Does color really matter?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 933
Likes: 80
From: mid-tenn
Does color really matter?
I mean, color change.....
I've got a 69 coupe---had it about ten years. 70k miles, 300hp, auto, A/C, tilt, PS......really a good old car. Started(well, I didn't--the PO did) a cosmetic rehab. You know, remove the rear flares, the van sidepipes, the diamond-tucked velour
. Get the car back to what it should be
With the economy being slow, I've found a little more time to ferry my projects into my shop....and now might be time for the old slug to get the makeover done and finished.
So here's my dilemma.
It's a LeMans Blue/Black std car. Pretty color, but it seems like darn near every other 69 was blue
"I" think it would look great SILVER(especially with the redline tires I bought for it)
Am I nuts? Of course, if it was my dream car or I was gonna keep it, well Hell, I'd just spray it silver and be done with it.....BUT....it'll likely be for sale when done, so I need to maximize my return.
Will I be tossing 3-5 grand out the window by NOT returning this low-mile car to it's "original" configuration?
Not that it matters, but what do y'all think?
I've got a 69 coupe---had it about ten years. 70k miles, 300hp, auto, A/C, tilt, PS......really a good old car. Started(well, I didn't--the PO did) a cosmetic rehab. You know, remove the rear flares, the van sidepipes, the diamond-tucked velour
. Get the car back to what it should beWith the economy being slow, I've found a little more time to ferry my projects into my shop....and now might be time for the old slug to get the makeover done and finished.
So here's my dilemma.
It's a LeMans Blue/Black std car. Pretty color, but it seems like darn near every other 69 was blue
"I" think it would look great SILVER(especially with the redline tires I bought for it)
Am I nuts? Of course, if it was my dream car or I was gonna keep it, well Hell, I'd just spray it silver and be done with it.....BUT....it'll likely be for sale when done, so I need to maximize my return.
Will I be tossing 3-5 grand out the window by NOT returning this low-mile car to it's "original" configuration?
Not that it matters, but what do y'all think?
Administrator
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 53,972
Likes: 6,196
From: About 1100 miles from where I call home.
Am I nuts? Of course, if it was my dream car or I was gonna keep it, well Hell, I'd just spray it silver and be done with it.....BUT....it'll likely be for sale when done, so I need to maximize my return.
Will I be tossing 3-5 grand out the window by NOT returning this low-mile car to it's "original" configuration?
Not that it matters, but what do y'all think?
Will I be tossing 3-5 grand out the window by NOT returning this low-mile car to it's "original" configuration?
Not that it matters, but what do y'all think?
Silver will be pretty. The Standard CF Response to this question, which is asked often, is "do what you like."
However, if your question is, will this cost you in terms of value, it absolutely will. To an experienced buyer, by the cost of a repaint.
It is of course possible that an inexperienced buyer who likes silver might pay too much- there's lots of first time Corvette Buyers who make mistakes. However, especially in the case of a Corvette with more collector value (a '69 rather than a '79) you are definitely hurting the car's value.
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 127
Likes: 1
From: Lisbon Ohio
In my opinion, which doesn't account for much I would say that since you are spending time to debug all of the other non-stock and non-original items on the car it would make sense to return it to it's original color.
But....if you don't think that a buyer will mind a mild modification too much (price wise) then HI HO Silver.
I guess it really depends on two things.
1. Do you think the next owner will care about a non-original color?
2. Will you charge a different price for color? If not, then I say it's your car until they buy it!
Good luck with it. See....I told you my opinion didn't matter.
I would say that since you are spending time to debug all of the other non-stock and non-original items on the car it would make sense to return it to it's original color. But....if you don't think that a buyer will mind a mild modification too much (price wise) then HI HO Silver.
I guess it really depends on two things.
1. Do you think the next owner will care about a non-original color?
2. Will you charge a different price for color? If not, then I say it's your car until they buy it!
Good luck with it. See....I told you my opinion didn't matter.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 2,336
Likes: 1
From: North Bellmore Ny
St. Jude Donor '09
Paint it the original blue. You stated that every other 69 was blue? I differ with that statement. I find blue while a popular color hard to find on a 69 with the original 976 code on the tag.
You stated that every other 69 was blue? I differ with that statement. I find blue while a popular color hard to find on a 69 with the original 976 code on the tag.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 872
Likes: 3
From: Cortlandt Manor New York
If you are going to sell it when finished paint it the original color. What your personal tastes are doesn't matter when you sell it. People rarely buy these cars for their color but many will not buy it if the color is incorrect.
Make sure the color is as original as that makes a difference to many people. Blue is not LeMans Blue.
Make sure the color is as original as that makes a difference to many people. Blue is not LeMans Blue.
