The TRUTH About Mystic Chrome Paint

[Tractionless1]

After my wife hit the Cobra in the garage last Wednesday 5/21 I was forced to do a lot of research on getting the damage repaired. Finally today 5/30 I have the story straight. What I have researched on Ford Forums is blatantly wrong and I feel the need to share with all.

1. It's not Dupont paint. The formulation was sold to Dupont as they have the most marketable name. The cars were sprayed at the factory with all the Dupont "hype."

2. There are NO Dupont factory packs available. IE premixed at the Dupont factory. This is per Dupont Performance Coatings Tech. support line who told me to contact BASF for the paint, a body shop which has been spraying Dupont since 1959, Carquest Fl. paint rep., and the local Finishmaster paint supplier.

3. Yes you may buy the Dupont G6 code at $453/pt. in the Chroma llusion line however tint will have to be added (ie custom mixed) and according to the paint source (more on that below), "you will NEVER be able to manually mix and get a perfect match."

4. Yes you may buy other brands of paint and manually mix; however, see #3 above.

5. BASF is the patent holder and only Co. with a factory pack (premixed) available which is a perfect match for the factory paint. This is according to a BASF tech. at their American HQ as well as the FL. BASF product manager.

6. There are two lines under the BASF name where you will find the G6 factory pack named 2004 Ford Mustang Cobra Mystic Chrome Metallic.
6a. Glasurit 55 Line
6b. R-M Diamont line $153/pt. solvent-borne

7. They are both polyester based paints as was the factory available in both waterborne or solvent-borne.

8. It is very possible to spot repair with the factory pack. No need to paint the entire car or blend into panels. Blending within the damaged panel if far away enough from another is acceptible.

9. Get someone to spray the car who paints with either the Glasurit or R-M lines as they will have the correct reducers, clears, activators, groundcoats etc. already on hand which will save you money. I was quoted $190 for the above most of which would have to be thrown away. Not to mention they will be familiar with the product.

Hope this helps. Any questions feel free to ask but I think I covered everything which should help the "next guy" fix his/her car alittle easier.

 

[Tom's_03SVT]

Nice write up. :thumbsup:

 

[04sleeper]

Wow! Great information there.

 

[jbrown1238]

After my wife hit the Cobra in the garage last Wednesday 5/21 I was forced to do a lot of research on getting the damage repaired. Finally today 5/30 I have the story straight. What I have researched on Ford Forums is blatantly wrong and I feel the need to share with all.

1. It's not Dupont paint. The formulation was sold to Dupont as they have the most marketable name. The cars were sprayed at the factory with all the Dupont "hype."

2. There are NO Dupont factory packs available. IE premixed at the Dupont factory. This is per Dupont Performance Coatings Tech. support line who told me to contact BASF for the paint, a body shop which has been spraying Dupont since 1959, Carquest Fl. paint rep., and the local Finishmaster paint supplier.

3. Yes you may buy the Dupont G6 code at $453/pt. in the Chroma llusion line however tint will have to be added (ie custom mixed) and according to the paint source (more on that below), "you will NEVER be able to manually mix and get a perfect match."

4. Yes you may buy other brands of paint and manually mix; however, see #3 above.

5. BASF is the patent holder and only Co. with a factory pack (premixed) available which is a perfect match for the factory paint. This is according to a BASF tech. at their American HQ as well as the FL. BASF product manager.

6. There are two lines under the BASF name where you will find the G6 factory pack named 2004 Ford Mustang Cobra Mystic Chrome Metallic.
6a. Glasurit 55 Line
6b. R-M Diamont line $153/pt. solvent-borne

7. They are both polyester based paints as was the factory available in both waterborne or solvent-borne.

8. It is very possible to spot repair with the factory pack. No need to paint the entire car or blend into panels. Blending within the damaged panel if far away enough from another is acceptible.

9. Get someone to spray the car who paints with either the Glasurit or R-M lines as they will have the correct reducers, clears, activators, groundcoats etc. already on hand which will save you money. I was quoted $190 for the above most of which would have to be thrown away. Not to mention they will be familiar with the product.

Hope this helps. Any questions feel free to ask but I think I covered everything which should help the "next guy" fix his/her car alittle easier.

A pint of 2004 Ford Mystichrome code G6 is $150.00 at Finish Master. It takes 4-6 days to order directly from BASF (R-M stock #688072) or you can over night it for approx. an additional $90.00. This price is for the color only. This does not include the cost of the other components.

 

[04MystiCobra]

Isnt it Mystichrome and not Mystic Chrome?

