Matching red Carrera strips with wheel centers-- color type?

[techweenie]

I'm putting red Carrera stripes on a white RS-look car.

I'm painting the wheels RS-style, with centers matching the red. What paint or finish terminology am I looking for? The wheel paint isn't flat, and it seems shinier than "satin," but not glossy.

Of course, I haven't looked that closely at the few real RSs I've seen. Any experts willing to weigh in on the finish the wheels should have?

[javadog]

techweenie,

The sheen you might be looking for is semi-gloss. If you go to a paint store, you should be able to obtain a color fan which will likely have a page showing the various sheens typically used. They are flat, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss and glossy, in house painting terms. This will at least give you an idea of the range of possibilities, although you can mix paint any way you want. If it were me, I'd worry less about what the real RS cars had, which was pretty shiny, and seek what looks good with your stripes. Pick a sheen and get your painter to mix up a batch and spray a test panel. Adjust as needed untill you are happy.

JR

[techweenie]

JR, I think you're right, but I'm not sure there's a semi-gloss finish in automotive paint. I was kinda hoping there was a Wurth or other restoration product out there. I have a friend with a wheel repair company that I can ask...

[andycook]

You can start with a gloss paint and add a flattening agent to it until you get the desired sheen.