OriginaL Color

Dann Smith · 10-09-2007, 08:40 AM

How important is it to keep the original color of a car? After 10 years of searching I finally found a 65' C coupe in very solid shape.
All solid body panels are solid and original. I just finished removing all the old undercoating. A little thin under the battery but not through. I found no rust other than some surface.
I'm going to have it taken down to metal, fix whatever body issues there are and repaint.
The car is Champagne Yellow. It grows on you after awhile.
Was this not a poplar color? The point is if I could paint it any color I want..I could take or leave the yellow. What do you guys think?
Thanks, Dann

lilacRS · 10-09-2007, 10:04 AM

As long as you paint it a color that was available in 65, color changes don't affect the value of the car. In some cases a color change may help, such as going from Togo Brown to any other 1965 factory color, though I'm starting to appreciate Togo as you rarely see it anymore.

drauz · drauz's Garage

Dann,
Sounds like you got a great car!
Jim Scrager addresses this every so often in SCM mag & 356 Registry. Upshot is it isn't THAT important, especially for a "common C Coupe" - unless it is (to the buyer). If you are completing this car to maximize its potential to deliver the highest possible return, then "as original repaint" would be the way to go. However, depending on the specific market conditions & your time-line, you might eek out little differential value, too. So - are you finishing to sell or enjoy for yourself?
Btw, recently, I have seen some striking Champagne Yellow in fresh repaint - I don't think the market would mind a bit. Good luck on getting it finished & back on the road!

Dann Smith · 10-10-2007, 03:43 AM

The car is for me to keep and drive. I'm not overly crazy about the other colors in 65' I may just keep it yellow. I haven't seen a yellow one back east.
All I picture is Jacklyn Bisset driving down the Cal freeway in Bullit with her yellow
Cab.

912UK · 912UK's Garage

Have to agree the colour is not a huge issue..

I have a 54 Pre A and It's a super rare colour Jade Green...

I HATE IT!!! no I really hate it..

so I have chosen a 1953 colour Radium Green which I like and is still going along the green lines but much more to my taste..

lilacRS · 10-10-2007, 08:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dann Smith

The car is for me to keep and drive. I'm not overly crazy about the other colors in 65' I may just keep it yellow. I haven't seen a yellow one back east.
All I picture is Jacklyn Bisset driving down the Cal freeway in Bullit with her yellow
Cab.

So what colors do you like? Have you seen all the 64/65 colors on actual cars?

Dann Smith · 10-10-2007, 12:25 PM

I have seen some but not all.
I've seen Ivory, Black,Red, Light Grey,Silver metallic.
I saw in a paint chart from 57 - 59 a Meissen Blue but I didn't see a car with it.
I like that silver/ lt. blue look.
There is a picture in an Austin Healey book with a beautiful silver/ blue , I would love that color. But no English colors for this car.
If anyone knows of this color I'm looking for , please let me know.
Thanks,
Dann

ralt12 · 10-10-2007, 05:55 PM

Slate Grey with red is awesome, as is the Ruby Red with Grey /oatmeal carpets, and Smyrna Green/Black. Fjord Green with Grey is excellent.

drauz · drauz's Garage

John's site is a great reference for 356 colors - he'll paint you a sample to evaluate, too.
http://www.willhoitautorestoration.com/PaintChart.htm

jac1976 · 10-14-2007, 07:37 PM

Dann,
My dad had a '65 C coupe in Champagne Yellow and wished he never sold it. I think it's a great classic color and would probably keep it. If not, then I would certainly go with a period-correct color.

Christian · 10-16-2007, 05:20 AM

After a while you'll appreciate the Champagne Yellow. especially after you go to a few events and notice every car is either Ivory, Red, or Silver (mine being Silver of course). I miss my Original Heron Grey but liked the color Adria Blue Metallic even better. Adria Blue is similar to the Austin Healey Blue someone was talking about earlier in this post. Regardless, its your car, choose a color you (or more importantly your wife) likes. Enjoy it!
Christian

GSpreeman · GSpreeman's Garage

Now, if you want some cool obscure Porsche colors, try Turkish Red or Strawberry Red. Magnificent!

Soterik · Soterik's Garage

Adria Blue Metallic...John Willhoit did this car.

ralt12 · 10-25-2007, 02:31 PM

Here's Royal Blue , in a current eBay ad

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/1960-Porsche-356b-T-5-Coupe-Royal-Blue_W0QQitemZ150174858670QQihZ005QQcategoryZ6428Q QssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohost ing

unrelated to seller, etc...

Dann Smith · 10-26-2007, 03:13 AM

Thanks guys. I really appreciate your comments and opinions. After much consideration I've decided to keep it Champagne Yellow. As I said before, it grows on you.It goes into paint shop next week. I'll keep you posted.
Dann

jcnesq · 10:56 PM

I kind of like Champagne Yellow, its original, and you don't see too many of them.

How are you getting the paint color "correct"? I have heard that some of the Glasurit formulae for 60's Porsches aren't necessarily correct. If you haven't already done so, suggest you buy a color card from John Willhoit (link in a post above) either to have your painter exactly match the color or at least to check against what you plan to use before spraying.

BTW, my 356 was originally Slate Grey, has an aging and somewhat cheap Ruby Red repaint, and I am planning to do a bare metal repaint in Signal Red (so far, unless I change my mind, but I don't particularly like Slate Grey).

Dann Smith · 04:37 AM

I went to the Porsche dealer I bought my 996 from. I gave the color number(6405) to the paint dept. They put it into the computer and it comes up with the exact amounts of the 4 colors that make up Champagne Yellow. Then they mixed a small bottle for me to check on the car. It'ss the right color.
By the way way to get to Ch. Yellow, they use white, mustard yellow, a deep burgundy and black. It's pretty neat.
She goes in this week. He'll probably have it 6 - 8 weeks ( I hope).
I'll keep you updated.

luftgekuhlt · 10-29-2007, 10:14 AM

"I went to the Porsche dealer I bought my 996 from. I gave the color number(6405) to the paint dept. They put it into the computer and it comes up with the exact amounts of the 4 colors that make up Champagne Yellow."

I love the color of my original Champagne Yellow '65 Coupe. It's a unique yellow if you look around at today's car colors and I think only 7% of 356s were painted this color. Glad to hear about the availability of the paint from dealers. I need to get some for touch up.

Mark

drauz · drauz's Garage

Dann, I've seen this issue discussed in detail on the 356 Registry TalkList (you can serach that db, you don't have to be a member, but all long-term 356 owners should consider it). If you want to be certain that the "new, dealer-supplied" recipe will yield precisely the same color as when the car was new, you might want to get a Willhoit color sample, or talk with him (or another experienced 356 restoration shop) to understand the changes in chemistry & paint systems, and how it varies "true color". If that doesn't matter, no issues. best of luck!