Color Theory: Are Corvette Owners What They Drive?

[b_pappy]

Best thread I've read in a while. Based on many us having conflicting colors in our rides, perhaps the color represents a blend of our personality behind the wheel of that paricular steed? My Corvette is yellow, bought it a week after I turned down a new GTO because I flat told the saleman "I'm not a yellow car guy". My Harleys have always been black, except one sininster blue / diamond ice bike. Perhaps the best one I've owned, I sold it, perhaps because blue wasn't sinister enough? Oh crud, I'm going to be late for my Psychiatrist appointment, I need more of the blue and purple pills, or was it the red ones...

Bruce (I think)

 

[bossvette]

I've got blue and "ticket me red" since I live in farm country and drive my Vettes daily (took the C-5 to Toledo today) how much dirt shows is important to me. This is my first red car, I did like it as soon as I saw it, the deep tinted windows and the Z06 wheels were too much to pass on; and it doesn't show the dirt real bad.
If I was ordering one it would be hard to choose a color My wife likes Mag Red but those pictures of the MY Z06 jump off the screen

 

[Patrick]

Based on many us having conflicting colors in our rides, perhaps the color represents a blend of our personality behind the wheel of that paricular steed?

Bruce (I think)

I'm going to take the chance here and address Bruce, until he posts in and says another personality has taken over. :L

Bruce, that's an excellent point, and right at the heart of the intent of this thread. Given the color theory meanings in the first post in this thread, what I'm trying to unearth is whether people ARE the colors they drive (and if they own multiple cars of various colors, which color that is), and if they aren't, are they driving the color Vette they own because that's what they want to be perceived as (even if it isn't what they are.)

I've already spoken about my Black ride, and how it does seem to fit me. Who's next?

-Patrick

 

[lov-n-life]

No wonder I can never make up my mind and I like so many different colors! Let's see... first vehicle was a white truck, then a white Supra, then a red Supra, a black Corvette with torch red interior (that got attention!), a white Porsche, and now a blue Corvette (but I want a yellow one, a green one, and a magnetic red one...) So many cars, so many colors, so little time... no wonder I go through a car every year and half or 2!

 

[Robert YellowVette]

Let's get this started with the actual color wheel, and what popular psychology claims about these colors.

White:
White the assemblage of all colors. White symbolized purity, even sterility (hence, the fact that doctors and nurses wear white when they work. White symbolizes completeness, balance and finish.

The purity of white can lead, in extreme cases, to people who have a superiority complex. The downside to white is that it shows in start contrast, any other color- nothing is hidden with white. Far from being bland, people who like white as a color are typically iconoclasts- they enjoy being at the center of noisy attention and showing off their purity.


Yellow:
Another energy color, given its warmth. Yellow is the color of the sun, which provides light and heat. Although an "happy" color, yellow has its drawbacks: babies placed in predominantly yellow rooms will tend to cry more. It is the most difficult color for the eye to take in, and that difficulty can cause 'irritation.' Whereas Red can be a strengthening color, yellow can be an angry color, because of its ambience heat. Yellow can be a focusing color (hence it's frequent use in legal note pads), but can easily be an overpowering color because of its energy.

Yellow does not get attention like Red, but it does have impact. Yellow is perhaps the most feminine color in the spectrum, in part because of its warmth. People who like yellow are not restful sorts- they like activity and action. They don't necessarily like to be the center of attention, but they do like to be part of "the chorus." While they get noticed, that isn't why devotees of yellow do what they do: yellow fans are in it to be near the heat, not because they crave the attention.

Green:
The color of nature, green is the most relaxing color in the spectrum. It is said in color theory that green enhances vision, because it is one of the easiest colors for the eye to perceive.

In a significant part of the world, eg, Asia, White is the color of death, mourning and bad luck.

Many cities and the German police use Lime Green for emergency vehicles since it is much more visible than red.

Yellow is right next to Green, centered on the human eye color spectrum which is why both colors are so noticeable. Next time you pass a Millenium Yellow Corvette, watch how long you can see it compared to other cars...

Purple appears fairly frequently in flowers, fruits and marine reef lifeforms.

