To go with original paint color or not, Should a car undergoing restoration be repainted the original color Options

[Muddywaters]

I'm a new 914 owner and a new member to 914 World. I have a question. I am restoring a 1971 914/4 with a paint code of L80e (Light Ivory). When I'm ready to repaint is there any harm in painting the car a different color, or should it be repainted the original color. The car is completly dissassembled, so the trunks, interior, wheel wells and engine compartment will be painted. Does anyone have an thought. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/welder.gif)

[kenshapiro2002]

Make it what you want. If value were the criteria than you should have bought some shares of Apple stock instead of a car. These cars are not rare and will never be valuable enough to warrant not having as much fun as possible with your restoration and upkeep. If it were one of the 916s...but it isn't.

[993inNC]

Make it what you want. If value were the criteria than you should have bought some shares of Apple stock instead of a car. These cars are not rare and will never be valuable enough to warrant not having as much fun as possible with your restoration and upkeep. If it were one of the 916s...but it isn't.

According to a P-car book I have, the production #'s for the 356's and the 914's over their product runs respectively are with 10k of each other and look what prices for those little tubs (356)have done lately (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)
I'm not sure I agree with your statement about not being valuable enough (the key here is YET). And its funny this thread gets posted, I'm grapling with the same issue. Mine is going to be a bare metal resto and although I love its yellow color, I've been thinking about riviera blue (later 993 RS color). I'm torn with the idea of building a cool car or a stock "pure" restoration/preservation. I don't "need" a hot rod or track car, the 993 is enough in that regard for now. But I've been given advise for both ways. Do what I want, and the other side, you depreciate the vehicle by whatever dollar value it would take to make the change to factory correct again..........what to do, what to do?

[kenshapiro2002]

Well...your car is never going to be a pure preservation, as it's already stripped to the bone. I forget the famous Healey restorer, but he's always changing colors and getting top dollar...more than lesser restorers get with original colors. If I had a "survivor"...a real original car that was still alive, I'd never touch it other than to clean it up, make it functional, etc. All I'm saying is that if you see the car in the sense of it's worth on the market, there are many better places to put your money. Cars are meant to be driven and enjoyed and for me...color is a big[i] part of that. I restored a 1971 Europa Twin Cam that was burgundy. I did it in Jaguar BRG and it was stunning. I never would have enjoyed gazing at it, watching the hood as I drove down the road, taking pictures of her, waxing her...had I painted her the original regency red.

Make it what you want. If value were the criteria than you should have bought some shares of Apple stock instead of a car. These cars are not rare and will never be valuable enough to warrant not having as much fun as possible with your restoration and upkeep. If it were one of the 916s...but it isn't.

According to a P-car book I have, the production #'s for the 356's and the 914's over their product runs respectively are with 10k of each other and look what prices for those little tubs (356)have done lately (IMG:style_emoticons/default/headbang.gif)
I'm not sure I agree with your statement about not being valuable enough (the key here is YET). And its funny this thread gets posted, I'm grapling with the same issue. Mine is going to be a bare metal resto and although I love its yellow color, I've been thinking about riviera blue (later 993 RS color). I'm torn with the idea of building a cool car or a stock "pure" restoration/preservation. I don't "need" a hot rod or track car, the 993 is enough in that regard for now. But I've been given advise for both ways. Do what I want, and the other side, you depreciate the vehicle by whatever dollar value it would take to make the change to factory correct again..........what to do, what to do?