 

[FlaSeaDude]

Okay....I'l be the skeptic here.

I recently purchased a pint of the MystiChrome Paint (along with the special base, activator, thinner and clear coat) and it all came from DuPont. I have the cut sheets on the paint and the other items in the garage.

Also, here's parts of the original press release from Ford that specifically states that the paint is manufactured by DuPont:

MYSTICHROME APPEARANCE PACKAGE ADDS COLORFUL FLAIR TO '04 COBRA

To help Ford celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Mustang during 2004, the Special Vehicle Team has developed a limited-edition MystiChrome Appearance Package for the SVT Mustang Cobra. Although SVT pioneered the use of color-shifting paint on a production car with its 1996 Mystic Cobra, the MystiChrome Appearance Package takes that technology a step further for 2004 and beyond.

COLOR-SHIFT TECHNOLOGY

The Special Vehicle Team worked with Alan Eggly, Ford's color and trim director for North America, to develop the MystiChrome paint and leather. Both the exterior and interior treatments utilize "ChromeFlair light interference pigments, from Flex Products, Inc., in Santa Rosa, California. These tiny particles (each an average size of 17 microns) are composed of five layers of colorless film. Combined, these layers produce shimmering, vibrant colors. The microscopic layers act like a tiny prizm: White light is reflected off the core layer, and then split by outer layers into visible colors. As the viewing angle changes, so does the visible color. The color produced is controlled by precise variances - measured in atoms - in the prismatic layers: The thinnest ChromaFlair pigment shifts from gold through silver and into light blue,; the thickest pigment shifts from silver through green and into purplish blue.

EXTERIOR PAINT

ChromaFlair pigments were first used for an automotive application on the 1996 SVT Ford Mustang Cobra with Mystic paint. "It was truly ground-breaking," says Eggly. "No other manufacturer had used color-shifting paint on a production car before. But, just as the handling and acceleration have dramatically improved since 1996 on the SVT Mustang Cobra, so has color-shifting technology. For 2004, we were able to take Mystic paint and put it on steroids."

Eggly challenged DuPont to create a new color shifting paint with visual performance to match the visceral performance of the 390-horsepower SVT Mustang Cobra. To that end, DuPont chemists started with the Green/Purple ChromaFlair pigments that shift from bright green through a range of blues and then into purple. The DuPont chemists blended that with traditional black and green pigments for visual balance and deep, rich colors. As a finishing touch, they added a pinch of aluminum flakes to enhance bright, metallic sparkle.

The resulting color shift is described by the DuPont chemists as "a bright, metallic topaz that transitions to cobalt blue, then to royal purple, and finally into a deep onyx black."


So, it's my contention that MystiChrome is indeed a DuPont product... :rockon:

 

[jbrown1238]

Okay....I'l be the skeptic here.

I recently purchased a pint of the MystiChrome Paint (along with the special base, activator, thinner and clear coat) and it all came from DuPont. I have the cut sheets on the paint and the other items in the garage.

Also, here's parts of the original press release from Ford that specifically states that the paint is manufactured by DuPont:

MYSTICHROME APPEARANCE PACKAGE ADDS COLORFUL FLAIR TO '04 COBRA

To help Ford celebrate the 40th Anniversary of the Mustang during 2004, the Special Vehicle Team has developed a limited-edition MystiChrome Appearance Package for the SVT Mustang Cobra. Although SVT pioneered the use of color-shifting paint on a production car with its 1996 Mystic Cobra, the MystiChrome Appearance Package takes that technology a step further for 2004 and beyond.

COLOR-SHIFT TECHNOLOGY

The Special Vehicle Team worked with Alan Eggly, Ford's color and trim director for North America, to develop the MystiChrome paint and leather. Both the exterior and interior treatments utilize "ChromeFlair light interference pigments, from Flex Products, Inc., in Santa Rosa, California. These tiny particles (each an average size of 17 microns) are composed of five layers of colorless film. Combined, these layers produce shimmering, vibrant colors. The microscopic layers act like a tiny prizm: White light is reflected off the core layer, and then split by outer layers into visible colors. As the viewing angle changes, so does the visible color. The color produced is controlled by precise variances - measured in atoms - in the prismatic layers: The thinnest ChromaFlair pigment shifts from gold through silver and into light blue,; the thickest pigment shifts from silver through green and into purplish blue.

EXTERIOR PAINT

ChromaFlair pigments were first used for an automotive application on the 1996 SVT Ford Mustang Cobra with Mystic paint. "It was truly ground-breaking," says Eggly. "No other manufacturer had used color-shifting paint on a production car before. But, just as the handling and acceleration have dramatically improved since 1996 on the SVT Mustang Cobra, so has color-shifting technology. For 2004, we were able to take Mystic paint and put it on steroids."

