I'm not a painter, nor an expert. But I can share my experience with PPG in both acrylic enamel and base/clear.

I have had my car painted in R4 using both acrylic enamel and base clear, both PPG. I had it resprayed in base clear after being unhappy with the body work and look of the acrylic enamel. I'm sure there are good and bad aspects to both paints.

Here's my

The acrylic enamel may have been "correct", but it doesn't look very nice when compared to base/clear. The people that love the correct acrylic enamel look seem to be the ones that have their car painted in it, and now they feel the need to defend it. I will say, the acrylic enamel on my car looked great in pictures and from about 10ft away in person. Nothing but disappointment when you would get close though. But that could've been the painter's fault.

With so many classic Mopars painted in base/clear these days, and all new cars in it as well, the acrylic enamel can't compare in a side-by-side comparison.

I would think the PPG base/clear would be pretty darn close in color. Of course it won't have all that orange peel, and people will argue that it isn't "correct". But let's face it, those are the same people that will just find something else on your car that is wrong.

I feel that my R4 looked more red in acrylic enamel, and now it looks more orange in base clear. I compared my original doors (didn't use in resto) in R4 to my newly painted car, and I can't tell a difference in tint or color.

Here is my car now in PPG R4 (Barracuda Orange) base/clear...