Your Favorite color?

Well here I sit with my car about ready to paint and I still have not picked out a color. I wanted a nice slick 3 stage paint but just a little too pricey right now so I am back to a solid color.

I thought red but so many are already that color. Black is not for me either. Any suggestions out there? I have a tan interior and top. My wife likes pearle white and that probably wouldn't be bad. What is your favorite?

Thanks,
Ben

Well Ben, I'm in the same boat. I was sure I was going to go with metallic silver, but after seeing lots of great paint jobs at Knott's I have been all over the place on color. I have a red (wine) interior so my color choices might be a little different than yours. John Leader suggested checking out Bali Blue. I found lots of examples of this but the local Wesco had a problem finding the color. You can't just say you are looking for Bali Blue. So after looking at some color books I found another blue that looked nice. Ossi Blue.

What do you think? Mike's new JPS with Blue Denium Pearl was a great color too, but that doesn't fit into the solid color scheme.

Ben,

You sure you're against solid black? - it goes (IMHO) fantastically with tan interior and top.

Simon

I'm in the same boat and soon I will have to make a desicion, I'm considering black, or silver metallic

Ben: It's always a good idea to please your wife - if she doesn't like the color then she won't want to ride around in it.......

If she likes a Pearl White, then you may have to go the 3-part route. Take a look at the front and rear views in Nichols1 in the Photos section to see my Pearl. It's 1999 Audi Pearl White, a Deltron 2000 color: Solid Base coat is DBC 91466 and Pearl top coat is DBC 91468 then it's covered with clear coat. Yes, it was expensive, but it's VERY cool and I had scrimped on a lot of the rest of the car and decided I needed to treat myself. If you like Blue, Jerome Smith has a beautiful blue on his Street Beast.

BTW: There are about 40 variations on Pearl White from different car manufacturers - some shimmer gold, some blue, some silver, some pink.....it's best to take the chip book outside in the sun and see how they look at different angles.

I have seen a few black Speedsters with Tan or Fawn interiors and they're strikingly nice.

Another color alternative is to simply drive around a watch for car colors that you both like and then scrounge a bit to get the paint code for that car model and see if the local paint supplier has it. This way, you and your wife can see something moving and both decide you might like it - especially if it's a solid color, which would be more economically applied saving you bucks.

gn

Here is an example of a white IM with a red interior. The problem with black is it's too popular and there are too many of them around. You'd be just one of many.
Ron

Here is an example of a white IM with a red interior. The problem with black is it's too popular and there are too many of them around. You'd be just one of many.
Ron

Boy, is my mouse sensitive this morning.
Ron

Perhaps you are handling it to roughly?

I've got a black one and can't recommend enough AGAINST it. They magnify every imperfection. my $.02

a black car or a black mouse?

The shade of silver that the gal with the Intermeccanica at Knotts had, had a slight undercolor cast of bronze, taking silver to a new level... sometimes silver can be a bit icey, and when paired against a striking interior it makes for a stronger contrast than the eye can sort sounds like a wine label, or at least a reviw from an art college drop out sorry.

Black, better have ane excellent pre-paint prep and make sure all imperfections are deleted or they'll show big time .

Silver metallic, pure hell to do a match or touch up ask your body shop!

I agree with Gordon, take your wife out for a ride and hit a few new car dealer lots and check colors you can get the color name and code off the window sticker too

Alan

Righto Alan on silver. When it's new, clean and unblemished, it's hard to beat and a really classic vintage Porsche color. I've had bad luck with this color, seduced in the showroom and sorry later at least three times. However, whatever the paint manufacturers have done seems to have improved the durability; remember the terrible problems GM had with the color in the 70's and 80's? I have just found silver to be a magnet for chips and a bitch for the novice to touch up.

My choice is red for an exterior color, although a dark blue was a close second. I chose a bright, cheery color which makes a statement (yow-zir) and, being non-metallic, should not be bad to touch up when the inevitable first stone chip occurs.
my 2 kroner
John H.

OK, here's my paint color story:

It's January, 1974 in Massachusetts. I'm trying to get my '46 Ford coupe painted before I get married and move to Connecticut (but the car will stay in Mass. until I get garage space). I've been working on it for months, it's been totally sand blasted and preped, but not yet primered and we're down to only a few days til the wedding.

I always wanted it to be the color of a regular coffee (1 cream, 2 sugars for non-Rhode Islanders) or like Sahara Sand. I hit the paint shops and find a Lincoln Mark IV color called "Buff" that looks just like what I want, so I get enough to do the car, primer and all. I managed to spray the no-sand primer the next day, but then wedding planning things get in the way, and I'm now down to the wire on the Wedding, so I decide to paint the car starting at 4am ON MY WEDDING DAY. Starting that early should let me get done by 9am (the wedding's at 5pm) so I should be all set, Right?

I prepared everything the night before except mixing the paint, then get up before everybody (except my dad - he's always up at 4am), and mix up the whole batch and load the gun.

I make my first few passes and say to myself: "Damn! That looks PINK!". I make a few more passes, and still it looks kind-of pink, almost like the color of the palm of my hand (Hmmmmm.....maybe I should have paid attention to the name, "Buff").

Now I've got the front end painted and, while it's still kind-of Pink, I figure (OK, HOPE, really) that it'll dry sandy-looking. Oh, the hell with it!!!! I can't stop now! I'm getting married in less than 12 hours and this is the only time I'll have to do this.

To shorten the story, look into nichols1 under Photos at my 46 coupe......It did dry a little less pink, but it was still pink.

Color chips.......I don't trust them!

BTW: Kathy's still married to me, 30 years later!

Aquamarine metallic or ivory would look good with your interior and top colors.

