Art & Inspiration Are you a one color guy?

I was on a roll in the early 70's to the mid 80's painting cars Wheatland Yellow, think I did 5. Did it one more time in 02 when I built the 2004 NSRA giveaway 30 Ford RPU. I'm also currently working on another 32 roadster that will be Wheatland Yellow. I'm looking at my desk top and under the glass are I think are 11 black deuces in various body styles. Also threw in a few red ones, couple Vanilla ones, 3 green and somehow a blue 40 sedan snuck in there? Currently in the basement there's 3 black deuces and a light green 40 coupe plus Howard which is olive green suede with shiny black fenders. I guess I'm all over the place?

 

I don’t worry about what others think, I worry about what I like. I don’t need to stand out to feel good about it.

Sometimes less is more. I like metallic and I tend to stick with colors that are very 60’s. It’s ok though, my dad always says there’s a butt for every seat….

 

Nothing wrong with something that stands out, my personal favorite is Candy apple red which really stands out IMO. However a paint color or scheme should be something the owner likes and is willing to live with. It’s really a personality thing I think, either you’re an extrovert or an introvert, paint your car to suit your tastes.
Some people like primer or flat paints hey it’s their car.
Dan

 

My point is I don't care if it's trendy or not. If I like it I like it I don't worry if it will still be "in style" down the road. In my mind there are enough bland boring colours on cars all over the road as it is no need to add to it. And I am speaking personally not making dispersions on others choices.

This is what I think of when I think of 60's hot rods and customs.

 

Color is a very personal thing. I think you need to consider the car, the time period you are aiming tt recreate, budget and personal preference. And, sometimes what's available. Just bought a new '25 OT vehicle. White, silver and black were the only standard colors. Midnight blue pearl metallic was an extra $455 but it makes the car.

 

I tend to gravitate to colors from 59-65ish. Certain colors just don't look right on certain years/makes. My go to is a color code from 69 though. It's a MOPAR color, B3 Ice blue. That coupled with White is the perfect combo.

 

50s - 60s German colors
40s-60s US commercial truck colors

 

I have always been in the Blues & Purples club!

I currently have 5 that are black & like most others that like their stuff nice, have a love/hate relationship with black.

I don't think that I have ever painted a car red purposely unless it was something I was building to sell that was already red or a customers car. I am thinking of a little sports car/convertible for Laura maybe next year & I will definitely make it red for her!

God Bless
Bill
https://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum...ar-transport-hauling-open-or-enclosed.614419/

 

Not gloss black for sure, I do my own body work, nothing is ever going to be straight enough to look good gloss black! Probably not white, silver/gray, or earth tones, these modern colors are too common these days. Kind of like the metallic greens of the late 60s, so many I still dislike it today.
Two tone looks great on the right cars, or if the splits are correct for the vehicle.

My history says the vehicles I buy paint for tend towards shades of blue, but the current crop has a red car (factory color), a red and white car (that used to be blue and white) and a blue truck, both my doing. I've had orange, gray & white, and also teal color vehicles I have made that way, but there has been a whole slug of rides that have remained whatever color they left the factory with.

 

Metallic Blue, as seen in my avatar! The other blues i like are Dodge B5 and Chevy Marina blue. and Petty blue, everybody likes that don't they?
I tend to prefer the metallic colors from mid 60's, in the blues, greens, reds, golds.

 

I wondered where all the 34s went.

 

How many shades of silver do the Germans have?

 

When in doubt, go BLACK!

 

A lot. Our painter at work (Benz repair shop) had a spray out card for every shade of silver he ever shot. With the formula, temp and air pressure on back. He panel painted silver and nailed it every time.

 

Here is a man with discerning taste.

 

I like the tri5 Chevy’s and others, in two colors when they have tgat type of body moldings.
Not really a fan of two colors on straight moldings, ie upper and lower split. Also like the earlier Vettes with the coves being two colors. It enhances the coves.
But that’s just for me to look at, I’m more a truck guy. Only trucks I like two colors are say 58-up Fords, 60 up Chevies, etc, and just the roof a different color.

