Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[Ellis]

My cousin's husband is currently restoring a 1986 Ford Capri 1.6 Laser and he is doing a very good job of it. I don't know much about the last Capris but his example has what I think was the rare option of a 5 speed gearbox.

The Capri is in it's original colour of red although which shade I'm not sure of,
Sunburst Red I think.
He is at the primer stage and although he will retain the original colour he intends to two tone the car with a silver lower one third and he asked for my opinion.
My reply was that it was his car to do with as he wished but added that I would retain the original colour scheme. I believe when finished he will sell the Capri and seek another old Ford project.

A complete colour change is more dramatic.
Locally there is an ex USA Austin Healey 3000 Mk3 which has had a colour change from blue and cream to BRG and white during it's restoration.
In 1989 the owner of a beige Jaguar Mark 2 was unable to sell it partly because of it's colour - beige. It was later repainted in opalescent maroon and you would not know of the change now, so comprehensive (and expensive) was the job.
Another local ex USA car, a VW Kharmann Ghia is being changed from yellow to red.

My 1954 Series One 86" is painted Poppy Red, I will be returning it to the correct 1954 Bronze Green.

Complete colour changes - what do you think?
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Starting Handle Expert

1964 Jaguar Mark 2 3.4 litre
1962 Land Rover Series 2a 88"
2002 BMW M3 E46 Cabriolet

[Minxy]

It's an absolute no for me but as you rightly say it's his car and he can, and should, do exactly as he likes. Mind you saying that - two tone
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Hillman minx convertible. Lanchester LD 10

[Riley Blue]

Whoever owns it can do whatever they like with it, same as changing the colour of the front door of their house - or their hair...
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David

1963 Riley 1.5
1965 Riley 1.5

[Keith D]

I was a draftsman in 1972 when I bought my Austin A40 tourer. It was painted in EXACTLY the same shade of revolting pale green that the top of my drawing board was covered in! There was no way that my hobby was going to remind me of work every time I looked at it. So the car became BRG, a colour that I believe suits it far better. It has now been BRG for about two thirds of it's life!

If people object to this, then bad luck!

Keith
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1926 Chrysler 60 tourer
1932 Austin Seven RN long wheelbase box sedan
1950 Austin A40 tourer
1999 BMW Z3
Its weird being the same age as old people.
You are either part of the problem or part of the solution

[lowdrag]

Times change and ideas with it. My E-type was gunmetal grey when it came out of the factory, then bordeaux, then mustard yellow, and then in the 80s I repainted her Ford Glacier Blue. I loved it and drove her for 120,000 miles until a refresh was called for in 2013. In the 80s no one cared, but today cars have a better value if in their original paint it seems. I didn't do it for that reason because she'll never be sold, but I felt she deserved to go back to factory condition so there she is in gunmetal metallic with red interior for the first time in forty years. But I still love the Glacier Blue.

[Paul fairall]

My 1957 ford popular was originally blue but has been black since at least 1978, which is the earliest record I got from dvla. So it's been black twice as long as it was blue. Some have said I should paint it as original in blue. I'm still undecided.
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1957 ford popular

[Ray White]

I always think that the best way to approach any change of colour should be to imagine what options you could have had from the manufacturer when the car was new. That gives me a limitless choice because Swallow would finish a new car in any colour or combination of colours over and above their regular offerings albeit as an optional extra. Buyers of other makes were less fortunate; a standard Austin Seven for example would offered with a limited range of colours. As it happens, I have chosen to keep the car in it's original two tone grey as it has never been any other colour which is quite unusual for a vintage car.

Once you have established what colours your car could have been you then have to decide whether or not to change the colour from what it is now. If the car has already been repainted, any fears of spoiling an original finish can be set aside. If the car is in it's original paint then the question for me is more difficult. How much of the original finish remains and how good is it.?

There are some cars which have their original finishes throughout still in reasonably good condition. It would seem sacrilege to destroy that.

On the other hand, there are cars where the original paint is beyond saving and a respray would be an improvement. The choice of colour is always going to be a personal choice but I would personally make that choice based on a logical approach if possible.

Sometimes the decision to change the colour can affect the value of the car. An old friend of mine has a magenta Triumph Stag. Some people like this 1970's favourite while others hate it. Consideration has to be given to the fact that Stags in this colour enjoy a price premium and this has to be weighed against the possibility that you wouldn't choose it yourself.

[Rootes75]

My 47 Minx is a dullish grey colour, originally it was black which is still visible around the inner faces of the doors. I have owned the car around 12 years and it was grey for many before that aswel.

I do plan to re-paint her at some point and she will go back to black as original.

Also, I have a 1955 Minx and the original colour is beige. But back in the 60's she has been painted maroon on the top half to look much like the paint job on a Californian.
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Various Rootes Vehicles.

[Ray White]

[MikeEdwards]

Isn't two-tone on a Mk3 Capri intended to be reminiscent of the 2.8i? I have an idea the earlier ones (at least) were silver around the lower half.

I guess if it's just the lower part, and not the door shuts, engine bay etc., a buyer could re-finish that lower half without too much trouble, if they prefer originality. That said, if he's doing it with the intention of selling it at the end, I'd have thought originality would bring better value. But I'm an originality-obsessive, so I'm a bit biased.

[BigJohn]

The Capri Calypso came in red, blue, green or dark grey over silver if I remember correctly.

[52classic]

My first choice is to keep or return a car to its original colour, but there have been exceptions.

My Avon XJ6 started life Cotswold Yellow and was changed during Sainsbury's ownership to a non Jaguar purplish blue. Fed up with jibes about driving a hearse I changed to Primrose yellow.

But a convincing colour change is a lot of work and sacrifices valuable originality for good. As for the Capri? IMHO a two tone leaving the original base colour is a bit of innocent fun as long as the separation line matches the factory treatment.

I rather like the American system of painting all but the outer panels flat black or grey. Is that universal over there or just on the cars that we've encountered?

[Penman]

Hi
Is this the non Jag purpleish blue?



I saw this years ago and was told it was a Sainsbury vehicle previously.
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Bristols should always come in pairs.

Any 2 from:-
Straight 6
V8 V10

[rjt10/4]

i had a 1978 I think 1.6 calypso that was two tone red over silver but its his car his choice

[52classic]

Thanks Penman for posting the pic but it is so sad to see my old P&J like that! At Blubberhouses wasn't it? I dropped the garage a line but never received a reply and I'm not sure I would have wanted to take it on in that state.

However.... The latest news was that a very similar looking car turned up on ebay a couple of years ago. Primrose paint like mine, although Avon only did them in Cotswold. The seller moved it on fairly readily, he said "To a well known car collector." said he would pass on my details to the buyer but again the trail went cold.