Ben, are you going to paint the car or are you going to have someone else do it?

WOW! What a response! Thanks! It seems that red, silver, white and black are the most popular colors out there. I do like silver but like you guys say, a real pain to touch up.

Ricardo: I did think about the aquamarine but with my luck I would end up with mint metallic. I have seen a Ivory, bordering on tan, that was very appealing, very classic.

Chris: I like the Ossi blue. The original color I wanted was close to that but was a PPG 3 stage paint. It had a black pearl base with a metallic electric blue over and then clear. the final effect is sort of color shifting blue/black. What make is the ossi blue?

Simon: Had a black with tan Miata. I liked it too but kind of tired of that scheme having had it before. Besides, I am a little rusty at bodywork, not sure I am up to black. My car is a 20 year unfinished CMC Kit. One of their early cars I think. I would also add that your car is awesome.

Alan: Excellent idea about the car lots. I have perused the files here but I think that has only made it harder, so many great looking cars!

John H.: That is the color I had picked out originally. Late model Chevy truck red. classic, cheery and a beautiful color for any sportscar!

Ron: You ought to send that mouse to a therapist. Over sensitivity if often a sign of deeper problems....

Gordon: Maybe you should see a therapist. Painting a car 12 hours before your wedding? But then again, there are those paint fumes....
But seriously, you are correct, hard to tell what the whole car will look like based on a 1 inch square patch of paint.

Another problem here is that I have a choice between light tan or a darker tan interior. Hmmm...

BEN, HAVE U EVER THOUGHT OF GOING FOR THE THIRD OF THE 3ORG COLORS( RED, SILVER & ....... WAIT FOR IT BROWN)? I KNOW IT DOESN'T SOUND GREAT BUT I LIVED IN STUTTGART GERMANY FOR 4.5YRS AND I USE TO SEE A BROWN ORIGINAL 57'SPEEDSTER EVERY DAY ON MY WAY TO WORK. IT REALY LOOKS GOOD AND WOULD DEF MATCH YOUR TOP AND INT.

And lasty..you can't go wrong with primer grey :~)

I think the grey/green that Scott sloan painted his car is one of the best looking non-traditional paint schemes i've seen. If I were to get another one it would probably be that color. And an outlaw look.

Alan......speaking of gray primer, haven't yet seen any Speedster in Black Primer (maybe with red stock wheels ?) The retro hot-rod look on a Speedster!!

Ben, egad! Late model Chevy truck red??? Oh well, at least I'll be welcome at the truck stops. The color is Torch Red and I have seen it used on late model 'Vettes. It looks very similar to Guards Red, but is not an exact match to that color. I was happy when I saw it on the car and will be even more happy when I can see it in my garage.

Ben, We went through the same thing with our VS. I really wanted silver with dark blue interior. Then we saw the cream with tan that Kirk has on his website. We feel in love with that combinatiion and have never had any second thoughts. The color is an older style color which helps make the car look more authenic. I can't tell you number of people that stop to ask were we got the car. Good luck

Just a mind wandering thought ....wonder why no one has gone with a non stock "retro" look with wide white walls and a dark green? A few years a go at a VW show I saw a Karmen Ghia with this combo and it was stunning!

Ossi blue is a 1968/69 Porsche 911/912 color.

www.912registry.org/restore/pcode.htm

Not that this matters any but most of the peoples choice awards at Knott's went to Blk Cars.
A blk Spyder and a blk Speedster.

Black seems to have eye appeal as well as "sell" ...
I built two '23 T' Bucket Roadters this past year
done in 2003 GM Onyx black and chromed out engine etc.
Both sold on ebay at " Buy It Now " prices
before the auctions were on for more than a couple of days.

Red is the Hottest Color. and you can"t go wrong with it, the best for resell projects.

But its also the most expencive to buy and repair. Omni make a one coat paint that you can punch up by adding clear right in it..

It woun't be as deep as three stage, but it won't be shameful eather.

Red also fades the quickest/most.
Ron

How about a PORS 182 Chiffon White........I LOVE IT......it is a Porsche color from the 80's, but looks very authentic. I have no clue how it is done though and it may be expensive? See picture below

One of my brother's friends had that in the 60's on his 356 - we used to call it "Kelvinator White". It's REALLY white, is a solid color, was (if memory serves) an acrylic enamel and went on reasonably well. You could top it with a couple of coats of clear to make it "pop". I think Ditzler had that color, too.

I have a local guy here in Pa. that uses urethane enamel on all of the cars he has shot for me. This goes on easy, reasonable costs and buffed to an extremely high gloss.

it looks almost cream with a hint of yellow, it depends on the lighting when it is bright out it is almost white and when it is dark it looks like it has a little yellow to it.........looks clean all the time

BTW...an earlier post mentioned black winning awards, and I think this is part of your decision.....if you plan to show the car and try to win trophies versus drive it a lot and not clean it all the time.

I found out that it is a Glasurit paint, does anyone know what that is exactly?

Glasurit is a high quality German paint. Porsche uses it and so does Henry at Intermeccanica.

He painted my Car with Glasurit, a Dark Blue solid, almost black, original Porsche color, that looks great! My enterior color sounds as thou it might be close to yours. I have people tell me what a great color combo it is all the time.

Tough to decide... but once you do, don't look back.

Dark blue exterior with a dark tan interior...what a combo!
Ron

That was my original desire - dark blue with tan interior.

But I got red with tan

I really like the red and tan combo!!! Roberts car is a nice color because it shows well and isn't to bad to keep clean.

Well, Steven, you are more than welcome to come and wash and wax the thing whenever you want ;-)

But, thanks for the compliment.