 

[Carol]

Silver Vettes

Silver is my favourite. It is elegant and always in style, but.......
I love the duct tape story!! :L
Carol

 

[Patrick]

In a significant part of the world, eg, Asia, White is the color of death, mourning and bad luck.

True, but we have to use a common denominator here: western perceptions of color, rather than eastern. If you go to a wedding in the western world (Europe, North & South America, Australia) you would expect the bride to be wearing white, not red. The vast majority of members on this forum live in North America, so that's our opening context.

Many cities and the German police use Lime Green for emergency vehicles since it is much more visible than red.

Municipal police departments are using all sorts of colors on their vehicles. Here's the thing: they still use red flashing lights when they pull someone over. Again, red is a western perception energy/tension color.

Yellow is right next to Green, centered on the human eye color spectrum which is why both colors are so noticeable. Next time you pass a Millenium Yellow Corvette, watch how long you can see it compared to other cars...

Green is composed of Yellow and Blue, and, as I said earlier, it is the most frequent color in nature. The issue with yellow as a difficult color to perceive comes to this: what color is the sun? On a bright, sunny day, yellow objects can easily be "washed out" in color. Now, you make a good point about Millenium Yellow Corvettes, they do get noticed. So do Torch Red Vettes.

It would be interesting to see, of speeding tickets issued to Corvette drivers, what percentage went to people driving Yellow or Red Vettes. Being noticed on the road means being noticed by everyone, including the LEOs.

Purple appears fairly frequently in flowers, fruits and marine reef lifeforms.

I remember reading once that one of the reason purple is associated with royalty is that for centuries, finding a way to make a purple dye was quite difficult and costly- thus, only the wealth of the ruling class in antiquity and in the middle ages could afford purple clothing.

-Patrick

 

[FmrMarauder]

Colors...lessee...

A few years ago a pal bought an inexpensive grocery getter, a Plymouth as I recall. My boss asked him "What the heck color is that?" (the car being some off shoot of purple, massively inelegant). My pal replied "It's called 'Last One on the Lot'". <g>.

I can't remember who made the quote:

"All Corvettes are red, anything else is primer". (No flames, please, I didn't originate it!)

My 04 Coupe is Torch Red; to be honest, color wasn't a real consideration, it was more the price of the car. The dealer (Stanford Chevrolet in Dearborn Michigan) had a pretty good price on the '04's last April, getting ready to stock up on the '05's. There were several '04 coupes, and I just picked out the red one. The car I traded in was an '03 Mercury Marauder - which in the "A" model (first release) only came in black. Later on they added red and silver and blue, but the Marauder really (IMHO) only looks good in black. And five coats of Zaino. <g>.

My first new car was a Triumph Spitfire - and it was (of course!) green.

My first car was um....rust. <g>.

Good thread on a snowy Michigan day. Thanks!

J

 

[LLRedVet]

Perhaps we buy a car, other than for financial reasons, based on the color personality we see in it. My Impala is white. It is the family car but yet nice looking, sporty and practical. I don't expect to go out and get people's attention in it. My Lt Blue Suburban is handy and probably the vehicle I feel safest in with the family. I know old blue will get us there and back. Now the Vette is another story. Although I was thinking Electron Blue or Millenium Yellow, LLRedVet caught my eye with that Mag Red paint. It is sharp, bold but not too extreme and very flirty with those sparkles on a sunny day. For a middle aged fart, it is fun to get a smile out of a lady once in awhile. My wife even gave me permission to smile back.....but not for too long.

 

[S-TEE]

Hehehe...yellow...bananas...crazy...me...

I think I got the right color! :s

 

[KANE]

White:
White the assemblage of all colors. White symbolized purity, even sterility (hence, the fact that doctors and nurses wear white when they work. White symbolizes completeness, balance and finish.

The purity of white can lead, in extreme cases, to people who have a superiority complex. The downside to white is that it shows in start contrast, any other color- nothing is hidden with white. Far from being bland, people who like white as a color are typically iconoclasts- they enjoy being at the center of noisy attention and showing off their purity.

No, that doesn't sound like me.

I am moody, have a short fuse and a bad temper, prone to blowing people and events off rather than tell someone what I really think. I get irritated quickly when things don't seem to move fast enough or if they seem to drag on when I should be doing something else.

