Paint color...Tough choice....Thoughts????

[lilwendal]

Well I'm getting ready to start the 6 pack car and I've got to make the decision on color.  Car is a 70 RR 440 6 pack 4 speed with track pack and air grabber. Numbers matching all around from carbs to dana. This one is a keeper for me so effects of color on price are errelevant.
Heres my problem...  car is triple green  F8 dark green metallic. I admitt that dark gereen metallic is a pretty color but I'm just not a fan of green.
I always wanted a Vitamin C or Tor Red  Runner.
Would it be sinful to take a numbers matching car and lay down a non original paint?  I know the current trend is to repaint off the build sheet or fender tag.  Specially for numbers matching jobs.  I'm worried if I did go with  the color i want and not the green I'd take grief from the type of guys that walk up to a car and immediately look down at the fender tag before anything else.
Should I go with what I like and get a repop fender tag with my color and keep the original locked up?  I can't not have a fender tag.
My local Mopar buddies are all pushing me towards the green but I just don't know.
Its a 6 pack 4 speed dana RR it shouldn't be green

[triple_green]

Of you really are never going to sell it, paint it a "cooler" color from that year....but get ready for the "number wonks" to assail you. One reason I left my Charger 3xgreen was not wanting to switch out all the interior parts which were most pristine. Of the greens the F8  is the nicest. Make sure you do it on basecoat/clearcoat if you decide to leave it F8...it is much nicer than the enamel.

I wasn't aware you could so easily get a fake fender tag.

3X

[lilwendal]

Yes and for the record before I do get slammed by the members here with green cars. I blame it all on my parents.  I was forced to grow up in the 70s in a green house with green shag carpet....Watch TV on a green sofa. Eat in  a green kitchen.  And I'm pretty sure each morning a woke up I pissed in an avacado green toilet.  Then I was hauled to school each day in a green chevy malibu wagon.
I have an issue with green

[69bronzeT5]

Make it the way YOU want it, not the way other people want it . Do what makes you happy, dont paint it a certain colour because they say you should. I've always loved 70 RR's in Plum Crazy

[69 OUR/TEA]

1st I'd be leaving it original,thats my opinion,I like green.
2nd if you did do a color change,why would you have a fender tag made with the new,non orig color.Just leave the orig tag,the hell with the number gurus,tor red is a great color also.
.

[PocketThunder]

This color is popular...                  

Seriously, i would paint it what ever color you want.  I'm going thru the same thing with my C500.  thats why i havent started the resto yet, i cant decide on Black or the original T7 (poop brown) Bronze. 

[hemi-hampton]

Did they make you watch the Green Hornet & Incredible Hulk on TV I'd leave it green myself. LEON.

[Charger-Bodie]

Another vote for the original Green here!

[RT/SE]

I say do the car exactly as you want.  Who cares what the guys at shows will say when they see the fender tag. Its not like the guys at the shows will be paying for the paint and bodywork.  You definitely have some issues with green.  I strongly believe you will not be happy with the car once it is done if you go with green.  I would paint the car a color you will be happy with. 

Another option is to sell the car and go out and buy another one in a factory color you really like.  You can sell the green RR to a true green lover. You may even be able to swing a trade.   I would not do anything with the tag.  The car is what it is.   

[Musicman]

It's your car... paint it any color that makes you happy, your the one driving it. Who cares what other people have to say about it, they don't own it, you do. Besides it's not like your making a convertible out of it or something... it's just paint... it can always be changed back to the original color at any time in the future... no harm, no foul.
Go with a color that makes you happy!

Mike

[lilwendal]

This color is popular...                  

Seriously, i would paint it what ever color you want.  I'm going thru the same thing with my C500.  thats why i havent started the resto yet, i cant decide on Black or the original T7 (poop brown) Bronze. 

OK I'm still laughing at that one.
I dont eat green vegetables either.

[sick dawg]

Right now I'm an orange or black paint job guy. For some time it was a bright red, but I got over it.

[Fitz73Chrgr]

Go with whatever color you want.  I was reading through some old threads the other day, and it seems hemigeno's 69 Hemi Charger is an original F8 car, but he painted it V2. 

[71ChallengeHer]

It's your car. Paint it what ever color makes you happy. When I bought the Chally it had fresh paint. I'm not really sure if I would have kept it green if I had to paint it. But my daughter loves the green  

[68charger383]

Make it your own 

when you open the garage, you have to look at it....

[Mike DC]

   
Another vote to paint it what you want.


If you try to please other people any more than a tiny little bit, you'll end up dissatisfied with you ride and you'll never please half of them anyway.

Paint color is about as reversible as it gets.


