Ford Charcoal (Interior) (32586 (Ditzler)) Touch Up Paint

The Look

This is the definitive cockpit color for the 1969 model year. While it might look like a simple black at first glance in a dim garage, it is actually a complex, deep grey designed to add texture and class to the Ford cabin. Since your vehicle has likely seen decades of sun and heat, the original finish might have flattened out or faded, but this fresh application brings back the intended factory depth. It provides a serious, masculine backdrop that makes chrome trim and instrument clusters pop without the distracting glare of a high-gloss finish.

Technical Details

You are working with a metallic poly finish, which means there are tiny flakes suspended in the paint. This is where most people run into trouble. If you apply the paint too heavily in a single pass, those metal flakes will sink to the bottom of the wet layer and clump together, making the touch-up look significantly darker and muddier than the rest of the trim. To get that correct satin shimmer, you need the flakes to stand up and catch the light evenly. It requires patience and a light touch to ensure the metallic particles distribute themselves across the surface rather than drowning in a puddle of pigment.

Best Practices

The first thing you should do is verify your code on the driver side door jamb, usually found on the data plate. Before you spray or dab Ford Charcoal (Interior) (check for code 32586 (Ditzler)), you need to shake it for 60 seconds. Because this is a metallic mix, the heavy flakes settle at the bottom of the container and must be fully integrated for an accurate match. Test the color on the included card to get a feel for the flow. When you move to the car, keep the container moving at all times to avoid heavy spots. Allow for plenty of drying time between very light layers to build the color up gradually for a factory-correct look.