 

I like many colors. I want a vehicle worthy of being painted AMC Big Bad Green. My wife loves green. Her Ram is lime green. My favorite color is blue.

Hotrod is getting painted a shade of dark green that we have not nailed down yet

 

Even though I have commented a couple times here, I guess I have never answered the actual question. I like lots of colors and rarely stick with just one. I let the car and style of the build dictate what color I want to paint something. Or, the easier route is just to find a nice survivor and work with the color like my 56. I’m not necessarily a red fan, but don’t plan to ever paint it. I haven’t decided on a color for my Merc yet, but it will definitely be something very early to mid-50’s era to go along with the rest of the build.

 

“New colors” can SOMETIMES look odd on an old cars.

 

Agreed.

 

More of a B5 guy, myself.

 

Colors for me are likely to be some shade of blue. In the last thirty years, one black 29 ccpu for my daughter; a baby blue 51 coupe, repainted baby blue with Cadillac Bahama blue scallops; and an Andulusite blue 29 cabriolet.

 

I had settled on "Starmist Blue" from mid-fifties Fords for my Henry J. I even bought a quart and jammed the window openings so I could install the glass. At the last minute, I changed my mind and went with Javelin/AMX Big Bad Blue. Might not sound too wierd, but my previous ride, a '49 Chevy pickup, was the same color and I still liked it.

Gary

 

None of my cars are painted so no pics...but I've thought about it a lot...I'm not averse to the whole "patina" thing but it has to be natural...any attempts to create faux patina is obvious. Here's my list:
- '17 Model T roadster...Royal Purple w green interior & engine w black accents
- '29 A roadster...flat black (for a quick flip)...maybe have some fun w flames checkered firewall etc.
- '28 A roadster...all panels have that age baked rust surface...probably leave it but always wanted a Maroon hot rod so we'll see
- '32 5w coupe Bu-ford...dark Blue...because I have the paint
- '57 Chev 2 dr. sedan...light blue/white top...because I have the paint
- '57 Chev 2 dr. conversion...grey primer for now but eventually gloss BLACK like I always dreamed

 

41 Chevy Ruby Maroon likes on the Ray Vega tub

 

Hello,

As a teen, black was the only color for my hot rod cruiser/racer. Spending time on a deep shine was mandatory and tons of Carnuba Wax was used for the best smooth surface. If and when I had friends wanting a ride to school or a big school function, then they helped me wax the 58 black Impala. In looking back, it was a great color and the extra time spent gave me tons of “kudos” from my friends and a couple of my high school teachers, noticing a black 58 Impala sitting across the street from their classroom windows.

Originally, it was a time consuming Cadillac Blue Coral Wax

When we had our first black car, it was a 1958 Impala. waxing was with a very soft cotton cloth, removal was with a soft white cotton towel and the wax was the top brand of the day, Cadillac Blue Coral wax. I still have the original can and wax from back then taking a nap in our current garage detailing drawer.
The Original can left over from 1960… now only used on vintage chrome 60s desk lamp and other interior only use wax detailing. The smell is the only lingering effect in the rooms when the protective coating is applied to ward off any salt air incursion.

The Impala got a Vista Wax detail at first, but, we had to be careful with the direction and time it took to wipe on and off. It shined, but if left on too long, it left marks on the surface. It was also very gritty, so care had to be taken when during the application portion. No wheel buffers, but just a very soft fluffy white cloth was necessary. And rotating a clean white cloth did the best as it tended to clog up the weave with a wax build up. It was not a job without errors, but the wax did the job.
It was simple maintenance, wash, vacuum, tires, and bi-weekly wax with Vista Wax at first, then Cadillac Blue Coral next and finally, Classic Car Wax. It was the shiniest black 58 Impala in So Cal. But, I did not have to ride my bike or take the bus to go where I wanted to go in my off hours. By the time I put in my hours from 57 to 59, my brother allowed me to driver the Impala at Lion’s Dragstrip during a few timing runs and then several elimination races. That was the biggest plus of all time.