----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Just a suggestion -- 




If you're considering orange, look into AMC's 1970 "Big Bad Orange." 

It's the reddish-orange color shade they used on the 2005 movie General Lees.  It's about one little notch more reddish than the old TV-series GLs.  (I'm a GL nut, and believe me the GL crowd has discussed every conceivable orange paint shade on the planet.)

In the muscle era this was basically AMC's response to GM's Hugger Orange and Mopar's Hemi Orange. 



Big Bad Orange is close enough to factory Hemi Orange/Tor-Red that almost nobody will know the difference. But BBO is definitely brighter than either Hugger or Hemi, and it has a little bit more orange in it than Hemi Orange. 

And since your car is a stock Roadrunner instead of a Charger, people won't look at it and immediately suspect you used a "General Lee" color.  It's close enough that people will just assume you used a Mopar red/orange shade. 

[Lowprofile]

   Panther Pink/White Gut/Black Hood Stripe!

[bill440rt]

Ultimately it's your car, so you can pick whatever you want.

However......      since you asked..... 

I'd leave it GREEN!!!!! Matching numbers, 6-pack, 4-spd, air grabber, Dana, etc??? No brainer.
Purists aside, I think it's refreshing to see a high profile Mopar painted in it's original color. Amongst a sea of cars all painted hi-impact colors (90% of those which aren't the original color), it's the brown, green, bronze, etc colored cars that STAND OUT. They take on an almost "elegant" look to them.
When done right, with a nice professionally applied paint job, they look stunning. If you asked me this question 15 years ago, my answer may have been different. However, now that I'm a little older, I can appreciate those other overlooked, often underrated colors much more.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

[Hemidoug]

So it's green...so is my 71 R/T V code. When I first did the car back in the 80s I changed the color to R4...guess what.....20 years later I'm going back to the original color. If it's a true numbers car how can you change the color? Do yourself a favor...keep it the original color. It will pay off in the long run. Be different, there is nothing wrong with green. How many bright colored cars with black or white interiors are around? LOTS! You don't see too many green on green cars because most people go to a different color...don't follow the pack, stand out. I'll bet that car will look fantastic when done!

[68RT4ME]

So it's green...so is my 71 R/T V code. When I first did the car back in the 80s I changed the color to R4...guess what.....20 years later I'm going back to the original color. If it's a true numbers car how can you change the color? Do yourself a favor...keep it the original color. It will pay off in the long run. Be different, there is nothing wrong with green. How many bright colored cars with black or white interiors are around? LOTS! You don't see too many green on green cars because most people go to a different color...don't follow the pack, stand out. I'll bet that car will look fantastic when done!

I totally agree here. It will stand out and I just know that when your at an event, simply pulling in with a car such as yours, it will get plenty of attention and you will also be happy climbing into it each and every time. Too special a car not to make it as it was. It can't help the way it was born.

That or you can paint it any color you like... 

[Troy]

Go with whatever color you want.  I was reading through some old threads the other day, and it seems hemigeno's 69 Hemi Charger is an original F8 car, but he painted it V2. 

He didn't paint it orange - he bought it that way. I believe he's planning on going back to original (or is he going to paint it to match the Daytona?).

This is a tough question. I'm a big fan of keeping rare, numbers matching cars original. If the car had a black top and interior a paint color change wouldn't be terrible but to change out a triple green car means you're changing everything. I guess you have to replace everything any way if you're doing a full restoration so color is irrelevant. Is there any other color that works with a green interior? The dark greens look way better than the light green in my opinion but Id still rather not have a green car. I really like the 70 RRs and there was one at the Mopar Nats in bronze with a white top and interior that was really stunning. I'd take that over a green car any day. I'd stay away from the orange personally (because they're as common as black Chargers) but it's your car and if you always wanted that color then go for it. If you ever did have to sell I don't think there are too many buyers that would complain.

Troy

[Joshua]

I've always loved 70 RR's in Plum Crazy

DITTO!

[69chargerboy]

lilwendal, Personally, if I had a numbers matching correct car I would paint it the original color, even if I didn't really care for it. Theres something that I really love about having a numbers matching car with the original color etc.... I believe it's the nostalgia of it. This is the way it came from the factory when it was new, but that's just my opinion. I also believe that putting all of your hard earned cash into restoring the car, you should make it the way that will make you happy. 

[MichaelRW]

My Charger is numbers matching and the original color was FF4, light green metallic, green interior and green vinyl top. Since blue is and always has been my favorite color I restored my car with the B5 bright blue metallic paint color. I documented the process with photos and have the fender tag and 2 build sheets and given that I don't think the value is affected much. Nobody has ever made any disparaging remarks to me about the changes I have made at any car show. At least not to my face. I believe in doing what pleases you, not someone else.

