Paint and upholstery colors that just KILL the look of a 1930's Classic

[1937hd45]

Just returned from a Google search to answerer a question. Saw some horrid colors on cars, 1970's restorations I'd guess, that has to kill the resale value. Legal reasons must prevent posting photos, that is a good thing, unless they are before and after re restoration shots. Bob 

Edited November 14, 2021 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[edinmass]

Certainly posting a picture that’s in the public domain, and was taken it in public ......... absolutely fair game. That said , the biggest crime is the colors they chose!

[1937hd45]

7 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Certainly posting a picture that’s in the public domain, and was taken it in public ......... absolutely fair game. That said , the biggest crime is the colors they chose!

 It was a Henley in an auction catalog, a color combination I can't unsee now.

Edited November 14, 2021 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[alsancle]

The 70s and 80s were not kind to prewar cars that were being restored. Every single Mercedes was repainted and red, Although they were all originally some combination of black, gray, silver, Etc.

 

Although the all-time sale proof color seems to be beige with bright wheels and white walls. Typically those cars are hard to give away. Also white is not very kind on big prewar cars. But you don’t see that color very often

[f.f.jones]

To each, his own...

 

 

[John Bloom]

A big full classic painted white.......other than a few exceptions is the hobby’s version of the Scarlet Letter. 
 

maybe done passive aggressively to create a car that “no one will love but me” ensuring that the car is impossible to move in the future when your wife says “get that thing out of here”.

 

 

[wayne sheldon]

4 hours ago, alsancle said:

Although the all-time sale proof color seems to be beige with bright wheels and white walls. Typically those cars are hard to give away.

 

I wish someone would give one of those cars to me? A couple cases of spray can paint would fix them just fine. I may be joking, a little bit? But there are a lot of cars I would do that to, regardless of how much the PO paid for his paint job!

 

(I recall seeing a Locomobile (for real!) painted three colors of pink and purple! )

 

Ninety nine percent of the time. You can't go wrong painting a car its original colors. In original colors, there are almost always enough people that will like it in its original colors. Other era correct colors, might be alright, with most of those people? Or they may not be.

Paint a car in colors that just were not generally done back in the day? Whether because the paint didn't exist, or tastes simply didn't like it? Then you have to find a buyer that not only doesn't care about the car not being right? But also happens to like your specific wrong choice of color!

[edinmass]

Let’s see........walk, or be seen in this. I know my choice.

 

PS - I looked hard to find a photo of a members car who posts often here.......couldn’t find it.

[Buffalowed Bill]

12 hours ago, alsancle said:

The 70s and 80s were not kind to prewar cars that were being restored. Every single Mercedes was repainted and red, Although they were all originally some combination of black, gray, silver, Etc.

 

Although the all-time sale proof color seems to be beige with bright wheels and white walls. Typically those cars are hard to give away. Also white is not very kind on big prewar cars. But you don’t see that color very often

Color is a matter of choice, but IMO red tastefully done, whether maroon or brighter shades, will always have a market. 

Edited November 15, 2021 by Buffalowed Bill (see edit history)

[K8096]

This is my all time favorite.  Burnt orange & baby blue.   I know where they got the colors from though.   An artists rendering was shown in this exact color scheme in the sales catalog.  I doubt one was ever painted this combination originally though.    The car is a 1930 733 Packard.  Photo taken in late 1960s.  

 

 

 

Edited November 15, 2021 by K8096 (see edit history)

[alsancle]

16 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Let’s see........walk, or be seen in this. I know my choice.

 

PS - I looked hard to find a photo of a members car who posts often here.......couldn’t find it.

me?

[edinmass]

Is this red enough?

 

 

[60FlatTop]

When Robert McLaughlin drove down to Detroit to secure his engine contract with GM they told him to "get that red circus wagon away from the front of our building".

 

Great book if you are planning some warm winter reading: https://www.amazon.com/Driving-Force-McLaughlin-Family-Age/dp/0771075561

 

Remember, those 10 to 15 year old boys who were wowed at the 1920's Art Deco auto shows were the Cadillac, Lincoln, and Chrysler buyers of the 1960's and restorers in the '80s and 90's. They still remembered those Deco colored dream cars, might be good taste in context.

