Tactical Pearl Tricoat (WA245F/GPH) Touch-Up Paint for Chevrolet

The Look

If you are looking at your Corvette, you are likely admiring one of the most technical reds ever put on a Chevy. While the marketing brochures call it Red Mist, the internal name is Chevrolet Tactical Pearl Tricoat (verify the code WA245F/GPH on your driver door jamb). This color was designed to replace the older, flatter reds with something that captures light on every sharp angle of the C8 body. It is a deep, liquid-looking finish that leans into a copper glow when the sun hits it directly, making the car look like it is glowing from within.

Technical Details

This is a complex tricoat finish, which means it relies on layers to build its depth. Beneath the surface sits a base layer packed with a high volume of metallic flakes, followed by a translucent pearl midcoat. Because of this multi-stage structure, the final look depends entirely on how you build those layers. If you apply the midcoat too heavily, the red will turn dark and lose its fire. If you apply it too light, the copper base will dominate and the repair will look orange. This finish shows every mistake if the flakes don't lay flat, so your spray distance or flow must remain consistent to avoid dark spots or stripes.

Best Practices

You can find your paint data on the driver door jamb; newer models use a QR code you can scan with your phone to confirm the match. The most important step for this specific color is mixing. The metallic flakes in the base are heavy and settle at the bottom of the container quickly. Shake your pen or can for at least two minutes until the mixing ball moves freely. Test the color on the included card to see how the red pearl interacts with the metallic base before you touch the car. When you work in your garage or the shade, keep the container moving to ensure the flakes distribute evenly across the surface. Apply thin, light passes and let the drying time pass completely between each layer to prevent the paint from bunching up or looking muddy.