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

[MarkV]

My grandparents bought this 41 dodge in 1955. It was black with a gray cloth interior. Sometime around 1960 my grandfather repainted it in his driveway with a sprayer (which I still have) candy apple red with a red and aqua vinyl interior. 
 

when I get the interior done in a few weeks it will be done in the style he did it in 1960 because that’s the way he had it. 
 

could care less if it’s not original 

[edinmass]

I too would do exactly what gramps did...........a family history of 70 years is more important. 

[Walt G]

Lots of opinions and comments on colors. Here is what the Franklin Automobile Company wanted customers to know in 1930

Of The ERA information about COLOR options ; not days , decades later or current opinions :   ( NOTE they state that there was a LIST to look at you just didn't go in and say I will pay extra if you paint the car I want to buy puke purple)

 

Edited November 22, 2021 by Walt G (see edit history)

[Guest]

I came across this 1930 Cord on eBay.   Listing states car was painted in the 80's which, judging from the colors, looks to be right.  Interior and top were re-done in the 90's.   Listing states "as close to original as possible".

I am not up to par on Cord's color combinations and, while I'm a sucker for closed cars from this era, I believe these colors, inside and out, just ruin this car.  

I suspect this could be one of those that would be told "to leave it in the parking lot"?

 

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/334225852987?hash=item4dd169ca3b:g:klAAAOSw~M9hjs3H

 

 

Edited November 23, 2021 by GregLaR (see edit history)

[alsancle]

21 minutes ago, GregLaR said:

I came across this 1930 Cord on eBay.   Listing states car was painted in the 80's which, judging from the colors, looks to be right.  Interior and top were re-done in the 90's.   Listing states "as close to original as possible".

I am not up to par on Cord's color combinations and, while I'm a sucker for closed cars from this era, I believe these colors, inside and out, just ruin this car.  

I suspect this could this be one of those that would be told "to leave it in the parking lot"?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/334225852987?hash=item4dd169ca3b:g:klAAAOSw~M9hjs3H

 

I think the interior is a bigger crime than the paint.    Reworking the wheels in the dark maroon color with blackwalls would tone down the outside quite a bit.  There is nothing you can do to the interior that doesn't involve lighter fluid.

[edinmass]

Doesn’t someone here collect pink cars for his wife?

 

 

Matt? 

[58L-Y8]

This hideous Cord L-29 reminds me of my favorite character Cher portrayed on her show: Laverne.  I can hear her exclaiming in her scratchy, falsetto voice, "Oh Honey, It's in such good taste!!!"

 

 

[Walt G]

The person who restored that Cord in those colors probably would paint the Statue of Liberty the same colors, along with the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building to match.

You can not appreciate the fine design and styling of that Cord due to the colors. Nothing would "make it a bit better" then a complete repaint.

 

[1937hd45]

3 hours ago, Walt G said:

The person who restored that Cord in those colors probably would paint the Statue of Liberty the same colors, along with the Empire State Building and the Chrysler Building to match.

You can not appreciate the fine design and styling of that Cord due to the colors. Nothing would "make it a bit better" then a complete repaint.

 

 

The L29 Cord is on my "Bucket List" but the Cabriolet is out of my price range, the sedan on eBay is at 1932 Ford money right now $31,000. Some masking tape and paper, maybe some window tint, and a gallon of dark grey primer and a weekend and you could be seen in public driving it. 

 

Bob 

[Matt Harwood]

Melanie does like pink cars, but usually cars of the '50s. She'd punch me if I tried to bring this home as a gift.

 

I call the interior color on that Cord "Bordello."

[JACK M]

17 hours ago, GregLaR said:

 Listing states "as close to original as possible".

??????

[1937hd45]

 

Just so you can sleep easier, this is how someone else painted one. IF the green one was a good runner, and the interior was proper what is fair market value on it?  Just noticed it has a blind back corner NOT the same body as the pink one, that adds a bunch of money right there. 

 

Bob 

Edited November 24, 2021 by 1937hd45 (see edit history)

[Guest]

Two more contenders for the title.   Both Packards, both currently on eBay.

