Is an authentic paint color worth more??

[ms fowler]

I know the choice of color is an individual choice, but....... if it becomes necessary to sell, is, say, a '38 pickup worth more to a potential buyer if it is painted in an authentic color for the year?
This particular truck has a let model 8BA engine, but the owner still has the '38 engine that was in it when he bought it. That engine has the authorized Ford rebuilder's tag riveted to the block, but it is cracked.
The Owner is not thinking about selling--I am just thinking down the road a piece for him.

[ford38v8]

That's a difficult question to answer, as there are those who would pay extra for a paint color to match Great Aunties cheek rouge. Generally speaking, though, yes, the authentic color would be preferable in most cases. The original block is likely long gone, the rebuilders tag being affixed to a replacement block. Many blocks have cracks, yet are rebuildable, but almost no non-running engine is worth more than core value of, say, $200 max, and then to a local buyer only, as transportation costs are out of this world. The 8BA would not necessarily cause a higher or lower price, condition being far more important. Pickup trucks are in high demand these days, so tell your friend he shouldn't have to wait long for a buyer if his price is reasonable.

[ms fowler]

Thanks--all good to know--but hopefully this is a moot point and he will not need to sell.
Was your aunties cheek rouge Vermillion, by the way?

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by ms fowler

Thanks--all good to know--but hopefully this is a moot point and he will not need to sell.
Was your aunties cheek rouge Vermillion, by the way?

Ha! As a mater of fact, it was! Large vermillion blots of rouge on the cheeks of an otherwise whitish powdered face! Sounds clownish today, but back in her day, she was in fashion, especially to a small boy who loved his Great Auntie very much.

[ms fowler]

I can't "unsee" the mental image I have of your Aunt! ha ha

[Frank Miller]

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Generally speaking deviating from factory colors devalues a car somewhat and makes it harder to sell. I think people should paint their car whatever color they want but rarely do I see a non factory color that appeals to me.

[woodiewagon46]

If you do paint it the correct color, you eliminate all the "know it all, experts", that will let you know that you painted it the wrong color. As others have suggested, it will probably be easier to sell if you do paint it a factory color. I'm glad Auntie didn't like Washington Blue!

[Bored&Stroked]

It all depends on the car, the quality of the paint, quality of the body work, the color and most importantly - the Painter!

With that said, we suffered through the "ice cream color" phase of the Street Rod scene in the 90's - where IMHO the colors were terrible on ANYTHING they were sprayed on. It seems to me that traditional darker colors (if applied correctly) tend to do well . . . it the underlying bodywork was done very professionally and is worthy of dark colors in general.

Colors like black, dark maroons, very dark blues, dark greens - have all stood the test of time, especially if the bodywork was close to perfect. There is nothing worse than a great dark color, finished well . . . on a body that looks like a bag of walnuts.

[deuce lover]

Can't go wrong with black IMO.

[19Fordy]

If you go with an original color select a paint that doesn't make the car
look like it was dipped in plastic

[woodiewagon46]

Like Bored and Stroked points out nothing dates a car like paint. I remember the late '90s and the rage was peach and swimming pool blue paint with "dry brush" graphics. Fast forward 10 years and you couldn't find any cars painted those colors, all were repaint's.

[Tinker]

Stick to classic colors would be my suggestion. It just looks better.
Give or take a decade. It's not like we are painting these cars like they did with all the modern paint. If you are thinking a 30s lacquer job? Probably worth it if the car is really special.

Some cars get a clearcoat over rust and fetch some big dollars today. Few other mods too. In the 90s the easter egg cars were all the rage.

As deuce said, can't go wrong with black.

[Karl]

Originally Posted by deuce lover

Can't go wrong with black IMO.

Agreed -just shows every spec of dirt

When I painted my first car (very badly) I remember my father commenting on the ( in retrospect ) horrendous non original color I had chosen
He told me car manufacturers spent an absolute fortune selecting colors that complimented the look of the car and was I more skilled than them

I guess it depends on your outlook - my hotrod friends are quite convinced that they can do a better job than the original manufacturer -Mostly I disagree with them

[Tinker]

Old PPG chip chart. 28-39. Body and accent colors. The old colors maybe less used and more unique when surrounded by modern colors.

[38bill]

Of course my truck isn't a stock color but in 22 years I have never had a single person complain (until now?). I have had many, many people ask what the color is because they liked it so much. That said I do really like many of the stock colors. I have a 1/4 mile long dusty gravel driveway. I seriously considered black but decided it just wasn't going to work for me.

[ford38v8]

Originally Posted by 38bill

Of course my truck isn't a stock color but in 22 years I have never had a single person complain (until now?). I have had many, many people ask what the color is because they liked it so much. That said I do really like many of the stock colors. I have a 1/4 mile long dusty gravel driveway. I seriously considered black but decided it just wasn't going to work for me.

We’ll, I have a complaint about your truck.
I don’t like it because it’s not in my garage! 😕

[ms fowler]

Originally Posted by woodiewagon46

If you do paint it the correct color, you eliminate all the "know it all, experts", that will let you know that you painted it the wrong color. As others have suggested, it will probably be easier to sell if you do paint it a factory color. I'm glad Auntie didn't like Washington Blue!

Is there a single color of "Washington Blue" that is "correct"? I have seen "Washington blue from a dark blue to almost a black and they all say it is Washington Blue.

[ms fowler]

[QUOTE=. . it the underlying bodywork was done very professionally and is worthy of dark colors in general.

Colors like black, dark maroons, very dark blues, dark greens - have all stood the test of time, especially if the bodywork was close to perfect. There is nothing worse than a great dark color, finished well . . . on a body that looks like a bag of walnuts.[/QUOTE]

It makes me shudder when I see a car with gleaming paint but they didn't spend the extra time to really flatten the panels. So close, but so far.

[ms fowler]

Originally Posted by 38bill

Of course my truck isn't a stock color but in 22 years I have never had a single person complain (until now?). I have had many, many people ask what the color is because they liked it so much. That said I do really like many of the stock colors. I have a 1/4 mile long dusty gravel driveway. I seriously considered black but decided it just wasn't going to work for me.

OK, I have to ask--What color is that?

[John R]

Originally Posted by ms fowler

Is there a single color of "Washington Blue" that is "correct"? I have seen "Washington blue from a dark blue to almost a black and they all say it is Washington Blue.

The Washington Blue for 1932 is actually fairly light. The example in the attached photo may not be an exact duplicate of the correct color but it's in the ballpark.