[John_S_in_Penna]

1 hour ago, K8096 said:

This is my all time favorite.  Burnt orange & baby blue.   I know where they got the colors from though.   An artists rendering was shown in this exact color scheme in the sales catalog.  I doubt one was ever painted this combination originally though.    The car is a 1929 633 Packard.  Photo taken in late 1960s. 

 

Here is that very catalogue illustration, which I had

scanned at the AACA Library.  The car in the illustration

is actually an orange with a silver-green.  It is a 1930 Packard,

according to the library's records.

 

And what do people think of this red, green, and black

1928 Packard coupe from a period Packard ad?  The 

entire series of ads shows very colorful combinations.

A Packard specialist in our region said that cars displayed

at salons often had very expressive colors.

 

Edited November 14, 2021 by John_S_in_Penna (see edit history)

[Cadillac Fan]

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

Let’s see........walk, or be seen in this. I know my choice.

 

PS - I looked hard to find a photo of a members car who posts often here.......couldn’t find it.

Sorry, but I like it.  Maybe add some black walls

[1935Packard]

"Nice car, but it really needs more purple!"

 

[Guest]

This one has been for sale here in the greater LA area forever. 

Overpriced at $99,500 coupled with this hideous color combination ensures a long future with the current owner.

 

[1937hd45]

2 hours ago, Buffalowed Bill said:

Color is a matter of choice, IMO but red tastefully done, whether maroon or brighter shades, will always have a market. 

 

That's too easy, not going there. 

[alsancle]

2 hours ago, Buffalowed Bill said:

Color is a matter of choice, IMO but red tastefully done, whether maroon or brighter shades, will always have a market. 

 

Could you find an example of what you consider a tasteful prewar car painted red? 

 

 

[Alex D.]

12 minutes ago, alsancle said:

 

Could you find an example of what you consider a tasteful prewar car painted red? 

 

 

Here's 2

 

[1935Packard]

7 hours ago, alsancle said:

Although the all-time sale proof color seems to be beige with bright wheels and white walls. Typically those cars are hard to give away. Also white is not very kind on big prewar cars. But you don’t see that color very often

 

I love beige without chrome and with blackwalls, though.  That understated period look works for me, at least.

 

 

[edinmass]

18 minutes ago, 1935Packard said:

 

I love beige without chrome and with blackwalls, though.  That understated period look works for me, at least.

 

 

Im guessing your a fan of Picasso and all the others modern artists with no talent and huge bank accounts? 🤔

 

Put up a picture of that chartreuse green Cadillac convertible in your garage, so we can give you the appropriate appreciation of the members! (To be fair, I saw it at night, so my color estimate may be off.) 😜

 

Your much too nice of a gentleman, for me to bust your butt as much as I would with AJ. But it’s killing me.

 

 

Below is a picture of what you shouldn’t do, even with a gun to your head. They must be from Berkeley!

 

 

Edited November 15, 2021 by edinmass (see edit history)

[1935Packard]

3 minutes ago, edinmass said:

Im guessing your a fan of Picasso and all the others modern artists with no talent and huge bank accounts? 🤔

 

Put up a picture of that chartreuse green Cadillac convertible in your garage, so we can give you the appropriate appreciation of the members! (To be fair, I saw it at night, so my color estimate may be off.) 😜

 

Your much too nice of a gentleman, for me to bust your but as much as I would with AJ. But it’s killing me.

 

Ed, I do love Picasso, and if you have any of his paintings for sale let me know I'll give you a good price for it.   

 

As instructed, here's my '49.  Original color! Would look terrible on a pre-war car, but I like it with post-war styling, tail fins, etc.  But then I like Edsels, too....

 

 

 

[Cadillac Fan]

6 minutes ago, 1935Packard said:

 

Ed, I do love Picasso, and if you have any of his paintings for sale let me know I'll give you a good price for it.   

 

As instructed, here's my '49.  Original color! Would look terrible on a pre-war car, but I like it with post-war styling, tail fins, etc.  But then I like Edsels, too....

