You thoughts: I am the original owner of a 1981 Fiat Spider. Metallic Brown, beige top and interior. It is due for a repaint. If it were you, would you change the color or leave it original? I know it is my choice, doesn't matter what other people think, etc, etc, but if you have a comment other than that, I'd be curious as to your thoughts. Thanks!
My father used to always have a bright red/tan Fiat Spider around, for the summer in the suburbs of Chicago.
Well, if you're already considering a repaint, then you already don't worry about originality. Now I'm not up on my FIAT market, but I'll bet original paint does't matter that much (I'm a Pantera owner, familiar with that). That marroon/burghundy (sp?) paint job is not the most attractive these days (very 70s), so I say yes, repaint it. Now you could go for the obvious--bright red, bright yellow, or even a black (which I love on cars, but black shows less detail), or you could be like me and get a dark blue. My paint job is a BMW Biarritz Blue--a dark blue, with a little metallic flake (very dark in the shade, but brightens up nicely in the sunlight). Bottom line--it's up to you man. Forget what I, or anyone else says.
I see the vote now is a perfect 50/50 split. I voted "Leave it original". Now, as some will know, I'm not a concourse-kind of car enthusiast, but on the other hand, I like seeing cars in their period colours. Cars built in the Seventies were painted with earthy tones - mustards, browns, olive greens, etc... and I have to admit, some of them do look good in those colours (there is a GT4 painted in a metallic olive and it really does look gorgeous). So its just proper to repaint the car in a period colour (not necessarily the same). Besides, how many brown cars do you see on the road today? In the sea of white, silver, blue, etc... Boring, executive-type of colours. Keep the metallic brown.
sorry Dude - just couldn't handle a tie vote. originality always wins - no mismatches, no stories, just an honest good looking car!
I believe the top would be black for the blue paint job. Tan top for white, ivory or root beer brown - damn, now I want a root beer float. In this case, I hit "original" - Like the man said - not many browns around - and Fiat Spiders hit that brown on the mark, IMHO. Viva la Revolucion! Whether or not you change the paint color - give some thought to putting white gauges in there - really cleans it up. (Take old gauge/speedo sheets out of dials, scan, photoshop white - put white in, keep originals)
Some people hear "brown" amd say "yuk," but it actually is a very nice bronze/carmel shade. It offsets the light beige top and interior perfectly. In fact, the brochure for Spiders that year featured this color combo. If anyone comments on it, it is very positive. My motivation for a possible change is that it is a color "out of style." Still, at the prices of these cars it might make more sense just to buy another car in a different color. But, I'm never giving this one up. I am the original owner. Thanks for all the comments.
Being the original owner it looks like you have kept the car in good sorts. It presents itself nicely. I vote for leaving it original, lowering it a touch, a set of Panasport rims and a set of Hella H4 headlamps. Marchal Amplilux if you could find a set would be real cool.
These cars are cheap enough that I'd be better off buying a different color if that's what I want. So, re-painted in original. Really looks much better in person. The beige top looks very good with it. Besides, I'm the original owner, and it just seems the thing to do to keep it the way it was the day I bought it.
Go with a silver with blue pearl, or a more azzuro CA looking blue-silver. My personal favorites. Edit: I am an idiot. I hit reply before seeing he'd already repainted it. Sorry.