 

First is this 1932 roadster.  An earlier post mentioned "ice cream shop".   This one should also put you in a good humor.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/373800423425?hash=item57083dd001:g:WSkAAOSwTSlgNxFp

 

 

Interestingly, it appears to have an AACA plaque awarded at Hershey on the glove box door.   Would that mean this car won at some level in these colors or is that simply an "also ran" type of plaque?

 

 

 

Then there is this 1925 open car which the seller claims is repainted in it's original 4-tone livery of burnt orange, cream, teal and black.   I think I would prefer to drive the "Bordello Cord" over this this one.   Adjectives fail me but if I bought this car, my first stop would be my buddy's paint shop and the only one of the four "original" colors left would be the black.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144302408366?hash=item21991802ae:g:aYIAAOSw9LFhidTN

 

 

Why does it seem the more desirable or expensive the auto, the more prevalent this type of taste runs?  I mean, you just don't find these wild paint schemes on too many early Fords or Plymouths where color re-correction might not be so costly.

Cheers, Greg

🍸

 

 

 

 

[alsancle]

5 hours ago, GregLaR said:

Two more contenders for the title.   Both Packards, both currently on eBay.

 

First is this 1932 roadster.  An earlier post mentioned "ice cream shop".   This one should also put you in a good humor.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/373800423425?hash=item57083dd001:g:WSkAAOSwTSlgNxFp

 

Interestingly, it appears to have an AACA plaque awarded at Hershey on the glove box door.   Would that mean this car won at some level in these colors or is that simply an "also ran" type of plaque?

 

Then there is this 1925 open car which the seller claims is repainted in it's original 4-tone livery of burnt orange, cream, teal and black.   I think I would prefer to drive the "Bordello Cord" over this this one.   Adjectives fail me but if I bought this car, my first stop would be my buddy's paint shop and the only one of the four "original" colors left would be the black.

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144302408366?hash=item21991802ae:g:aYIAAOSw9LFhidTN

 

Why does it seem the more desirable or expensive the auto, the more prevalent this type of taste runs?  I mean, you just don't find these wild paint schemes on too many early Fords or Plymouths where color re-correction might not be so costly.

Cheers, Greg

🍸

 

 

 

Both those cars can be substantially improved by changing the wheel color to the dark trim and throwing the whitewalls in a land fill.     It amazes me how many people choose the light color of the two tone for their wheels,   huge screw up but correctable without repainting the car.

 

EDIT:   and most cars look 2x better in monotone.     I have a dear friend who passed last year that painted his Duesenberg tri-color.   The way he wanted to cut the colors was horrific and the restorer talked him back 1/2 way but couldn't lose the third color.    Obviously his money,   but probably a 100k hit when you go to sell the car.

Edited November 24, 2021 by alsancle (see edit history)

[oldford]

What's with the STUPID horn bolted to the cowl?

 

Frank

[1937hd45]

 

I've never had the chance to inspect clown shoes, are they fake enlarged tops over normal shoes?

[MarkV]

You guys are funny. No one here has mentioned the hideous Matte paint jobs, just waiting for an antique car to be painted in matte 

[Ovalrace25]

Opinions/Opinions---  OK all I am repainting a 1935 Auburn 851 Cabriolet. It is a 2-color dark/light maroon. Owner likes the combination and wants to keep it that way. So, without becoming a subject of "why did they do that?" I will open up to suggestions. Anyone have any real colors and color code information to share? I attached one shot of what it looks like now. You can see the poor condition of the rear apron in this shot. 

[nzcarnerd]

On 11/24/2021 at 2:21 AM, 58L-Y8 said:

This hideous Cord L-29 reminds me of my favorite character Cher portrayed on her show: Laverne.  I can hear her exclaiming in her scratchy, falsetto voice, "Oh Honey, It's in such good taste!!!"

 

 

 

Or else 'The Nanny' and her mother and grandmother?

[Ovalrace25]

OK-- I admit to this one. The original Cadillac order said "Apple Green" and one of the sales folders had this combination suggested, so we went with it. Is this "apple green" ? I have no idea and there was no help from anyone I could find. So away I went.  It was a 2-tone mint and moldy green prior to this change. 