The wash/wax maintenance was down to the toothpick and toothbrush on the lettering, the chrome trim rings and around the extensive chrome accents on the Impala design. One advantage I looked forward to was to be able to drive down the street to the power wash place, when my brother got the bottom caked with sand, dirt or mud. Then I had to power wash it and return for the maintenance on the black paint. But, I was able to drive the Impala by my self during those times. No license at the time, but I was very careful.
The smile says it all…after my hard work as the “go to, detail, wax guy”, my brother was all smiles. Plus, it was my job for a meager salary and being taken places, without using the local bus.

Then at one car show, we saw a Cadillac Blue Coral display and that changed the whole waxing scheme. As the newer waxes came on the market and car shows, we changed over to Cadillac Blue Coral Wax. As difficult as Blue Coral wax was, it left the best, deepest shine of any wax product at the time.

Finally, as the primary driver during high school, the Classic Car Wax took over the detailing as it was easy to put on and take off. The Cadillac Blue Coral made the deep shine, but was a bear to take off. The Classic Car Wax protected the surface with its high content of Carnuba. I bought my first can in 1962 and recently opened the last one I had saved over the years.

Currently, these two “old guys” only come out when a chrome or stainless steel item in the house needs a buff or two. Also, what little chrome or stainless that is in/on the actual cars get a touch of nostalgia for the smells.

Previous post:

Back when Classic Car Wax first came out, we were at the LA County Fair in Pomona. There was this guy with a black hood on the display table for all to see. He poured lighter fluid on the hood and lit it on fire. After putting it out, he told us to touch the surface. He was trying to impress the teenager girls that were with us. No way… It was too hot. So, he cools the hood down with a cold wet towel. Then he threw his dry towel across the black hood and it slid all the way across and onto the table top.

The surface was as deep as before the fire and he added another coat of Classic Car Wax and told us to come back in 20 minutes to check it out. When we came back, he told me to wipe it off. It came off easily and the shine was superb. I bought my first can right on the spot. The 58 black Impala paint surface never looked so good. Easy on, easy off, with the deepest shine in the whole cruising scene in Bixby Knolls. I kept all of our cars in a shiny condition using Classic Car Wax until they quit making the product in 1975. Pure Carnuba wax was the main ingredient…

Jnaki

After the black, it was red for the next several daily drivers. Being so close to the salt air, the surface depended on us waxing the car frequently to keep off the bad degradation. But, over time, the red color still required work to keep it clean and tidy. The black paint was off limits, even when my wife bought a sporty car with a nice shiny black paint. I was the one out in the garaged detailing it, so she could drive it daily. What a guy!

Now, it was an easy on, easy off carnuba wax from Collinite. A company that has been around since 1930’s. But, she, too was getting to a point of not wanting a black car due to always having to clean it. Even the black carpet got the smallest piece of "stuff" and it instantly showed up in contrast to the deep color.

But, then the days of being old folks came into being and now, a silver car was in the mix of daily drivers and that color lasted the longest during the hot summers and rainy winters. Eventually, it came down to spending time in the garage detailing cars or at the beach or mountains relaxing… So, we found the best color for long lasting times between rain and foggy weather. A silvery grey color for me and a pearl white for my wife. They last weeks to months between washings. YRMV

No more blacks, reds or dark colors that show dirt when the west winds blow every afternoon like clockwork.

Although, it is hard to argue with a shiny, deep black finish after a nice detail wax job... whatever the type of wax was used at the time... even going to the point of using a toothbrush to get the final wax off of the smallest of places...
Thanks, @themoose

 

Blue is my favorite by far , but I like black , white , red also .

 

I think he was asking if you have any tan lines ?!?!?!

 

No tan lines but I do have aluminum polishing lines, if that counts.