Color scheme ideas (also composite body parts)

[campbellcj]

I'm sure this has been covered before, but I'm looking for some ideas on a color scheme.

The car is L32K Phoenix Red and the paint is in excellent condition. A complete repaint is out of the question. However, it is a track car and so the interior is gutted, bumpers and certain body panels will be fiberglass/carbon and somewhat non-stock in appearance, and overall I feel no burning desire to stick to a completely original CW color scheme.

Anybody have cool pics to share of cars with something other than all black trim or all body color trim? I am kicking around using a little bit of contrast, maybe a white or yellow, in certain areas. Or, doing the body color thing to some extent but not 100% of the car, so there's still some black to break up the monotony. The rollcage could also be something other than black/grey, possibly, although that might be distracting.

A vintage style "race stripe" is yet another possibility.

Oh yeah - in case anybody was pondering the subject at this very moment, yes, fitting fiberglass panels is somewhat of a PITA. I had never even laid my hands on fiberglass before the last few days so I'm fairly proud of myself for not hosing things up too badly with the scroll-saw, drill, tin snips, and angle grinder. (I only drilled one wrong hole, LOL).

Just the bumpers (and losing the foglights and foghorn grilles) dropped approx 35-40lbs off the car. I'll probably do carbon lids (at some point) and a skin targa top too; guesstimating that would drop another ~70lbs. The doors and fenders will stay steel for the time being. I want to get the car between 1800-1900lbs (including cage and safety gear) and still have it look reasonably "stock".

Cheers,

[Jeroen]

Hey Chris,

IMHO, red is one of the most difficult colors to combine with other color accents...
Not a big fan of white or yellow to use with red. Somehow it make the car look cheap and plastic-like.

(like I said, that's my HUMBLE opinion, anyone out there with a red/white or red/yellow car: stay off my back 8^)

I'd try silver or maybe dark grey metalic.
Bumpers, rocker panels. Maybe racing-stripe

Perhaps do the roof in silver as well and do the racing stripe on the roof in red?

Cheers,

Jeroen

[Zeke]

Hey Chris, vintage racing stripes are cool. In fact, they're comming back on the street. A vintage color that already came back once is pearl white. Looks awsome w/ red. No flames, that's been overdone and it's just not Porsche. (I know, you didn't say anything about flames, I just brought it up so I'd get flamed )

[J P Stein]

I like Milts idea. Big wide white stripes and leave it alone.
The latest trends in racecar graphics leave me cold.

Of course, I'm the guy with primer.....WTF do I know?

[campbellcj]

FWIW, the car isn't really red (Phoenix Red is more like a deep/burnt orange; redder than tangerine or signal but still orange to most people's eyes).

I agree with going the somewhat conservative route. I'm gonna play with just basic black and white (trim/stripe) combos in Photoshop a bit. If I come up with anything interesting, I'll post pics for comments.

[Jeroen]

Hey Chris,

Yup, your right... more orange than red
I'd go for silver metalic for accents...

(perhaps a thin black contrast line where the silver meets the orange/red?)

Cheers,

Jeroen

[siverson]

If you do end up getting carbon fiber lids for, I'd seriously consider not painting them for a race car. The CF lids from GT racing are shiny and very pretty and ready to go without any painting.

http://914-6.com/914_with_cf_hood_600.jpg

Maybe all red with CF lids (look black from a distance) and a white/blue/green racing stripe down the middle of everything?

-Steve
(disclaimer: NOT a graphic artist! )

[Jeroen]

I'm no graphic artist either, nor do I play one on TV 8^)

But...

[campbellcj]

"No graphic artist" eh Jeroen? I couldn't draw a freehand 914 like that on the computer to save my life.

The grey/silver is an interesting idea. I'm not sure I want to carry any color onto the sides of the car, but the rockers/bumpers/top are definitely under consideration.

I also haven't decided if I want to (right now) paint the race numbers on the car.

The unpainted carbon lids are another thought; in that case keeping the other trim black might be the way to go, and then white or silver/grey gumballs for numbers.

[Jeroen]

Hey Chris,

As for numbers, gumballs etc.
Don't paint! Talk to your local vinyl cutter
If you get tired of it, or don't like it after all, you can just peel it off

Lemme know if you like another paint-scheme-preview (like above)...

cheers,

Jeroen

[rich]

If it ain't broke don't fix it. I like the gum ball idea for the numbers. I like the vinyl idea too.