Restoration of '67 S soft window Targa

[rmazer]

One of my college friends sold me his '67 S Soft window targa. It was in sad shape but restorable. He owned the car since 1969 and the car has receipts dating back to that point. Originally the car was light ivory with black leatherette. The first owner raced the car and had factory Magnesium wheels, a strut brace, Recaro seats and a 100 litre tank installed. When my friend bought it, it had orange racing stripes as well. The car was stolen shortly after he bought it, but recovered with some dings and scratches that needed repairing. He took the opportunity to repaint the car in a dark blue that looks like Bali blue about 1969. It lived as a blue car for 41 years before I bought it in December 2010. It has taken a considerable amount of time (and money) to restore and I am at the point where all the body work is done, the engine is rebuilt, and the mag wheels have been restored. I pulled the COA on the car to verify how it was originally and all the numbers match. Now, the hard part. What should I do about paint. One faction says paint it the original color...light ivory. Another faction says paint it a correct period color, but choose a color from that pallet which is to my taste. I have even thought it would be best to paint it the color it lived in for over 40 years. I have been told that there is potentially a huge downside in value to going to a non-original color, even if period correct and more appealing. I would like to hear from anyone out there as to the pros and cons of my dilemma. Thanks in advance.

rmazer
'67 911S Soft Window
'64 356 C Cabriolet

[Barwaut]

Light ivory is a great classic period color.
I had a coupé in light ivory and still think it's a very classy color.
You will love it (in the end...), for sure...

So, paint it original, you can't go wrong then...

[Bobs 67S]

Welcome to the Early 911S Reg. Sounds like your going to have a fun car.

You have been given some sage advice.

Unlike the 356 where many of the top cars, both presented and admired, have had color changes - (many for the better) - the early 911 has been approached as top of the desirability chain is stock... Kardex stock.

We have all seen and desired cars with small and large amounts of hot rod parts and stuff. The guys who track their cars know that certain things make the car go faster, stop better and body parts that make the car stick better and have no qualms upgrading our cars for a better track experience ie, faster times.

But we build our cars for ourselves. The thought of building the perfect sales item is not part of the picture. If you would like to have a car that you enjoy, but look to selling it soon, a kardex car will bring the best return.

(This is from a guy who couldn't wait to change the six layers of colors on the 911S to yet another color because even though we cant find a sample of the "Kastanienbraun" original color we know it's "oxblood". Silver - it will be, when that paint gets out of the can and onto the metal - maybe a oxblood detail in the race numbers... or maybe not).

[joegt3cup]

Light ivory is a great classic period color.
I had a coupé in light ivory and still think it's a very classy color.
You will love it (in the end...), for sure...

So, paint it original, you can't go wrong then...

I couldn't agree more !

[Norm01]

Take a look at pictures of Ivory colored cars with different colored or stripped hood and trunk lid and know that you can do these color schemes in vinyl and then change at will. Ivory makes a great blank canvass to work with IMO.

[50/50]

Light Ivory!
PM sent

[Christian Guthrie]

I'm going to buck the trend here. It's your car, paint it whatever color you like. The Speedsters have shown that you can have a color change and still get top dollar. The early 911's should do the same eventually. In the end, you are the one writing the checks and spending the next xx years restoring the car. How the final product ends up is your decision and your reward. Have fun and best wishes with your project.

[ETexSpeedo]

Which will it be? Preserve value or personal preference? I own a white twin grill ready for paint that is numbers matching and will the value be affected if I paint it another color? Will it narrow the potential "market" of available buyers? If the market is narrowed will that affect the value? Will it make the car more difficult to sell? I would say yes to all, but the question remains how much? Could it be the cost to the new buyer to repaint the car in the original color?

I have always resisted changing colors even when a customer asks me the same question for at the end of the day, we all do the best we can to restore the car back to "original", and if it is not the original color, it truly is not restored completely. And the definition "restored" although clear in Miriam Webster, is subject to much debate.

On the other hand, I own two 356's one white one red and I changed the colors on both. White to Champagne (green interior) because I want a car that color, on a 65 C and Black (grey interior) from Signal Red on a notch back conversion. Neither can ever be "restored" as one is a body change, not numbers matching done as I want, and the C is not numbers matching with the normal rust repairs. Will the value on these particular rather low value cars be affected? Not enough to worry about because they will be very nice.

A 67 S SWT on the other hand, is not a low value car.

Just to think about.....but....paint it original.

Good luck.

[gmund1948]

As a purist if you are looking 10 years down the road and the value is important Ivory ( gorgeous ) on a SWT

That said Its yours you get the choice

[Frank Beck]

I hate to make this a deep, philosophical decision but the fact that you raised this topic with a bunch of strangers would indicate that it's very important to you (AND you don't like Light Ivory too much!)

When this discussion comes up it reminds me of tattoos. Why do you want one, what's it going to do for you, and most importantly will you have regrets later on. While you can always repaint your car down the road, you probably won't. Whatever color you choose should be one you can live with now and 20 years from now. The car is worth more in the original color than a changed color. Period. Light Ivory is a great neutral color, grows on you, and fortunately does not fall into the fecal color spectrum which in that case I would say by all means, change the pigment of that poop.

If you go back to Light Ivory consider this: EVEN if this were your dream car that you never intended to sell, chances are you will someday. And when you do you won't have to apologize for the color change and you won't take a 10-20% hit.