Decision on paint scheme

[69shelbycoupe 11]

I am building a 69 coupe. I am putting all the shelby parts on it. Since I'm doing a restomod I was thinking maybe a two tone paint job. What do you all think? Should I do something like a two tone paint or keep it simple with one color and maybe some stripes? Reason I'm asking is I don't want the two tone to be overkill.

[70mstang 11]

I went through the same decision a while back. Two tone paint schemes are totally cool especially on a restomod. I'm going with a custom green with gold racing stripes. But could just have easily gone with a two tone with a green metal flake black on top and Silver jade on the sides.

[69shelbycoupe 11]

What I was actually thinking of was black on top with a lime green on the sides. The green is similiar to the green on the 2010 camaros. I would also paint the engine bay the green.

[Pakrat 1,043]

You say all the Shelby parts so I assume that means the nose too and I just think it is way too long to support a two tone scheme especially with the shortened roof line of a coupe that will make the front end look even longer. That's probably why it was left plain to begin with and only added real thin race stripes to the 70' instead of the signature LeMan's stripes.

[Max Power 74]

Never been a fan of two tone schemes, and since Foose practically can't do anything else, I am even less enamored with them now. I have always liked simple.

 

But.....paint schemes are like hairstyles. Different things appeal to different people, and there is no right or wrong answer.

 

One thing to keep in mind though: If you plan on ever selling it, you can severely limit your audience if your paint scheme choices are not a shared vision with the masses.

[69shelbycoupe 11]

That is what I was thinking about appeal to audience. The two tone will hurt I think for shows. Maybe not. It's good to see other peoples opinions then I'll know the general publics opinion.

[69shelbycoupe 11]

You say all the Shelby parts so I assume that means the nose too and I just think it is way too long to support a two tone scheme especially with the shortened roof line of a coupe that will make the front end look even longer. That's probably why it was left plain to begin with and only added real thin race stripes to the 70' instead of the signature LeMan's stripes.

 

I was originally doing the nose and everything but then decided against it. I am keeping the stock front but am changing the hood to a fiberglass one with molded in cougar eliminator hood scoop. I am still doing the side scoops and everything in the :asshole:end shelby down to the center exit exhaust.

[Pakrat 1,043]

If that's the case then instead of a full tow tone I would consider the black out hood and maybe even some black on the rear deck and tail panel, kind of a 69' Boss 302 thing. You could always spice it up and do the center pinstripe in a second color instead of body color or even eliminate both stripes all together and make the black out full width and then do a thin contrating pinstripe all around it like you probably would of had to do on two tone anyway. I think something like that would make a great compromise to a more custom/stock approach with a simillar effect.

[69shelbycoupe 11]

what you are describing is kinds what I meant by two tone. I was only going to do the tops of the hood, trunk, roof, and the pillars coming down from the roof to meet the trunk and hood. It would only be the top of the car. If not I keep the car one color and do something like the super snake stripe.

[Pakrat 1,043]

No I think we are both talking about something different, what you are describing is a typical two tone where the paint goes all the way to the outer edge of the fenders and covers the whole top of the car. I was talking about a custom variant of a boss look which only covers the hood area itself and back trunk lid, not the roof or pillars at all.

 

[StephenC 10]

I think you should do black on the top and a gun metal gray on the bottom with a red pin stripe separating the two colors.

[Fordrevhead 29]

I think you should do black on the top and a gun metal gray on the bottom with a red pin stripe separating the two colors.

 

hey, that's totally my current scheme! Except I may experiment with metallic with high gloss clear on the gray and gloss inhibitor to say 20% gloss on the black. I've never seen it done and I think there's a way to use the red stripe as the line where the clear changes. Of course this would take around 5 or 6 tape jobs.

[Silver_69_Coupe 31]

Never been a fan of 2 tone on the classics. If you go 2 tone don't do a straight line at the change over point. add some style to it and it will look better. I personally think two tone on a mustang takes more away from it than it adds. Although there are a few exceptions. If you do a good job of accenting the body lines then it might look really nice. That said "beauty is in the eye of the beholder!"

 

IMHO Two tones are for trucks :)

[Fordrevhead 29]

Well mine is a 70 coupe. I believe they made the sail panel/quarter blend too smooth on the 70 compared to the 69. I'll take a photo of where I struck a line on the quarter with tape to accent the small body line that is there. It is certainly not straight but I think it helps a lot. The black makes the sail panel appear smaller as well (a vinyl top sometimes does this as well).

 

From working in a body shop as a second job at night for 4 years, being around my Dad and Uncle who both owned shops, and buying and fixing a lot of rebuildables in the days before branded titles, if there's one thing I can do it's lay a stripe of tape.

 

Anyway, I'd love to see it done before I do it, lol. Besides, I'm probably a year or two from paint and I've already changed my mind 3 or 4 times.

 

I better make a list of all the photos I need to take to catch up on the forum!

[69shelbycoupe 11]

I've been trying to decide on paint for 11 months and still can't make up my mind. I don't know what I'm gonna do.:laugh:

[70mstang 11]

One thing I did and I know a few others are doing it too. Build out some model kits, like Revell, and paint them in different paint schemes. I tried out a two tone and the LeMans stripes on mine, just getting the paint from AutoZone. There's nothing like seeing it on a little car to help make your decision.

[Pakrat 1,043]

Photoshop is a great help too, you can change color schemes even faster on actual cars than building models.

 

My car is repainted gunmetal (technically called charcoal blue) but will have the black out hood andtail panel and black GT stripe and a black convertible top. I don't have anything to sperate with a red stripe but I am having custom redlines done on my new tires to make the 17" magnums look even more retro. I agree a little touch of red with the gunmetal and black really looks good together.

[69shelbycoupe 11]

black and red do go good together. I did post a thing in the photoshop forum because I don't know how to do it.

[SM69Mach 68]

I considered similar things as well. Went with the stock Acapulco Blue, Blacked out Hood, cowl, and tail panel and had the stripes painted on instead of the decal.

 

 

[69shelbycoupe 11]

Damn! That thing looks good! I considered going with an original color and that Acapulco Blue was one I was considering. The only problem I'm having with that is that I haven't seen one in person in years and all the pictures I see of that color vary drastically. So I don't know what it really looks like.

[SM69Mach 68]

You are right. I have seen a lot of variations of the color as well, and even the first coat that got put on my car looked like crap. We changed brnad to PPG and got a new mix and it turned out great. IF you decide to go that route, let me know I will get the paint codes and mix combo for you. Good luck

[69shelbycoupe 11]

ok thanks

[unfrozen1969 11]

So it looks like we are a bunch of traditionalists, prefering one color over two tone....Have you made a decision?

[69shelbycoupe 11]

To be honest, no I haven't. It is still up in the air but I am leaning towards one color with stripes. I still have no idea what color I want. I've been trying to decide on a color for almost a year and still can't make up my mind. Like I said before, I might just have to pick one out of a hat. haha! The car is at the body shop now. I have a couple months still to make a decision.

[9RO1M 12]

Being a restomod leaves the door wide open .For what its worth i would look at some of the modern colors,theres some realy nice metalics with deep hues and pearls.Have a look around in some new car yards or the shopping mall car park and see what i mean .Perhaps something that no one has done to make your pride and joy truly unique and different.Well thats my 2 cents worth, goodluck.