As my 1983 Firebird is pretty stock and original, ok its been sprayed once, and i'm running an 87 axle, the inside is as was in 83, and its got all its original metalwork\engine\geabox\ wheels, etc etc and very little rot thanks to Waxoyl but it needs a new paint job.
After having had everyone in the universe trying to get me to spray it black [i wonder why that is Michael ], i want to keep it red.
The original colour is Spectra red. Having done a search, i cant find a good picture\colour chart or any reference so i can get a close match. It seems it was for 83-84 only [so i read].
I have the 83 brochure, but the colour is distorted by photographic lighting etc, it looks more pink than red.
The colour thats on is red, and i'm betting its not right, or close.
Anyone have a link to a picture, a sample, as my brother-in-law who works at a Ford main agent, will either a:mix it. b:get me to pick a current UK spec, GM colour.
Thanks for any help, links or otherwise.

 

I'm not too sure what you're asking for, but I think if you go to your local paint shop and go through the paint charts, that may help.

 

most paint shops have catalogs of every color for every manufacturer for every year.

 

Well i just needed either a current similar colour to Spectra Red that i can use, or a half decent look at the original colour on anything, i dont know whether Spectra is maroon, or more of a Ferrari red.
I have my own colour chips [for matching colours] but that doesnt help atm.
Obviously in the UK we wont have that colour in the listings, i can pick a modern Ford or Vauxhall [GM] red or anything i like, i just wanted to get fairly close to the original.
As my car has been resprayed, in what red i dont know, its pretty hard to get a match, and thats what i wanted if possible.

 

i looked at www.autocolorlibrary.com you will select the make and year for your car and it will pull up the ppg paint chips for it

 

Thats great, at least now i have something to compare.

 

Or, you could try ford's Sunburst Red. Now that's a PROPER RED! I had a mk.1 XR2 in that colour - sweet!

Although, if you're going back to factory then my suggestion is

Mark.

 

Well looks like i might not be able to to go the original way.
The door insides, tailgate, everything has been painted in the same colour as the outside, which thanks to the chip match, which i can now see, is the wrong red.
Dunno if i want a 5.0 litre XR2 lookalike tho.

 

It would wind up the Ford boys though

Mark.

 

I am painting my car 03 dodge viper red with 2 dodge viper white stripes.

 

Sounds nice.

Btw this red car i have originally has black mirrors and a black boot spoiler [trunk].
Any ideas if the mirrors and spoiler were gloss or matt black?
Same goes for the bit around the bottom of the car?
My bro-in-law says gloss black would be cheap looking, and wants to do the black in satin finish.

http://homepage.ntlworld.com/gordon-...t/be_12_sb.jpg

Shows basically what i'm working with, its not a big picture.

 

I'd like to show you my car, as it is Spectra Red I repainted in 2001 with PPG paintand clear.

It is a darker red than what is mostly see on newer cars these days.

As far as the 3rd gen f-bodies, the color was used on 82-84.

Leon.





The other car in this picture is my brothers 91 Firebird painted GM code 81 Bright Red, and is much brighter than my code 75 Spectra Red.

 

Great pics, and many thanks for taking the time to post them.
The cars look great, and i like that black cover over the front side-lights\turn signals, makes it look more streamlined.
Yes its certainly a dark colour, tho i was staggered when my bro-in-law rang last night to say he had found 3 shades of Spectra Red on some old ICI colour chips.
That means i can get it mixed no problem, and as we are doing the whole car, if its not 100% correct, it wont be too noticeable.
Its not as you say the worlds brightest red, but it should look ok.