[JFranklin]

I guess I would have gone with black wheels on that one.

[Ovalrace25]

This Packard was a 1970's brown and beige before the re-do. I looked at an original Packard color chart and saw "Rubicelle Maroon" So that was it. Auburn next then I have my 1929 Cadillac Sport Phaeton to do. Build sheet says it was blue with black fenders and body lines. Suggestions? And then there are the two second series Packards on the list.. OH and I cant forget the 27 Pierce Arrow. The PA was light gray and black fenders. 

[alsancle]

Here is a car in red that was probably never built like this, but I think they did a good job and it looks attractive to me.

[1937hd45]

Nice looking car, like the color, is there some camera angle problem or was there an extra tall windshield height option? 

[8E45E]

5 hours ago, MarkV said:

You guys are funny. No one here has mentioned the hideous Matte paint jobs, just waiting for an antique car to be painted in matte 

U.S. Army vehicles come immediately to mind.

 

Craig

[wayne sheldon]

33 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

Nice looking car, like the color, is there some camera angle problem or was there an extra tall windshield height option? 

 

I would suspect it is something to do with the camera. The "vanishing point" looks a bit askew, and the rear wheel appears folded under. Used to see that sort of thing in fixed focus box cameras from 3/4 to over a century ago. That continued illusion would make the center of the photograph (where the windshield is) appear extra tall.

Beautiful car by the way!

[1937hd45]

Thanks Wayne!

[wayne sheldon]

You bet, Bob! Not that I actually really know anything about photography? (I am a lousy photographer?) I just look at so many photos that I begin to recognize many characteristics. 

I was thinking about this a couple days ago. I sometimes toss around numbers way into the thousands of photos that I have studied closely, looking for era details, and automotive minutia. I have literally thousands of black and white era photos just on this one computer (Easily half of them wouldn't interest anybody but me for some minor detail they show!). I have thousands of hobby magazines, HCCA Gazettes nearly complete back to the late 1940s, Most AACA Antique Automobiles back to 1960, About half the VMCCA bulb Horn also back to 1960, along with hundreds of mostly forgotten issues of magazines that came and went over the years. Plus nearly a hundred books on the subject. How many thousands of photos in a thousand magazines?

Color photos, I look at car show and tour reports a lot! I haven't been able to participate in much of that for too many years now (I keep hoping that will change?). I can spend considerable time, either in club magazines or newsletters, or on the internet, looking at the photos, the cars, and hoping to see old friends in the photos that I haven't seen in person for too long now (saw several old friends in Pebble Beach coverage a couple months ago).

Just thinking about it the other day? Including magazine editors? There probably aren't more than a dozen or so people regularly on this forum that have studied more photos than I have?

[Guest]

Agreed, this one looks great.

The dark mono-color really does the car justice.  The black walls with the lighter shade of maroon and the chrome outer ring complete the package perfectly. 

 

[prewarnut]

This one has already been discussed.....for sale currently.

 

 

[trimacar]

14 hours ago, Ovalrace25 said:

OK-- I admit to this one. The original Cadillac order said "Apple Green" and one of the sales folders had this combination suggested, so we went with it. Is this "apple green" ? I have no idea and there was no help from anyone I could find. So away I went.  It was a 2-tone mint and moldy green prior to this change. 

Here is a picture of the car for comparison, the colors mentioned "mint and moldy green" and the colors it was restored in, in the late 1950s.  While I agree that the green isn't the most attractive, the car looked much better in person.  It was pulled out of a swamp, unrestored and quite the mess, by John "Buddy" Walton of New Orleans.  He would restore it, and along with his good friend Andrew "Drew" Navarre, would tour extensively in the Louisiana/Texas area in the 1960s and 1970s.  Drew at the time owned my 1931 Pierce, and the two cars were driven everywhere, never trailered.  I'm not sure if the Cadillac had one, but my Pierce had an overdrive installed to make it a 70 mph car.  The story of this car is in the book American Classic Cars by Henry Rasmussen, and the two page spread is a good indication of the actual colors.  I had a chance to buy the car, too, from Buddy's family, by the time I saw it again the paint was peeling and the restoration was really showing age, so it did need to be restored again.  Everyone has a choice on colors, I've never been a fan of white on any pre-WWII car, but different tastes are what makes the world go around!

