Carmon Red Metallic

Trying to decide what color to paint my new ride. Seen Caymans/Boxters w/ this color, which looks good. Anybody have a Speedster w/ this on it? Or similar? Send or post pix.

That is a very nice color, very rich looking. With a tan interior it should be awesome.

Bruce, your car is VERY RED. Also an official Porsche color, I note. And you have got me pegged spot-on: The Speedster is the car I wish I had in the 60's. I did have a couple of Coupes bck then (an A and a B) but have always yearned for the roadster. Never too late, you say; I'm counting on that too. John Steele can't go fast enough. Actually, until I make my final call on colors he can't go at all, so I gotta stand up and hook up, as they say.

Yep,

My car is red and surprise, a tan interior. I like the Camron a lot but I always have liked the red with a tan interior. John Steele should be able to get you going without you picking a color. It was several weeks after he got my body shell that he painted it. They always say that red and a roadster/speedster go together! I ordered my speedster about this same time in 03, you'll have it time for true top down season.

Where do you live? I think the Camron red would look great on a Speedy. Good luck and tell John Hi.

Bruce

Kelly,

I called it Camron Red instead of Carmon Red. I've done that several times. I had Healey's and MG's in the 60's and alwasy admired the 356's. Finally have a clone and life is good. What engine are you going with? I had a built 2110 put in mine last fall and yikes what a differance from the 1776 that was in there before.

Bruce

Bruce,

I saw a post elsewhere in this BB w/ a comment about torque being addictive. Mea culpa!! I am getting the 2332 cc engine, and will be able to have daily, or possibly hourly tending to continuous fixes so long as I can afford the gas.

Kelly

Kelly - here's a link to a photo I shot of a "Carmon Red Metallic" Speedster at The Ventura Show a couple of years ago. Believe it or not, this is an original Speedster color that you could special order.
On a replica it would be a knockout!
If you're going to do a "cork" interior, consider doing charcoal square-weave carpets instead of tan. If you wanted to carry the "deviating colors" scheme all the way, you could do a black leather dash top, and black leather door tops with all the other interior trim being cork. Then, naturally, a black top and tonneau. Wow!
Another interior color that looks dynamite with CRM is dark gray...and again the deviating dash/door tops in black.

http://www.infive.com/autofest/image/dscn0700.jpg

The only real Porsche red is - Guard Red. Trust me, my uncle works as a body man at a Porsche dealership. I looked at several reds until he staged an intervention on me. I'm glad he did. It is HOT! I have the Paint Blend Numbers if you need them.

Todd,

There have been a number of Red's in Porsches arsonal, Guards Red about the most popular. The afore mentioned Carmon Red is authenic Porsche as is Signal Red, Ruby Red, Orient Red, and one call Turkish Red. Might be a few others in the years gone by. Mine is the Guards Red as is yours. I like it as do most others.

Bruce

John thats a beautiful "Carmon Red Metallic". That would have been my first choice with light grey interior had I not found my current baby. Thanks for sharing - Mel

This is a handy resource:
http://convertibledregistry.com/facts_info_colors.html

John and Mel, Can't thank you guys (and the others too!) enough for the help here. So many others have had the same agony I'm enduring. First: there is no color that would render this car ugly -- I don't think. Everyone I've seen is clearly wonderful, in its own way. Said another way: no matter what I choose, it's going to be beautiful. So I am agonizing over getting that last 10% just right. Mel, I may have mentioned that going in I was thinking a dark blue, and was finding the Midnight Blue version awfully dark. Cobalt Blue too light; Marine Blue-??-. Your Patriot Blue looks gorgeous, I gotta say. So I guess I'm bi-polar: first I want blue, then I want red. These are dead opposites on the color wheel. Go figure . . . Anyway here is a shot from the Converible D page, from an Italian Rally, I think it says. This site was mentioned by Cory. Note the one off to the left: looks to be CRM (or nearly so) w/ tan insides. Works for me. I continue the struggle.

Kelly, I saw an Audi A4 convertible yesterday with the perfect blue-on-blue combo. As wrong as Mercedes and BMW get it, this was a dark blue body and a dark blue top. Very nice combination.

This TT has the combo on it:

http://www.audittcca.com/photo_gallery/moro/tt003.jpg/view

Kelly,

You said it "no matter what I choose, it's going to be beautiful" and i'm sure many if not all would agree. My "Patriot Blue" was something that came from the original owner. You might have to buy two or three to keep from kicking yourself with colors remores(sp). Everytime I look at these photo's I see a different color/car i want.