[Fitz73Chrgr]

Go with whatever color you want.  I was reading through some old threads the other day, and it seems hemigeno's 69 Hemi Charger is an original F8 car, but he painted it V2. 

He didn't paint it orange - he bought it that way.

Troy

Whoops, I read the thread wrong.  I assumed he bought it V2, then restored it and painted it V2 again.  Looks like it was already restored when he bought it. 

[69_500]

I say paint the car whatever color you want. But I would also say that you shouldn't worry about making up a fake fender tag for the car. Just leave the origional tag on the car, and proudly display it with the car. Other wise someone will come along and see the fake tag, figure its legit. And then 20 years from now you decide to sell the car and there is a big argument over the origional color of the car because people have it recorded as being factory this color or that color for the past 20+ years. If it was my car, I'd paing it whatever color I want.

Ah who am I kidding, I can't even bring myself to change the interior or stripe color on my car. Pay no attention to my opinion. Its double sided.

[Just 6T9 CHGR]

Ultimately it's your car, so you can pick whatever you want.

However......      since you asked..... 

I'd leave it GREEN!!!!! Matching numbers, 6-pack, 4-spd, air grabber, Dana, etc??? No brainer.
Purists aside, I think it's refreshing to see a high profile Mopar painted in it's original color. Amongst a sea of cars all painted hi-impact colors (90% of those which aren't the original color), it's the brown, green, bronze, etc colored cars that STAND OUT. They take on an almost "elegant" look to them.
When done right, with a nice professionally applied paint job, they look stunning. If you asked me this question 15 years ago, my answer may have been different. However, now that I'm a little older, I can appreciate those other overlooked, often underrated colors much more.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

Well said Bill...I agree 100%

[694spdRT]

With that car if it were mine I would have to leave it green.....and I don't even like green that much. 

[lilwendal]

Thanks guys for all the input. I went back and looked again at the 69 F8 hemi charger on 69hemi.com and do agree I could learn to love that color on the right car.  With a charger you have the butt stripe that breaks up the green some but not on the RR. I think a black top helps also.  Maybe go with the green and a black top then. Easier to change a vinyil top out latter than to repaint.
OK calling Legendary in the morning. Green it will be then.

[Charger-Bodie]

Thanks guys for all the input. I went back and looked again at the 69 F8 hemi charger on 69hemi.com and do agree I could learn to love that color on the right car.  With a charger you have the butt stripe that breaks up the green some but not on the RR. I think a black top helps also.  Maybe go with the green and a black top then. Easier to change a vinyil top out latter than to repaint.
OK calling Legendary in the morning. Green it will be then.

 

[69 OUR/TEA]

 orange............     

[hemi-hampton]

 

[lilwendal]

orange............     

WOW!
Its just with me certain cars ...I like certain colors.  I would never have a orange charger.  B5 with B7 interior and white top and stripe.
Cuda....Gotta be In Violet
Challenger..Sub lime
And Roadrunner I like the Tor Red which yes is orange.
But I must say the car I just finished  was R6 red and that sure was purdy

[lilwendal]

Couple more.....

[69bronzeT5]

BEAUTIFUL Coronet!




If I had a 70 Roadrunner, it would be in one of these colours...

[Aero426]

Well I'm getting ready to start the 6 pack car and I've got to make the decision on color.  Car is a 70 RR 440 6 pack 4 speed with track pack and air grabber. Numbers matching all around from carbs to dana. This one is a keeper for me so effects of color on price are errelevant.
Heres my problem...  car is triple green  F8 dark green metallic. I admitt that dark gereen metallic is a pretty color but I'm just not a fan of green.
I always wanted a Vitamin C or Tor Red  Runner.
Would it be sinful to take a numbers matching car and lay down a non original paint?  I know the current trend is to repaint off the build sheet or fender tag.  Specially for numbers matching jobs.  I'm worried if I did go with  the color i want and not the green I'd take grief from the type of guys that walk up to a car and immediately look down at the fender tag before anything else.
Should I go with what I like and get a repop fender tag with my color and keep the original locked up?  I can't not have a fender tag.
My local Mopar buddies are all pushing me towards the green but I just don't know.
Its a 6 pack 4 speed dana RR it shouldn't be green

Observing cars at a show and owner's paint choices would lead you to believe that every 1970 Road Runner came in a high impact color, which of course is not true.   That said, your F8 car with fresh paint WILL stand out from the crowd. 

