How important is original color?

[brookedale091462]

How important is original color to a pre 74 911? In some car groups color does not diminish the value as long as the color was one of the original choices available. How is an original color choice that was not original to the car viewed in the early 911 world assuming that either is non original paint. For example a bahama yellow car that was repainted bahama yellow vs repainted black.
All views appreciated including from those who restore and or market these cars on a regular basis.

[TheBen]

I have a bahama yellow 67S however I was strongly cautioned against repainting it in anything but its original color - even a period correct color - as it would diminish its value. Its now repainted in Bahama yellow which works on these early cars imo...but its your car and you should do what you like with it.

[trdking]

You can paint it what ever color you like. Just understand that if it is not the original color of the car, the cost to strip the car and paint it back to original color will be deducted from the value of the car. With Porsche anything you take off or add to the car that is not original period correct equipment is a deduct. So in short, original anything is very important. I have sold Porsches in colors I don't like to buy original colors I do like just to avoid the deduct.

Cheers

[Richardnew]

It all depends how you feel about the value of your car. If the value of the car is not important to you paint it any color you want.

Let's say you spend $15,000 on a paint job. If it's a not the original color then deduct $15,000 from the value of the car. If you paint the car in the correct color then you can add $7,000 to $10,000 to the value of the car.

To paraphrase TheBen "it's your money and you should do what you like with it."

Richard Newton
Historic Racing Images

[304065]

Non-original color is a deduction in value EXCEPT if the original color is Polo Red.

It has been officially Decreed by the Porsche Cognoscenti that changing from Polo Red to Anything Else* shall immediately and irrevocably offset the lack of originality. "Anything Else" must be a period Porsche color, such as Golf Blue, Slate Gray, Bahama Yellow, Irish Green, Sand Beige, Aga Blue, Light Ivory** or Black.

*Including Sepia Brown. Yes, even Sepia Brown, that much-reviled color of the 1970s that is now so rare and unique that it's highly sought after today.

**Bonus points if the Light Ivory car was painted that way because it was used as a Taxicab in Germany. Or if it's a 911R.

The foregoing Decree shall not apply if there is overspray on the tires or the windshield.

[ckissick]

What's wrong with polo red?

[304065]

Nothing wrong with Polo Red. Especially when scuffed with 220 grit as a base for three coats of Glasurit Fraise.

Charlie, and others: I am absolutely joking-- Polo red is a great color. . . this goes back to a time before the current early 911 craze, when all that seemed available in the market were Polo Red cars. . . and ones that had been painted that color. It's also the predecessor color of Guards Red, which adorns a LOT of the Porsche production from the 1980s. . . whether water cooled or air.

[911T1971]

Light Ivory car was painted that way because it was used as a Taxicab in Germany.

not true. those are (light) beige, unlike any Porsche.

[Adore911]

Nothing wrong with polo red, on the contrary. That is why it was used on the S brochure in 1966.

[304065]

not true. those are (light) beige, unlike any Porsche.

Karim, you are right, I don't think RAL 1015 is the same color as our early 6404. I think they recently changed the law in some areas to allow the cars to be other than RAL 1015.

§26 Kenntlichmachung

(1) Taxen müssen kenntlich gemacht sein

durch einen hell-elfenbein-farbigen Anstrich; als Farbton ist zu wählen RAL 1015 des Farbtonregisters RAL 840 HR des Ausschusses für Lieferbedingungen und Gütesicherung (RAL) beim Deutschen Normenausschuß,

Would be great to have a ride in this!