 

 

 

Love it

Edited November 15, 2021 by Cadillac Fan (see edit history)

[JV Puleo]

It think that the very worst I've ever seen was an auction picture of an early 20s, 48 HP Locomobile town car painted white with pink fenders. It looked like a bad wedding cake (I can only guess what the interior must have looked like) but I confess I followed the auction to see what it might be bid up to - it was a "no sale." My former boss - he of the chrome yellow "Gatsby Car" – once ruined a PI Avon with a similar paint job, fiberglass front fenders, a gold plush interior and vacuum plated heels. I don't like painting cars but I have done it. In the back of my mind I keep hoping for something like that so marked down that I can afford it...but I'm afraid there are still too many people out there with execrable taste.

[edinmass]

23 minutes ago, 1935Packard said:

 

Ed, I do love Picasso, and if you have any of his paintings for sale let me know I'll give you a good price for it.   

 

As instructed, here's my '49.  Original color! Would look terrible on a pre-war car, but I like it with post-war styling, tail fins, etc.  But then I like Edsels, too....

 

 

 

 

Obviously a photoshopped image. Gas in Caifunny is in the five dollar range, and no one would ever paint a car that color.........ok, your right, Ray Charles or Stevie Wonder would be ok with it.

 

 

 

[edinmass]

Orin, I’m dying here.........I want to take the photo and make a fake for sale ad with my own description. I could go on for hours. 😱

[alsancle]

58 minutes ago, Alex D. said:

Here's 2

 

 

Two great cars that almost always look great even when improperly painted.   This is what they should look like:

 

 

 

 

 

[8E45E]

Don't forget Ruxton with its unusual color combinations.

 

Craig

[m-mman]

Maybe not appropriate prewar, but Chartreuse green was a legitimate factory postwar color. . . . 1950 Ford called it "Sportsman Green".

Chevrolet offered a similar color appropriately called "Honeydew" 

 

 

Personally anytime I see something in red I pass.   Even the 'correct' prewar maroons.

There were SOOoooo many other beautiful combinations.   I have come to really respect Gray 

 

Edited November 15, 2021 by m-mman (see edit history)

[ericmac]

Interesting topic. There was a Duesenberg out there for a while done in red and pink. It was absolutely dreadful. Another equally bad  Duesenberg sedan was sort of an oyster gray with pink embroidery all over the interior. My wife said "I think that's he first Duesenberg you did not want to own." She was right! I too agree about full classics in white, in 95-99% of cases it should never be done. 

[58L-Y8]

Pastel yellow, maybe okay...but with pea soup green...ugh!

[edinmass]

At least the above car is very hard to identify.......lacking the normal lights.🥸

[ericmac]

I stand corrected.  The oyster gray car is a town car. Hope you took your nausea meds.

[ericmac]

While a nice restoration,  the colors....

[58L-Y8]

Eric:  Is this what it looked like in person?

[ericmac]

3 minutes ago, 58L-Y8 said:

Eric:  Is this what it looked like in person?

Yes. Dark red with pink accents and an almost white top.

[wayne sheldon]

54 minutes ago, JV Puleo said:

execrable

 

I don't think I have EVER seen that exact word before! However, as much as I have studied linguistics over the years, I am used to seeing words I am not actually familiar with, and connecting them through their root words. So I know what it means, and laughed out loud!

I think I will add that to my mental list of words I need to use.

 

1 hour ago, edinmass said:

 

 

 

 

I believe I saw a photo of a Ruxton some years ago, and information to the effect that its purple/pink was a color originally used on at least one Ruxton. However, I suspect it wasn't this particular car (going entirely from memory I am not certain?)

Regardless, it looks awful! I am not sure what I would do if I had the money and somehow owned a car that was in fact that color originally? I don't want to think about that. I do like making cars as close to how they were when new whenever possible. But that?

[58L-Y8]

The 1970's idea of how 1930's Classics should be portrayed: dark red and metallic silver...

[alsancle]

19 minutes ago, ericmac said:

While a nice restoration,  the colors....

Restored by Byard Libby for Tom Derro in the the early 90s.  Tom was a very nice man with a great collection but he missed on this one.