Going to repaint to a non-stock color

[WyldWeasel]

The ebony I recently bought has considerable body damage to the hood and door and scratches on just about every other painted surface (looks like it went through a fence or something). Since ebony is my least favorite color combo (I really enjoy the contrast of a lighter color against the cladding) I am going to totally repaint my VX to a non-stock metallic orange used in some of the late model Audi's, as this color almost perfectly matches the red and black interior.

Does anybody want before and after pix?

[TEN36VX]

of course...

[Bimati]

Yep. It's your civic duty as a productive member of society to keep the people informed...etc.

[Soulpower]

Hell yeh we want the before and after. Plenty of pictures too with different angles and e'thang! Sounds like a great idea!!

[VehiX]

Something like this?

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/31tang.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/31tang.jpg)

That would be cool.

I'd love to see the after pics as we all now what the before looks like :)

[Groovium]

Luscious! There seem to be a lot of VX'ers with graphical talent (nice banner, CRYK!). Anyone remember the "Tijuana Taxi" model kit form the '60's? It showed that not every orange vehicle need look like a CalTrans truck ;-)

[WormGod]

I was toying around with some oranges in Photoshop a while back and couldnt find one that worked for me. Seems like it kept making the VX look LESS unique, which was even more odd. I think I posted those pics here way back when.... somewhere. Just make sure you do some Photoshopping with it BEFORE you make that leap. $8k later when you have an orange VX and find it ISNT what you expected, it's tends to be a little late. ;)

Not trying to bust your bubble, but I used to be a car painter as well and have seen people make these decisions, only to pick up their vehicle and go "Um.... not quite what I expected....". ;)

[E-ZooZoo One]

If you would like to ‘keep it in the family’, Isuzu offered a rather appealing shade of metallic orange on the 2nd Gen Rodeo and Amigo/Rodeo Sport…

http://www.isuzuworld.com/images/AMIGO/softtopb.jpg


There are several photos that really capture the luminance of the color in this thread at 4x4Wire (http://www.4x4wire.com/forums/showflat.php?Cat=&Number=751177&page=&view=&sb=5&o=&fpart=1&vc=1).


http://berisford.net/uploads/cpom/amigorecons/paint1/1.jpg


Just a thought ;)

[SilverBullet75]

You mentioned that the seats would match the paint you were looking for... I was doing some research on paints that match the interior and oddly enough, I found that Red Primer (Walmart) is pretty much DEAD ON!... I did some tests by (2000 grit) sanding the primer, then layering on some coats of lacquer clear coat. It worked VERY well. Of course I never used it on the real VX, it was for some of my Tamiya Model kits... :p

[Mark B]

Send me some of the photos.
I think it will look great.

[WyldWeasel]

The Audi in question is apparently a one of a kind model, so I am having trouble tracking down the particular shade of orange I'm looking for. It is not that non-metallic Papaya Orange. I thought it was called Burnt Orange Metallic, but I called the Audi dealer and they said a metallic orange TT is a No Such Vehicle in their books. But then maybe it's NSV here in the states. The Audi I saw looked like it was brand new and didn't look like it had been painted, but not being an Audi fanatic I don't know everything about them.

I do know that this is exactly the color I'm looking for, or one very close to it. I don't really like red cars (tho I have to admit, that Foxfire Mica is a nice look for the VX, tho it is too berry/cherry to match with a red/black interior). I don't want white, or silver, and as I mentioned before, ebony is my least favorite color. I saw the orange Audi in question in a parking lot yesterday. I had already removed the door panels in prep for painting, so I drove one over there and held up the red and carbon fiber up to the Audi and it was a match made in heaven. The orange of the car made the panels appear a bit oranger (funny how that works). It was as if they were the same color, just one wasn't metallic.

Thanks for your concern WormGod, but I think I'm gonna be happy with this color. I am very partial to orange/black and yellow/black combos (yeah Proton is the color of choice, but couldn't find one I could afford anywhere near my location). While I know the orange/copper might make the VX look more common due to the popularity of the Murano/Element colors, I can be happy in the knowledge that I'll probably have the only orange metallic VX with a red/black interior around.

So, for now, since I can't identify this mystery Audi color, I'm going with a 2004 Nissan Imperial Orange Pearl Metallic. Tho since I don't have to choose a final on the paint until Monday, I might go with that Isuzu Copper Orange Mica that E Zoo Zoo One suggested. Decisions, Decisions.

