2 inches sq. taken paint off but not damaged fibreglass. Does anyone know if this means a whole front respray (which I've just had done!) or can it be touched up in any way. Colour is rosso pearl. All help gratefully appreciated guys as I'm now in a foul mood.

[macca]

quote: Colour is rosso pearl.

Mine's Rosso Pearl and I need some paintwork on the back quarter which had been poorly resprayed before I bought it. However, I am told that Rosso Pearl is a bitch to match up, hence the poor respray on mine. I just wonder how much luck you will have matching it up yourself. If you do, I'd be interested 'cause no doubt I'll get some stonechips soon. Good luck!

[craigw]

Mole valley(BG Coachworks) made me a touch up pen when they resprayed the front. This is too big to touch up myself though. Thanks for all help though.

[deanb]

Rosso pearl is indeed a nightmare. The main problem is that there are two paint types called rosso pearl by TVR - one from ICI, the from someone else. They are both multi-layer I believe, with a goldish undercoat & red lacquer. Of course, TVR's own records don't necessarily accurately specify which type yours is... I once ended up with a 2-tone Griff because of this! It ended up having 1.7 resprays as a result...& HR Owen billed the insurance company £5k or something! Later needed to have the nosecone done again (this time with Fernies, which contracts out to Liphook Coachworks). Cost about £750ish

[apguy]

>Rosso pearl is indeed a nightmare. I think there's some misunderstanding about paint finishes here. Rosso pearl is not any more difficult to spray than any other colour.[1] >The main problem is that there are two paint >types called rosso pearl by TVR - one from ICI, >the from someone else. For the last 6 years TVR has used ICI Autocolour, this happens to have been sold to an American group called PPG. Same paint, different name. In fact the "body code" on the inner wing actually directly references the ICI paint code.[2] >They are both multi-layer I believe, with a >goldish undercoat & red lacquer. None of TVR's paint finishes are multi layer. The pearl is just in suspension within the paint. Even the "flip flop" paints are just water borne suspension. As an aside the flip flop paints are in fact easier to spray (than pearls) and do not suffer colour match problems. That's not what your dealer (or bodyshop) will say of course. >Of course, TVR's own records don't necessarily >accurately specify which type yours is... They don't need to, they're all ICI. >I once ended up with a 2-tone Griff because of >this! Nope you ended up with a 2-tone Griff due to a poor paint sprayer. Problems with pearl paints occur only if the sprayer runs too much pressure through the gun (or too little) or hasn't mixed the paint correctly. Neither problem is related to the paint companies or TVR - just bad workmanship.... [1]A good friend owns an insurance approved body shop and is a professional sprayer. [2]Another good fried works for ICI Autocolor as a paint technician. In fact I have litres of 'touch up' paint as a result. PS If you take the ICI paint code to a paint distributor (eg Morelli's) they'll be able to tell you what production car it comes from. My own metallic blackberry actually comes from the limited edition VW Corrado VR6!! Hope all this helps

[macca]

Hi apguy This is all very interesting, you sound pretty clued up. I took mine to a dealer (TMS @ Melton Mowbray) They said it was multi-layer; they pointed out a small patch of goldish colour paint on the bumper being due to a lack of lacquer (that seems to backup the "goldish undercoat/red lacquer" note from deanb). I guess you wouldn't include the lacquer in the multi-layer statement? Anyhow, are TMS giving me a good quote at £950 to respray back end of car up to the doors (sorts out the rear quarter incompetent respray, goldish colour on bumber and a chip on the other side) or are they playing on the multi-layer problem?

[TVR Engineer]

Here`s something to confuse everone. When TVR`s are first sprayed they are correctly done in Rosso Pearl. If any damage has occured during the production process they have a `blow-in` at the paint rectification department. Not in Rosso Pearl as you might think (yes it is a nightmare to match and is not the sprayers fault) but in Rover Nightfire Red. Believe it or not, but this is how you get the paint to match.