1957 Coupe de Ville Paint Colors / combos

[Alex-57]

Hi All -

  I am in the process of partially restoring my 57 Coupe de Ville. I purchased the car painted black, but the tag shows (and flaking paint ) that the car was originally white. I like the black but not so much on this car, and I'm not a huge fan of solid white on this car either. So I'm looking for some pictures of cars with correct paint on them to see if they may sway me for one color or another.

   Right now I'm looking to see a few 1957 Coupe de Villes in "Elysian Green" (Or was this a Biarritz color only?) "Camelot Gray", "Copper Iridescent", Starlight Iridescent, and Amethyst Iridescent . If this is in the wrong section, my apologies.

Alex

[Jon S]

Elysian Green was an Eldorado only color.

[Walter Youshock]

So were Starlight and Copper.  Because of the original  lacquer formulas, those Eldorado colors couldn't be used in 2-tone combinations.  Something about a reaction between the paints.

Most 2-tone was body color with a white top.  Or a medium tone body (Thebes green) with a light tone top (glade green).

I've never seen aan  amethyst '57 in person.  It's a rare color and would look best with a white or black top.

The '57 specifications manual has the optimal and secondary color combinations listed.

You must take your interior into account.  What interior do you have?

[Alex-57]

Thanks for the info so far.

 Right now the interior is a redone (1990's I'm guessing) all black with vinyl. I purchased this car knowing nothing of Cadillac authenticity. The interior is mostly gutted right now because I've replaced almost all of the floor pan and the rear under seat braces the best I could.

 Here are some pics from when I got the car, to what the floor pans looked like, to last weekend when we mostly finished the metal work and coated the floor in epoxy.

 I've seen red and white cars and like those. I also saw a drawing of silver with a copper top? I think i found a couple pictures of the amethyst color.. I'd like to see a few more to see if it's for me. I'd run a white top with it.

Alex

[Walter Youshock]

The drawings were done for the catalogs.  Those aren't the real colors.  The mailers that the dealer sent to homes of prospective buyers had color photos.

What do you plan to do with the interior--keep what you have or reupholster?  How authentic do you want to be with the restoration?

[Alex-57]

Ah, thanks for the clarification on the drawings. I'll more than likely use my black interior for the time being then either continue to use it or change it for the exterior color. I really wouldn't want to go with a white interior as for this grease monkey, that sounds like it's going to get really dirty.

  I'm a lot more active on the modified board, so this isn't going to be a full blown out super accurate restoration.  I did a frame off myself on a 64 C-10 tuck and know how expensive this gets. I'm 29 years old (young for this hobby), and Cadillac isn't cheap to restore. This car is also far from original when I got it. (I'd love to find a set of false vents in front of the rear tire, as they were bondo'd over on my car).

  I know the purest don't really like this sort of thing, but it's what I can do for the car right now without it rotting and dieing more...  I like doing restorations as close as I can to how the car came in year "X"  but I also like modernizing that looks stock as possible, very very subtle changes if I can help it. Interior, paint and body will look as stock as I can get them.. lap belts will be added as well as disk brakes. The 365 motor is just about done being rebuilt, almost stock, with forged rods, pistons, a stock cam and stainless valves. The transmission will be a 4l80E, and wait for it, the big bomb, I'm adding a turbocharger. .. BUT! not in the import fashion. I want this to look like a guy in 1957 -1960 something added a turbo on it... almost like a dealer option... maybe Studebaker like? I still have to study engine bays of the 50's and early 60's with turbos attached.

  The above is what I can do for the car to keep it alive, make it do what I want (be a super highway cruiser a little different), and have others take a second look at it at a show. I know that's normally not what is approved of here which is why I am asking mostly about correct paint and interior things.     I hope I don't offend but I assure you, I really want this to scream Cadillac as much as possible when I'm done.

