Found this in Monday morning's Detroit News: "You would not believe how difficult it is to do a matte finish in production," Welburn said. "Every time you take it through the car wash, the buffers are starting to buff it back up and it starts to get shiny there. It's easy to paint, but it's not easy to keep it matte." But Harrington and Surcina, of Dupont, say their companies have countered those flaws. Peter Horbury, Ford Motor Co.'s executive design director for the Americas, said the technology has improved so dramatically in the last few years that Ford is now seriously exploring matte finishes. As automakers grow closer to parity in technology, safety and other features, styling -- including colors and finishes -- is becoming a critical differentiator. "The trend is toward more personalization, which to different consumer groups means different things," Surcina said. "Automakers are looking to differentiate their vehicles. One of the ways to do that is through bright and bold colors." Still, matte finishes surprise longtime executives like Welburn, who has watched the industry spend decades perfecting high-gloss paint only to see the tide turn. "Now we can't keep it dull," he said. ------
Will there soon be a "rat rod" edition Mustang or Camaro? Or maybe just a box you can check on the order form "package includes red wheels, Mexican blanket interior, factory applied patina and no floors."
How about other mainstream criteria like obnoxiously loud stock motors or how about factory rust? Rustang anyone???
It's a good feeling to know that mainstream folk ,aka "everybody else", sees the art in what we do but I sure hope that manufactures don't pick up on it.(Just look at that stupid front wheel drive PT cruiser)
I was at the new bike show this weekend, Harley has several types of matte colors, I would not pay 20 grand for a new bike and not have shiny paint
Interesting post. It is annoying that we've seen about every make, model and year of car "rat rodded", and I also grow tired of flat black and red wheels. But I'm excited to see if there will be some new formulas for bulletproof flat finishes. By the way, how do flattened clears hold up? Do they wash good, etc? (Not trying to hijack).
Hey! I like Mexican blanket interiors! Bought new blankets and everything. Gotta admit, MIA floorpans is a Ford tradition
Do you guys realize what it could mean for us if Detroit starts using flat paint? No more "sorry sir, you can't enter your car in the show because it is unfinished." It would take away all of the rebel image and replace it with the image of us being the followers, the good dog following it's master. We must stop this trend.
I said this on the Jockey Journal..............it fits here "you are now a demographic group.....GET OVER IT!"
Or the sull size mercs (69 or so) special edition cars were the WHOLE TOP of the car was flat black???
sweet ! now i can get rid of my pesky shiny paint, and put on my spinning full wheel disks! ( just a joke... i dont wanna get yelled at by semigloss and flat-lovers)
I'm going to paint my wheel spinners red. I want a Rat Rod® Element with old wrenches for door handles.
yeah we would be the masters on this one..........SWEET!!!!! Remenber when a pearl paint job was custom?!? now every auto maker has a pearl color, just lets you know that we are the pioneers!!!
im painting my car flat uv primer im not a body guy but im not doing it because its cool , i cant pay to get my car painted im just poor . what should i use for flat paint . i thought that thats how it started back in the day or i would think that anyway that people just primed cars because of cost that way my bike is flat black plus you have to take care off paint , lol
The Jalopy Journal
