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Change Color ???

Started by John, September 19, 2005, 08:40:51 PM

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John

To the Experts of the CLC,
In February of this year I purchased a 1959 6329 Six-Window. The car has the original paint on it which is code 10 black with a baby blue interior, (cant remember the trim # offhand, I think it is 41 or 43). The paint is becoming spider cracked on the hood and trunk lid and just since having it in South Florida with the high humidity, there is a hint of surface rust starting to become visible on the roof and trunk lid. The car was originally bought in Sacramento Ca. and was garage kept all its life there.

My question is...should I repaint the car black or would I kill its value if I change it to white. A black car down here is extremely hot especially w/o A/C. Ive seen this car in white and she is a real lady that way. Any thoughts would be appreciated.
Thank You,
John Serio

Barry Wheeler #2189

Hi John,
If you plan to keep the car, and paint it properly, with going into the door sills, cowl, under the trunk lid, etc, with the white, I would go for it. Our judging rules do not go so far as to check the color codes. Maybe, if we went back to one winner per class, as a tie breaker, the color change might be important, but for a relatively common 6 window like yours, I would think the choice was yours. (Enter it in the "modified" class.) The last is a running tongue in cheek comment that has been used by a fair amount of the "experts" on the message board lately, and I simply jumped at the chance to poke some fun. (And, no disrespect intended when I referred to the car as relatively common. After all, if (nearly) every 1959 Eldorado convertible is now "resale red", you surely can enjoy a white sedan.)

G.Lucas

The way I look at it is like this.The eldorados are the money cars of that era,so I dont think that you will lose a lot on the car value.I would paint the can to what ever colour I like. When its time to sell let the buyer worry about changing it back if desired.
Unless you have some protection from the sun, the black will fade again.The white with blue interior may look better than the black and increase the value!In the mean time injoy it the way you like it.G.L.

Michael Stamps 19507

I have a 60 Flat Top in factory white.  These sister cars look best in white imho.  Even if it were an Eldorado I would perfer white.  Change the color and enjoy the car.

Stampie

Bill Hedge CLC 14424

I vote for black.  My 59 six window was originally black and I repainted it in black.  The black gives the car a certain stately and eloquent look that, in my opinion, is not achieved with other colors.  

However, you need to keep in mind that I live in north west Indiana where the temperature averages a bit cooler.  The other disadvantage of black is that the color is harder to keep clean (shows dust).

Bruce Reynolds # 18992

Gday Bill,

Well, I suppose that Black would be a preffered colour when one lives in "Snow" country.   Hard to find your car in the parking lot in Winter if it was White.

But John,

Seeing as your bodywork is starting to rust under the paint now, I would be doing something about it in real quick time.

As far as your choice of colour, then that is up to you, and I cant decry anyone for wanting to have anything that isnt the colour they want, seeing as you didnt buy it new.

White is an extremely serviceable colour, and I am sure that you will be pleased with it.   But, it will take more than just an outside colour-change to make it a good job.

A proper job will require the removal of the front clip to paint the firewall, and all those edges around the front clip.   The doors, and the upholstery, and the trunk lid, and not to mention all the chrome, and bumper bars.   That is the worst part of a total colour-change.

Having said all that, yes, it is worth it in the end.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV - was white, now red, and a poor colour change.

John

Gentlemen,
As of this writing, the score is 4 for change and 1 for same.
The car will be a keeper for at least the next 10 years. That being said, "SweetPea" (my wife loves to name the cars) will become white, as it is strictly for our enjoyment. I admit that the black looks majestic with all the chrome and stainless, but it is a bear to keep clean.

The cooler weather will soon arrive here so I will keep it polished and protected the best I can then, when painting time comes, all the trim, bumpers, lights, everything will be removed to facilitate a true color change. It will be a lot of work but a labor of love.

Thank You for your input and I look forward to other opinions.

John

Bruce Reynolds # 18992

John,

If your wife likes the new colour, whatever you both decide, then you are over half way there.

Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV

Sue 5125

Have you considered Brenton Blue (paint code 20)?  It is a light color and looks great on a 59.  White is a nice, but the pastel colors offered by Cadillac in the late 50 and early 60s are great.  

This color is light enough to not absorb the heat so much; but the blue would make your car stand out at shows from all the other white cars.  Plus it would coordinate well with your blue interior.

I will try to find a pic of a friends Brenton Blue 59 6 window and have it posted to the CLC photo gallery.


Check out the 59 Cad color chips:

http://autocolorlibrary.com/cgi-bin/search/searchpic.pl?1959-cadillac-pg01.jpg TARGET=_blank>http://autocolorlibrary.com/cgi-bin/search/searchpic.pl?1959-cadillac-pg01.jpg

jeff

Why white OR black? Dont you think a big white caddy looks like a refrigerator on wheels? Not to mention how white really hides the lines of a scupted car. IMHO caddy made a lot of beautiful blues. Why not one that goes with the interior.

Thats my opinion and Im sticking with it!

Jeff

David #19063

...but John, remember it is your car and do what you want.

Personally, I would paint it black (since it is an original black car) and then dark tint the windows to cut out the sun.  And get the AC working perfectly.

White looks very nice too.  I have a 19,000 miles 1960 Series 62 6-Window Hardtop (for about 1 more day until the new buyer has it shipped out) and it looks great especially with the black and white interior, my personal favorite.

See the pictures of my 1960 in the CLC Photo Gallery:

http://www.cadillaclasalleclub.org/cpg132/index.php TARGET=_blank>http://www.cadillaclasalleclub.org/cpg132/index.php

I really wish mine was black with the black and white interior.

And the black and white interior of the 1960 Sixty Special is even nicer as the lower dash and steering wheel is white and the doors are also back and white.

David

Eric Maypother CLC #15104

Hi,
I was thinking this morning you should consider blue, then I check tonight and see a few other people beat me to it, for me I love black Cadillacs and would repaint it black, but its your car so I wouldnt worry much about the resale value several years down the road, enjoy it with whatever color you want, as long as the body is good a new owner can re-paint it whatever color they want, I liked the blue Sue picked out, a light blue is nice but I wouldnt go with a baby blue, my current Caddy, a 1990 Brougham is a Royal Blue, but for my next Caddy Im looking to get another black 1 unless I have to buy something in a hurry, I rarely see black Caddys for sale in Florida, mostly all light colored ones, Im planning on moving to Florida in about a year and still plan on having a black Caddy, just if it has leather seats Ill get the custom fit velour seat covers for it. Ive had 4 black Caddys so far, including 1 hearse, thiers nothing like a slick black Cadillac, especially when you put gold trim on it. Ive seen cars for sale were ad says "New $6,000 paint job" and you know the $6K is added into the price and it is a horrible color and most people would repaint it if they ever bought it, but, blue, white, black are all safe colors that wouldnt scare anyone away from buying the car down the road.
Eric :)

Porter 21919

John,

You are talking big money to change a color properly. I did my 66 CDV, All new weatherstrip, door jambs, door edges, all fender edges and underside of trunklid, its a huge job.

No one will ever see the old color unless they lift up the carpet or remove a door panel.

If you can afford it go ahead. Dont get me wrong, properly done the cost would probably buy a white 60 SDV (that needs a new white paint job).

I color changed my 66 from "Autumn rust poly" (metallic red brown) to a beautiful "lilac poly", looks like a 60 Eldorado color.

Pictures of my 66 CDV here : http://www.modifiedcadillac.org/ TARGET=_blank>http://www.modifiedcadillac.org/

Porter

Andrew 10642

Painting a car costs too much money to paint it a color you dont like.  The car is not particularly rare, so no real harm in value, as long as the color change is done well, like Bruce says. . .

Mine was not, and will require a total sand and repaint, regardless of the color I eventually choose.

I would vote for a light color, using the color choices given for that year with that interior.  White was a very popular choice every year

JIM CLC # 15000

09-20-05
JOHN, I had my 38 repainted to black because I did not beleive the paint code on the "data" plate. Plate had color code 2, "merionette blue", almost black, and I through it was a mistake, because everything was black (which was color code 1)I ask the painter to watch for a color while he was sanding and he said it was all black. Later, I found the transmission-cover had "marionette blue" on it. I now think I should have went with the M. Blue, as it would have cost less money, About $9,000.00 for the body-work and paint.
On your car, I would go with a "color coat" of your choice and two-three layers of "clear-coat".
Good Luck, Jim

John

Hi All,
   Well, after much debate I decided to leave the car its original black. A friend of mine took pictures of it and ran them through his Photo-Shop program changing the colors all sorts of ways with close-up and distant shots. It still stood out from the crowd in black. Also a lot less work to make the car look factory.
   
   I also took $3000.00 in Floridas lottery on Saturday, so now it will get the A/C I want. Then I can ride cool.
   Im trying to put together my own website so I can post before and after pictures to share with everybody. Ill post when its up and running. Work still must come before play!
   Thanks again.                        Regards,
                                       John Serio