I’m just curious as to why fir the early 911’s they standardized on blutorange for their factory race cars? (Though the 914 GTs were a different shade of orange.
The 1966/67 911’s were probably different colors but by 68 they seemed all orange
Fashion? Marketing? Differentiation? Visibility?
And who made that decision.
Just curious.
Visibility.
For the 66/67 Rally cars (as those used at the winter Monte Carlo Rally), red was chosen.
Mainly for visibility in fog, so the car was seen by others, both spectators but also, competitors.
Then, they realised orange is even better visible than red in fog and night time conditions, so the switch to orange for Rally cars was made. The 914GT orange probably was even better visible than tangerine.
There exists a period Christophorus article telling the story.
I would be interested in the CHRISTOPHORUS article if anyone has a copy.
I too would be interested!
Quote:
Originally Posted by ejboyd5
I think the factory switched from Polo Red to Tangerine for the 68 Marathon de la Route cars (the GTS cars in this thread) and the 69 Acropolis which was spring '69
That was the Elford 911r with sportamatic? The year before?Quote:
Originally Posted by beh911
Im still searching for the exact phrase (i always was interested in colors) but currently cant find the article - i once posted it years ago on this forum.
Here meanwhile one from 1970 issue, where bright colors were seen as „safe colors“ (which was a passive safety aspect for cars).
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The August '68 edition of the MdlR was run with the 69 GTS cars, which we know are orange. The timing is also around the model year switch over too.Quote:
Originally Posted by rower
The Acropolis cars the following spring were orange.
I'm now recalling an older thread that I am reliving in this exchange, and proves that it is difficult to remember these topics over the years and also to tell actual color with the old camera technology. Orange looked red, red looked orange in period photographs. Kardexes are probably the only source of truth.
At any rate, read from here to the end of the thread for some more insights into car colors in this transitional color period for the factory
Good link above, thx!
I recall there was a period report that orange was the brightest color to be seen in bad weather and foggy conditions (as in winter Rallys like Monte), reason why Porsche switched from Polo Red to (Tangerine) Orange for their Rally cars.
I just cant find the article (Ludvigsen ?, Frere ? Brian Long ? Christophorus ? Huschke von Hanstein ?) but remember vividly the schema and explanation.
This race related topic were later handed down to regular market cars, explaining that Tangerine Orange, Signal Orange and all Yellow were „safety colors“ aka a „passive car safety“ equipment for any street car.
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“ I think the factory switched from Polo Red to Tangerine for the 68 Marathon de la Route cars (the GTS cars in this thread) and the 69 Acropolis which was spring '69”Quote:
Originally Posted by rower
Yes, but Elford won the 1967 Marathon in the 911r with sportamatic that was blood orange.
Knowingly or unknowingly chosen, it is also the colour which the human eye, even those with a slight colour deficiency, can detect against a low contrast background better than red. Some years ago ocean life jackets etc were changed from red to orange to accommodate increased detection/rescue at sea by colour defective observers. The colour the normal human eye is actually most sensitive to is 555nm which is very close to chartreuse but of course that would be of little use at sea as a safety colour to a colour defective.
Regards
Mike
Ok, I missed that...Quote:
Originally Posted by rower
Proves the color changeover is difficult to understand due to the issues with historic photographs.
That is very early for orange, especially with the coming winter's red 68 Monte cars.
If Karim can find the Christo article, that might shed some light.
EDIT: I'm now convinced the 68 Monte cars were orange.... :)
The factory Monte cars were orange in 68.Quote:
Originally Posted by beh911
I guess I'm struggling with how people who faithfully reproduce these cars as replicas or in the automobilia world as models and art work can get it wrong.Quote:
Originally Posted by RennTyp
Having crawled around the replica car at the 2012 Amelia event, I can't imagine doing all that work, only to have the wrong color.
Anyone have a kardex of one of the 68 Monte cars?
About the best period photo out there contrasting the colors:
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Replica car (clearly red, and the wrong red for the year):
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Mike has it in post 11. Visibility. Has anyone heard the term international orange? Its been around since the 50's I think. Pretty common safety color.
"Has anyone heard the term international orange?" ...Yes, in the Aerospace/Aircraft industry...
Steve, are you possibly referring to Continental Orange for Porsches?...Super Nice color, btw...:p .../ Lars...
(From top to bottom: Guards Red, Continental Orange and the Tangerine targa)
No Lars, I am thinking international orange. From the fifties. Yes aerospace but also many other applications for safety and visibility. From clothing to well, any use where visibility is crucial. Way back in the day we, me and one other, were about at our point of decision just below the summit of Denali. So we decided to go for it; maybe 1500/2000 vertical feet. There was a south west wind and thin streamers and lenticulars in the sky but our aneroid barometers read reasonable pressure. We figured we had enough time to summit and return. On the descent the storm came in with a fierce wind that slammed us with blizzard conditions and about 20 meters visibility. So we stumbled from wand to wand which we had left on the way up for just such an event. Each wand was international orange with an orange plastic streamer. We finally got off of Denali Pass and down to the Iglooplex at 17,000 feet where our tent was. It took a while to spot it in the whiteout but we finally found our orange tent. The color orange kind of save our butts on that trip.
We are coming close and as said, in cold, snow and fog conditions, a speeding tangerine color 911R doing the Monte Rally was as visible as any orange tent at Denali mountain. And those tents were not red but orange too.
I think Richard von Frankenberg wrote the article in Christophorus but i need to find it, yet.
Meanwhile
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