Been working on this car for near 2 decades. I'm nearing painting and wanting informed advise on which material to use. Single stage vs base coat/clear coat and how either will affect any future salability.
A 66 GT350? What color. Single stage is good for solid color but not any color that contains metallic. Base/clear more forgiving to deal with any mistakes. Just did my sapphire blue 66 350 base/clear as well as wife's 65 GT Mustang convertible using single stage.
Thanks for the reply! It is a 67, Brittany Blue. My concerns are whether to try and stay original with a single stage, or have the better looking finish with the base / clear. My painter needs me to make a choice, but I don't want to be stuck trying to sell it in the future having potential buyers trying to beat the price down siting it will need to be repainted if I were go with the base /clear now. My painter's argument is painting it single stage lacquer isn't exactly original either. Looking forward to any thoughts!
It is a tough call depending on whether you want to be as close to concourse correct or for frequent use. You might want to put it up for discussion with the experts on SAAC web site as you may get a lot of owner opinions that will probably make your decision even tougher!
Forget about the potential future selling value, as the market changes at the drop of a hat, and you'll never be able to predict one persons tastes vs another. At this point in your restoration, you really have to decide whether you are restoring the car to drive and enjoy, or to trailer around from one concours event to another. Your answer will then dictate whether to go with the original (and difficult to paint in any metallic, especially Brittany Blue) single stage (no longer acrylic enamel, but a polyurethane blend)m or a modern day, better quality final product, base/clear paint job. Bill S.
Absolutely true. Well said about value. Also, lacquer paints stopped in the 1930s, replaced by acrylic enamels and now epoxy based single and two stage paints. The current paints are much more durable and less prone to fade. A high quality shop that specializes in classic Shelby restorations can give advice and pricing. Also talk with SAAC and MCA concourse judges, if that is then level of restoration that you desire.
My '66 GT350 is Ivy Green with original paint mostly. And yes, its weak. Sometimes I really want fresh paint. But I so enjoy visiting with the majority of people at shows that like it much better the way it is. And Ive noticed that the ones who stop to appreciate this car are the ones who have the most knowledge of the Shelby. No one ever asks "is it a real one?" because its just too obvious. If you love the bling, then you got to paint it, but rare, untouched originality is my thing. I'm sure your car will be beautiful whichever type of paint you choose.