Does colour matter

I know this topic has been discussed probably many times in the past. But I would like some current thinking on the matter since I am relatively new to the community. There are two parts to my question:

When performing a total anal nut and bolt restoration of concours quality would you paint the car the original colour or the colour you prefer?

When the car is entered for judging do the judges take into account original colour?

Sam

 

Everyones threshold is different but I say paint it any colour that would have been available by the manufacturer on the year your car was produced.

In the Ferrari world the judges do not deduct points for non original colour but they will for non period colour.

Of course Sam you already know my position

Now where is that can of original lacquer....

 

I would always paint the car in its original colour.
It`s part of the history of the car.
Regards Matthias

 

Matthias, Thanks for your opinion and I feel the same.

Sam

 

Back in Maranello, cars were born in many different colours. Personally I see colour as a big component of the car's personality and history. If I'm doing a ground-up restoration to turn back the clock to the time my car rolled out of the factory then changing the colour is something I surely wouldn't do.

It's like a brunette that bleaches her hair blonde.......it's just not the same.
Sure she might get a few more gawks from the gents but she'll always feel phony.

 

Original color combination and using the correct materials for the interior is a plus in value of 15 per cent and more in Europe.

 

..but if the buyer does not like the car original colour the deal will suffer a minus of 15% .. (his cost of repainting in another factory period colour).
Luckily most of us are not dealers so we can live happily without being too bothered by spreads...
Emanuele

 

For many Dino owners the opportunity to own a Dino is hard earned. I say paint it the colour that makes you happy and not for someone else. I bought my Dino as a passion and not an investment. I think Corbani was our role model. He painted his Dino the colour that pleased him, he put on the wheels that he loved and he drove the pants off of it! He "made" the history of "his" Dino! I say make it yours and what makes you happy. Corbani will be smiling down on you!!

Freeman

 

Unlike American cars, whose build labels are coded for exterior and interior colors (or used to be), Dinos are not so labeled. While the factory maintains build sheets with this information, it doesn't logically follow that a restoration must conform to the original interior and exterior colors. An interesting sidelight is the number of Dinos reupholstered with "Daytona" seat inserts, where they were not originally so configured. In my opinion, as long as the exterior color is a Ferrari factory color, and the interior color is an original Dino color, the lack of conformation to the original colors should not affect value. I am fairly certain that a large number of Pebble Beach show cars have been restored in non-original colors, though that is a "horse" of a "different color" (pun intended!). Just as a new Ferrari can be ordered in any previous Ferrari color, or in a color to sample, I see no reason why that should not apply to a Dino. I do, however, believe that the interior black vinyl, moushair dash and white headliner should be retained, no matter the upholstery color. Fred

 

Again I stress that everyone has a different threshold here but for me I like restoring a car to the way it could have left the factory if I so ordered it back when it was new. To me this does not mean body modifications but I do like being able to choose the interior and exterior colours as if I was ordering the car new. Further than that I like having the car as it left the factory.

Cars are only original once and after that they are always deviating from original in one form or another. It just depends how specific you want to be. I think that to say that a car in non original colour is worth say 15% less is not accurate because good cars will always fetch top money regardless of the colour. True that painting a car in the original colour will give you the biggest pool of potential buyers but luckily there are lots of people looking and few good cars that this would not be an issue.

Take omgjons GTS. When he was toying with selling it, he got multiple offers of his $200K + asking price despite the various deviations (much more than colour) that he took in his restoration. Mind you this was about a year ago when that money was really big for a GTS. In the end he chose to keep the car but it was not because he could not sell it. Supply and demand is well in the favor of the seller as the supply of good cars is so slim, and the community as a whole just does not care enough, to skew prices at all. Corvettes on the other hand are a whole other story.

The OP and I have some history here where we discussed this at length in person and in the end we chose to disagree. He argued that cars must be returned to original and I argued that if that is the case then they should be painted in lacquer (that cracks) and that the bodies should have sanding scratches in them, etc. He said no to the latter but insisted on the colour. It all comes down to where you want to draw your line in the sand.

 

+1 Fred

 

I'm going to do the exterior in original color but would like to do the interior in leather instead of the tan vinyl. Do you see any problems with that? I actually like my Blu Scuro 20-A-357 color and plan to do the repaint in the same. My car is very original and I want to keep it that way except I do not like vinyl.

 

That's perfectly acceptable, in my opinion, as leather was an original option. If you were thinking of ostrich, or alligator, that might be another story. Fred

 

Yes, the subject has been discussed before, and I am on record expressing a strong preference for the original color, and for saying that a non-original color reduces the market value slightly (for me and for some other buyers).