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Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 4,454
Likes: 328
From: Indy Indiana
if it is not factory color then you are limiting your pool of buyers, if the color is correct then both those that care and those that don't care will be in the market to buy the car. if you change the color, only the buyers that don't care willl even look at it.. you want to maximize the number of buyers out there to get maximum potential saleability.
it's like manual transmissions.. I had a manual transmission truck once that I just couldn't sell.. the automatics sold for thousands more.. I had to keep dropping my price until I found a buyer... so many don't know how or want to shift gears.. but everybody knows how to drive an automatic..
maximize your # of potential buyers and you will get maximum saleability...
it's like manual transmissions.. I had a manual transmission truck once that I just couldn't sell.. the automatics sold for thousands more.. I had to keep dropping my price until I found a buyer... so many don't know how or want to shift gears.. but everybody knows how to drive an automatic..
maximize your # of potential buyers and you will get maximum saleability...
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 24,467
Likes: 309
From: Scottsdale AZ
If it's still got the original motor and tranny, and you're not going to go aftermarket nuts on anything else, I'd agree that the car's value will suffer from a color change. How much depends on the buyer but there's a definite attraction to 'originality' in my view.
FWIW - -please post pictures when you can . .and when you're done !
FWIW - -please post pictures when you can . .and when you're done !
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 12,142
Likes: 54
From: Taylor Michigan
I Like Silver, do it.
I`m with you. Its never going to be a 435 car so do what you want. Make it a show quality Silver if that's the color you would have ordered if you would have had the opportunity to buy it new. The only Blue car I ever had I changed the color. A bitchin perfect paint after returning its physical appearance back into a Vette rather than a pump jockeys delight would do wonders. Silver is one of the three most popular colors....
Pro
Joined: Oct 2006
Posts: 524
Likes: 8
From: Manahawkin NJ
if it is not factory color then you are limiting your pool of buyers, if the color is correct then both those that care and those that don't care will be in the market to buy the car. if you change the color, only the buyers that don't care willl even look at it.. you want to maximize the number of buyers out there to get maximum potential saleability.
it's like manual transmissions.. I had a manual transmission truck once that I just couldn't sell.. the automatics sold for thousands more.. I had to keep dropping my price until I found a buyer... so many don't know how or want to shift gears.. but everybody knows how to drive an automatic..
maximize your # of potential buyers and you will get maximum saleability...
it's like manual transmissions.. I had a manual transmission truck once that I just couldn't sell.. the automatics sold for thousands more.. I had to keep dropping my price until I found a buyer... so many don't know how or want to shift gears.. but everybody knows how to drive an automatic..
maximize your # of potential buyers and you will get maximum saleability...
Lemans Blue is a very sought after color, especially if the trim tag is there to match. I don't speek for all but, I for one belive that a car should re mane the color it was born with unless it's a custom. If you are going to sell the car your chances of getting a larger return are better with the original color.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2006
Posts: 31,167
Likes: 4,244
From: Westminster Maryland
I think it depends how original the rest of the car is. If it's attraction to people is going to be it's originality, the car needs to be the color that the trim tag indicates.
Regards,
Alan
Regards,
Alan
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 3,637
Likes: 27
From: Norwalk Ct
Come on.....its a base 300hp, auto, (I wouldnt call 70K low miles), how much is one of those going to be worth restored to factory specs??? $28K? $30K? gonna cost you that and 40% more to get it there. Its not really going to appeal to those collector car buyers thast have money to spend right now.
Paint it silver, put on the red stripe tires, make it look nice and you will appeal to a different market, the guys that want to drive 'em and show em, not the guys that just sit in the garage in their boxer shorts wondering how much the blue book value will be tomorrow.
Nick
Paint it silver, put on the red stripe tires, make it look nice and you will appeal to a different market, the guys that want to drive 'em and show em, not the guys that just sit in the garage in their boxer shorts wondering how much the blue book value will be tomorrow.
Nick
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,335
Likes: 0
From: Des Moines Iowa
Exactly. If you have a NOM 81 with big chrome rims, what does it matter? But if you have a 69, numbers matching (or fairly close) then it seems like a shame.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 933
Likes: 80
From: mid-tenn
Well, heck, thanks for the advice guys!
11-4 in favor of blue.......I guess it DOES matter more than I thought
I would never have asked had it been a BB or hi-horse car, or something equally special. I just figured a base air car was gonna be worth x dollars regardless of originality(to a point), as long as it was NICE. Sooooo, I guess it's gonna be a NICE 976 blue car
Paint it silver, put on the red stripe tires, make it look nice and you will appeal to a different market, the guys that want to drive 'em and show em, not the guys that just sit in the garage in their boxer shorts wondering how much the blue book value will be tomorrow.
Nick
I like the way you think, Nick 
Only thing I'd disagree with ya on ....70K mi seems low to me, seeing as it's a 40 year old car....what's that figure out to? 1800mi a year?
11-4 in favor of blue.......I guess it DOES matter more than I thought
I would never have asked had it been a BB or hi-horse car, or something equally special. I just figured a base air car was gonna be worth x dollars regardless of originality(to a point), as long as it was NICE. Sooooo, I guess it's gonna be a NICE 976 blue car
Paint it silver, put on the red stripe tires, make it look nice and you will appeal to a different market, the guys that want to drive 'em and show em, not the guys that just sit in the garage in their boxer shorts wondering how much the blue book value will be tomorrow.
Nick
Only thing I'd disagree with ya on ....70K mi seems low to me, seeing as it's a 40 year old car....what's that figure out to? 1800mi a year?
