Paint original color or not???

[bill romero]

Greetings All,

My '73.5 is finally ready for paint & I'm having a bit of a problem with paint. The original color is 024 Rose Red. Rose Red is PINK. If I was keeping the car, I'd keep it original because I'm a purist when it comes to these cars. I've restored 10 911s over the past 20 years & kept or returned all to original color.

I will be selling the car when ready to help pay for my daughter's college. I'd like to sell the car for as much as I can.

My questions are...

1. Will an original pink car sell for fair market value?

2. Is there any interest (demand) in an original pink (rose red 024) '73.5 911T?

3. Will it hurt the car's value if I do a color change but in another Porsche Red?

4. What will bring in the most $$$? Original pink or another Porsche Red?

Thank you all for your opinions, Bill

[Macroni]

Originally Posted by bill romero

My questions are...

1. Will an original pink car sell for fair market value?
Yes, it will attract greater interest due to its originality.

2. Is there any interest (demand) in an original pink (rose red 024) '73.5 911T?
I am not certain as to the number of cars painted but I know unique colors tend to sell easily.

3. Will it hurt the car's value if I do a color change but in another Porsche Red?
Yes

4. What will bring in the most $$$? Original pink or another Porsche Red?
see answers 1,2&3.

Thank you all for your opinions, Bill

..................................

[Dantilla]

In no way am I a purist (my '73.5 has 3.2 power), but for max resale value, original is best.

The longhood 911 is one of those rare cars that looks really good no matter what the color.

[Nathans_Dad]

Gotta disagree with the above posters. Usually original colors, especially early ones, would be better because true enthusiasts value the "quirkyness" of some of the early cars and their colors.

Pink on the other hand? Personally I would rule out a pink car just for the fact it is pink.

Now, I wouldn't personally go the Guards Red route, too many of those around IMHO anyway.

If it were me and I was going to repaint it anyway, I would do a good inside and out respray in another period correct color that I liked. Remember, in the end it is your car and you have to drive it. I wouldn't paint my car pink just to keep up some resale value.

[KNS]

Originality will always be worth more - but you can also end up with a sale proof car, I would never buy a pink Porsche and I would bet most others wouldn't either.

I've heard that the next best thing to the original color is a factory color from the same year. Since you are looking to sell, I would pick the most popular color (not just right now but a color that says early seventies) from 1973 and go with it. That's advice from Porsche expert Jim Schrager from 'Sports Car Market' magazine.You'll have a much quicker sale versus pink.

[ossiblue]

Originally Posted by KNS

Originality will always be worth more - but you can also end up with a sale proof car...

Originally Posted by Nathans_Dad

Gotta disagree with the above posters. Usually original colors, especially early ones, would be better because true enthusiasts value the "quirkyness" of some of the early cars and their colors.

Pink on the other hand? Personally I would rule out a pink car just for the fact it is pink.

Now, I wouldn't personally go the Guards Red route, too many of those around IMHO anyway.

+1 on the above, especially if the car is not original in every way besides body color. It isn't clear from your post if the body work, accessories, interior (those expensive and highly destructible door pockets!), engine, and one-year-only CIS, oil tank, and gas tank are still present. If the car has been significantly "updated", you may have lost the "quirkiness" factor and you'd get better response from a more popular, year correct color.

On the other hand, if the car retains originality in all respects then it follows, IMO, to paint the body accordingly knowing that it may take a while to find the right buyer for such an unusual color.

[Macroni]

Originally Posted by ossiblue

On the other hand, if the car retains originality in all respects then it follows, IMO, to paint the body accordingly knowing that it may take a while to find the right buyer for such an unusual color.

I agree.

How many threads have we read where silver cars are brought back to the original color and the group wonder is how could anyone have changed the color from the original, Sepia included....

I would also post a picture of the original color. Pink , IMO, is a harsh interpretation.....

[Daytona]

Tre cup has one in the link below.http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/400571-journey-begins-911st-recreation-14.html This color is bright but that was the 60's and 70's, I would go with originality, seems what most folks really key in on. Plenty of hot rods out there.

