Latest project: 911T Gulf orange w/brown interior. Keep it original?

[BottleNose]

Hi all,

Now that my olive green '71 911T Targa is almost finished (will be for sale soon), it's time to start on my next project. It is a 1973.5 911T targa. According to the factory, my car was ordered with special order Gulf Orange with a chocolate brown leather interior.

I've searched around Pelican, and I can't find any pictures of Gulf Orange cars. Plenty of Tangerine/Blutorange and Signal orange, but no Gulf. It was a special order color for 1972 and 73. I think it's the orange used on the Gulf racing Porsches of the era.

Has anyone else seen an orange car with chocolate brown interior before? The brown interior is still there and pretty nice, but the exterior needs a complete repaint. I always restore my cars back to original colors, but it's a combo that I just can't imagine looking good together.

Thanks for any help.

[Scott Douglas]

I vote keep it original.
I think the Gulf Orange has less red in it than Tangerine which you usually see in combo with black interiors. The chocolate brown would go with the Gulf better than Tangerine in that respect and I think it would almost appear to be black when put up against it.
Special order cars are special just for that reason.
Just my $.02 worth.

[bill romero]

It WILL look good (great) when done. Keep original. Just my two cents. -Bill

[tb912]

I think it will be especially cool if you order a COA. that would help it feel more worthwhile I think.
Good Luck!

[TRE Cup]

Some combinations of colors on Porsches could be unusual. But when it comes to the long hood cars, you gotta go back to original. Especially with gulf orange !

[BottleNose]

Thanks for the advice all. Nobody has seen pictures of a Gulf orange 911? Must be a very rare color.

[crater64]

Originally Posted by BottleNose

Thanks for the advice all. Nobody has seen pictures of a Gulf orange 911? Must be a very rare color.

Have you tried the Early S Registry? A quick search there found these Gulf Orange cars:





See also http://www.elferhelfer.de/farben/farben72-73.htm.

Hope this helps,
Ed

[Jgordon]

Definitely keep it original. Gulf is cool, chocolate interiors are cool, and originality is cool. That and it'll look great together.

Oh, and you should sell it to me for a song when you're done. Post many pics.

[canamfan]

Oh yeah......"Original" baby, original. I think it would be quite a looker/combo. I would love to see that combo and what a bonus being O.E. my cents.

[BottleNose]

Thanks for the pics! I do like that color...and it will look good with the 1973 correct blackout trim, horn grilles, and PORSCHE lettering.

I still think the chocolate brown interior will look odd with orange, but I can always change the interior out with a spare black interior I have. I will post pics when the paint job is done and make a decision then.

Now all I need to do is find a formula so the paint store can mix it up with modern paints. Any ideas where to find a paint formula?

Thanks for all the help so far!

[nameisbauer]

I don't care if its original or not. Orange and Chocolate is an amazing color combo. The fact that is original is just icing on the cake. Keep it for sure!

[snbush67]

Halloween chocolate cake

I don't care if its original or not. Orange and Chocolate is an amazing color combo. The fact that is original is just icing on the cake. Keep it for sure!

[Jay Laifman]

My $.02 on tan/brown interiors: I have a 1973.5 Viper Green/Cork interior. I love it. But, I also realize that it seems most 911 interiors are black. To me there is a difference. The brown/tans/tartans give it a more sporting Germanic look, while the black interior gives it more of a teutonic perhaps aggressive look. The tans are more of an open feeling, while the blacks are more closed.

These are just random thoughts from my point of view. Everyone is different. But, that orange/brown interior sounds perfect. In fact, if I bought my car new (I bought it with 40k on it over 20 year ago, still original paint and interior), and I had the choice, I think I would have done orange/brown.

[crater64]

Originally Posted by snbush67

Halloween chocolate cake

I was thinking a little bit of a Cleveland Browns look myself.

Originally Posted by Jay Laifman

My $.02 on tan/brown interiors: I have a 1973.5 Viper Green/Cork interior. I love it. But, I also realize that it seems most 911 interiors are black. To me there is a difference. The brown/tans/tartans give it a more sporting Germanic look, while the black interior gives it more of a teutonic perhaps aggressive look. The tans are more of an open feeling, while the blacks are more closed.

These are just random thoughts from my point of view. Everyone is different. But, that orange/brown interior sounds perfect. In fact, if I bought my car new (I bought it with 40k on it over 20 year ago, still original paint and interior), and I had the choice, I think I would have done orange/brown.

My own car is Irish Green over black. Someone on another board (who's also here, IIRC) described it as having "a very tweed jacket sort of thing going on." I guess that color combo is about as British as a German car will get, but I look at it as just a very standard scheme for a very standard 911T - well, except for that transmission...

In a perfect world I think I'd like tan for that less claustrophobic feel; however the upholstery is in great shape as are the door panels and interior vinyl (note I did NOT say the door pockets ) so black they will stay. I'm going to need a headliner one of these days and I'll stay with the off-white again to fend off claustrophobia.

[SteveDraz]

Did someone say Cleveland Browns? Goooo Browns!

[BottleNose]

The 911 is finally painted in its original Gulf Orange after a whole year in the body shop. Still needs panels aligned and the windows and trim installed. When it comes to my friend who does body work, you can pick two of any three: Good, Fast, and Cheap. I picked Good and Cheap, if you can call $4000+ cheap.

Here's more pics, before and after: Gulf Orange '73.5 911T Targa - a set on Flickr





The orange on brown is growing on me after seeing it in the flesh.

I'm about ready to sell my previous project, a '71 911T Targa in original Olive Green that went through a similar year-long paint job a couple years ago. I've been enjoying it, but I need the funds to finish the orange one.

'71 911T Targa, Olive Green, Very nice, SoCal

[techweenie]

Orange/brown -- very "period" combination. And you won't see too many others like it.

[kidrock]

that's gonna be so cool.

[rfloz]

Good combination!

My '84 is GP White w/ Cadbury Brown. Cadbury is a very dark brown and looks black except under pretty good light. I've grown to like it, but it isn't easy to find matching leather or carpet pieces when doing repairs.

[jjwood]

I wonder how close gulf orange is to my continental orange (color #107) long hood. wouldn't mind changing my interior over to choc brown maybe with b&w houndstooth seat inserts. hmm