INTERIOR PAINT DYE AND SPRAY PAINT RECOMMENDATIONS

Cougar Community Classic Cougar Maintenance Restoration and Repair
1

I desperately want to buy a nice set of reproduction Kick Panels with speaker holes in them. However, as we all know, they do not reproduce them as such. To add to my angst is the fact that I have Aqua panels. So even if they did have them the odds are they would not be available in my color.

Which leads me to a crossroads and questions:

  1. I could easily buy the reproductions and find a way to have the holes drilled, but what paint is the best match? How do I prep it so it lasts? What type of paint should I use?

  2. Also, lets say down the line that my other parts require replacement and my color is not available! What if Black is the new aqua due to availability! I will have to replace everything!

  3. Who are the 49ers choosing with the 2021 3rd pick?!?!? (not essential, but this is also currently occupying my head space)

I would like to start this thread to help others who are scared and uninformed of what dyes/paints are the closest match to the factory colors. So they can attempt this project in confidence.

Please contribute this post with advice and for ease of searching use the following bullet points:

Original Factory Color:
Closest Paint Match/Brand:
Part:
Prep Work Required:
Additional instructions:

Please include pictures if you can. We all love staring at each others gorgeous projects. This community has been invaluable to me as I am restoring mine. Thank you all for your help!

Now where is that elusive Aqua paint…Here Kitty, Kitty…

2

Your best bet is to either have a can mixed to the original Ford color or have a paint shop color match your paint. Last time I looked, which was over 10 years ago, SEM had an aqua but it was too dark.

Steve

3

Plastic prep is key. Clean the panels very thoroughly and then use a SEM plastic prep which creates a tacky surface for paint adherence. Then use a good SEM plastic paint. Mine has lasted 10 years+, but kick panels get…kicked.

4

But what SEM colors do you recommend as original as possible?

5

I am sorry that I don’t know much about the color matching, but SEM was bale to match up my factory colors exactly. Keep in mind the factory used what they had and did not always have complete continuity over time.

6

I thought I might have part of a can left but I don’t. I last used it more than 10 years ago, and do not know the color code. I thought it was aqua but that is no longer on the SEM color chart as an available color.

Steve