Repainting the Vette this year.

[lwhssh]

Green, you're kidding, right?

 

[kenwa]

Electron blue is a great choice.

 

[Will]

Just got it back on Friday!
It will return to the shop for some touch ups but basically its all done now.

I took these pics only this morning at work.

http://www.aussiecarforum.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=1568

http://www.aussiecarforum.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=1569

http://www.aussiecarforum.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=1570

http://www.aussiecarforum.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=1571

Sorry that I can't post the pics themselves but I think they are a bit too large.

 

[stearnman]

Just got it back on Friday!
It will return to the shop for some touch ups but basically its all done now.

I took these pics only this morning at work.

http://www.aussiecarforum.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=1568

http://www.aussiecarforum.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=1569

http://www.aussiecarforum.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=1570

http://www.aussiecarforum.com/album_pic.php?pic_id=1571

Sorry that I can't post the pics themselves but I think they are a bit too large.

Looks AWSOME!!

 

[Jeb]

Aussome!

I especially like the stripe. It's a perfect blend of stock and individualism.

 

[Will]

Thanks.

It was hard to try to think up a design scheme that would be eye-catching but didn’t scream out at people. I was inspired by not only the 1996 Grand Sport but also the 2004 Commemorative C5.

I didn’t come up the layout alone however as the paint guy (Murray) helped me decide on how it should look.
When the old paint was being striped off Murray called me down there for a think-tank on how the car should look. So later that day went down with some pics of the Grand Sport & Commemorative and we thew some ideas around.
At first he advised against the red trim around the white strips (in homage to the 04 Commemorative) and just when I was going about to abandon the red trim idea he suddenly changed his mind and said
"No wait! If me make the red lines thinner then...(mumble)...YES! We MUST put a red trim in there!".

The funny thing is that the red used was decided by mixing paint at the shop and adding white until the correct brightness was attained.
So while Murray's mixing this jug of red and white paint I'm looking over his shoulder going "Too dark", "Too Orange" and eventually after this trial and error process we came up with the right colour.
Then I mentioned (in hindsight) that we should use the red rear "CORVETTE" badge I just bought as the template for the red.
Yet by an amazing coincidence, the red we mixed just happened to be the exact same colour as the badge. Murray said this kind of thing nearly never happens! Spooky eh?
My guess is that there must be just some kind of red that is simply Corvette, and it is somehow embedded in the mind of every Corvette enthusiast.

 

[stearnman]

Thanks.

It was hard to try to think up a design scheme that would be eye-catching but didn’t scream out at people. I was inspired by not only the 1996 Grand Sport but also the 2004 Commemorative C5.

I didn’t come up the layout alone however as the paint guy (Murray) helped me decide on how it should look.
When the old paint was being striped off Murray called me down there for a think-tank on how the car should look. So later that day went down with some pics of the Grand Sport & Commemorative and we thew some ideas around.
At first he advised against the red trim around the white strips (in homage to the 04 Commemorative) and just when I was going about to abandon the red trim idea he suddenly changed his mind and said
"No wait! If me make the red lines thinner then...(mumble)...YES! We MUST put a red trim in there!".

The funny thing is that the red used was decided by mixing paint at the shop and adding white until the correct brightness was attained.
So while Murray's mixing this jug of red and white paint I'm looking over his shoulder going "Too dark", "Too Orange" and eventually after this trial and error process we came up with the right colour.
Then I mentioned (in hindsight) that we should use the red rear "CORVETTE" badge I just bought as the template for the red.
Yet by an amazing coincidence, the red we mixed just happened to be the exact same colour as the badge. Murray said this kind of thing nearly never happens! Spooky eh?
My guess is that there must be just some kind of red that is simply Corvette, and it is somehow embedded in the mind of every Corvette enthusiast.

huh...I hadn't really noticed the red trim accent stripe bordering the white until you pointed it out. Great job to you and Murray! I do love the stripe. Nicely done!

