Jriver

My 1965 Milano Maroon convertible has the original paint on every panel except the headlight covers.
Originally I planned to have the car repainted but several shops told me I should stay with the old cracked lacquer because it’s only original once. It’s got the born with driveline and obviously never been hit.
I would like to do what’s best for the car but can’t decide. Any advice would be appreciated.

GTOguy

Need some pictures of the car and paint.

Easy Rhino

If it's all original, never hit paint with only age cracking I wouldn't touch it, but here's the thing - it's not my car.

Bluestripe67

If you repaint it, every trim piece will look sub par. Then you are into all parts rechromed or replaced, and that includes weather stripping. After that you look at the interior and it looks sub par....on and on and on. Next thing you know you have unnecessarily totally restored an orig car that you may be afraid to drive. We have a For Sale Page here on the CF.
Keep it original and just maintain everything the best you can. If an original part fails, try to rebuild it, or find an experienced rebuilder. If it's not rebuildable, store it and get a suitable, as correct as possible replacement part. Dennis

provette67

• as well a gentle wet sand and buff can make that original paint look better

dcamick

MikeM

I agree!

Ask one of these shops what they can do to help bring back the original shine by working with the paint on the car.

I have read here on this forum that some members just couldn't bring themselves to ride around in their Corvette with less than perfect paint. Their loss, your gain.

Greg

I don't know....
My wife looked pretty hot in her wedding dress, but if she was still wearing the same dress after all these years it would be pretty ratty.
I say repaint it and make it look great again.

Jriver

Hear are some pictures

Jriver

there would surly be other things to do but the interior, dash cluster and all the chrome and stainless are in excellent comditioncondition

Jriver

Way past wet sand and buff

BLUE1972

Do you drive it a lot = no

If you just show it = yes


If repainted do you want to drive it and get the rock chips and dings ? that is the question ..

Greg

Yes, that paint is way beyond it's service limits.
It's a beautiful car, it deserves a nice paint job.

74plb

I like it as is. I'm sure it turns heads every where it goes. It comes down to what you are happy with

rayvaflav

This is a pretty nice '65, in my opinion it's so nice that it deserves some new paint.

Ray

By the way, you posted "any advice would be appreciated" … How about some spinners on those OEM wheelcovers ?

Nowhere Man

as others said its only original once. think about all the places you drive and park the car now. would you do that after a repaint that cost big $$ in fear of stone chips etc. then look at all your chrome, other bright work, interior, under hood and W/S. after shiny paint all that will look awful and you wont be happy. thats more money to fix. its a slippery slope that may lead to a body off resto.

with all that said dads 67 convertible looks like that too. and there is no way we would ever have it painted

Jriver

I thought about them but couldn’t decide if I should go with Knock offs instead. So I did nothing. That’s the same issue as the repaint or not. You may have helped me decide .

LouieM

Personally, that paint is too far gone for me to enjoy, so I'd repaint it. I never buy the "it's only original once" argument, because 50-year-old paint is not "original" (= smooth and shiny) --- it's weathered, cracked and faded. You wouldn't leave the original factory-fill oil in there for 50 years because "it's only original once," would you? Once it's done its job, replace it. Same with the paint.

Lou

Swept57

It's funny that in the vintage guitar world, refinishing an instrument with that kind of checking and cracking is the kiss of death value-wise. Custom shops go to great lengths to duplicate that patina on new instruments and plenty of people gladly pay for it. The patina on your original paint is a thing of beauty, unique to your car only. You asked for opinions, I wouldn't touch it.

capevettes

I understand the urge to paint it, but how often do you see original paint 65's? That car would get my attention far more than all the restored garage queens. It's special now, less so when repainted like all the rest.