Personally, what you do to your car is up to you.   But if I view you as CARETAKER of a pretty desirable car like yours,   I would have serious reservations about changing color, even though I am also not a fan of F8.    Sure it is easy for others to say color is reversable, but at what cost?  Plus EVERYTHING will have to come apart to change it back.     Yes, if you change color, you will probably get some grief from others.    Yes, you will compromise value some, even though you say you won't sell. 

Is it wise to make another incorrect fender tag?    I think that's a terrible idea that could easily come back and bite a future owner two or three cars down the line.   I've seen it happen locally.     When you are dead and nobody knows where the real tag is stashed, or the next owner chooses to conveinently lose it, well then you've done a dis-service to the car. 

My take on it is simply this.  If you are not happy with the original color combo,  find the right car to please you.    But don't make the car something it isn't.    I understand the temptation to make the car a more pleasing color as I am in a similar situation.   If this was a more common car, I wouldn't feel at all strongly about changing color.     And as mentioned, Tor-Red and Vitamin-C are pretty common colors.   

[Mike DC]

   
I guess it depends on what situation you really have in mind for the car to "stand out" in.

At a classic car show, it's true that the more sedate colors can stand out as much as the hi-impact colors.  But the other 95% of the time when you're cruising in the real world is a different story.  The real world is a sea of modern plastic sedans in every sedate color you can imagine. 

------------------------------------------------------------------------------


To each his own.  Nothing wrong with a green Mopar. 

I just say paint it whatever you want.  Leave all the fender tags original, whether the tag's markings show the color that's on the car or not. 

[Joshua]

Wanna make it stand out?
DON'T paint it a factory color.....Or, if you do, at least add a little pearl in the clear to give it that little extra "something"...... ya know?

Remember, this car is a keeper, so paint it a color that YOU really like....not what the fender tag says......regardless of how "rare" the color option is.....triple green is ugly.....
All this factory paint code talk makes me dizzy......

[Death1970Proof]

Wanna make it stand out?
DON'T paint it a factory color.....Or, if you do, at least add a little pearl in the clear to give it that little extra "something"...... ya know?

Remember, this car is a keeper, so paint it a color that YOU really like....not what the fender tag says......regardless of how "rare" the color option is.....triple green is ugly.....
All this factory paint code talk makes me dizzy......

I agree with this 100%.....

This discussion kind of never makes me want have a 6 pack,r/t or hemi car. To many numbers people saying leave it alone or dont change this or change that -I say 
I'll let them folks argue about the numbers but meanwhile I'll take my original 318 powered car, build it my way,beat on it, put the blood sweat and tears into and most of all......... Enjoy it!!!! Build the car of your dreams! That is always the one that will make you happy!!

If you ever wanted to sell you'd probably get more $$$$ obviously out the factory colors but when you get tired of the numbers game you'd could sell the roadrunner and buy a sweet '70 sattelite build a 512 big block for it and beat on it like you stole it. Now thats my Idea of fun.
I'll never care about negative comments toward my rides at shows. Funny thing is that the comments usually come from someone who has never built a car nor do they know what effort it takes to do so.....

[Hemidoug]

I don't know why so many people don't like green. With the quality paints now a days the color will stay as fresh as day one. How many of you would turn this car down because it's green?

[Aero426]

I don't know why so many people don't like green. With the quality paints now a days the color will stay as fresh as day one. How many of you would turn this car down because it's green?

I sure wouldn't.  Again not my favorite, but things tend to grow on you too.   I also like that Tawny Gold met as well. 

[Aero426]

This discussion kind of never makes me want have a 6 pack,r/t or hemi car. To many numbers people saying leave it alone or dont change this or change that -I say 
I'll let them folks argue about the numbers but meanwhile I'll take my original 318 powered car, build it my way,beat on it, put the blood sweat and tears into and most of all......... Enjoy it!!!! Build the car of your dreams! That is always the one that will make you happy!!

Part of the deal is truly understanding the collectible difference between a 318 Sat and a 6 pack stick Runner.  And that's not a put down to the lesser car.    The Sat born with the 318 is more of a weapons grade car.  If you want to, use it up.  Have fun.   The Runner is blue chip by virtue of the VIN and fender tag.   And sure, you can beat on it.   If you approach things with an eye on conserving the car and taking care of it for the future beyond your time with it,  you need to think twice about making major changes.    If the idea of knocking 15-20 percent off the value of your car is attractive, and you can accept that,  get out the color charts and spray away.  It's a big world and there's room for everyone.

[Death1970Proof]

I don't know why so many people don't like green. With the quality paints now a days the color will stay as fresh as day one. How many of you would turn this car down because it's green?

