To Paint Original Lime Gold or non Orginal Nightmist Blue

[Coralsnake]

Come on, we know who the others are. Green cars now painted blue.

Fess up!

🤪

[Bob Gaines]

You ole pot stirrers. 

[FL SAAC]

By reading your notes it's an easy decision

Green or blue?

Want original ? go green

Want to be happy ? go blue
7413

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?

[rbarkley]

Go with the blue and be happy. If you ever sell it, the new owner can proudly take it back to the original color. Of course, I am partial to Nightmist blue!
Ron

[98SVT - was 06GT]

Let's start with I hate lime gold. I had a 68 XR7 Cougar that color and never liked it.
If you are going to restore your car to be a show/garage queen then by all means go lime gold.
If you are going to drive and show your car casually then paint it the color you like.
Don't worry about resale. The next buyer will also probably restore it to a higher level so it'll need to be painted anyway.

[owenkelley]

I like lime Gold on '68's because they have a lot of chrome to brighten the car up. In my opinion Lime Gold does not look nearly as good on '67's because they are more basic looking cars. There are so many great colors out there today, go with a color that you are going to be happy looking at, especially if your intention is to keep the car a long time. Hell, paint it Gulfstream Aqua! The most beautiful color of all Shelby colors and it would probably be the only one!

[JWH]

To me, it depends when you plan to sell it. If this is a fix-and-flip project, then I would stick with the Lime no question. If this is going to be a car you keep for 15, 20, 30 years, then paint it Nightmist. OwenKelley makes a great point, in 15 years, the next person who buys the car will need to repaint it anyway.  Full disclosure, I looked for years to find my Nightmist/parchment '67, personally my very favorite colors. Good luck with you decision.
Jeff

[S7MS427]

My car is a color change from Lime Gold to Nightmist Blue.  I swear that if it had originally been any other color I'd have gone with that.  But I liked blue since I first saw it on a Cobra.  I decided then and there that blue with white stripes was for me and that a '67 G.T.500 would be my forever car.  Now almost 43 years later, I feel the same way.  So paint the car Nightmist and be happy.  I know I've never regretted my choice.

[2112]

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.

Solid logic

[68GT350roadracer]

If I was buying I would pay more if it was blue, even if it was green originally. Would keep me from having to pay to repaint.

[Chris Thauberger]

What if it was originally a red car, or a white car, would the conversation be the same?

[texas swede]

I bought #1317, Lime Green in 1977 and repainted it red with white Le Mans stripes in 1978.
Was happy with the change for many years but regretted it later on. Today I would keep it the original color.
Texas Swede

[67 GT350]

I am guilty of a color change on my first Shelby, (Lime Gold), I changed it to Alcapco Blue. Today, I just would not buy a car unless it was a color on my list. Today I have a Moss Green car and it has a nice sporty look, although not my color oc choice. I guess what I dont care for with this car is it is a auto with air, Looking back I would rather neither of those options.
I did have a factory Nightmist Blue Shelby that I was thinking of buying back a few years ago, but the owner would not return any calls or emails from me, being that I know the car well, I wanted to know a few things before I bid on it, so I passed. That color, along with white, and red, would be my choices.
I know the Shelby police are out there and they can be very nasty, I have heard them talking even at local cars shows, when they do not like something, they let everyone at that show know about it. If you are doing your own thing, like I do, meaning, drive it, look at it, maybe going to a get-together with car people who just don't care or know, I think it is cool. Just enjoy it the way you want it. What is value anyway? Or should the question be, What is being happy to own a car that others cannot or don't care about these days?
My feelings are, be done with that, enjoy it!

[Greg]

Like others have said, it's your car and you should do what you want. 

Well....That sounds all good but be prepared to get told, "that's not the original color", "why would you do that to a Shelby, and hurt its value" ...etc....".   You will also be frustrated that you spent good money on a non original color if you do ever decide to take it to the next level not to mention a resale value hit (none of us know what tomorrow will bring even if you intend to keep it till you push up daisies).  Remember the cost of painting is in preparation and materials not the labor to actually lay the paint. 

What I would do, paint it the original color and if I didn't like it, sale or trade it for one that I did.  The reason, paint is expensive and any reputable paint and body person on a perfect car, no metal repairs required will charge you at least $8-10K. 

If your buddy down the street is going to paint it for a case of beer, then go for any color you want because the paint will come off in a few years anyway.   My two cents.....

[Coralsnake]

What if it was originally a red car, or a white car, would the conversation be the same?

I actually know of a red 1968 KR that was changed to Lime Green.