Btw, while I have the interior and the cladding stripped to do the paint, I plan on doing alot of the of the mods suggested here, such as rerouting the alarm antenna, putting in a trunk popper (need to order one from Tone today), replacing stock speakers (any suggestions from you audio experts? I'd like something that bolts right in and doesn't change the stock look once the interior panels are back in place), and maybe setting things up for a rear view camera (tho that may be out of my budget at this time). I'll be happy to post pics when I get them.

[Navigator]

I've seen that Amigo orange on a 97 Amigo and it still looks awsome. Should look nice on a VX. Go for it :luck:

[VehiX]

Is this the color:

http://www.stewartphotographics.com/ebay/gmc/rear.jpg

Or was it this?

http://www.motorpasion.com/archivos/images/audi-tt-orange.jpg

[WyldWeasel]

no it was this:

Orange Audi (http://www.stewartphotographics.com/ebay/gmc/side.jpg)

[mbeach]

I've seen that color on a '00 Audi S4 -it only looks good if it's clean (polished and waxed -heavily). It just dulls too quickly otherwise.

I do like the new crop of oranges coming up -the Nissan burnt orange especially.
I think that it'll look good -even if you go with the Amigo Orange (read that thread btw -awful- thank God that I don't live in Mass.).

[WyldWeasel]

I went back today and checked paint chips in a better light, and I decided to go with the '98 Isuzu Copper Orange Mica. It's actually a great match with the red interior, and I think I'll be extremely happy with it. Many thanks to E Zoo Zoo One for the suggestion and the link to the pix. My heart goes out to that fellow in Massachusetts and the hell he's gone thru to get his salvaged Amigo past the idiot inspections. Does anyone know if he eventually suceeded?

For those who want a before pic, here's my Ebony stripped down for body work.

Stripped for Paint (http://www.scnoc.org/VX/strippedforpaint.JPG)

[E-ZooZoo One]

…Many thanks to E Zoo Zoo One for the suggestion and the link to the pix.
Just glad I could help!
I can’t wait to see the After Pix :cool:




…My heart goes out to that fellow in Massachusetts and the hell he's gone thru to get his salvaged Amigo past the idiot inspections. Does anyone know if he eventually suceeded?
Yeah, Chris really had a run of bad luck with all of that red tape – and I still feel like it was partly my fault, for posting the link to the eBay auction in the first place - but AFAIK, after innumerable miseries, he finally got it legal.

[WyldWeasel]

That's great to hear about Chris and his Amigo. My ebony is also a salvage vehicle. It was salvaged in AZ (I have a feeling it was stolen, as AZ issues salvage titles for stolen vehicles, and this only had cosmetic damage aside from a dent in the oil pan and the AC condensor being punctured), then issued a rebuilt title and sold at auction.

The fellow I purchased it from brought it into SoCal about 2 years ago and went thru the bureaucratic nightmare of getting it inspected and legal here in CA, which took him 18 months, as the DMV lost his original paperwork, then couldn't figure out what to do when he overpaid them. Luckily, however the Highway Patrol passed him both times at the inspections. At least here in CA the emphasis is on safety and emissions, and not cosmetics.

Because it's salvage, I don't feel so bad repainting it to non-stock, as any potential collector value is killed by the salvage aspect. Plus, because I got it so cheap I can afford to drop some $ into it cosmetically and really make it as close to a brand new VX as possible. Better than new, in some ways, since I'll probably have the only '99 Copper Orange Mica on this board. :p

Oh, and for anyone who's curious: I am going to replace all the badges and stickers after it's painted (even the one under the hood that talks about emissions). I want it to look as close to stock as possible, as if it was indeed a color option for the VX that any one could have purchased. IMO debadged VX's look like someone repainted them and was just too lazy/cheap to replace the badges.

[transio]

Go for Lotus Chrome Orange! That color is HOT!!! Pearlescent Orange. Yummy. :p

http://www.puresportscar.com/gallery/data/3007/2Elise-Chrome-orange-side.jpg

[E-ZooZoo One]

...IMO debadged VX's look like someone repainted them and was just too lazy/cheap to replace the badges.
I sort of see both sides...