Is that an F8 green on that? It looks beautiful and I do like F8-- My '70 came in F8 -- I want it black and black it will be. I always said When I own a charger it will be black.

No way Id turn that car down...

This discussion kind of never makes me want have a 6 pack,r/t or hemi car. To many numbers people saying leave it alone or dont change this or change that -I say 
I'll let them folks argue about the numbers but meanwhile I'll take my original 318 powered car, build it my way,beat on it, put the blood sweat and tears into and most of all......... Enjoy it!!!! Build the car of your dreams! That is always the one that will make you happy!!

Part of the deal is truly understanding the collectible difference between a 318 Sat and a 6 pack stick Runner.  And that's not a put down to the lesser car.    The Sat born with the 318 is more of a weapons grade car.  If you want to, use it up.  Have fun.   The Runner is blue chip by virtue of the VIN and fender tag.   And sure, you can beat on it. If you approach things with an eye on conserving the car and taking care of it for the future beyond your time with it,  you need to think twice about making major changes.    If the idea of knocking 15-20 percent off the value of your car is attractive, and you can accept that,  get out the color charts and spray away.  It's a big world and there's room for everyone.

I fully understand the value of a six pack runner w/a stick. Anybody should be proud to own that. The value thing can go either way but it's all a question of what the owner wants. If we all restored our cars stock and everyone did the same things with them this hobby would be dull. Being different is what makes the world go round and you only live once.  The main objective is to have fun whether youre doing a resto or tubbing it out 

[Joshua]

The value thing can go either way but it's all a question of what the owner wants. If we all restored our cars stock and everyone did the same things with them this hobby would be dull. Being different is what makes the world go round and you only live once.  The main objective is to have fun whether youre doing a resto or tubbing it out 

Preach on brutha....
My car is an R/T....some people (resto freaks) *think* I screwed it up by converting over to a four speed and painting it a non-'68 color (it was that ugly-ass Gold color ), I also ripped out all the AC crap, and converted it over to manual steering........oh well. I'm making my car what I want it to be.
It is a 1970 Mopar color though...hahaha.....although, it's getting pearl in it this summer....

I do like the green on the Charger above......but I wouldn't own it.....I see a green dash pad.....

[Brock Samson]

i made up my own color...
but my car is a resto moded frankenstein monster anyhow...
I thought a dark navy blue would look classy on a charger, there was a dark blue but it was a mettalic and the one charger i saw painted that color a '68 looked good but not great, the mettalic seemed to make it look grainy in the sun... to me it detracted from the smoth flowing lines anyhow i decided i wanted a unique color so i went with the dark ink non mettallic blue and at the last moment I asked the painter to include a red tint to the paint so now it popps purple in the sun but usually looks black or blue in the shade. some folks are convinced it's plum crazy... 
I'm allways suprised how many folks ask what color they think others think their cars should be,.. and how most everyone sticks to the factory colors with some few exceptions like the jenni lees clones then it's ok to paint a non factory chevy red/orange cause that's what every one else does... i don't get it but i'm old and was thouroughly into chargers ten years before the one time i ever watched that dumb tv show..
  whatever...
 
 

[KMPX2]

A car like thats needs to stay the factory color

[2nd69charger]

  stay with f8 green, do it base clear, it makes a big difference

[gordo1968charger]

when i started mine it was going to be a stock resto,then i lost the way.but before i lost the way it was painted EE1,glad i did!

[Brock Samson]

i was just thinking noone ever paints their car gold...
or bronze,..
not that you should, but i can't think of a single gold car on this site other then my plymouth,..
anyhow, that red coronet up there looks freakin awesome! 
If someone offered me a done up '70 plymouth B body in the color of my choice i agree with your orange/red choices...
i have some shots of a green B but it's a '69, but i think these picss will make the idea of a dark green plymouth rest alittle easier..

[Brock Samson]

i got one more if i can find it...

photo number 7.. 

[Death1970Proof]

Wanna make it stand out?
DON'T paint it a factory color.....Or, if you do, at least add a little pearl in the clear to give it that little extra "something"...... ya know?

Remember, this car is a keeper, so paint it a color that YOU really like....not what the fender tag says......regardless of how "rare" the color option is.....triple green is ugly.....
All this factory paint code talk makes me dizzy......

It appears you didnt screw a thing up on that '68....I think you made a unique charger thats yours!! And I think it rocks!! To hell with people telling you what to do with YOUR own car!! 

[Belgium R/T -68]

I bought a -69 Chrysler 300, it's dark green and my daughters calls it a "funeralcar" because of the colour. My -68 Charger R/T, matching# will be lime green
because I always loved that colour. It will be a keeper and it was bronze from the factory.