Need some direction on period correct color. Doing an early 60's (no later than 63') 34' hiboy. The Rodders Journal had an article this edition with a car show in 66' with a lot of color photos. Just don't know if those colors were done earlier in the decade. Not going to do suede or primer, plenty around right now. Leaning towards a blue. Don't want to do yellow even though I like it on the AG coupe. Everyone will think a doofus built a clone out of a 34'. I'm a doofus but that's beside the point. Help from anyone around back then would be appreciated.
Early rods and customs were usually done in variations of the 5 basic colors..red, yellow, blue, black & white. They did embrace colors like coral, and aqua, in the '50s, but it would not be that early look you want. Compared to todays colors, early cars looked pale or grayish. Early metallics started in about '56. I would recommend avoiding metallics to give a more early feel to it. Colors with white or black mixed in would also give more that pale or grayish look. If you can use an early production formula, it will avoid colors that are too rich, metallics to clean, and something that just isn't convincing. I would recommend that you use a single stage paint, since a clearcoat will also look out of place. Also avoid a "mirror-look" finish, as that is not the type of gloss that was common. "shiney" is okay, but "glassy" will look to current.
The (M3 series BMW) trying to whisper bmw, used a blue sort of teal that was/is very distinctive. It a light blue with a small amount of green. I think it's called Laguna Seca Blue. Use a bit of ivory color for the trim and some red stripes and I'd pay a buck 'ta see it.
I don't even like red ... except when it's on a good lookin hot rod ... maybe with some flakes, or is that too late-60's? Either way, red sounds nice. Think Atomic Punk. That has totally changed my opinion about red.
The Jalopy Journal
