Guards red touch up paint alternative?

HFR_Racer · HFR_Racer's Garage

I am considering using an alternative color such as Volkswagen Tornado Red (color code LY3D) since it's a currently offered as Duplicolor touch-up paint.

Milano red (R81) is also offered.

Has anyone tried these other colors with any success. How close are they? I'm off to Finishmaster tomorrow to gaze at the color chip book. I can't tell from the on-line color chip examples that I've seen thus far.

Based on the Glasurit webpage:

Guards red (Indischrot) 80K M3A/G1 is color mix: 95/00 95/96
Tornado red LY3D: 95/00 92/93
Milano red R81: 95/00 93/94

Does anyone know how close these colors really are?

Thank you,
HFR_Racer

HFR_Racer · HFR_Racer's Garage

In an effort to find a low cost Guards Red touch-up paint I have arrived at several conclusions:

1) You can pay $40 for the touch-up paint a your local Porsche dealership.
2) You can have your local paint supply mix you up a pint for $50.

Or.... You can go to your local hobby supply store and purchase a small bottle of Guards Red enamel that is bottled my Testors for use as model paint. This is what I used and the color match is perfect. I'll report back on how well it dries and the appearance once it's wet sanded and blended in. This paint is also sold in a spray can as well.

I've been through the color chip paint books at my local automotive paint supply and really didn't find a current Duplicolor paint that was close.

I hope this helps anyone that is looking for a low cost solution to this problem,
HFR_Racer

HFR_Racer · HFR_Racer's Garage

The Testor's enamel works well and wet sands/polishes once dry. I'm going to continue to use this until a better alternative appears.

mike f · 10-05-2009, 08:36 PM

I just went to the Testors site. The price certainly is right, and if the match is good, maybe I'll give it a try. Thanks for the tip.

962porsche · 10-06-2009, 03:40 AM

honda's R81 is not a match the real color is a try coat color . vw-auti's LY3D works most of the time but there are 14 variants of that color . just like there are 17 variants of GUARDS RED with 2 deferent color codes . it will match some of the cars some of the time but not all the cars all the time .

rrwebster · rrwebster's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by mike f

I just went to the Testors site. The price certainly is right, and if the match is good, maybe I'll give it a try. Thanks for the tip.

Go to paintscratch.com You can get a 12.5 oz bottle of guards red for $24.95. I've used thier paint on two other projects and the color match is perfect.

miketheautopartsguy · miketheautopartsguy's Garage

Go to your local ppg jobber before you go any further! They have the tech. to scan your car and match the paint very close and the cost is minimal. They can mix while you wait and most places can package in a brush bottle or spray can. Plus if the car is older enamel as opposed to a base coat clear coat your paint has faded or aged and eveb the Porsche oem touch up will not match or age as well as a custom blend!!

Hope this helped!

Mike

tmsautoart · 06-20-2010, 02:57 PM

not much to add other than Tornado red is darker than guards red. Having owned a Tornado red GTI and a Guards red 911SC, the touch up Tornado is a bit darker.

chuckr · 07-12-2010, 05:11 AM

man, gotta tell you this Testors info is fantastic ! I tried the Guards Red spray and it is
perfect match to my 88 911 Guards Red. I got the spray for under 6 bucks, granted it is a small can but it was just what I needed...lots better than the 25 bucks from Paintscratch.com
Thanks again for this info !