Mercury Capri 11 Paint Info
The Color Breakdown
The Mercury Capri II (or "11" for those of us who skipped Roman Numeral day) kept things simple and punchy. Mercury only recorded 4 primary colors for this run, and they really went for it with the naming. You're likely holding a bottle of Signal Yellow, the crisp Diamond White, the bold Venetian Red, or the high-tech Strato Silver Metallic. It's a tight list, but when you have a car this stylish, you don't need fifty shades of grey to make a statement.
What to Watch For
Before you start dabbing, you need to find your "North Star"-the paint code. On these German-built beauties, check the driver's side door jamb first, but if it's gone missing over the decades, take a peek at the metal plate on the engine bay firewall or radiator support.
Keep an eye on the horizontal surfaces like the hood and roof. The 70s-era paint on these Capris-especially that gorgeous Venetian Red-tends to get a bit "chalky" or faded if it's spent too much time in the sun. Also, watch the edges of the doors; the factory application was often a bit thin there, meaning chips can jump straight to the metal if you aren't careful.
Driveway Repair Tip
If you're working with Strato Silver Metallic, you have a tiny galaxy of metal flakes in that bottle. These flakes love to nap at the bottom, so shake that bottle for a full two minutes-long after your arm starts to ache. If you don't, your touch-up will look like flat grey primer instead of shimmering silver.
When using the brush, remember: you aren't painting a fence. Don't try to fill a deep chip with one giant "glop" of paint. Use a tiny amount and build it up in two or three thin layers, waiting about 15 minutes between each. It requires patience, but it prevents that "volcano" look where the paint sits higher than the rest of the car.