On the one hand - I'm a die-hard Isuzu Fanatic, almost to the point of obsession.
(Of course, if you asked Miss Kathy, I’m sure she’d tell you to drop the word “almost”!)
I love it when people check out the VX and eventually say something like “You’re KIDDIN’ me - that’s an ISUZU???”

On the other – keeping folks guessing is probably a whole lot of fun too…
I was joking around with Kathy the other day, and told her that I might just re-badge ours as a ‘Porsche Habanero’ :laughgray

[transio]

I sort of see both sides... On the one hand... On the other And on the OTHER other hand, the VehiCROSS's badges are ugly as dog poo. Love the VX, hate the badges. It just looks so much nicer without them. The only one I regret removing is the "ISUZU" badge on the front. I was planning on making a custom "Tonka" badge, but it became too much work and I gave up. Now I have a big hole in my grill. :D

[WyldWeasel]

Ah yes. That Lotus Orange is nice. However, one of my goals is to have a color that works well with the red/black interior, so that sort of limits my choices as far as the colors go. While I love alot of the oranges out there, some are too yellow, some are too gold, some are too berry/cherry, some are too brown, etc. So I am limited to the oranges that are bright enough for my purposes (i.e. good contrast with the cladding, which is my main gripe with the Foxfire and Dragon mica, they're too dark), while still being of the correct shade/tone to work with the red/black interior.

And LOL on that Habenero bit. It would be fun to be a fly on the wall if a so called expert started going on about how Porsche came out with this smaller 4WD version of the Cayenne.

[johnnyapollo]

I believe the orange that you've picked is the same as one of the 25 colors offered with the Limiteds in Japan - good choice! I don't know if anyone actually chose that color in Japan - most that I've seen pictures of are within a fairly limited range - I like the fuscia too!

-- John

[WyldWeasel]

On one of the JDM tribute pages there are a few pix of an orange VX from the interior, and that really struck me as a nice combo. But the photos are so stylized that it's hard to get a good idea of how it will look over all. I'm so excited, I can't wait to see how the car will look when it's finished. :bgwo:

[Chopper]

Photoshop is cool but, If you can find a House of Kolor specialist(won't be hard on the left coast) they have an amazing program available. Digital photos are taken of the vehicle from different angles and even under different lighting, they are loaded, and in no time you are seeing your car in its new color- even graphics and details, in bright light, twilight,front, side, whatever views you took. Sort of a Cali sunset orange without all the pearl. Check Sikkens paint- they made the original. Wayne P.S. Carefull pulling those side windows...the rear is a bit tricky as well but the sides are in like a Celica triangle glass. I called the glassman... even he wouldn't guarantee success, and he covers most everything except the Toyota Triangle. He did ok, and all ended well this time.

[Triathlete]

Already came in that color...
http://www.synapse.ne.jp/jake/isuzu/img/v-lf.jpg
...in Japan!

[CSTYLES]

I believe the Japanese orange is different from the copper orange mica offered on the amigo and i-280 pickup. A while back someone posted a picture of the 20 some colors offered for the 175 limited edition in Japan. Can't read the color, of course, but in parenthasis the color code is 766. The color code for copper orange is 838. Anyone read Japanese?

サンバーストオレンジマイカ（７６６）

edit: babelfish has it as "sunburst orange mica"

[WyldWeasel]

Wow, great pic Billy. Thanks for posting it! That's very close to what I'm going for with making mine copper. I think you are right Cstyles about the color difference. I seem to remember looking over the various color chip books and considering the Isuzu Sunburst Orange Mica but finding it was too orange for the door panels. The Copper Orange Mica is slightly darker and redder and somehow, in a weird way, more luminous. Not sure how that works but I'm sure some paint expert can explain it.

[mbeach]

Your truck is going to look awesome -congratulations!

[E-ZooZoo One]

Your truck is going to look awesome -congratulations!
TRUE THAT!

I haven’t said anything about it yet – but the main reason that I was so quick with that link is that our VX will need to be repainted someday (sooner rather than later), and that’s the color that I was thinking about using…

And it sort of ties-in with my Habanero joke – mainly because it was the color that inspired the name in the first place.



