Autopaint meets the needs of modelmakers, restorers and hobbyists

Citation

(2007), "Autopaint meets the needs of modelmakers, restorers and hobbyists", Pigment & Resin Technology, Vol. 36 No. 4. https://doi.org/10.1108/prt.2007.12936dad.007

Autopaint meets the needs of modelmakers, restorers and hobbyists

Autopaint meets the needs of modelmakers, restorers and hobbyists

Modelmakers, classic car and bike restorers, custom paintshops, military vehicle and traction engine enthusiasts are discerning and demanding users of automotive-grade refinishing paints, usually requiring special shades to match original colour specifications, different gloss levels and shades to create particular effects, flamboyant and unusual finishes to reproduce desired aesthetics. The latest EU legislation limiting emissions from vehicle refinishing products seemingly exempts many such small users, but as the onus is on paint manufacturers to produce solely compliant finishes, supplies of traditional cellulose, two- packs and other solvent-based formulations are being severely squeezed. With the result that hobbyists and restorers are now having difficulty in obtaining their favourite finishes.

One specialist retailer that has pledged to maintain supplies of non- compliant coatings for the foreseeable future is Autopaint International, the leading chain of automotive paint stockists, which also offers an online paint supply service at: www.autopaintinternational.com. Its economical two-pack paints and cellulose enamels are regularly featured in the famed Haynes DIY restoration manuals, where the quality of finish is described as being indistinguishable from far more expensive brands, and the company has thousands of small volume users, professionals and skilled amateurs alike, whom it doesn't like to disappoint.

Not only that, Autopaint employs a team of expert colour mixers, who will match virtually any shade and finish no matter how obscure; can offer colour- matched paints in small tins, cans from 1 to 30l and aerosols; and stocks literally hundreds of sundries, from filler and masking tape to sprayguns and lint-free wiping rags, that constitute a pandora's box for serious trade and DIY painters.

A typical small Autopaint customer is Peter Money of Poole, an enthusiastic modelmaker, who applies a professional touch to his “00” railways and 1:48 aircraft, and on a larger scale restores classic cars. Several years ago, Peter discovered that buying litre cans of Autopaint enamels, lacquer and acrylics worked out far cheaper than mini modelling paint pots, especially when shared amongst fellow enthusiasts, and later made the same sort of savings when refinishing full-scale classic cars. Since, then he has regularly challenged Autopaint mixing technicians to match the petrol flaps of cars he is restoring and replicate such details as oily frame dust on the underside of BR locomotives or rust streaks on a boiler, regularly mailing samples to the company's Liverpool headquarters for colour analysis and mixing.

“It's a real skill to hand-mix colours to match a specific shade and reproduce a particular sheen level,” says Peter, who is a full-time divisional safety officer for an energy company. “Sometimes I'll ring up Autopaint to talk about the effect I'm looking for and their paint is always absolutely perfect. In performance and quality terms, the paint is superb, whether it's applied to a miniature model or a road-going vehicle.”

Peter Money is not the only customer to make demands of Autopaint's colour mixing service, which is available on quantities down to 500ml, as well as colour-matched aerosols. Recently, it has been asked to match the orange top of a Lucozade bottle, pink jeans for a VW convertible, drab greys for veteran Land Rovers, camouflage colours for historic military vehicles and period finishes for vehicles appearing on TV's Heartbeat. Unlike off-the-shelf touch-up paints, aerosols and BS standards, these are exact shade matches that take into account ageing and weathering, gloss levels and other colour nuances. What's more, there are also modern pearlescents, fluorescents, two-tone paints and chrome finishes for custom car and bike specialists, fairground operators and the like.

When it comes to EU legislation and the difficulties it causes in obtaining traditional cellulose, two-pack and other finishes, Peter Money presumably speaks for many hobbyists, restorers and “backyard” sprayshops when he comments: “Paint is not just applied for colour, it's a very scientific substance, which preserves and protects from corrosion, helping to greatly prolong product life,” he says. “We can appreciate the implications of global warming, but original manufacturing takes more energy than actually driving the vehicles over the next twenty or thirty years, so if we preserve them and keep them on the road, we're helping to balance out the equation, which more than outweighs any modest emissions from painting. That's why I'm glad Autopaint is championing our cause by maintaining supplies”

Further information from Autopaint International, Marl Road, Knowsley Industrial Park, Kirkby L33 7UM, telephone 0151 549 1409, e-mail: sales@autopaintinternational.com