Auto body repair & detailing: Repaint on one area

Question
QUESTION: I have the top of my 39 ford coupe that bubbled in many spots. I believe it was due to having the car cover on it while being outside for a month or two years ago. The car is always stored indoor other than that  The paint is over 20 years old but still looks good, no fading. My question is I want to get the top repainted and feathered in to match the rest of the car. How close typically can they get the new paint to match the existing older paint color so it's not noticeably different .

Thank You

ANSWER: Hi Joe,

There are many variables to the answer of this question. First of all, is the car the original color? If so, with what type of paint. Today's body shops mostly are using the latest technology in paints and it may be difficult (maybe even next to impossible) to perfectly match the color from a paint job from over 20 years ago without hiring someone who is very good at color matching antiques and classics (and even then lots of trial and error, and waste).

I would recommend going to a paint store and having the color computer analyzed. This may eliminate lots of waste and time. However, don't expect the computer to give a perfect match. They will usually get you in the vicinity but most of the time will need to be hand tinted to be usable.

Good Luck with it!

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: The car was painted 20 years ago and is still in very good condition , non faded as car is kept in garage.  I do know the color and it is still available . Does a car color change slightly over the years, even if it's driven infrequently and garaged. If so then yes I can see getting a exact match from a new batch would not blend with the older color, is that correct

Answer
Hi Joe,

Having the color code is definitely a step in the right direction. There still could be some hurdles but having that information is a tremendous help. The color can fade over the years slightly. If it was garage kept most of it's life that should have minimized the fade.

Now provided the color was mixed correctly the first time around and your documentation is correct, a blend-able match should definitely be possible. Good luck with it.