[alsancle]

4 minutes ago, trimacar said:

Here is a picture of the car for comparison, the colors mentioned "mint and moldy green" and the colors it was restored in, in the late 1950s.  While I agree that the green isn't the most attractive, the car looked much better in person.  It was pulled out of a swamp, unrestored and quite the mess, by John "Buddy" Walton of New Orleans.  He would restore it, and along with his good friend Andrew "Drew" Navarre, would tour extensively in the Louisiana/Texas area in the 1960s and 1970s.  Drew at the time owned my 1931 Pierce, and the two cars were driven everywhere, never trailered.  I'm not sure if the Cadillac had one, but my Pierce had an overdrive installed to make it a 70 mph car.  The story of this car is in the book American Classic Cars by Henry Rasmussen, and the two page spread is a good indication of the actual colors.  I had a chance to buy the car, too, from Buddy's family, by the time I saw it again the paint was peeling and the restoration was really showing age, so it did need to be restored again.  Everyone has a choice on colors, I've never been a fan of white on any pre-WWII car, but different tastes are what makes the world go around!

 

I have such a tire bias that I can't see past the whitewalls.   Again, the wires are painted the lighter color which is a big mistake.   Black wall tires, black brake drums and dark green wheels and I'm cool.

 

[trimacar]

4 minutes ago, alsancle said:

I have such a tire bias that I can't see past the whitewalls.

I understand your viewpoint, but in restoring a car in the 60's whitewalls were all the rage.  I'd like to put black walls on my Pierce, I mentioned to my wife and it was a tie vote of 1 for and 1 against, so I lose.....

[alsancle]

1 hour ago, prewarnut said:

This one has already been discussed.....for sale currently.

 

 

 

Is the movie connection worth an additional 700k?   That is basically the math the seller is using.

Edited November 25, 2021 by alsancle (see edit history)

[chistech]

On 11/15/2021 at 5:15 PM, Hudsy Wudsy said:

If I had to guess, I'd say that this is the most loathed color scheme of the seventies:

Those colors are factory colors on many GM marques of the early thirties. In 31’, chevy had paint code 81 which was Fawn Brown, Coffee Cream, and Swamp Holly Orange for the wheels. It was production colors and not an artist rendering. So while you and others dislike it, it’s a matter of taste and it’s an original color scheme. There are many new car colors I dislike, like the old school Ford gray that they’re using again. But people are buying them so they like it. My own 31’ chevy Special Sedan is painted code 81. It is actually incorrect for a sedan as code 81 was never used on closed cars but I can tell you everyone loves the colors of my car. I have not had one person tell me they didn’t like it but of course, they could be keeping their opinion to themselves.

[chistech]

What I find interesting, is while the discussion is about appropriate paint colors, there is also appropriate paint schemes. It seems that many don’t realize, including judges, that many cars with color painted fenders, were still painted black on the underside. Anyone who has an 30’s chevy (and other GM marquess) and shows it knows that. Many fenders were all painted black during fender production and it they were installed on a car scheduled for color painted fenders, then those fenders were painted just on the top surfaces. It seems many don’t know that. The more I show, the more I realize many who believe they are a authority, don’t really know as much as they believe they do or have been entrusted to enforcing or judging on. I continually have to produce factory documentation on the factory installed decarbonizer on my 32’ Olds. At every single show I’ve been in, I’ve been asked why I installed that option, and when I explain it’s factory, they still don’t believe me until I take out my documentation folder. I might add my folder has over 50 sheets of factory service bulletins that show the many oddities of my car. 
      Then, while we’re on crazy car paint colors, the 32’ Olds convertible was painted in 4 different paint schemes. One was a very unique two tone blue that while it would 100% factory correct, I’m sure most of you here would be throwing up in your coffee if you saw it!🤣 Of course, I went with my cars original black color.

