" RED" paint code for a Fiberfab 356 speedsterc

You'll never get a good match. Best to just paint the whole car or you'll never be satisfied...

What Bill said x2! The car is small enough that a repaint (red) of the entire car would be easier than trying to match the repaired area. 

X3. the gel coat changes color over time so the original color is never the same. I have a white CMC which I built back  in 1985 and the gel coat still looks new but if you take off something that's attached to the body the color underneath that part is definitely a different shade of white.

I've done gel coat repairs on my boat which was white and the match at the time of the repair was great but as time goes by the repair was evident as the gel coat is exposed to UV light over time.

Matching gelcoat is not all that difficult, I've done this a dozen times as well as just last week on a red gelcoat CMC.

It's done with a paint specific computer camera that is placed on the gelcoat surface and a "picture" is taken i.e. a paint formula is created for a proper match. Pull the deck lid off and take it to a body shop / paint supply .

I put a pair of Carrera mirrors on my Speedster "C" that is the original gel-coat(red). and painted them a VW colour called "Tornado Red"(LY3D). I've got a pretty good eye for colour and they look to me to be dead on.

Forget trying to match to to a specific code from another car or maker.

Re-read Alan's post.

Paint changes color over time by chemical deterioration or attack from UV rays from the sun and fluorescent lighting.  Nothing you can do about that.  What you CAN do is match a new color composition to the old color phase and hue.  THAT is what Alan is writing about.

Find a competent, local, autobody/paint shop with a color-match computer that takes a picture of the existing paint from a point on the body close to where you wish to match.  Their computer will then give them a paint "formula" to create a perfect (and I mean PERFECT) match to that color and hue.  ONLY talk with those who have this sort of computer.  If they try to give you some BS run-around just turn around and walk out because they can't match your paint, and will only cause you heartache (or a massive dent in your wallet.)  Tell them you're matching an Acrylic Enamel.  That's important, because a lot of shops have migrated to water-borne paints (because of EPA rules) and some are compatible with Acrylics and others are not.

It CAN be easily matched by a competent shop.  They CAN easily make up touch-up paint either in a brush-on/mix-your-own can or an aerosol spray can (rattle can), although not all shops can do the rattle can stuff (they prefer to spray on raw, mixed paint because, let's face it.....THAT's what they DO and the results are far more predictable!)

DO NOT try to get a match by looking at a book and saying "Well!  THIS looks pretty  close!"  Trust me, it won't be when you get it on there.

OH....BTW....The Marine paint guys don't have a clue about what I've just written about - they only deal with paint supplied from the boat suppliers.  Go to an automotive shop.  You might have to visit several.  Try first going to a local automotive paint supplier (they guys who supply paint products to the auto body shops - if you can't find one, ask a competent auto paint shop who they get their paint from.  Tell them what you're trying to do - they'll understand.)

gn

Ha,when I got my CMC kit back in late 1989.  I complained of a few stress cracks under each of the doors.  They sent me a 1/2 quart of black gel coat --- already mixed with the catalyst fixer. In a week the can was solid fiberglass. 

One day I'll bock sand and have it completely repainted.