1964 Corvette
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
1964 Corvette
I have a 1964 Corvette that seems to be numbers matching in good shape but not great. It has just been jell coated and I'm having the interior redone. My question is, should I go back to the origional silver-blue color with dark blue vinyl interior or a nice red with black vinyl interior. And do I need to go with the red from 64 or does any Corvette red work. Would any red like Viper red work. Please let me know what you think when you have some time. Thanks.
Pro
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 642
Likes: 1
From: San Jose
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 205
Likes: 0
64
It's not silver but the light blue flake called silver-blue. Not my favorate but not bad. This is not going to be top of the line show car but it will be nice. How important is it to have the original colors for re-sale?
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 10,977
Likes: 19
From: Canboro Ontario
IMHO, original colors are very important, for resale value. Most people these days are spending more time restoring cars back to original, that has been modified, over the years. A buyer who is looking for a classic vette, they think about how much it is going to cost to bring it back, which will lower the offers at time of resale. So I think, bottom line is, it is always best to go original. But again it is your car, and you should do what you like.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 5,442
Likes: 64
From: 50 kilometers outside Oslo Norway
IMHO, original colors are very important, for resale value. Most people these days are spending more time restoring cars back to original, that has been modified, over the years. A buyer who is looking for a classic vette, they think about how much it is going to cost to bring it back, which will lower the offers at time of resale. So I think, bottom line is, it is always best to go original. But again it is your car, and you should do what you like.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 8,000
Likes: 659
From: Puget Sound
Personally, I love that silver-blue. Original colors will always be worth more than a non-stock repaint. I know people talk about "re-sale red" but do what you like, it's your car. Oh, by the way, I hate red. Never owned a red car and never will.
Jim
Jim
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 2,937
Likes: 163
From: OP Kansas
C2 of Year Finalist (appearance mods) 2019
That silver-blue color is too boring. I think you will turn off the guys looking for a numbers matching car a bit, but the people that just want to own a Corvette to drive and enjoy will love the red color.
Unless the car is going to be all numbers matching, I would paint it like you want it and don't worry about the handful of folks that want a trailer queen or a NCRS car.
Unless the car is going to be all numbers matching, I would paint it like you want it and don't worry about the handful of folks that want a trailer queen or a NCRS car.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 3,461
Likes: 18
From: cooper city florida
If your concerned about resale(and who isn't?), stay original. If resale is of no concern, I would go with silver, with red interior. Don't mean to offend anyone, but riverside red has a little too much orange in it for my taste. No matter what you choose, I would stay with a 64 color.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Mar 2009
Posts: 7,992
Likes: 3,975
From: Cold Harbor, VA
you ask for opinions, we all have one. Here's mine:
Stay original.
Color changed vettes are not worth as much as non-color changed vettes. Why? You reduce the market place. Many would be buyers will not consider a color change, unless the car has some other things going for it that make the color change less important.
Your car already has a diminished market place, because it is a 64. Many would-be buyers will not consider a 64. Good car, nothing wrong with it at all, but some buyers discount it, and look for other years. So, the year is a strike against it. Color change, another strike against it. The more strikes you get, the less you are going to get for it when you sell.
Now, if you just don't want a silver-blue vette, then by all means do not repaint it original. Paint it what makes you happy. But if it is 6 of one, and half dozen the other for you personally, then consider what I wrote above.
Stay original.
Color changed vettes are not worth as much as non-color changed vettes. Why? You reduce the market place. Many would be buyers will not consider a color change, unless the car has some other things going for it that make the color change less important.
Your car already has a diminished market place, because it is a 64. Many would-be buyers will not consider a 64. Good car, nothing wrong with it at all, but some buyers discount it, and look for other years. So, the year is a strike against it. Color change, another strike against it. The more strikes you get, the less you are going to get for it when you sell.
Now, if you just don't want a silver-blue vette, then by all means do not repaint it original. Paint it what makes you happy. But if it is 6 of one, and half dozen the other for you personally, then consider what I wrote above.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 4,786
Likes: 70
From: Park Bench #805 NE Indiana
'64 what color to paint
I would stay with the original silver-blue/dark blue on that '64. 
Everyone seems to have a red car... how boring is that. Silver-blue/dark blue is a very sharp car, and you will not be loosing any money on it when trying to sell it later on. JMHO
Bruce
Everyone seems to have a red car... how boring is that. Silver-blue/dark blue is a very sharp car, and you will not be loosing any money on it when trying to sell it later on. JMHO Bruce
Cartoon Character
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,440
Likes: 0
From: Can't be more than 114... Arizona
It doesn't make any difference as the car will never likely be worth more than $40K if it were a perfect , numbers matching , never driven $20K paint job car. The only cars that go over that are big block, rare cars. I know of two convertible cars for sale here in Scottsdale right now. One is a completely stock 66 that is really perfect, like top flight perfect and a 63 that is red over red, a power window car absolutely fresh beautiful restoration. Neither car is $40K and the 63 could probably be had for about $36 although they are asking 39. Do whatever you want...
Pro
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 659
Likes: 24
From: Ontario
I have a nom 64 that has the Daytona blue trim tag... I am considering silver blue instead.....I'm still 50/50 on which one but man I flip back and forth everyday. Silver blue is classic, daytona blue seems a bit more tough. If I had a #'s matching....I would stick with the original color though no matter what it was.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 470
Likes: 0
From: Rochester ny
It doesn't make any difference as the car will never likely be worth more than $40K if it were a perfect , numbers matching , never driven $20K paint job car. The only cars that go over that are big block, rare cars. I know of two convertible cars for sale here in Scottsdale right now. One is a completely stock 66 that is really perfect, like top flight perfect and a 63 that is red over red, a power window car absolutely fresh beautiful restoration. Neither car is $40K and the 63 could probably be had for about $36 although they are asking 39. Do whatever you want...
Thanks,
MIke
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 13,671
Likes: 14
From: Down on the bayou in south Louisiana
St. Jude Donor '10
I've got a red/black 64 convertible and I'd love it if it was silver blue/blue. Do whatever you want but as far as value on an original car the original color combo would be better. M2C
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 3,073
Likes: 3
From: New Jersey. The deer ate my Garden State.
I have a 1964 Corvette that seems to be numbers matching in good shape but not great. It has just been jell coated and I'm having the interior redone. My question is, should I go back to the origional silver-blue color with dark blue vinyl interior or a nice red with black vinyl interior. And do I need to go with the red from 64 or does any Corvette red work. Would any red like Viper red work. Please let me know what you think when you have some time. Thanks.
CF Community Team
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 19,367
Likes: 5,244
From: Cape Cod, Mass.
2025 C6 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2025 C8 Z06/7/E-Ray of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2021 C8 of the Year Finalist Unmodified
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C1 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2017 Corvette of the Year Finalist
2016 C2 of Year
2015 C3 of Year Finalist