1938 Pontiac Roadster Color? Black or Blue?

[Guest Johnboy650]

Just picked up this 1938 Pontiac cabriolet 2 seat roadster in upstate NY. She just arrived in Oakland CA, and will receive a full resto! I'm thinking midnight blue or black. Love your feedback on the color.

Also looking to buy a pair of 38 tail light bezels and running boards if you have them!

[alsancle]

Love it. I would paint it the original color. If you want a blue or a black pick one from the Pontiac color palette for 1938. Under no circumstances would I paint a prewar car with a metallic.

[Guest bofusmosby]

Congrats on the car! Here is a link to a complete restore of a 37 Pontiac, which is very similar.

Randall Comm Photography Division : Cars : 1937 Pontiac 6 Restoration | SmugMug

[Dave@Moon]

I've always liked late-30s cars painted in light colors. Our local British club had it's meeting yesterday at The Antique Auto Shop Classic Collector Car Restoration Service, where one of the cars for sale was a gorgeous 1938 Olds Roadster Coupe painted a (factory, I think) cream color.:cool: I really think that color brings the lines out on these beautiful cars better than black or dark colors, which tend to hide such features.

[The Continental]

Well Midnight Blue does give you a black look at night

[Guest bkazmer]

on shorter wheelbase cars like this I would avoid black - it tends to make the car look stubbier. An unusual and handsome car

[Steve_Mack_CT]

Congrats, Johnboy!! Nice looking car, pick an original color and if there is a darker blue on the palette, you could go with that or as Dave suggested even consider a lighter, but correct color.

One thing I loved about my Packard was the beige correct and original to the car color, it got a lot of attention and I had a lot of comments about the color. Black is the most typical for this era, but I think people react well to something unusual as well.

What will the interior be?

[aussiecowboy]

Just my opinion but these bigger cars tend to lose themselves in black, makes them look smaller. My 48 Pontiac was a factory black car but I'm going with a deep red which is an original 48 colour.

[avgwarhawk]

Nice car. I'm kind of partial to the tan color in the brochure.

[Guest martylum]

On prewar car colors-there were a number of metallic body colors beginning with the early 30s in all car brands. No need to limit yourself to non-metallic colors. See AutocolorLibrary for available colors in this era.

Martin Lum

[Guest bkazmer]

true but they are very fine flake and subtle metallics

[Guest]

Well, midnight blue isn't a color offered for your Pontiac but there is Glacier blue. Picking a color for a car has more to do with how a vehicle looks with a color than your own personal preference for a color. The perfect marriage is when you like a color and the car looks good in the color you pick. A example of this would be; my wife loves the cobalt blue metallic, but try to imagine that color on a 64 Morgan plus four! What a waste, that car is made for BRG!

I like that Pontiac in Glyndon green with a light brown top and brown leather seats, or Wononah Maroon , black top and maroon leather interior. Both colors really pop with the red pinstriping those cars are supposed to have.

BTW, those are the colors offered for your Pontiac that year.

D.

Edited June 15, 2012 by helfen (see edit history)

[CarlLaFong]

FYI, that car is not a roadster.

[Guest]

http://www.earlytimeschapter.org/1938-color-chart.jpg

Note the metallic colors

[alsancle]

Pick a combo from that chart. I would still vote for the original colors - whatever they may be.

[jvelde]

This will be a great looking car in almost any original Pontiac color. I would go with a lighter original color - I have a black '39 Buick Business Coupe that would look better in a lighter color. However, since it was originally black I am leaving it black.

Congrats, John V.

[Guest]

This will be a great looking car in almost any original Pontiac color. I would go with a lighter original color - I have a black '39 Buick Business Coupe that would look better in a lighter color. However, since it was originally black I am leaving it black.

Congrats, John V.

There was a 39 business coupe that recently sold in Ontario that was painted Bandelier blue that was a stunner.

D.

[jvelde]

There was a 39 business coupe that recently sold in Ontario that was painted Bandelier blue that was a stunner.

D.

Sorry to get this thread off topic, but just Googled that color and couldn't get a sample - what's it look like?

[1939_Buick]

There was a 39 business coupe that recently sold in Ontario that was painted Bandelier blue that was a stunner.

Sorry to get this thread off topic, but just Googled that color and couldn't get a sample - what's it look like?

John: sent you an email

Bandelier blue is a 1940 Buick color. Not as dark as the 1939 Glacier Blue

Look in Auto Color Library - The World's Largest Online Color-Chip Library

Edited June 16, 2012 by 1939_buick (see edit history)

[Guest]

John: sent you an email

Bandelier blue is a 1940 Buick color. Not as dark as the 1939 Glacier Blue

Look in Auto Color Library - The World's Largest Online Color-Chip Library

I've got that color on my 39-40 ditzler chart as for both years. Anyroad the car was beautiful. Certainly a more variety of color for Buick and Pontiac and I guess all of GM from 1939 on.

D.

Edited June 16, 2012 by helfen (see edit history)

[Curti]

I believe there is a data plate attached to the firewall. On that dataplate there is a color code that the car was painted at the factory. That is the color I would paint it.

[Vila]

I agree with Curt, go with the original color.

I believe any of the 7 colors, including Black, would look good on your car.

Color Chip Selection

I believe in originality, why else would I be painting my 1962 Triumph TR4 British Racing Green with a bright Red interior.

Visit my website at: Bob's Vintage Cars

Vila

1933 Chevrolet

1962 Triumph TR4

1984 BMW 633 CSi