What color should I repaint my '81?

[ducvw2004]

Getting ready to repaint my '81 and can't decide what I want to do color wise. Part of me says stay stock original...then again, I'm not a huge fan of white cars!

 

[ducvw2004]

Forgot....the interior is Dark Red Leather.

 

[Peer81]

Go for a two tone, always nice

Groeten Peter

 

[paul67]

Check out code 84 Charcoal Metallic. Very nice!

 

[Evolution1980]

If you plan on staying with fairly date-correct colors, I'd say stick with the white. I always thought our cars looked good in white. Plus, white really hides dirt the best of any color, except maybe silver. Black shows everything! and if the paint job isn't perfect, black will certainly let you know.
Red C3's always look sharp too, but not sure if it will work correctly darker red interior.
I also think vettes are one of the few cars that look good in a deep yellow.

If you aren't stuck on any particular color, then go with whatcha like! It's your car and your money! You're the one that has to look at it everyday and live with your decision.

 

[spikebot 81]

I vote arctic white


http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg289/markterri/Picture010.jpg

 

[Dunzvett81]

White is always a classy corvette colour. And red is certainly the staple for sports cars. However, I am partial to blue, sort of like the black it has to be done right or it just doesn't look good. When people see the car they either love the colour or hate it there doesn't seem to be any middle ground unlike white, red & black. good luck with your choice.

 

[61vette]

This is hard decision for me also. My 1961 vette was orignally white, so i have finally decided to go back with the white.

 

[Glensgages]

White is always a classy corvette colour. And red is certainly the staple for sports cars. However, I am partial to blue, sort of like the black it has to be done right or it just doesn't look good. When people see the car they either love the colour or hate it there doesn't seem to be any middle ground unlike white, red & black. good luck with your choice.

Our '82 is Black with Dark Red guts, and although Black is tough to keep clean (especially in a warm-weather climate..... I often have-to wash it before/at sun-up, or it streaks & spots), it is very striking looking

 

[GerryLP]

Your happiness with the color is paramount. Having said that, one ca ruin a Vette just by ignoring what makes for a great combination of colors with it.

I like Dunz's idea...there is a member from Colorado who owns a 1969 Blue Vette with red interiors (originally ordered that way from the factory), and it looks great.

Oddly enough, when I looked for my Vette back in 1984, I looked for a White/red interior L81 with manual transmission. Never found one for sale. I even offered owners to buy it from them, but I guess that in California at the time, it was a rare combination indeed.

There is another member with a two-tone blue on top of silver which I like a lot as well, so perhaps you could go with a factory two tone scheme of red (dark red) on top of another color.

May I suggest you buy an old copy of Photo Shop on eBay, and experiment with it. I have been pretty busy lately, but otherwise I would do it for you.

 

[black_81_vette]

You could go with cadillac pearl white,it has a nice amount of pearl in it.

 

[ducvw2004]

Thanks for all of the input guys!

I still have a bit of time before I get there...buying up bits and pieces that need to be replaced when the car is painted, so I'll be stewing this one over...but I have a sneaking suspicion I will be going back with the original color!

 

[Whiteshadow89158]

dark metalic purple! sweet old school hot rod color

 

[Rawj]

What's wrong with white ?

 

[JohnGrawcock]

Silver over Dark Claret two tone would work well with your interior.

 

[6880 Mike]

...White is always a classy corvette colour...

I agree. My '74 was white. Geez. I miss her.

FWIW: White is the only exterior color to have been available in every year of production. All of the factory production milestone cars since the 250,000th have been white with red interiors, just like the '53s.

 

[Evolution1980]

I agree. My '74 was white. Geez. I miss her.

FWIW: White is the only exterior color to have been available in every year of production. All of the factory production milestone cars since the 250,000th have been white with red interiors, just like the '53s.

Interesting little trivia tidbit! Now is that "White" as in just "White" or does that include the "Arctic White" and other various whites? I would think that Red and/or Blacks have to be close in terms of always being an available color.

 

[6880 Mike]

Interesting little trivia tidbit! Now is that "White" as in just "White" or does that include the "Arctic White" and other various whites? I would think that Red and/or Blacks have to be close in terms of always being an available color.

A white of some type has always been available. The white used on the '53s was nitocellulose lacquer and has an ivory tint to it, but it was considered "white" in it's day.

Red was not available in '53 and became available on the '54 models.

Black was not available until '54 (only 4 of them) and for several C3 years.

A few years back, I did an article for the Corvette Club of America newsletter of colors through C3 production. The compilation comes out Red, White, and Blue in that order.

Kinda patriotic for America's sports car.

2003 rolls around and the Corvette is 50 years old. What color does GM select for the 50th Anniversary models?

Go figure.

 

[White75]

2003 rolls around and the Corvette is 50 years old. What color does GM select for the 50th Anniversary models?

Go figure.

yeah, that was a horrible decision. we had already saved up a down payment for a 50th "golden anniversary" but when it came out in that dark red we passed on it. It just wasn't different enough from the 40th anniversary Ruby we had at the time. My dad who has a 78 SA did the same.

 

[Vette D.R.S.]

I vote arctic white


http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/gg289/markterri/Picture010.jpg

I agree, Arctic White is beautiful, just a bit of blue in it, if you do go with this, get a good pair of shades, or you'll go snow blind driving it.

Had a Friend paint a car Arctic White, we went on a road trip, well after about 5 hours looking over the front end with no shades.....the rest doesn't need to be said.
Your in the same boat as I'm in, but I or the wife decided original, so silver it is.

White

oh did I say White



hahaha


Dave


WOW missed the date on that thread...............