[coldstart]

I have seen a Rose Red early 911 and it wasn't that bad a color. That said, I would likely go with a more desirable color unless the car is pristine and original. Check out the slate grey color on this guy's restoration:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/418411-here-my-new-old-project-lilly.html

Very very sweet! Much nicer, IMHO, than the original burgundy....

[Christien]

Here's a thought: post it pre-paint with 2 prices, one as-is, the other post-paint job, the difference being whatever paint will cost. That gives the potential buyer the choice of colour, as well as the option of painting it themself, if they think they can do it cheaper. The post-paint price should be the full value the car would be worth repainted in its original colour, regardless of what that original colour is (i.e. same condition black, red, silver, green etc).

[DanielDudley]

Originally Posted by KNS

Originality will always be worth more - but you can also end up with a sale proof car, I would never buy a pink Porsche and I would bet most others wouldn't either.

I've heard that the next best thing to the original color is a factory color from the same year. Since you are looking to sell, I would pick the most popular color (not just right now but a color that says early seventies) from 1973 and go with it. That's advice from Porsche expert Jim Schrager from 'Sports Car Market' magazine.You'll have a much quicker sale versus pink.

That's it.

[Carrerax]

Simple. If it is an S, make it original. If it is a T do whatever you want.

[Ferrariguyma]

Color change and rust are the the two biggest reasons I would pass on a car. My vote is keep it the original color.

[nixtfy]

Too bad it's not orange/green, but I honestly like the color. If you change the color buyers might get suspicious or think the car has also had a major reconstruction.

[MemoryMtrsports]

Originality is what brings "all the money," not to mention interest. In my experience, the more strange the color of a 911, the easier that 911 is to sell. That the car in question came rose red makes it rare-ish and certainly unusual, and these two traits help sell.

So I say Happy Thanksgiving...and paint it the original color!

[blau911]

I am also for painting the car its original color. Original colors will always bring more money than a repaint. It is also much easier and cheaper to repaint since all of the nooks and crannies are already the color you are spraying. If the paint job is top quality and the car is straight and clean, there will be plenty of buyers, regardless of color. Something about bright colors and chrome which make any early 911 striking. In fact, some will want it because of the color, and there are plenty of women with money who would fall in love with the car based solely upon that car color in a minute. Lastly, with your car's rare color, it will stand out at any meet surrounded by all the typical light ivory, viper green, blood orange cars that show up..
A few years back Ian (toomany911s) had a opalescent pink Series 1 XKE convertible for sale which Mary Kay had given to all of its highest producing sales people back in the mid 60's. It was original but needed quite bit of work, and he had no problem selling that car quickly and for a good price. It was "pink panther" pink.
One last thing to consider, anyone who repaints a car a different color in order to sell it for more money is barking up the wrong tree for two reasons: 1) how do you second guess a color that a potential buyer you haven't met is willing to pay extra for? color preference is completely subjective. 2) you may believe that by changing the color to a more popular color like viper green that you are increasing the potential number of people willing to buy your car. But by doing so you will lose a whole bunch of collectors looking to buy a car based upon its originality - regardless of color. And the true collectors are the ones willing to pay more for originality.
THINK PINK!!!

[t6dpilot]

I'll bet that Rose Red isn't as pink as we normally think of when we "think pink." Original color all the way. It will be the hit of the party everywhere it goes. Make sure to post pics of the finished car in Rose Red.

[coldstart]

The Rose red color is exactly that, a reddish pink. While it may have been somewhat faded on the car I saw, it was a pink. Here is a picture from an older thread:

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/porsche-911-technical-forum/276010-help-1973-bahia-red-022-rose-red-024-a.html

[Macroni]

There are some nice shots of an S at the end of this thread.

Was this a stock color?

[t6dpilot]

Fraise? Now that might be a tough one to drive. Just kidding... Really any period color is great and has its own merits - especially if the car was painted that color originally. The photo of that Rose Red car looks fantastic! Original color all the way baby!