planning exterior paint project...

[safariobsession]

Some of you may remember that I repainted my front bumper a few months ago. It gave me more experience in prep, painting and buffing to get a mirror finish using dalk blue auto paint that matched my dark blue really well. Well, I was able to find an exact match for my upper light blue in plans on painting around my windows (to replace the badly peeling black paint around them now.) Getting to the question... I really like the idea of matching the upper body color, in place of the now black. To me the black doesn't match the "Deep tint" color of my windows and I don't like difference of the black and tint color. I'm worried tho that the light blue spray paint will be a bit darker than the 17 year old sun (faded, i'm sure) paint on there. What do you think? Here are some pictures for you viewing pleasure...haha...

What it looks like now...


A little quick photoshop mock up....


Thoughts?

[dean89]

I really like the black around the windows, so much so that I painted the space between the barn doors in the back. I think that the black around the windows makes the van look longer, especially noticable on the short vans. My sister has a black and silver van and it just looks shorter than mine. I also painted the top part of the doors where the paint peeled with the original blue in a Nason single stage paint and it is only slightly darker, noticable when you are closer than 5 feet or so.

[ihatemybike]

I'm actually digging both way.

Crap, that was no help to you.

+1 Post

[trybe13]

The photochop pic looks waay better to my eye. But in the end go with what looks good to your eye.

[kings-x59]

I have the same debate going with myself. Keep the black between the windows or not. I'm leaning towards not.

[Jboy2]

I personally like the black. As Dean sayed, it makes the van look longer.
I say go with black. Maybe a Flat Black?

[GEJ]

For the time I have been around AS and here I rarely see any posts about paint work.Lots of lifts and V8 swaps,etc.I have to give you three thumbs up for this project first of all,and ask you to photo as much as you can while you go thru the process.

Thanks,

Gary

[safariobsession]

Dean, Jboy... I agree with the idea that it makes the van look longer. That's one reason I (and my buddy) likes it. Kind of stealthy limo stlye. Dean, I really like the painted black area between your back doors. I've seen that on a van around town and it looked good and different! Jboy, My roommat did flat black on his old Sonoma and he liked it but I would think it would look "old-looking."

Kings, ihatemybike... Haha, yea I can usually never make a clear decision. Benefits and downsides to both way in my "eye."

Trybe, Thanks. I like the black and body color on all the newer vans with the black type tinted windows. On mine though (with the factory "smokey" dark tint) I like the body color better too.

GEJ... I posted up on the other board some pictures and a quick run-through of painting my bumper. Here's a before and after picture but i'll repost a little tutorial on this board tonight!

Before... You'll notice some damage, haha. This is when a college golfcart/recreation cart backed into me. I took pictures and measurements and saw the culprit vehicle the next morning (took more measurements). Long story short...I got the matter settled and the van was fixed, and paid for. New grill, light bezel, and plastic bumper cover. I said no more bug deflector though.



After...

[kc5gxl]

Safariobsession;

What is the color of the bottom of your van and the bumper. That is similar to the color I want to paint my 91 Saf.

Drive safely,

Dan Harriman 91 safari shorty
Orange, Texas

[ihatemybike]

Looking at it again, I say lose the black.

[91AWDAstro]

I think it looks good either way. When I repainted my van I decided to paint between the windows. I'll have to take a better picture. My van was also the two tone, but I went all one color.

[safariobsession]

Safariobsession;

What is the color of the bottom of your van and the bumper. That is similar to the color I want to paint my 91 Saf.

Drive safely,

Dan Harriman 91 safari shorty
Orange, Texas

The color I used was supposedly not an exact match (when looking for a factory match duplicolor paint). Although, the paint matched almost perfectly. Looks darker in pictures because the other panels in the pictures are reflecting more light.

I used Duplicolor T198 "Dark Metallic Blue"

For reference too...

http://brochures.slosh.com/index.shtml?1991

For 1990 and 1991 colors were...
Original Color Duplicolor Match
Midnight Blue Metallic ~ T198 "Dark Metallic Blue Metallic"
Smoke Blue Metallic = T192 "Light Huron Blue Metallic" (not yet tested but said to be factory match)
T192 "

[safariobsession]

Thanks Aaron, I agree. I think it'll make the tint of the windows look better.

Thanks Chris, your van looks sharp by the way! You sure that's a Michigan van? haha. I like the two-tone on these vans. Separates the tall flat surface well i think. It seems like the two-tone paint schemes are coming back too.

[blk lt awd]

i like both but i think it depends on the color.......i know it's not much help but maybe these pics may help you decide...

[LaGrasta]

I vote to keep it black. It really helps with proportions.