Maybe we can start a Fractional Ownership Program. Someone from down south for half the year with someone up north. The northener can have a coupe for the winter months while the convert is down south. Just a thought.

Cory - hows that engine of yours coming along?

Kelly - the TT pic link Cory posted is a beautiful color combination; it's actually exactly what my wife has on her Boxster. It's Porsche Midnight Blue Metallic with the Metropol Blue Top and Gray interior.
http://www.infive.com/carpix/987_218_sideview.jpg
http://www.infive.com/carpix/987_218_nose.jpg
http://www.infive.com/carpix/987_218_butt.jpg

While it IS a stunning combo, it's not anywhere close to an original look for a Speedster. Personally, I think it's a little too "contemporary looking" for a 356.

Having said that...it's YOUR car; you should get what makes you happy.

Folks,

My problem w/ the Midnight Blue Metallic, which looks very cool in the photos, is that it looks near to black in most settings when I look at it live. I have come to realize that photos taken on cloudless days outdoors manage to reflect a lot of the blue sky. One car I saw on the web looked the perfect shade of blue, but when I e-mailed the guy he laughed and said the car was actually a metallic, kinda irradescent green. He sent me other pictures to prove it. Very strange . . .

Maybe its my eyes (?!) but on the dealer's lot some black and Midnight Blue cars looked the same. Porsche also has a color called Marine blue metallic, and that is just a whisker lighter (still a dark blue by any measure), and actually looks dark blue in most lighting. Of course, they did not have any cars painted this color. Attached is a shot I pulled from somewhere (SOC BB no doubt) that seems to match my initial "image" for color combo, given the choice to go dark blue. But I admit the Carmon Red is now pulling me really hard in the other direction. Oh woe is me . . . Thanks, guys, for trying to help me out here. And quite right: in the end this is my call, of course. I think I am now down to just two options -- that has to be progress.

John-

Wow. Can I live in your carriage house? Surely a show-biz mogul like yourself needs a pool boy.... or somethin'.... Can I borrow the car tonight, boss?

BTW, what's for dinner?

PS: here is the same car, different perspective; tell me it does not look black.

Kelly, go with the carmon red. It looks outta sight and have never seen another Speedster this color except for the photo you added. It sounds like you will never find the right blue and have probably talked yourself out of it. Just jump off the cliff. Have fun with your new red/blue car when you get it.

Luke, You have solved the problem: One side red, the other blue!! I can have cake and eat it too. Thanks for the suggestion.

The carmon red color sure looks like the color that Jordan Christiansen's IM roadster is painted to me. What do you think?

http://speedsterowners.com/files/view.asp?sf=jordanharrison&f=DSC00015%2Ejpg

Jordan's IM looks a little "lighter" than Porsche's Carmon Red Metallic, Hoss, although in a photo it's tough to really differentiate.

Kelly, I think CRM with a cork (darker than tan) leather interior will be a color combination that will turn heads. I also feel it's a combo you won't tire of.

As I said earlier, consider doing the "deviated carpet" trick, which would make the carpets black or dark gray rather than tan. If you're feeling adventurous, black door tops and a black dash top (perhaps with the cork dash pad?) would also complement the overall look.

Either way you go - you can't go wrong with the Carmon Red Metallic. It's a deep, rich, almost Merlot kind of color with just enough metal flake in it to be really interesting. And the bonus is - not many Speedsters real or replica are sportin' that color.

john, do you do VO's?

Yes, I do.

John,

Gottcha on the carpet business. Steele says he likes a standard plush carpet vs. the square weave stuff, for handling attributes, I think, but more color options maybe. He definitely was against a similar color to the seats (i.e., oatmeal, square weave) thinking a contrast to the seats would be the right thing. And so you second that motion. The other car on the post above is a bit redder than the CRM, just looking at the picture. I am all but decided to go w/ this dark red/burgundy option. Thanks to all, again, for the advice and info. When I was looking/thinking/dreaming about this car a few months back, I heard that the SOC was THE place to go to get info. THAT was the best advice I have gotten so far. Pls stay tuned . . .

Looks like it Hoss. Pretty damn close!
I like it almost as much as my color.
The only problem with the plush carpet, especially in black, is that it shows every bit of lint and seems to attract it like flies. At least it doesn't smell like a wet dog when it gets wet.
Make sure you go with cocoa mats as well.
I'd go with black interior with red piping, tan carpet and tonneau, black top.
Take a look at Jim Ward's speedster. It's ruby instead of Carmon red but it is a beautiful color combination.

