I have pretty much a theory and application question. I've seen several pearl type paints at car dealers and car shows. I was wondering what does it take to get that type of paint job, and how does the paint reflect light like that? What colors work well with pearl?

Thanks,

Kevin

You start with a base color ...white, blue, anything, then you spray clear over it with pearl mixed in. Then you spray straight clear over the pearl and your done. The pearl comes in many colors to complement you base color.

What is it about the older pearls that make them look so different.

I haven't messed with pearls too much, but house of kolor makes a product which is powdered(many different colors BTW), You add it to clears. It is very cool, you can add just a touch, or a whole lot, depending on your tastes. I used it to spray a subtle set of ghost flames,(silver pearl over red). I think the cost was $18 for the whole cup.
I also used it to makeover some wheels on my wifes cj-7 which were ugly white wagon wheels. I sprayed them with some silver wheel paint, waited for full flashoff then mixed a touch or two in with dc-92 and man what a difference. Saved me a bunch over buying new rims, she loves them.

"Older" pearls were different and I am not sure why. I can tell you that there was (?) a company called Morano or something like that. As the story goes they were closed around the time the air quality government agency put the pressure on them. There product had a lot of lead or something, that's what I have heard. It sounds a little fishy (no pun intended).
Anyway I was repairing a van conversion once (about 1985) and called the company to find out what pearl they used so I could match the color. They told me it was this "Morano" and said "good luck" they are out of business. I called my paint store and they said it wasn't available but they knew someone who may have some. I called the guy (a custom painter in town) and he said (over the heavy metal playing in his shop) to come on over and he would sell me enough for five bucks. After seeing the guy, I think the five was for a nickel bag. http://www.chevelles.com/forum/smile.gif Anyway I got that I needed and did the job. It was some great stuff and I still have a little of it weighting for that special job to come along.

The modern pearls and other multi tone colors that places like HOK have are probably even better.

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1965 Buick Gran Sport Convertible
1965 Buick Skylark H/T
"Fan of most anything that moves human beings"

THanks for the answers. Can you apply pearl clear coat over any color?

Thanks,
Kevin

It was my understanding that the pearl was ground up fish scales...FRED

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The "pearl" in pearl paint jobs is actually ground up sea shells, otherwise known as calcium phosphate.

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BADBU68 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/badbu68c.jpg)
1968 Malibu
11:1 385 (http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/badbu68a.jpg), th350, 4.10 posi

I have also heard that the original pearl was ground up shells. It would cast the whole rainbow of colors.....reds, greens, blues. You can buy just the seperate colors now and they were called "flip flop" in the 80's. I think it was House of Colors stuff.
The first time you use this stuff you are going to put to much pearl in your clear & you will spray to many coats of it. I have found that just a teaspoon of pearl is usually enough and that 3 coats sprayed in differant directions will do.