Finally, the Internet put to good use

The automotive industry seems particularly vulnerable to all manner of idiotic Internet-based ventures, but one Lake Tahoe guy's got an idea that we can't diss: touch-up paint on the Web.

That's right: www.PaintScratch.com boasts a catalog of more than 6,000 colors, claiming full coverage for all vehicles manufactured in the U.S. and Europe since 1980 — and goes back as far as ’52 for some models. Plug in the vehicle's year, make and model, and the site offers up the range of colors produced for that specific nameplate.

Beyond the obvious use for newer cars, the site provides a great historical reference for make/model availability — and the colors offered. For example, we punched in ’63 Corvette and were rewarded with a vibrant representation of the three ’Vette colors available in that wonderful year: Daytona Blue Poly, Riverside Red and Sebring Silver Poly. Bravo!

Okay, it ain't perfect: the sections for several import nameplates don't break down a year by model, instead offering only the colors. But dang it, there's a lot of info here, and Collin Harris, the site's founder and chief executive, brags that even General Motors Corp. refers persnickety color buffs to PaintScratch.com. For just $14.95, a bottle of touch-up paint — just like that sprayed on by the OE — comes right to your door.