Terry,

How did I miss your car in the SOC photo gallery? Just awesome, my man. The leater is perfect, but I am not so keen on the dead black carpet. You mention the trouble w/ it showing EVERY damn thing, and I read you loud and clear there. And no, this is not CRM color, but is simply gorgeous by any measure. The shots of the paint brand new at the shop and then all trimmed out are incredible. All I have seen at John's shop, and these pix too, convince me that wrt paint (and much else) there is none better than what John gets done.

Yours and others comments have me believe that the square weave stuff stinks when wet. Getting wet, out here on the east coast, seems like more than a passing chance. I don't think I'd like wet-dog smell. What's the scoop w/ that? And all you SoCal folks can just butt out of this one -- I'm looking for actual experience.

Kelly - I found one more shot...from The Ventura Show 2005. Shows what the black interior looks like.

http://www.infive.com/Ventura05/image/p9100014151.jpg

Kelly,
There is a synthetic square weave product out there. I believe it was discussed here recently.
Do a search and see what comes up. otherwise start a new thread on the subject. Several of these "wise guys" are sure to respond ;)
Thanks for the compliment. Have fun with your build.
BTW, Have you thought of what wheels your going to use?

Terry,

My Newbie-ness is showing: how do you do a search? That would be a great idea. As to wheels, the CRM car in the link just above is about it, I think. These look to be like the basic JPS wheel: chromed steel. Have choice on hubcaps: Moons, super w/ crest or these things, i.e., "flat" supers. There's much to choose from on wheels too, and the basic steel pressings are "traditional", a look I do not mind. Also, there is the budget to think of, as I am already over in that department. Good thing about wheels: I can get some of them just about any time.

On the Forum page, bottom of the page.
I did a quick search and came up with discussion but no definitive info.
Just start a new thread with Synthetic Square weave in the title.
Being a Newbie you can ask such questions.
Call a couple upholstery shops that specialize in older cars. They might have a source.
When you get an opportunity, why don't you list your build specs; engine, pan year, options, etc. Lot of guys here would love to help you make the right choice.
Angela and Esther, too.

OK folks, I think I'm gonna pull the plug -- or trigger -- depending on your point of view. Went back to the Porsche lot and looked again at the Cayman in this color. It looked as good the second time as the first, maybe better. Also had a tan (beige) interior, lighter than what I would like, but something of the right look. I think I'm done w/ the hand ringing -- now just have to tell Steele and get on to the next crisis: carpets that don't stink. Synthetic square weave is the idea, as I hear it.

Terry,

I think I told about my car's specs in the other Newbie thread about roll bars. Steele offers a selection of four synthetic square weaves, and so maybe I can find one that will go w/ the other choices. John further notes that only the folks who DON'T drive his cars are doing the complaining about stinky wet carpets, as the cars he builds don't leak. So there.

Hmmm, better see if my leak warrenty is current, LOL.

That's the question I asked my doctor!

With all due respect to John Steele, His cars do leak. In several spots. Through the front of the side curtains by the windshield, where the side curtain meets the top. Mine leaked through the doors until I had John put in extra weatherstripping. I had a problem with water puddling behind the seat when driving in the rain.
Believe me, they leak. They all leak, including the originals. Unless you put honest to God real wind up windows in, they're going to leak.
I'm not complaining because I knew what to expect before I had my car built. I learned a lot from this sight.
Do a search on the subject. I believe Alan Merklin, Stan Galat and Gordon Nichols did step by step instructions on how to alleviate most of the leak problems.
Speedsters are fair weather cars that need to be in a garage when they're not being driven.
John Steele builds a helluva car and I can guarantee you'll be happy with yours as long as you have realistic expectations.
Somewhere on another thread the question was asked why there are so many low mileage speedsters for sale. The answer is that some owners have unrealistic expectations.
By the way, I average about 5,000 miles a year in Penny.

Terry,

I believe I have my eyes as wide open as possible. Very much appreciate the vector for discussions here about weather-improving (weather-proofing might not quite be accurate). I'll look into that. John makes a Lexan side curtain that he says works better vs. rain leaks than "standard" side curtains. He thinks they work too well, as they do not alow as much breathing, and so things fog up sooner under damp conditions. I am thinking of having a set of each, so can see what works best. Also, going to get synthetic fiber carpet.

Kelly - the Lexan side curtains provides a much needed larger viewing area. As far as the fogging, a small pop-out (round) vent can be added for better air flow.

Mel, et al.,

Is there anything you guys have NOT thought of? I'll bet not . . .