Is it better to paint original color?

[abcdleines]

Body off pan, completley blasted from front to rear. Needing to figure out what color to paint. Originaly Yellow but wanting to go to White. Seeing white was a color choice for the 73', will not painting it yellow affect the price if I ever decide to sell not being original?

[Captain Spalding]

When I got my car it had been (poorly) repainted the stock "Blizzard" white. Now as whites go, the stock white isn't all that white. It's not even off-white. It's an off off-white.

When I repainted it I chose a bright white. A Ford "Polar White". In retrospect I would have painted it a less bright white. That sounds pretty subjective, I know. "Less bright white". As you drive around take a look at the white cars around you. Pay particular attention when you see two white cars of different makes next to one another. Then you'll see what I mean.

As to whether painting your car a non-stock color will affect the value, I'm not sure. At the time when I bought mine I would have said no, a "tasteful" non-stock paint color wouldn't affect the value. Now, more than a decade later, suitable cars and parts for restoration are harder to come by and guys are having to put a lot more money into their cars and maybe expecting to get more money out of them someday. Now I would say that definitely maybe a restored car of a stock color will be more valuable.

But I didn't buy my car as an investment. I bought it because I love it. Whether or not I should have painted it the stock white will be a question for my heirs to ponder.

[[email protected]]

When mine was painted in 97, it was PPG DAU-3352, acrylic Polar White, its a beautiful off white, cream as it were. At any car show or get together it stands out, especially if there are other white cars. When I sent for the birth cert. to Germany, it came back that my car was originally yellow, but since it was totally bead blasted, there is no way to tell. I am sure at this point it would not affect value. At the time the previous owner had app. 12K in blasting, welding, and painting. It would be much more today, if you can even find someone willing to do restoration work.

[[email protected]]

I should have said, Pearl White, not Polar White, I ran out to the garage to check the info on the left over paint container.

[ALANSD]

Non stock colors will likely devalue the Thing some. Mine is a non stock maroon, painted by the prev. owner. I would much rather it had been orange, the original color.
Most buyers though I think, are after the fun and sun of owning one and only those concerned with flipping it or quick resale would really care.

I know the folks that modified their old Porsche 911 cars are kinda wishing they hadn't, these days.
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foirmer pro guitarist with 80s band Atlanta
had vws since 1968.buses.ghia,thing....love 'em

[cecil]

Like Spalding (who's car is really good looking), I have my Thing for my own personal pleasure and don't care about value ideals. And, I have been offered as much or more than if it were factory stock. So it is what it is. My advice is paint it the color you feel good about.
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I may not be that funny or athletic or good looking or smart or talented....I forgot where I was going with this
I have this wierd desease called "must tear everything up and put it back together when there's nothing wrong with it...Itus."

[Deckard]

Mine was originally orange (a color which I dislike since I'm NOT A VOLS FAN), then it was rattle-can painted green, and when I repainted it I chose Ford Chrome Yellow, which is more saturated than the original color. Since Things are rare, yet they do not command VW Bus 21 Window $$ I'll say paint it with whatever color you will enjoy, as long as it is not orange ;)

Just so you know the Mexico manufacturing plant records were sloppy so there's no such thing as premium prices for "Matching Numbers" cars like you find in other cars.

[doublecanister]

I'd say it depends on the model/type,

If you had an Acapulco, then original colors would be preferred by someone looking to buy and being a restored repainted car verses a survivor, it helps to stay original for the price.

Regular cars, it's 50/50 from what I've seen.

2 non VW examples:

I have a [wrecked] 71 Grabber Blue Mustang coupe, in Ford's realm, a very desirable color but in my case, it's on a non-performance car.[2bbl 302 v8]
I'd read that Ford was trying to promote sales using the previous year's Boss and Shelby model's and "Grabber colors" to sell the non-performance models.
I even had a buddy with a 70 grabber green fastback someone had painted white cause they hated the green, that green is very desirable on a Boss 429, maybe not so much on a 302 2bbl car.

I contacted the editors of Mustang Monthly magazine about it, as I was pondering finding a donor car to restore it, they pretty much said this model wasn't worth it and color didn't really help it price wise.
[it was my hi school car, lots of memories in that one, which is why I kept it]

My 66 Gt Mustang; it's Emberglow, very rare mustang color, had a heck of a time restoring it because none of the Mustang shops had any of the paints/dyes and interior items at the time.
I had it appraised a few years ago, I thought it funny then, the guy specifically stated, color wasn't something the appraiser looks for when deciding value, it's year, body style, engine and options.

I guess if it was a "uber rare" vehicle that they only made 3 red ones or something then color would be a desired option there.
I'd think in those cases original colors would be preferred, for resale or collector status.

Personally, "it's your Thing, do what ya wanna do" is really what it comes down too.

That and a total repaint of a different color is a J-O-B to revert if a buyer decided to purchase your THING and revert it, but like I was saying, IT's your Thing, are you really going to paint it for the next guy or you?

Things to ponder
I'm there with you on my 51' Ford pickup, it's been primer gray for 40+ years and it's supposed to be red, I've seen a load of them in red and really don't like it myself, but I haven't decided on a color yet.

Well good luck with your decision, I'm sure what ever you decide will be fine, don't sweat the colors so much, and I'd think if you went non-stock color, if it was tastefully done with a interior color (seats and top color) that kinda go along with the body color, it should be no problem to re-sell.

T
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2020 - Mustang Eco Boost [High Performance]
1973 - Thing
1966 - Mustang GT- Fastback
1951 - Ford F1 pickup Flathead V8

[vwwestyman]

My Thing could use a repaint, it was repainted the stock yellow color at some time in its past, poorly.

I think it primarily depends on 1) if it's done well and 2) if the color "fits" the car. (Of course, that one is pretty subjective.)
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Dave Cook

President, Wild Westerner Club

1978 Champagne Edition Westy, repowered to '97 Jetta TDI
1973 Wild Westerner
My Thing

[hitest]

If resale is a concern- don't change the color. But also don't change the upholstery, top, tires/wheels, etc... Paint it the color YOU will enjoy if you intend to keep it. It is not a rare car in yellow or white so have fun. If you like it and decide to sell at least your enthusiasm for the car will positively affect the sale regardless of color.

That said, nobody I've ever talked to actually went from a cheerful color to plain old white. I personally would never load white paint into a gun and point it at a car. Even my '65 DC is a Pearl White truck originally but I repainted it velvet green. White is often seen as a cheap way out of extensive body prep as it often hides more than any other sprayed color. Whenever I see a white car that was once another- it ALWAYS has some body work left half-assed.
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[Wildthings]

I learned when remodeling houses to put in the cheapest carpet I could get, as no matter what carpet I put in the buyer would not like the color, texture, etc. and would rip out an expensive carpet just as fast as a cheap carpet.

Paint it a color you like and don't worry about the next guy.

[Ron Domeck]

In the body shops it was "If it ain't right, paint it white"

[YDBD]

I couldn't... the TUV guy said it couldn't be camo...that was in '95 so a few cans of white later...

https://youtu.be/ANQBWpNYMWc
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'56 pan Dune Buggy since '69
don't live in the past...but when I did:
'67 bug
'64 baja
'60 dune buggy
'73 Personenkraftwagen Type 182 "Thing"