I tend to give a lot of myself to my job although most times I swear I hate everyone and everything about my job. I get a strong sense of purpose from accomplishment. I despise being idle for too long. I hate to go long periods of time without working with my hands- either working on my cars or just creating something.

I hate being the center of attention because by default, that means my time belongs to someone else.

As for sterility- I am far more "taineted" by the world than standing in a perfest finished form.

:L

 

[Patrick]

So DarkShark, did you get your white Vette because that color has some appeal to you, then?

 

[DanHammer]

I am driving the vette I wanted and the color I wanted. The 2001 MY is what I wanted and that's exactly what I have now in my garage. I picked yellow because it just stands out ... just like the C5R in motion.

We had the following cars below but never gave color choice a preference when purchased:

61 356 porsche 4spd ---> yellow (sold)
66 stingray 4spd ---> red/blk int. (wrecked & sold)
66 ply belvedere 4 spd w/ 426 hemi ---> red/pearl white top (sold)
71 VW bettle 4spd w/ stroker engine ---> mexico blue (sold)
74 dodge colt 4spd w/ C2 engine setup ---> yellow (sold)
79 Delta88 convert ---> maroon red (sold)
79 honda civic ---> red (sold)
83 BMW 733 ---> dolphine grey silver (sold)
85 chevy blazer ---> 2 tone brown/white (sold)
85 toyota pickup ---> light yellow (trade-in)
00 toyota tacoma 4x4 ---> silver (sold)

Current rides purchased w/ choice of color we wanted:

88 300E mercedes benz ---> taupe (champagne color)
01 corvette coupe ---> millennium yellow
04 toyota sienna minivan ---> desert sand mica (bronze color)
00 HD softail ---> all black and chrome combo

I had just about every color except for white ... I almost got one ... a 2004 nissan 350Z vert in peaks white ... backed out at the last minute!!! Got the toyota minivan instead. Our current rides ... it was a joint decision when we purchased, but the color choices ... all mine, wife left it to me ... lucky me!!!

I just love the color MY on the C5 and wanted a 2001 MY coupe 6spd ... and thank God, that's what I got. I remember it took me 6 months, but it was worth the wait.

Dan

 

[jrose7004]

I got a black Vette because I think that black is a timeless color and always looks good!

 

[KANE]

So DarkShark, did you get your white Vette because that color has some appeal to you, then?

Yes- it is a GREAT (almost perfect condition w/54k) white shark!!!

 

[U.P. John]

I'm musky, not murky. I think the color of a car is more of wht the buyer thinks of the car more than what the owner thinks of him/herself. I own a BoB C5, a FireRed Tahoe, a Brown Blazer. a Red Eldorado and a Grey Exploder. I've owned Red, White, Green, Blue vehicles. All were because I liked that specific color on that vehicle.

But I do like keeping my secrets...

Go figure

 

[Patrick]

But I do like keeping my secrets...

Go figure

Ah-HA! Mr "I See A Red Door And I Want To Paint It Black!" Welcome to the secretive black club. I've been here a while now. Pull up a chair and tell me how you like to intimidate "lesser" vehicles on the road.

-Patrick

 

[warren s]

I NEVER wanted another Red Corvette, just bought this one because of the condition it was in, almost perfect. Same goes for the White 95 I had, condition sold the car. I always liked black but I was tired of always having to wash and wax.

As for being noticed, I wish my Corvette was invisible! So I could go as fast as I wanted to without fear of getting a ticket. (Yes, Pat- you know I do it anyway)

Navy blue with the oak was my first choice, just couldnt find one at the time in the shape I was looking for.

 

[bluecoupe]

I got a blue Corvette by accident. I misunderstood the saleswomen when she asked me if I wanted the "blue job".

 

[U.P. John]

Ah-HA! Mr "I See A Red Door And I Want To Paint It Black!" Welcome to the secretive black club. I've been here a while now. Pull up a chair and tell me how you like to intimidate "lesser" vehicles on the road.

-Patrick

Patrick, it's a Vette! I don't have to intimidate them. It comes with the territory.
Their futile attempts to try to fight their intimidation are just that, futile. Also, one friend here has an '03 Zo6 and another has a '69 C3 427/396hp. So I already know I'm not the fastest thing around...just the best looking in my little world.

"How could such a thing be happening to you?"