[8E45E]

4 hours ago, chistech said:

What I find interesting, is while the discussion is about appropriate paint colors, there is also appropriate paint schemes. It seems that many don’t realize, including judges, that many cars with color painted fenders, were still painted black on the underside. Anyone who has an 30’s chevy (and other GM marquess) and shows it knows that. Many fenders were all painted black during fender production and it they were installed on a car scheduled for color painted fenders, then those fenders were painted just on the top surfaces. It seems many don’t know that. The more I show, the more I realize many who believe they are a authority, don’t really know as much as they believe they do or have been entrusted to enforcing or judging on. I continually have to produce factory documentation on the factory installed decarbonizer on my 32’ Olds. At every single show I’ve been in, I’ve been asked why I installed that option, and when I explain it’s factory, they still don’t believe me until I take out my documentation folder. I might add my folder has over 50 sheets of factory service bulletins that show the many oddities of my car. 
      Then, while we’re on crazy car paint colors, the 32’ Olds convertible was painted in 4 different paint schemes. One was a very unique two tone blue that while it would 100% factory correct, I’m sure most of you here would be throwing up in your coffee if you saw it!🤣 Of course, I went with my cars original black color.

I believe in postwar years, many fleet cars & trucks ordered with black front fenders only, including this 1958 Studebaker Scotsman for Swifts Meats: https://forum.studebakerdriversclub.com/forum/your-studebaker-forum/general-studebaker-specific-discussion/104686-some-canadian-stuebaker-fleet-vehicles-1958 were body color underneath.   My observations in that they were body color under the rather thin topcoat of black paint is that I recall seeing a number of cars and trucks where the black was worn down to body color on the high areas with repeated washings, scrapes, etc., after only a few years.

 

Craig

[m-mman]

6 hours ago, chistech said:

Many fenders were all painted black during fender production and it they were installed on a car scheduled for color painted fenders, then those fenders were painted just on the top surfaces.

 

1 hour ago, 8E45E said:

 My observations in that they were body color under the rather thin topcoat of black paint is that I recall seeing a number of cars and trucks where the black was worn down to body color on the high areas with repeated washings, scrapes, etc., after only a few years.

It would make sense.

Something else that is too commonly forgotten in the car hobby is that (Most) all cars were produced on an assembly line that was not stopped for special orders. Profit margins dictated that daily productions quotas be met. Stop the line for too long and you lose money that day. 

 

Special paint is probably the easiest change to be made, but it must be remembered that an assembly plant is not a custom body shop. If you run a strange color through the spray equipment it would need to removed from service and cleaned before it could be used for applying the standard colors again. Time = money

 

This would explain why the evidence would show standard colors applied (especially to the back sides for rust prevention) then evidence that the "finished" car was removed from the line and had the custom work done in the plant repair shop where it could receive the special attention. 

 

The Full Classic assembly lines were operating slower than the budget priced cars, so they could be slowed or stopped for changes, but still there would be a limit based on practical physical limitations 

 

Those situations where people say "You could get anything you wanted if you would pay for it".

I ask "Could you get them to assemble a car that was a 2 door on one side and a 4 door on the other?" 

This configuration of course WAS technically physically possible, but no way would they build out one that way just because you wanted it. 

[1937hd45]

How about color UNDER the fenders? Think my Dad was the first to mention that on 1930's cars. I later read some where that dealers may have painted the undersides to make slow sellers look more attractive. Guess factory option and dealer option on unsold cars are two different things. 

[8E45E]

55 minutes ago, 1937hd45 said:

How about color UNDER the fenders? Think my Dad was the first to mention that on 1930's cars. I later read some where that dealers may have painted the undersides to make slow sellers look more attractive. Guess factory option and dealer option on unsold cars are two different things. 

See my earlier posts in this thread on 1931 Studebaker President 4-Seasons Roadsters with the Speedway option.  They were either Black or Chryssolite Gray with Cardinal Red accents.  The chassis and the underside of the fenders were also Cardinal Red.

 

Craig