 

[davec0_17]

Thats a really cool story. I think your thought and hard work paid off very nicely. I really like the look from the back, I think you had some good ideas!
Its also interesting to see the small differences in the body compaired to our states side models.

 

[Will]

Its also interesting to see the small differences in the body compaired to our states side models.

It's a Japanese export. One of only 25 to be exported to Japan in 1987.
The Speedo reads above 85mph and doesn’t have that unit converter in the centre console (its metric only).

The rear section is a bit different as it is designed to accommodate not only a larger number plate but also some very daft plastic plate attachment with light bulbs that allow the number plate to be back-lit (some weird Japanese design rule apparently). I removed it as it was unsightly but I had to put a metal plate to cover up the holes that were drilled for the backlight plate.

Another Japanese mandate is that reflectors may not be fitted within the brake light lenses, so that’s why there are small rectangular reflectors on the back end. In addition, the rear lights are not fitted as deep into the socket recesses as the US version.
One day I want to swap the little reflectors for amber indicators and have four brake lights at the back just like the traditional US version. I understand that in some states in the US you don’t have rear amber indicators but instead a system where the brake lights on the left or right hand side of the car flash to indicate direction. This is likely why every time I see a typical pic of a Corvette it usually has four red taillights. Much more exotic looking IMO.
I would very much like to emulate that look on my Vette at some point.

 

[C-4 Now]

:cool Car came out really nice and I really like the export bumpers and lights. I was surprised that it wasn't right hand drive converted! Enjoy!

 

[Will]

I was surprised that it wasn't right hand drive converted!

Oooo that’s pricy!:eek
A proper RHD conversion that is.

When doing a proper one the whole engine needs to be moved a few inches to the right and requires some special parts to be fabricated.
A common (and much cheaper) RHD conversion though would be the chain conversion but as far as I'm concerned, that is an accident waiting to happen.
If the chain slipped off you would lose steering!

Fortunately for me I live in the only state in Australia that doesn’t have a problem with LHD vehicles (provided they are 15 years or older) and best of all I don’t have to have one of those ugly "CAUTION LEFT HAND DRIVE" stickers on the bumper.

Incidentally back in 1988 GM made one special RHD Corvette for the Australian market with in intention to sell them though Holden Special Vehicles (HSV).
The plan flopped though as the cost of the car would skyrocket after a RHD conversion.

 

[C-4 Now]

Thanks for info Will. Well I guess I know where I'd live if it was down under! Would like to visit someday just not thrilled with long jet ride> Do you have any more info on that 88 prototype?? Ike

 

[Will]

Do you have any more info on that 88 prototype?? Ike

Although I do not know a great deal about the details of what was changed for the Aussie market (apart from the RHD conversion), I think it might have been a 35th Anniversary model Convertible.
I have seen pictures of it that were taken in Sydney back in 88 with the Harbour Bridge in the background. Cannot remember where I saw the pics. I think it might have been somewhere in that DVD set called "Corvette: Fastest Fifty Years"

 

[Will]

Theoretically, Kawasaki-green would look awful on a C4 but I saw someone do it on one of those CarDomian sites a couple of years ago, and it looked great. I have been looking though the site to see if I can find it but I think it’s gone now. It might have been a Twin-turbo Callaway he was painting. I think one of the reasons it looked good was because the black interior seems to somehow complement the exterior.
In any case, without seeing the pic again I think it would be wise to avoid the colour.

I FOUND THE PIC! ​

The pic of that C4 I was talking about way back. It’s not a Callaway after all.

http://content.madirect.com/community/YourGarage/C4/images/1987%20Eric%20Maudier.jpg


Just in case you guys were wondering why on earth I was ever even considering green, it was because I came across this pic.

Now although I am more then happy with my new paint job, I have to say I have never seen such a good use of such a risky colour.
Very well executed indeed, but it was probably a very expensive job.