…And LOL on that Habenero bit. It would be fun to be a fly on the wall if a so called expert started going on about how Porsche came out with this smaller 4WD version of the Cayenne.
http://ia.imdb.com/media/imdb/01/I/82/33/48m.jpg
“Yeah, Norm, ya see right there… that’s Porsche’s answer to the Dakar Rally question. --- These babies are so hot that no other name would do the trick……… `cause, ya know, the habanero is the hottest pepper on the face of the planet… In fact, it’s so hot that…”

:laugho: :laugho: :laugho: :laugho: :laugho:

[WyldWeasel]

I haven’t said anything about it yet – but the main reason that I was so quick with that link is that our VX will need to be repainted someday (sooner rather than later), and that’s the color that I was thinking about using…

Ah, I see. You want me to be the guinea pig. Smart thinking!

[WyldWeasel]

ok, I don't want to do full pix until I get the cladding and everything back on, but I officially have a '99 Copper Orange Mica VX. :p

HERE (http://www.scnoc.org/VX/int-copper.jpg) is a pic of the rig that shows how the color works with the red/black interior.

This color is gorgeous, it's exactly what I was looking for, so thanks again E Zoo Zoo One, I didn't mind being your guinea pig because now I can say that I'm the first!

[Cyrk]

That is going to look nice... but one thing the picture is too small... :)
Nice work look forward to seeing the finished product.
-Dave

[CSTYLES]

That looks awesome, its a great color! I noticed they painted the door jam copper color, where mine is black. I like that too, wonder why they decided to paint that part in black to begin with.

[E-ZooZoo One]

WOW – it looks incredible!
(you sure didn’t waste any time, either, did you?)


Just glad I could help…

As for being the Guinea Pig – we’re all lucky that you decided to go for it, because if everyone had waited on *me* to see what that color would look like on a VX……… Well, let’s just say that Isuzu might very well be selling their own passenger vehicles here in the States again before I finally get around to repainting mine. :biggringr

Great job! :thumbup:

[mbeach]

That looks awesome, its a great color! I noticed they painted the door jam copper color, where mine is black. I like that too, wonder why they decided to paint that part in black to begin with.

Love it!
That really looks great.

I think the B-pillar area is painted dark so that it blends the side windows together. I know that on the I-man, when the windows were tinted dark, it looked really good. It is a fingerprint magnet though.
I have some Dragonplate carbon fiber veneer on the way (for another project), I was going to use the scrap to cover this black area.

[WyldWeasel]

Carbon fiber's a great idea! I didn't mean to get those painted, actually but they were so scratched up, and I was so new to the VX that I didn't know they weren't supposed to be painted (since mine was ebony so they were black anyway). So I didn't make it clear to my paint guy that they should be masked and repainted black. But now I kind of like 'em that color. I dunno.. I'll have to see how it goes from here.

[WyldWeasel]

Okay, here are some pix of the Copper Bullet the day after I got all the cladding back on, the morning I left for Moab. Those with sharp eyes will see in this and in the VX only run Moab pix that I still haven't got the stickers on. Sorry for the delay, but I have had a very full time of it since I had to leave Moab early for family reasons.

Here it is from the right:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/tyava02.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/tyava02.jpg)
And from the left:
http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/tyava03.jpg (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/tyava03.jpg)
And here it is coming off of Gemini Bridges at Moab:

http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/thumbs/py02.PNG (http://www.vehicross.info/gallery/data/500/py02.PNG)

[transio]

Lookin good!!! :D Nice color-depth It's like Firefox, just a little hotter. :)

[Velvis]

Looks great! Even better dirty. Reminds me of '72 911 blood orange.

[Tobert]

Very nice.

Did you do most of the work or farm it out? Can you give a rough number of how much it cost? Not that I'm gonna paint my ebony anything but black, but I may need fresh black someday and I've learned I'm no good with paint.

[VCAMILO]

I can't wait to paint my Ebony... I should have gotten the proton but it was not available when I got mine... :-) Im thinking Ferarri RED! ZOOM ZOOM ZOOM!

[Gussie2000]

Well,last night i join a infiniti FX 35 club & post a request for the autumn copper color code.

I got a respond right away from one of the guys that owns one,he also had aknowledgement of the vehicross,even though he knew that the FX 35 & the VX are brothers,because it was design by the same guys. :)

So he e-mail me with the code;A50 is the code & tomorrow i'll head to the body shop so they can start preparing a estimation for the insurance company.

I'm now more inclined to the autumn copper color but black metallic is up to the list to.