Thread: Selecting paint color is tough.

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I'm finishing the bodywork on my 59 rambler and still can't decide on a color.
I will not be using any chrome or trim so I'm not sure I'll like the look with no contrast.
There will be a few brushed aluminum items on the car and was thinking about painting the bumpers to look like brushed auminum.
I don't know how I will do that or if I want to.
Guess it depends on the color selection.
Here are a couple of pictures of the car in white epoxy primer.
The front shot is minus the aluminum air duct bezels under the head lights.
I was thinking of painting it red but it might be too much without chrome or trim.
What do you guys think?

Final paint color choice is ALWAYS the hardest decision you have to make when building a car. I usually don't really know until I walk in and lay my money down at the paint store. The problem is, a car really could look just as good in so many different colors that selecting just one is tough.

What I usually do is sit in traffic and look at the cars around me and see what ones jump out the most. That Rambler will look good no matter what you decide.

Don

I have the app for photoshop,but don't know how to use it.Maybe you want to try that.Sharp looking car.

I have the same dilemma with my project. I've been playing with colors, stripes and graphics using a free image editing program.

Have you thought about a two tone look? Without trim to catch the eye, it might be nice to break up the large painted surfaces.

Something like this maybe?

2tones.jpg

Just a thought.

I drive through car lots and look at colors, but when all else fails I call my pal Tommy at the paint store and tell him to pick me a color(s) and mix the paint--I've got a really lousy eye for color combinations!

Like the guys say, it's such a subjective matter. It's partly a matter of what theme you've got in mind. Are you visualizing a retro pro-streeter, stadium show car, a "race car", a sleeper with some obvious bad ass ques? Each of those would take you in a different direction. For example, if retro pro-street, then solid red with painted bumpers to match and maybe some swoopy graphics. It's 15 or 20 years out of date, but if that's what does it for you........ Or the racer look, all black. Pro touring look maybe a dark blue, but then you'd probably be better with chrome or maybe brushed nickle trim and bumpers. Sleeper would be like a tan, taupe, or original type pink, or other 50s kind of color. The two tone is a way to pull together a couple of those looks, and would add interest keeping it from looking too monochromatic (again the bumper and trim thing applies), but other than the belt line that body doesn't have a visually natural break line, you have to force one like the modified pictures above. Or find a talented air brush driver, then the sky's the limit on creating art.

I thought about two tone but couldn't figure out a way to break up the colors that I would like. I plan on painting the car myself so that really limits how complicated the process will be and what paint will be used. The price of paint is stupid. I have a neighbor who restores cars for a living and talked with him about paint prices and he quoted me somewhere around 700 to 900 dollars a gallon just for the base coat. That is for red paint in dupont or ppg. At those prices I need to keep it simple as possible to minimize mistakes.
I don't have a overall theme in mind, maybe kind of a sleeper but a color that will accent the body and all the suttle mods I've done to it.
That being said, it will probably be a solid color. Some of my freinds like it in white like it is now but it looks too plain to me.
One thing I will change when I assemble the car for the last time is blacking out the intercooler and radiator so they don't stand out so much.
I wonder how I could paint the bumpers to look like brushed aluminum?

Fauxre, what imaging program are you using?
Very interesting pictures. The red you used is very close to the color I'm thinking of using.
Thanks for taking the time to show me some options.

Thanks for the input so far.

Ed

Car colors is a subject I have been studying and practicing for over 50 years! :-)

I would start with this question... How do you want the car to "feel"? Colors have psychological connections.

Hot colors like red, yellow, and orange are usually "excitement colors". These would look even better with a blower and big back tires!

Blues, purples, aquas usually give it a soothing "dreamy" feeling. These would look at home on a lowered, and swoopy custom.

Black, red, and lime green are "sinister". Again, the big horsepower cars would benefit from these.

Pink is of course a feminine color... so you can see how the color can change the reaction to the car.

White looks "virginal" or untouched.... like a near stock bodies car from several decades ago.

Another thing I try to include are colors that look more "special" or add value to the look like... gold, black, deeper shades of a color, and metallics. We have all learned to think of these as something more "sophisticated". You can imaginge these on a Lincoln or caddy.

White, gray, black, light gold and silver are colors that lack richness, and are usually called neutrals, because their personality is so weak, they go with almost anything. Be careful using these for an overall color, as they can "cheapen" the look.

Pale colors can also "cheapen" the reaction... as do flat finishes.

Once you pick a color group that will give you the "look" you want, you might consider the era you want. Car makers used different colors during different eras. If you want it to look like a vintage build, using a color from that time just looks right. Make sure your wheels and trim parts look like the same era, or it's a lost effort.

In the earlier decades they used the basic colors, like red, blue, yellow, black and white... and nothing too bright. These would fit an early style hot rod.

in the fifties, metallics showed up, and they started mixing more exotic colors, like corals, and lavenders. These remind you of tropical islands and sunsets.

In the sixties, light and bright colors became popular. Remember those muscle cars?

My own gut feeling for your car would be a medium or slightly darker blue or aqua metallic. I think it fits the car well.... but always remember that in art, there is no right or wrong... just what makes you happy.

I hope this gives you something to think about, without causing more confusion. :-)

Originally Posted by super55

I wonder how I could paint the bumpers to look like brushed aluminum?

Ed

Jay may have a different technique, but may have missed your question while he was typing his response. I would think you could paint a silver color, solid, not flaked, then when it dries stroke it from end to end with a scotch brite pad. Back it with a flexible rubber pad/block to even out the pressure (finger tips would give you a funky pattern). Scotch brite comes in different textures (functionally equivalent to grits), so you'd want to experiment which gives you the effect you want. After the scotch brite, clean and coat with a satin clear. Experiment on some scrap material til you perfect the technique you want.

Actually I was responding to the first line. "I'm finishing the bodywork on my 59 rambler and still can't decide on a color."

Reds are almost always the most expensive color, until you get into the trick stuff, so if cost is an issue, that might be one to avoid. ...and don't make the mistake of buying a cheap red either. They can fade rapidly, and someday it may be "Mary Kay Pink". :-)

Your car would look great in one of those new bronze colors from PPG or House of Kolor. But that is just my opinion and you may not agree. Color is a very personal thing.

Here's one from the Culver City Car Show this year...

You will know the color you want when you see it. I had my pro street Dart in primer for 4 yrs on the street before I finally picked how I wanted to paint it.
On another note..............that's one bad ass looking little Rambler.......have a buddy who has one and it's stone stock and he wants to get rid of it. He already has too many toys.
You need to post more pics of the motor and other parts of the car,..........very well done hot rambler!!!

Heading out to the garage for more sanding this morning before it's smokin' hot outside.
I appreciate all the input from you guys. Had no idea deciding on paint would be this tough. I've been building this car for seven years now and don't want to blow it on a bad paint choice.
Sunsetdart,
The car is still in mock up so nothing is finished.
Hopefully, this will be the last time I have to take it apart.
It's a twin turbo Lt1 chevy with a 6 speed manual.
It has hydroboost power brakes, custom dash, AC,PS,PW,air suspension
and tons of custom hardware I have machined over the years.

Here's some more pics.

I find its actually the easiest decision to make, colour is one of the first things i decide on.