Eggly challenged DuPont to create a new color shifting paint with visual performance to match the visceral performance of the 390-horsepower SVT Mustang Cobra. To that end, DuPont chemists started with the Green/Purple ChromaFlair pigments that shift from bright green through a range of blues and then into purple. The DuPont chemists blended that with traditional black and green pigments for visual balance and deep, rich colors. As a finishing touch, they added a pinch of aluminum flakes to enhance bright, metallic sparkle.

The resulting color shift is described by the DuPont chemists as "a bright, metallic topaz that transitions to cobalt blue, then to royal purple, and finally into a deep onyx black."


So, it's my contention that MystiChrome is indeed a DuPont product... :rockon:

Dupont did pioneer much of the technology with this type of product line and from what you list above this specific color. However, the only company that produces a factory pack for this color is BASF.

 

[T-Pain808]

I would just be happy to own one. I love them mystichromes.
But I have to say the 2004 looks way better then 1996 cobras, and now I know why.

 

[JSpeed]

So, it's my contention that MystiChrome is indeed a DuPont product... :rockon:

Well according to the OP's RESEARCH and not a "web page cut and paste"
you are wrong. Do try to leave a great post and bit of info alone without mucking it up with info that just confuses people and doesnt help anyone.

1. It's not Dupont paint. The formulation was sold to Dupont as they have the most marketable name. The cars were sprayed at the factory with all the Dupont "hype."

 

[CobraBob]

Interesting information. Should be something our Mystichrome folks might want to save for future use.

 

[wvmystichrome]

You are correct that the BASF did produce the special additive. It was actually produced by one of the guys in the Huntington WV plant. I have a friend who is a close friend of that person.

Also Ford will have mixed up for you a run of Mystichrome paint. But it is $25,000.00 worth. Reason I know is my body shop friend actually called them up to see what size of container of premixed he could get me for a project I wanted to do. They told him to pre mix a batch would cost us $25,000.00. I forget how many gallons of Mystichrome paint it was but I sure did not need that much.

You also say that it can't be mixed by someone else (NAPA, AUTOZONE or such) and match. I don't know about that. I have seen some guys cars on here that have done touch ups and partial repaints and project ideas and the paints they have used really blend and match very well.

 

[STROKD]

Wow! Great information there.

No kidding, glad I got flat orange instead of the Mystichrome vert I drove right before mine...:lol1:

Patting myself on the back (good job, good job)

 

[04sleeper]

No kidding, glad I got flat orange instead of the Mystichrome vert I drove right before mine...:lol1:

Patting myself on the back (good job, good job)

Actually if you look closely at your paint you will see metallic. I saw it when I was rolling your fenders. :rolling:

 

[04MystiCobra]

Not sure where I read it but I remember something about having crystal or pearl in the paint. :shrug:

 

[About2bite]

Interesting info, and we all have his wife to thank for that :lol1:

Seriously though, i'm sure this thread will be helpful to some Mystic owners in the future

:thumbsup:

 

[FlaSeaDude]

Well according to the OP's RESEARCH and not a "web page cut and paste"
you are wrong. Do try to leave a great post and bit of info alone without mucking it up with info that just confuses people and doesnt help anyone.

Oh GREAT Degenerated One - If you had bothered to read my entire post :read: you would have also seen that I have in my posession all the materials required to apply the MystiChrome paint system (base, activator, thinner, paint and special clear coat) and it all came from DuPont. I have the paint and I have the cut sheets so there's no way you (or anyone else for that matter) are going to convince me that DuPont does not produce the MystiChrome paint.

I'm not saying that BASF doesn't have the paint available also. I'm just saying that MystiChrome was developed by DuPont and (as of last year) you could still get the paint from them.

 

[twistedstang]

tractionless- Thanks for the info. I printed it out and am putting it my cars folder in case something awful happens. Hope the repair work goes well.

 

[coolcobramatt]

Just bought my mystichrome 1 week ago today...not sure if this thread helps as the car never leaves the garage lol. J/k actually nice read, and I am still glad I bought it. Driving down the road and hearing people saying "that car is blue, no its green, no its purple" is well worth it! I'm having a blast lol.

 

[twistedstang]

Does anyone else think the paint is super brittle- Seems like I have loads of chips considering the mileage on the car. Maybe im just being super anal but ....

 

[dougwg]

SB>MC

op: