560sl paint color suggestions

[balsa]

My 1986 560sl has original exterior standard black paint code 040. Since I am repainting the whole car I can choose the paint color. I am thinking of a Glasurit Black Pearl code 199, which is a metalic color. But from pictures I have seen on internet the black pearl color looks more like dark grey.

Any opinions wheter to stay with standard black color or to go with Black Pearl which is a mettalic color?

Thanks,

Balsa

[Pierre560sl]

I would recomend staying with the original color of the vehicle.
Why is the car being repainted completely?

[davestlouis]

I'd second that...color changes are a pain in the neck...to do it right the door jambs, under the hood, the hardtop, etc would have to be painted too...big bucks. I really feel strongly that the color the car came in is the color it should stay. I find it irritating that people who restore cars go with least-common-denominator colors...I suppose it helps resale, but not every Camaro was bright red whden it was new. I like some of the odd-ball retro colors.

[balsa]

I had changed the floor panel since it was rusted due to the blower compartment leackage to the passanger floor. The car is in parts now, doors, hard top, hood, trunk and etc are all parted from the car ready to be painted. This will ease to do a professional paint job. I have found a very nice Obsidian Black Metallic color that is used on new Sl's. It is a very small difference from the stock Black paint ant it is metallic. I want the car to have metallic paint in order to use this opportunity of car being parted. I will use the Glasurit paint OEM. The labor is very cheap in my country and the body shop is very reputable.

Thanks, balsa

[deanyel]

Black Pearl (#199) would be more correct to the era. It was offered from 1985 until 1996. Obsidian Black didn't start until about 1999. They are very similar. I personally would stick with 040, not just because it is original but because I think it is better & longer lasting than anything else. But it sounds like you want metalllic paint. It's not clear that the car was painted originally with Glasurit paint. MB uses several paint suppliers.

[donbryce]

If you opt to get the parts painted separately, that is, off the car, and decide to go with metallic paint, be sure the painter knows what he is doing! For example, if you lay a hood and the fenders down flat, like on stands or something, and shoot metallic paint, the fenders won't look 'right' when bolted on the car in an upright position because of the way the tiny particles have laid in the color coat, on the fenders, in a different position than they'd have been if painted on the car (or upright on the stand in the booth).