But I also applaud the creative/artistic apprach to restoration taken by some members on this forum. By showing how beautiful the Dino can be in colors which were rarely chosen when new, they serve as an inspiration for many of us. I believe Freeman has said that some marques are more tolerant to color changes and "personalisations" than others. I think there is something to that. The Dino is enough of a free spirit to accommodate the creative approach, while the Porsche 356, for example, perhaps is less so.

For me, the most important part is to respect the history of the individual car. For examle, a mostly unrestored original Dino, which has remained in its original color since new (such as my own), should never be subjected to a color change. It would be almost criminal to do so, in my opinion. There are so few unmolested original Dinos left, that they must be treated with the utmost respect. On a more typical Dino, which has gone through several color changes during its life, I would feel more free to consider alternatives. The original color would always be my first consideration, though.

 

I agree, Lars. To change the color for the first time on a well-preserved Dino seems like a travesty to me. However, once a car has worn two or three colors, its "originality" is more myth than reality. At that point, the prime consideration should be the choice of an "appropriate" color that is also pleasing to the owner. As an illustration of the current trend in persoalization of new Ferraris, check out the 458 Italia forum for pictures of a camo-colored 458 that, I believe, came that way from the factory. Whether Ferrari painted it that way or not, it demonstrates conclusively the notion that an owner's individual preference should be allowed to trump good taste. To my mind, this is the automotive version of the trophy awarded to every school-age member of a team merely for showing up. It's all about self-esteem, I imagine. Fred

 

So you don't think pink alligator would look good???? PUKE

Back on topic, My vote is to keep the factory color... just my two cents

 

Spot on. It is a real shame when a nice original car is torn up to suit an owners personal taste as they are only original once. As soon as the original paint is gone then, to my mind, it is open season on colour. Again with my line being drawn at a period correct colour. Truly original cars play by their own rules.

Fact is that if you restore a Dino to a very high standard, 90% of the body work is in prep and getting the car straight. With a perfect car, because all of the hidden areas are black, a removal of all the trim and colour change back to original, including colour sanding and polishing is no more than $10K. Even then that is throwing money away; it can be done for less. When top cars are in the $200K range and in short supply a 5% difference will be eaten up by willing buyers rather than those holding out for original colour.

 

Please remain the original interior if you can in any case. This original tan vinyl is extremely rare because there is no actual material that copies the original material. Tan vinyl is really a time capsule on Dino cars...
Blue Scuro Dino is a very nice and rare color.
Great color combination, congrats.
Volkmar

 

I took the advice of the majority of the respondents on Ferrarichat and restored my Dino back to its original Verde Medio paint, including period correct tiny metalflakes in the paint instead of the larger flakes in current metallics. I retained the original tan vinyl interior, which was in excellent condition, installed NOS mouse fur and new black vinyl trim and new carpets. I converted the car back to its Euro specs, removing the large side marker lights, dual bumper supports, headlight covers and 4 way flashers and installed a period correct Autovox radio made in Italy, where the car was originally sold. I corrected other minor flaws (the trim ring on the clock was wrong.

The car is now on its way back to Europe for some other Dino enthusiast to enjoy.
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Thanks, Volkmar
I may have to rethink my strategy.
Cheers,
Bob

 

Absolutely beautiful!!
You did a good deed. Lucky European Dino enthusiast!

 

Job well done! You did a great deed in helping restore history correctly!

Sam

 

In searching for my Dino I wrestled with and resigned myself to the fact that if it had a vinyl interior it was going to stay that way. As it turned out the car I bought has a factory leather interior which was one of the factors that lead me to buy my car. If your car is factory vinyl I would keep it that way. It is the history of your car.

Just my thoughts on the matter. We expend a lot of energy trying to preserve this marque. We should try not to pick and choose what we feel is correct. The factory has given us correct guidelines for each car with a little help from the community resources.

Sam

 

I'm looking forward to seeing sanding scratches, bad panel alignment, and lacquer paint on your Dino as doing anything less is to 'pick and choose what we feel is correct'. The aforementioned details are irrefutably factory correct to any Dino so to do anything else is to introduce one's PERSONAL preferences and desires and to operate within a scale of personal convenience.

Original stuff is only ever original once. After that the degree to which one attempts to 're-create' that originallity will always be subject to the personal preferences of who is doing the re-creation. We just place our importance on different thihgs that's all.

 

I'm new to this restoration process. In fact, my car (euro) has been in storage for a VERY long time. I am just getting into documenting the history. I have a rip in the driver vinyl seat and do not know where to get Blu Scuro 20-A-357 paint.... any ideas / leads are appreciated. I do want to repaint in original blue.