btweed

Having my 67 painted, Marlboro Maroon. Talked to the paint shop and matched up the paint codes to Dupont. They also gave me the primer color Dupont shows to use with that paint code. The body shop says primer color will not effect the outcome of the finish color. I believe a light color primer, about a 2 on 1 to 10 scale, will lighten the paint final color. Dupont primer would be about a 7 on a 1 to 10 rating. On a test paint, using the dark primer, it matched very nicely. Do I force the body shops hand on using the dark primer, they are a bit unwilling to change old habits. Personally I think Dupont knows what makes it look right when finished. My plan is to test paint a light primer along side a dark primer, on an old fender piece, to prove the point.

65tripleblack

Only if the painter doesn't apply enough color coat. A smart painter will use primer which is a closer match to the color coat to minimize volume needed for complete coverup.

A-Snake

+1 Original Corvette primer was the dark brown/red. Just had a Trophy Blue car painted and painter used a light gray primer with a hint of body color added. He then used the brown/ red primer only on those areas where primer should be visible after paint. Under doors, hinge pockets, bottom of rockers, etc (this was base coat clear coat)

Kerrmudgeon

It shouldn't make any difference unless you're going with a pearl or candy type of paint that is designed to be a bit see through. BUT, I would go with whatever primer is closer to the finish color so if you get chips at a later date, heaven forbid!, you won't notice them as much and they'll be easier to touch up.

Keith Carlson

The primer color should have nothing to do with the topcoat color and most good painters will use a primer-sealer base (oftentimes a color that allows quick hiding of the topcoat be it base/clear or single stage) over primers to eliminate sand scratch swelling, cover sand-thru areas (especially on bare metal areas for non Vettes) and uniform hiding.

Pearls and candies are applied over base color coats and way back when the Murano pearls were available, they were often mixed in highly diluted base colors with good effect.

decarmine

My son, a body/paint professional, sprayed three different primers on a test panel -- an old small block hood -- before applying finish coats. Primers varied from light to medium to dark. VERY DEFINITE difference in final appearance.

Frank

wmf62

try painting white over a black primer, you have to put a LOT of paint on it to keep the black undercoat from changing the color of the white... and to some extent, this is true of other colors.

they are now making primer that are the same color as the top coat, so if you're worried about primer shine-through, get a tinted primer.
Bill

Tom454

I don't want to get into a debate here but around 1984, just prior to painting my C2 (white) I did a series of tests with dark maroon, light gray and dark gray primers and applied multiple heavy topcoats of factory white. There was a visible difference in color with the primers side by side. The difference was visible in the garage under flourescent lighting, and even more visible in sunlight. It was a simple test. I even gathered my gearhead friends to show them.

I was using all DuPont Lacquer materials. I sprayed 3 different primer colors on a chunk of white Chrysler hood I had laying around. Then I sprayed the DuPont white over the entire panel... over the primers.

Maybe the current materials behave differently, but that is what happened in 1984 in my garage using those materials and it caused me to select my final primer based on resulting color.

FWIW. Pay yer money, take yer chances.

MiguelsC2

Why screw around? Do what's called for. Why anyone would use a light primer with a dark finish and visa versa. Is beyond me.

DansYellow66

The answer is - it depends. Too many possible combinations to say anything definative. Painting a yellow or white car over black primer would not be good in a lot of cases. Painting a Black car over gray primer will probably not cause any problem. If the paint is a candy or some sort of translucent color that will take 7 or 8 coats to ensure good uniform coverage - better go with a primer or tinted sealer that is very close.

csherman

BIG HUGE YES !!!
Yes it will !!!
primer and sealer colors will have an effect on the final color

KM1959

This is totally true. Any paint guy will confirm this.

aworks

Dupont uses what they call a value shade for a sealer. They are numbered 1 through 8. 1 being the lightest. Each color mix will say what value shade to use. They will make a big difference in the color. We have been using Dupont in my shop for many years. The pigment in Dupont base coats are not as strong as other brands. If you where using PPG it would not be as big an issue.

Brian G.

grif54

If you trust the shop enough to take the car to them, you should let them do what they are used to doing. If they ar e trying something new on your car it may not turn out as well as expected. I have painted a lot of cars and never really used tintable primer except when painting yellow, which I used white sealer then started with basecoat. If the car turns out bad and doesn't match then you can put the problem on them to fix, if you make them use an unfamiliar product they could try to put the blame on you and refuse to make it right. These guys have likely been doing it for years and they know what works for them. Good Luck.

wombvette

Yes, the original primer on all but earlier 63s was red oxide, and was the same for every paint color available, however, there was some sealer of gray also applied with varying coverages, not necessarily solid, and sometimes sanded through. So on originals there should be variations of body paint color , if primer color makes a difference.

Some paints are very translucent, others cover well. So it really depends more on the paint and how it covers. Painters use test panels of white and black checkerboard pattern. On most paints you shoot until you cant see a difference and you have it colored. In that case, it makes no difference what the primer color was.

Some paints like candies are designed to see through, in that case, primers and base coats do make a difference.

steveale

This was just a topic this weekend on one of the car shows (can't remember which one)

They painted 2 identical panels with different primer colors, then a series of red top coats. One panel had more "pop" than the other. The difference was noticeable side by side...but how often do you see side by side paint comparisons or someone walking around with a chip chart checking color tone?

Nowhere Man

I am with you. before I had my Chevelle painted the original color silver I had the painter do a couple to test panels with different primers. each one was different under certain light. ended up using a red oxide primer that sort of matched the original primer color

mike coletta

Mike Coletta

mashinter

I learned this one the hard way.

I wanted the primer to be about the same color as my Milano Maroon lacquer topcoat (paint chips would hide better), so I used a dark brown primer. I ran out of dark brown and used a light gray primer on the fender peaks where I sanded through the dark brown primer. I couldn't see the difference in the garage, but it was very noticeable in the sun. I added more topcoat, which did not help. The paint is translucent. So I removed all the paint and re-primed in light gray because the MM was much redder in the sun with the light gray; I like the MM a lot more with the light gray.

MiguelsC2

Above all when trying for a factory correct color. Use the primer they recommend.

MM with the wrong primer is not MM.