Shades of grey

[czeno]

No posts for over a year, still ya never know. I wonder if we could be the first place in the world to positively identify what this shade of grey is called. I have searched. Yes, it's my bog standard boat, colour code KR4 sonic silver and I'm trying to match the original under bonnet/guards grey. This sample on cardboard test strip is Gull Grey supplied by Total Body shop, close but no cigar. If I can't find it in convenient aerosol form I'm going to start with Wattyl stop rust white and blend in black til grey target is reached and shoot with spray gun. It may get messy.

[westybob]

Places that sell aerosol cans will sell you Nissan coded colours or colour match to your car.

[czeno]

You'd think so but the trail seems to go cold on the chassis/underbonnet areas. What I've found so far is you can't trust digital/computer renditions of colour. I've since followed Total Bodyshop's advice and got some colour charts and held them up against the job and in full sunlight. I think I've found a winner with Resene - Double Stack, getting two cans toned up this week.
I guess I underestimated grey, thinking it'd be easy to find an aerosol off the shelf, living out in the rural and shelf stocks aren't that great.
How this Double Stack  sample appears here in digital may not be the same as when I shoot it on a test strip, like I found with the Gull Grey. It looks way too dark but harmonizes like a musical note when held against the strut tower. Referencing off the resene colour chart.
Grey, more to it than you think.

[czeno]

Following through... here's the Double Stack grey on test strip, should be good to go, meshes in nicely on the bits of body I've sprayed so far. Described as armourment grey, that fits.

 Did some seam sealing (new to me) and ran out of weekend and a sunny day to progress any further. Sikaflex 227, now that shit sure does stick, bits of it on my skin two days later.

[danger32]

your post is awesome as ive been looking to paint my sonic silver r32 engine bay and hadnt found anything anywere how did it all turn out

[czeno]

I masked it up to the seam on the shock towers, sprayed it in these cold & challenging conditions. Just peeled off the wraps yesterday and now I have two tone grey 
So close in shade but that factory grey has the slightest trace of blue in it. Next step paint the other side of the towers, still it's a good shade of grey.
I'll take another pic of it in two tone glory tonight and you'll see what I mean.

[czeno]

Here's where I'm at, Double Stack grey is not a perfect match. I'm thinking the factory tone is directed slightly towards gun metal or pewter which utilize blue in the mix. So if I was to persue this I'd be looking at grey colour charts in that direction.
I painted it's dirty old battery box area months ago in Wattyl stop rust Pewter but that's too blue, same with Supercheap epoxy enamel pewter, a lighter shade. I've got all sorts of other cans of grey off the shelf, none come close. There is a possibilty that Rustoleum dark machinery grey might work, can't find any here.
There may be clue in the body colour - Sonic Silver, as I'm getting close to sorting out some of it's damage. I'm noticing that silver takes a turn toward grey - a light shade of gun metal. I'm wondering if the elusive under bonnet grey is the same paint but without the silver.
Any way I've made my choice, bought the ticket, taking the ride, no turning back.

[czeno]

Progress, don't like seeing this thing hanging here half done. Matched up by masking off what I'd already painted then painting the other side. All started out as simple repair and touchup that  grew, glad it's done now.

[czeno]

Correction on the KR4 paint code - Sierra Silver

Moving along at my glacier like pace, got a couple of cans mixed. Thought it might be better than the Duplicolor silver grey I had. With the possibilty of getting a patchwork effect on the bonnet & guards.
Currently bogging up dents, looks like someone had a moment of passion at some stage and beat the thing with a  4x2...