If you are really into "look good" it is a nightmare to do the paint.
1st two tone means just that, painting it two times. Apply one color, dry, apply second. In between swap all the masking to the other side.
2nd match the color. While the measuring and mixing will give good results in a two-tone you are never "exactly" on the OEM paint. That means the paint-shop needs to spray over the doors left and right and fade into the adjacent panel to make the color match. This means painting up to the roof's kink and the rear pillar and part of the window frame, still along the whole roof line.
3rd It's a metallic paint which means after the color they apply the metallic clearcoat and depending on the product and the shop an additional clearcoat to complete.
Depending on how good you really want the paint, they can mask over the weather-stripping, around the door handles, and such, which will leave some ridges along the masking tape (visible upon close inspection) or you remove all the weather strips and they can paint to the sheet-metal (inner) edge of the door. The same holds true for the doors visible side (where it fits into the door-jamb). Then if it should be perfect you have to remove the door-panels in order to paint all the visible parts all around the door.
The silver lower paint is the same issue. They will probably just paint forward to the wheel well and to the rear into the side panel after the wheel well to match it perfectly.
You would fit the doors from the junk-yard with the whole of weather-strips and adjust the doors. Then remove everything like door ***** and all afore mentioned. Then do all the rust repairs that these doors most likely will need. Finally you or the paint shop or body shop will fix all dents which may be in the doors. Use an appropriate putty (ask the paint-shop) to fix all the rust repairs, cracked paint and such. Then sand all the repairs. Finally in preparation for the paint, they will probably sand with a 320 to 400 grit, when applying a primer. If the doors are in good condition (paint) they will sand the repair spots with about 400 grit and then sand both doors and at least 1 or 2 feet front and aft of the doors with a 600 to 800 grit in preparation for the paint. Then mask off the whole car. Mind you, that with the Blazers fixed doors normally on such repairs where you paint with the door in the truck you cannot paint the front width of the door where the hinges sit and the cable passthrougs. An exception would be if it is painted with the doors out of the truck (this will depend on the paint shop and how much you care about "perfect").
Painting the doors in two steps would be the perfect approach. Get them from the junkyard, put them into the Blazer and mark them (for removal and mounting after the paint) as indicated before. Then remove the doors from the Blazer again and remove everything from the doors, weatherstrips, door handles etc. Do all the rust and repairs needed. Then have the shop paint the whole of the inside of the door (around the door-panel is just fine) and all around the door part which enters the door jamb with the closest matching color, out to just the edge of the outer panel.
I would expect the shop to do a sample and match that as close as possible. It is not so important on the inside of the doors (as you have no adjacent OEM color to compare to). Then put the pre-painted doors back into the Blazer on to the markings and the shop will go about the exterior. This is why it is so expensive to repair painted body parts correctly. Or any body repair with paint whatsoever. Lot's of work.
This is my 94 after replacing the drivers door. Similar damage as yours, at the body and in the paint-shop just before sanding and masking. At the same time we had some dents and rust fixed. As you can see, I had all the parts removed for a perfect job. You don't see any masking lines (ridges from the drying paint along the tape) or such. Finally decided "not" to paint the A-pillar (will do that once we do roof but will remove the windshield weatherstrip. The color had been matched to perfection by the paint-shop. The A-pillar is slightly matte because of the missing clearcoat (94 had no clearcoat from factory). Then I had the hood, HVAC grille and right side fender painted as well. But it finally cost a fortune.
You have a really good looking 94! I always did like the first-gens more.
I sure hope I can swing a good repair. It pains me to see my truck like that. Thank you for the detailed break-down. I am even more concerned about the larger damage to the doors than to the rocker panel...
I do not even know if my door is "green two-tone" or "teal."
Should I begin by an expanded search on car-part.com and go from there?
That is a good idea. We have the time to look into stuff now, have we not.?
I would start by looking at the vehicles information to figure the OEM paint. From there you can search. I guess the two-tone has been an option which is painted onto a base coat (I would guess the green). If you can find doors which are one color but fit the tone this would reduce the work. Then you could just swap doors and re-paint the silver.
My drivers door was originally a navy blue metallic off a 4 door s10. I swapped it out because my window motor gave out. I sanded it down, filled whatever dents with bondo, then primed. I used about 1 or 2 cans or random rustoleum white paint to get enough coats over the navy blue. Then used a can of the color match arctic white and pewter. I shouldve added a clear coat or 2 over top when I was done as its dull now, but still close to matching.
as for your paint, it looks teal at the top and silver st the bottom.
Edit: added pictures of stock door and scrap yard door after paint. Stock Scrap yard door after paint.
So, DonL, I think I may have again found my door... closer than Tennessee this time. The notes on car-part.com say: "2DR,PW,CLR,PL,PM,GREEN,GREY." So, again, it is off of a 2-door. A 1996, though.. If I heard you correctly the first time, that door should work? (Same door between a 2 and a 4 door? Is only rear of the B pillar different? Door same size ??)
