Signal colors

[Jim Garfield]

The previous owner of my car painted it Signal Red, a 356 and early 911 color that was I believe the first of the Signal colors, and available as a special order for 911s into the 70s I think. The problem is that it doesn't have that luminous pop (technical term ) that Signal colors are known for. It certainly has more yellow than India or Guards Red, but is lacking the pop. It seems to me that a lot of the recently painted signal color cars that I've seen have this same problem. At some point I will paint the car, and would like the true Signal effect.

I remember reading years ago that the Signal colors have this effect because Porsche used yellow primer under the Signal colors, and some of that undercoat showing through is what makes them unique. Of course, I can't remember where I read this, and any searches that I've done have come up blank. Is it plausible that this is true, or are todays paints just not able to recreate the Signal effect that the earlier paints had?

[boxster03]

a picture would be nice

[Jim Garfield]

I'm not sure that the differences would be apparent in a photo, but I'll post some when I can. My daughter did me the favor of upgrading the OS while I was away last weekend and the 12,000 photos in my iPhoto library are innaccessable until I figure a way to transfer them from the old OS.

[911s55]

Post # 3

http://www.early911sregistry.org/for...e-Color-Thread

[Jim Garfield]

Thanks 911s55. Ok here are Signal Red, Green, and Yellow. I think the possibility of yellow primer under the top coat is most evident in the signal yellow, but as I said it's been claimed all of the signal colors had the yellow primer.

[blucille]

Jim,

I do believe your car has more red 'pop' than a guards or polo red, but the trick would be to have a photo of your car or a signal red car next to a polo and/or guards red.....very tough to coordinate, but I think the results would be very telling.

[Jim Garfield]

If I could access my photos I have a picture of my car next to Jeff Smith's 3.8 when Steven had it. I'm pretty sure that was signal red too, but did it have the yellow primer?? I just want to try and find out if the primer is fact or myth. Maybe I could get Dario to scratch off a small section of topcoat to see what's underneath.

[WCB4]

Jim I have been working with Micro Paint and Supply(they are the biggest Glasurit dist.in the US) here in Michigan. The 72 that I have been working on was Signal Yellow. Its getting near time to pick a color for the car. I have ordered several 1/2 pints of different colors, Signal Yellow, Signal Orange, Blut Orange. In talking with the mixer on the phone he stated that it was odd that the Signal Yellow called for a white primer base. And that the Oranges called for the regular light grey. Iam headed down state in the morning to pick up a rear quarter panel and the paint samples. I will ask about the different primers and the Signal Red. If they are not too busy I will try to get a 1/2 pint of the Signal Red and spray it out. Oh it will most likely be the 22 single stage product line.

[Jim Garfield]

Thanks Bill, would you mind quizzing him about the possibility the factory used yellow primer under the signal colors? Good luck with your color selection, I imagine it's a hard choice when you get down to the wire.

[sithot]

Here's about 6 shades of "Signal Red" and the car BEFORE it was stripped. LOL
FWIW; do not put 100% trust in the spray-out panels that some restoration shop offer for a fee. They mean well but having discussed this with a friend who was at the ECH this past weekend the consensus
was that none of them are close. I've seen a Signal Red from a very reputable shop and it's close but not even close enough. Best to have your painter/paint store
take a reading from a "Known". In my case we're using the dash since reds fade so badly. That's the only part of the car that's trustworthy. Even then, I'm quite sure we will still end up tinting it.

This stuff used to be easy. New formulations have created all kinds of problems.

Good luck,

Tom