Alex

[Alex-57]

What color is this car?

https://www.flickr.com/photos/lars-schenk/sets/72157606089906206/with/2657130894/

[Walter Youshock]

Looks like a silver to me but definitely  a base/clear.

I'll throw this out as a suggestion:  Castille maroon metallic.  It was a rich color and not as in-your-face as Dakota red.  It would work with your black interior, too. 

[Alex-57]

Looks like a silver to me but definitely  a base/clear.

I'll throw this out as a suggestion:  Castille maroon metallic.  It was a rich color and not as in-your-face as Dakota red.  It would work with your black interior, too.

 
  I'm interested in the suggestion.. but I can't find any pictures of cars with that color paint on them. I searched here as well under Castille Maroon metallic / iridescent and only came up with this thread. Google has been pretty useless as well. Have any pictures of the color?

Alex

[57eldoking]

Elysian Green was an Eldorado only color.

Elysian Green was an Eldorado color, but it could be ordered on all other models for an extra charge. Page 4 of the 1957 Specification Manual below.

[Walter Youshock]

Yes, ALL colors were available on ALL cars.  Interiors were the problem.  You could have your Cadillac painted ANY color--even a non-GM at extra charge.

All Series 62 or Mountain Laurel leather was available as SO.  They could be used as monochrome or combined (one bolster color and one insert color).  I've only seen one original all-leather Coupe deVille in person.

Here is a vintage photo from one of the mailers of a coupe in maroon.  It really shows off the chrome and gold trim.

[57eldoking]

I do wonder if you could order the Eldorado Brougham colors on a "regular" car? The specification manual states 5 Eldorado colors which is not enough to include the Brougham colors...

[Walter Youshock]

Most likely.  Eldorado colors were "9x" and Brougham colors were "1XX".  ANY color could be ordered from ANY manufacturer (at extra cost).

I remember a funeral home in upstate New York that had a particular shade of green cars.  It was an Oldsmobille color.  Whenever they ordered new Broughams, they had the cars painted that color and ordered the funeral livery that color.  The Broughams came from Cadillac painted their color.  Like Mary Kay.

[Dave Burke]

Might I also chime in to say that you might be able to still order a 1957 paint chip chart off of Ebay or Amazon.  I was able to source one some time back.  It might help give you some ideas.  My SDV was originally 2-tone gray but at present it is white.  Of course, not having the chart in front of me at the moment, I can't say which two grays it was, but it was a light blue-gray on the lower part and a darker gray on top. 

Good Luck!

Dave Burke
CLC# 27968 

[Alex-57]

Thanks for the info guys. I didn't know a car could be had in any color Cadillac made, and even the competitions colors too? Wow. I've been holding myself to just the paint chips that I had found under 1957 for Cadillac. It's a photo and the colors aren't too well represented on the page.. they look faded.

  Thanks for the picture of the Cadillac in Maroon.  I'm thinking it's a bit too dark for me though. I like the black on my car now as it really does make the chrome pop well, but I feel the dark color hides a lot of the cars curves which is why I'm looking I guess, for lighter colors. My truck is turquoise .. so no blue or green . I was thinking about the silver with red interior.  Heck, I may keep it black and just put a deeper dark black on it so it's at least a good paint job with quality primer paint and clear on it.  It'd be less work at least. It took me 3 years to decide on tropical turquoise for my truck. Haha... I'm screwed.

Alex

[cadman49]

Alex... I also have a 57 cdv. its pink and white and took a little to get used to,but now im loving it. remember,black is very eloquent and rich, but it goes away at night,hard to see,plus you need to wash it every two days!!lol lol. Im thinking a nice pastel,light green,blue,bronze,ivory,pink,banana yellow,cadillac factory maroon is very rich looking and the're easy on the eyes. what color you like is the best color,and can live with it for a long time. just saying...............Richard k.

[Walter Youshock]

Richard, you must have the twin to my car.  Mountain laurel was rather popular that year.  I thought it was rare but that color is everywhere.

And it does take some getting used to...