To Paint Original Lime Gold or non Orginal Nightmist Blue

[Fastback66]

I'm in the process of tearing down my 67 GT350. This car is currently Acapulco blue; the original color of the car is lime gold green. I'm really torn about picking the paint color....not a fan of lime gold, I really like Nightmist Blue.

Do you think it would be a huge mistake to not go back to the original color? I love originality but not Lime Gold.  This car will never be a museum piece while I own it but I do want it to be at least a period correct driver that I enjoy looking at and driving. The car is missing a lot of original pieces and has/will have sheet metal replaced...the level or lack of originality makes me feel less inclined to worry about going back to original paint color.

I know some will say... my car, my decision but for discussion  what are some opinions?

[shelbydoug]

I'm in the process of tearing down my 67 GT350. This car is currently Acapulco blue; the original color of the car is lime gold green. I'm really torn about picking the paint color....not a fan of lime gold, I really like Nightmist Blue.

Do you think it would be a huge mistake to not go back to the original color? I love originality but not Lime Gold.  This car will never be a museum piece while I own it but I do want it to be at least a period correct driver that I enjoy looking at and driving. The car is missing a lot of original pieces and has/will have sheet metal replaced...the level or lack of originality makes me feel less inclined to worry about going back to original paint color.

I know some will say... my car, my decision but for discussion  what are some opinions?

I've seen a couple of cars in lime repainted in two stage  They are remarkably pretty showing lots of life in the paint, nice depth and sparkling metallic.

I'd suggest that you go through the efforts of view one of those cars personally before you dismiss the Lime. Maybe a club member near you can help you find something locally?



a lot of the issue with that color is simply that the life in it died and it's pretty flat. That's really typical of the original acrylic enamel and even the Nighmist Blue will die on you in the original system,

If you look around at new cars you might notice very similar colors? It turns out that it is a very contemporary color these days too.

[Fastback66]

Funny thing is that lime gold was extremely popular in the 60's but you don't see it too often these days. I've seen a couple cars with a fresh lime gold color...I admit I don't hate it, I think I could even acquire a taste for it and even like it a little....but I love Nightmist. 

[JD]

I've seen a couple of cars in lime repainted in two stage  They are remarkably pretty showing lots of life in the paint, nice depth and sparkling metallic.

I'd suggest that you go through the efforts of view one of those cars personally before you dismiss the Lime. Maybe a club member near you can help you find something locally?

a lot of the issue with that color is simply that the life in it died and it's pretty flat. That's really typical of the original acrylic enamel and even the Nighmist Blue will die on you in the original system,

If you look around at new cars you might notice very similar colors? It turns out that it is a very contemporary color these days too.

+1, I too have been impressed - look at a new 2-stage version before you go to the dark blue just to be sure...

[shelbydoug]

Funny thing is that lime gold was extremely popular in the 60's but you don't see it too often these days. I've seen a couple cars with a fresh lime gold color...I admit I don't hate it, I think I could even acquire a taste for it and even like it a little....but I live Nightmist.

Seemingly back then every 67 AND 68 was lime? If I remember correctly, according to the stats in the Registry, Red was the most common? In all these years I think I have seen one original red car.

[Coralsnake]

Lime Green was actually the fourth most popular color for 1968 Shelbys, behind red, blue and Dark Green.

[capecodmustang.com]

1)....You can paint it anything you want.  It's yours and don't worry about the Shelby Police reminding you
it's a color change.

2)....There's nothing wrong with Lime Gold especially with no Lemans and four Magstars.....IMO...
Here's a GT 500 with Ten Spokes......

I think it looks pretty good...


Just my .02

[JD]

25% (1 of 4) of the '67 Shelby's were Lime Gold!

[557]

It will hurt you on resale if you switch,but if it's your "forever" car and you don't intend to show it at a high level,go nuts!After all(presumably),it will primarily be you looking out over that (whatever color)hood while  the car makes"pretty noises"....My 67 is the "wrong"color and I don't lose much sleep over it...

[Fastback66]

I agree..Lime gold isn't a bad color, kind of looks good with modern paint and a lot of clear. Funny, I've been watching videos of Jim Morrison driving his Shelby for motivation. At the beginning of this video is a car in a color similar to Lime Gold passing his Nightmist Blue Shelby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDAmweqwMSM

[Bob Gaines]

Funny thing is that lime gold was extremely popular in the 60's but you don't see it too often these days. I've seen a couple cars with a fresh lime gold color...I admit I don't hate it, I think I could even acquire a taste for it and even like it a little....but I live Nightmist.

Seemingly back then every 67 AND 68 was lime? If I remember correctly, according to the stats in the Registry, Red was the most common? In all these years I think I have seen one original red car.

Most of the red 67's I come across where original Lime Gold.

[Fastback66]

I agree..Lime gold isn't a bad color, kind of looks good with modern paint and a lot of clear. Funny, I've been watching videos of Jim Morrison driving his Shelby for motivation. At the beginning of this video is a car in a color similar to Lime Gold passing his Nightmist Blue Shelby.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDAmweqwMSM

Interesting to note...there was a thread on this site mentioning the difference in value of a Lime Gold car vice a blue or red car and that the difference was significant...so maybe in the end it's a wash. Current mindset is that it's my forever car.... but you never know.

[Bob Gaines]

I'm in the process of tearing down my 67 GT350. This car is currently Acapulco blue; the original color of the car is lime gold green. I'm really torn about picking the paint color....not a fan of lime gold, I really like Nightmist Blue.

Do you think it would be a huge mistake to not go back to the original color? I love originality but not Lime Gold.  This car will never be a museum piece while I own it but I do want it to be at least a period correct driver that I enjoy looking at and driving. The car is missing a lot of original pieces and has/will have sheet metal replaced...the level or lack of originality makes me feel less inclined to worry about going back to original paint color.

I know some will say... my car, my decision but for discussion  what are some opinions?

I've seen a couple of cars in lime repainted in two stage  They are remarkably pretty showing lots of life in the paint, nice depth and sparkling metallic.

I'd suggest that you go through the efforts of view one of those cars personally before you dismiss the Lime. Maybe a club member near you can help you find something locally?



a lot of the issue with that color is simply that the life in it died and it's pretty flat. That's really typical of the original acrylic enamel and even the Nighmist Blue will die on you in the original system,

If you look around at new cars you might notice very similar colors? It turns out that it is a very contemporary color these days too.

+1 . I think lime gold looks good when it is fresh. If you are worried about value then a color change is not the best choice . If it is a forever car with no concern about a resale color change hit then do what makes you happy.

[propayne]

Maybe it's just because I notice it, but there are more than a few modern auto manufacturers that offer a color that is very similar to Lime Gold.

Colors go in and out of fashion. Seems to me that greens, along with bright, primary colors were big in the '60s, browns and golds in the '70s, pastels and teals (think Miami Vice) in the '80s, silver and beige in the '90s...etc.

My understanding is that a color change generally hurts the value some.

- Phillip

[Chris Thauberger]

I'm surprised Keith hasn't chimed in on this yet, if I recall correctly his blue car was originally lime green. Maybe I'm wrong