Painted Physical Color Samples Experiment: Antimatter Blue vs. Area 51 vs. Area 51 vs Cactus Gray (Now Clear Coated)

[Used2jeep]

With the latest color shares of Area51 and Cactus Gray the Race Red is starting to really push for the lead. Velocity Blue is there but ... that's an awful lot of blue on one of these machines.

EDIT: But darn it @Uplander your painting project is keeping me in the Cactus Gray running. CG or RR Big Bend Squatchiness. *sigh* #firstworldproblems

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[BroncOcotillo]

I am down to two colors--AMB and CG. The AMB base paint had the flake in it, but it did not pop until the clear coat went on. It is really stunning and will be killer with a white top and white steelies. On the CG, well yesterday I was skeptical based on reports it is just dull gray. But that is not what my experiment is suggesting. Granted it is a bright, sunny day in IL right now, but the CG has lots of character to it. It does not look like dull gray clay like some of the recent Sport shots have suggested. And I have no idea why, but the CG base coat was pretty glossy, where the AMB and A51 were almost flat. Last comment to the photo experts...what I see here on the screen looks identical to what it looked like in person in full sun.

Here's one more of my final two...

CG looks good in this picture. Comes through as expected on screen. Slight tinge of green in the gray. ?

 

[Reldn]

Damn, I was initially all in on Area 51, but, the AMB is looking really sharp!

 

[jsharpe]

This is the Cactus I want to believe in.

My thoughts exactly. However, there really must be two different versions of the same paint code (???). Because this color seems to be what the Ford guy described and is on some of the test mules, but looks nothing like either what's on the Sport or depicted by the color book sheets and described by the people who have seen them in person. What I want to believe is that "Fighter Jet gray" and "Cactus Green" are really two different colors (which doesn't match them showing up with the same color code.

 

[Rick Astley]

Updated with clear coated samples September 19

Updates:

1. primer is gray under all paint
2. clear coated all
3. finally got cactus gray

Here are all three in sun together...

Solo sun shots

All 3 in the shade.

I am down to two colors--AMB and CG. The AMB base paint had the flake in it, but it did not pop until the clear coat went on. It is really stunning and will be killer with a white top and white steelies. On the CG, well yesterday I was skeptical based on reports it is just dull gray. But that is not what my experiment is suggesting. Granted it is a bright, sunny day in IL right now, but the CG has lots of character to it. It does not look like dull gray clay like some of the recent Sport shots have suggested. And I have no idea why, but the CG base coat was pretty glossy, where the AMB and A51 were almost flat. Last comment to the photo experts...what I see here on the screen looks identical to what it looked like in person in full sun.

Here's one more of my final two...

Original post August 30

OK folks, tried a little experiment here. Automotivetouchup.com has new Bronco paint samples available. I got a 12 oz can of A51 and AMB--base coat only, no clear coat (will have CG in a couple weeks). Attached are pics in direct sun. A shade pic will follow shortly. I have also included a picture of a Cincinnati Bengals B so you can make your own judgement on color correctness. Pics are taken on white craft paper.

My opinions:

1) the A51 is significantly lighter/less dark gray than an Amazon truck (I had the sample in my hand yesterday when I passed one);

2) the AMB is the same as Jay Leno's paint. It almost always looks black. But in direct sun side-by-side to a black BMW the blue comes out--even can have touch of purple like you see in the Leno's Garage video. Major caveat here is we don't know if sample paints are accurate. Here are three photos in direct sun at 3pm.

Here is the shade pic...

If Cactus Gray had ANY of this hue in person I would be on board.

In-person, just go out to any freshly poured concrete, then look down. That was the Cactus gray I saw in person, sadly.....
And I WANTED to see blues or greens.

 

[The Driving Viking]

If Cactus Gray had ANY of this hue in person I would be on board.

In-person, just go out to any freshly poured concrete, then look down. That was the Cactus gray I saw in person, sadly.....
And I WANTED to see blues or greens.

I think the green and blue hues people are seeing in pictures are because of the camera.

 

[Uplander]

If Cactus Gray had ANY of this hue in person I would be on board.

In-person, just go out to any freshly poured concrete, then look down. That was the Cactus gray I saw in person, sadly.....
And I WANTED to see blues or greens.

This can only mean one of two things, no?

Either these touch up paint cans I got are inaccurate in color or there are two versions of CG. I would usually think the paint cans are flawed. But I am not sure what to believe given the only big-bronco <non-sport> pics I have seen precisely match my experiment.

 

[Uplander]

Sorry to make you CG-wafflers crazy...but this is what I saw today in my experiment...

 

[DC9atnight]

Cactus Grey is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma.

 

[AndrewJ]

Sorry to make you CG-wafflers crazy...but this is what I saw today in my experiment...

Yep, some weeks ago I saw a CG Bronco Sport on the road and this picture is actually probably the most accurate I've seen yet. It's spot-on. Gray with a hint of greenish blue.

 

[Used2jeep]

Sorry to make you CG-wafflers crazy...but this is what I saw today in my experiment...

You. Are. The. Devil.

 

[Deleted member 12854]

Updated with clear coated samples September 19

Updates:

1. primer is gray under all paint
2. clear coated all
3. finally got cactus gray

Here are all three in sun together...

Solo sun shots

All 3 in the shade.

I am down to two colors--AMB and CG. The AMB base paint had the flake in it, but it did not pop until the clear coat went on. It is really stunning and will be killer with a white top and white steelies. On the CG, well yesterday I was skeptical based on reports it is just dull gray. But that is not what my experiment is suggesting. Granted it is a bright, sunny day in IL right now, but the CG has lots of character to it. It does not look like dull gray clay like some of the recent Sport shots have suggested. And I have no idea why, but the CG base coat was pretty glossy, where the AMB and A51 were almost flat. Last comment to the photo experts...what I see here on the screen looks identical to what it looked like in person in full sun.

Here's one more of my final two...

Original post August 30

OK folks, tried a little experiment here. Automotivetouchup.com has new Bronco paint samples available. I got a 12 oz can of A51 and AMB--base coat only, no clear coat (will have CG in a couple weeks). Attached are pics in direct sun. A shade pic will follow shortly. I have also included a picture of a Cincinnati Bengals B so you can make your own judgement on color correctness. Pics are taken on white craft paper.

My opinions:

1) the A51 is significantly lighter/less dark gray than an Amazon truck (I had the sample in my hand yesterday when I passed one);

2) the AMB is the same as Jay Leno's paint. It almost always looks black. But in direct sun side-by-side to a black BMW the blue comes out--even can have touch of purple like you see in the Leno's Garage video. Major caveat here is we don't know if sample paints are accurate. Here are three photos in direct sun at 3pm.

Here is the shade pic...

 

[Lab00Rat]

Sorry to make you CG-wafflers crazy...but this is what I saw today in my experiment...

You went from seeing a sample substrate to a full 4-Door Sas Bronco? That's some amazing paint you have there!

 

[Uplander]

You. Are. The. Devil.

That made me laugh out loud because I hear you. The only reason I searched the net to find these paints is because I am losing my mind on these colors. My report is just what I saw. Who knows if the paint samples are worth a damn. No matter what, A51 is too powder-blue for me. But the CG is looking like the best pics people love. Let's hope that is the truth!!!

 

[Uplander]

You went from seeing a sample substrate to a full 4-Door Sas Bronco? That's some amazing paint you have there!

I suggest you spend more time trying to solve this mystery than talking smack

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