Do you still have the original RPO (regular production option) code sticker for the truck typically found stuck to the inside of the glove box? If so, take a picture of it and post it (maybe cover up the VIN). Your paint codes will be listed on this sticker at the very bottom with every option code the truck came with from the factory listed above it; at least that is how the newer RPO/SPI labels are laid out.
This is just an example of an SPI (newer name for RPO) sheet that I found for reference that conveniently highlights the paint code listing:
Feel free to google the other codes to get a complete list of the options your truck came with. Please do not create a thread about it as there is more than enough information out there for you to find all of the codes on your own.
As for doors, as has been mentioned the front doors are the same on the 96+ s-series trucks and the interior panels differ through the years. You should be able to swap over all of your current stuff onto the replacement. If you have power windows/locks and using a newer door, you'll likely have to swap the wiring harness as well. A quick comparison when the doors are side by side will show what needs to be swapped over from your original door to the replacement.
I won't get into paint as I'm not one to try automotive paint myself and I know a few very good people that I can call on for that kind of work. I want my stuff to look factory or better and I know my limitations. If it were a tractor or implement, I can handle a HPLV gun like anyone else, but not something I want to shine up nice and not notice every single screw up I made...
Do you still have the original RPO (regular production option) code sticker for the truck typically found stuck to the inside of the glove box? If so, take a picture of it and post it (maybe cover up the VIN). Your paint codes will be listed on this sticker at the very bottom with every option code the truck came with from the factory listed above it; at least that is how the newer RPO/SPI labels are laid out.
This is just an example of an SPI (newer name for RPO) sheet that I found for reference that conveniently highlights the paint code listing:
Feel free to google the other codes to get a complete list of the options your truck came with. Please do not create a thread about it as there is more than enough information out there for you to find all of the codes on your own.
As for doors, as has been mentioned the front doors are the same on the 96+ s-series trucks and the interior panels differ through the years. You should be able to swap over all of your current stuff onto the replacement. If you have power windows/locks and using a newer door, you'll likely have to swap the wiring harness as well. A quick comparison when the doors are side by side will show what needs to be swapped over from your original door to the replacement.
I won't get into paint as I'm not one to try automotive paint myself and I know a few very good people that I can call on for that kind of work. I want my stuff to look factory or better and I know my limitations. If it were a tractor or implement, I can handle a HPLV gun like anyone else, but not something I want to shine up nice and not notice every single screw up I made...
Thank you.
I am a "It has to look like it did or better" guy myself too.. I really need two doors or doors fixed (if even possible) but for now, I'll settle for the one. I may even go look at one tomorrow. If the place is open....
I just hope it is not dented like mine. It shouldn't be, for them to be selling it, lol...
Here is that RPO, and only the top row is cut off, VIN number included.
The goal? Is how it was.. when I got it..
Last edited by swartlkk; 04-11-2020 at 10:25 PM.
Reason: Merging consecutive posts - Per the rules of the forum, use the edit feature to update your previous post rather than posting back to back. Failure to comply will result in loss of privileges.
So with a quick Google and your rpo codes you got this: U 9794(same as WA9794) L 8867(same as WA8867
the U and the L is just for upper and lower paint. The WA is the new generic code
^ That is awesome. Thank you again, DonL! (Not just DonL)
I drove it to and around and in NYC all day today. I can tell you.. this truck just isnt the same until I get at LEAST that one big dent out. The thing that kills it for me is my limited budget.
By my birthday, (months) hopefully I will have put aside ?? some to go see this door. Located in Corona, Queens. They were not open today. Apparently, they are usually open on Sundays, and I do somewhat remember the part where "all the car parts" are. Hopefully it a nice shiny good condition one. If it matches.. oh yes, will buy on the spot. Do NOT want to have one of those trucks, "Oh, you got a door replaced."
I may end up selling it (if someone will buy it?) maybe even in NYC market if I can't get this licked.
And then.. and then, we have the whole:
"I live in an HOA"
"I work two jobs"
"I dont have tools"
"I've never done THAT before"
.. in my case, ALL of the above are true, so, while I can appreciate that this should not turn into The Ongoing Neverending Saga with A Thread A Day over 93S10TahoeLT or whatever my name is's truck... I really do hope the "get the door" route is viable before we look at "other stuff" .
It is a bad pic, but.. Do the doors on this pic (this truck's color) look one shade darker to you? Should I even bother going to look? Or find another.. (donor door truck from a place that isnt closed)
Truck I found (for doors
Mine :
^ edit: I may have found my foot in Walnutport, PA at M&R Auto Parts. The NJ door seems a shade darker, off an LT maybe.
Last edited by 93S10TahoeLT; 04-16-2020 at 01:52 AM.
04-10-2020, 07:34 AM
