Pagoda colours

[mgmoore]

Hi,

Was after a few opinions regarding colour change for my Pagoda. Last year i purchased a really nice survivor 67 Ivory white 230sl, long term owned by Earl Hoover 11 of the Hoover vacuum company. The car has never been welded and retains much of it's first paint. However, the bodywork does have many parking dents along both sides and is beyond the point of dent master to flip dents.

Having worked in classic car restoration for many years in both bodywork and paintwork it is my intention to repaint the car. My problem is that whilst it is a shame to change the colour because of it's provenance, originality, etc ...   i'm not a fan of ivory and would much rather repaint the car a colour i do like such as anthracite or silver.

Thoughts please.

Thank you,

Matt

[Jonny B]

At the end of the day, it is your car and you can put in place what ever color pleases you (and a significant other). Unless you are bit time into the concours scene, the paint color is yours to do.

Yes, yes, I know people I know out there will probably be kicking sand in my face on this.

But this is a personal choice. I tend to the originality/purist side of things, but... Keep in mind there were  a lot more colors available in period than what are available now, and you should be able to find something there.

What color is the interior? Anthracite and cognac or red is a dynamite combination.....

[johnk]

What I can emphasis with your past experience with bodywork and restoration is how it’s double the work to change the color if you plan on doing it right. I have painted many cars in my prior years but was amazed how much extra work it was painting mine a different color. Engine compartment, dash, glove box, transmission cover, door jambs, back side of the hood/bonnet, etc etc. Doing a quick rather than thorough job on any of these areas really degrades the car when you are done in my mind.

The other thing I would say when choosing a color is non Metallics will be much easier to touch up if you plan on keeping it a long time, but I would guess you know that from your experience.

[JamesL]

As Jonny says, your car but it’s only original once

[teahead]

Unless it's an amazing original color, why not change it to something you like?

To retain value, keep it a color that was originally offered in that year of car.  Don't think you'll get dinged points if you put a clear coat on it.

If one is doing all the work and paying big bux to repaint the car, why should one be cursed with what the dealer or original owner ordered?

We're not talking 300SL here.

I say, go for it!  Of course, you'll need to pull the engine to do the engine compartment correctly.  And of course, that's when you start going down the rabbit hole of never-ending restoration.

[specracer]

Not going to help here, but Im all about originality. I personally would keep it the original color.

[bogeyman]

I'm for originality also. If the car has original paint I would never change it.
But after all we are just caretakers and changing color properly doesn't permanently damage anything. It can always be returned to original color by the next owner.
What it does is give us as current owners the satisfaction of having exactly the look we like.

Many 300SLs have been changed back and forth multiple times as they passed through different owners.

[mgmoore]

Hi All,

Thanks for the opinion's.... exactly my thoughts on both sides of the fence!
 
Cheers,

Matt