68Tom

OK, in the next couple of months, I need to make a decision on what color to paint my '68 442. While I generally am a "keep it original" kind of guy, for some reason I'm torn on this decision. Its fender tag codes it as Scarlet Red with a Black vinyl top, black interior. It's currently painted a shade of red (not correct), but would obviously be a bit more work changing the color completely.

Here's a pic of a member on realoldspower forums. Mine will look very similar (with the dog dish hubcaps, color coded steel wheels, and black racing stripe), but will have a black vinyl top. I really like this car.
2134629_76_full.jpg

OR
My other choice is to make it the super rare, never seemingly produced '68 gold. I really like the gold, and it would definitely be original on a '68.
GOLD.jpg

I'm kind of torn, as I said, I'm a numbers matching kind of guy. However, that gold would be pretty striking, and it seems like there's a ton of red 442s out there.

Opinions welcome!

Oldsguy

red

Jamesbo

I would vote Scarlet [R] red

But not the Tomato red

citcapp

I vote the original color sans the funky roof

68Tom

Hey, I like the funky roof. Haha.

easytobedead

red!

csstrux

While I tend to agree with the red. I personally LOVE red, bright loud look at me red, and Vader black. I am kind of reading between the lines and would lean in the gold direction. Reason being your tendencies toward originality and still struggling with the decision. See if you can get some good pics and have them photoshoped in both colors, then make your decision. Its your car, do what makes you happy. The next guy can repaint it if he or she does not like it. Either way the car will have roughly the same resale. Its not like you are cutting huge speaker holes in it or something that cant be easily changed back to original if so desired. Just playing the devils advocate BTW nice ride. As an aside my wife wants me to paint mine orange.

mont1le

Every1 wants a red car, If I had a dime for every red Chevelle, Camaro, Vette that did not come from the factory in Red I would be a Millionaire "No Fooling"
Here you have an Honest to goodness red car, stay original on this 1.
You have the right to tell every1 It's an original RED car.

Toro68

I voted red. Of the three W-34s Toronados that I have. The stipped down model(no power seats, roll-up windows) is red, and the "loaded to the gills" job (transmsssion cooler, Am/Fm Stereo radio, reclining passager seat and maybe factory gas shocks that is rumored), is gold.

Danny Wiseley

Gold, with black stripes and black vinyl top. Drool. . .
But I'm not a fan of the dog dish look. In the late 60's, the only people that had them around here were poor people and cheapskates. Oh, some were ordered that way just to hold the car up until Cragars or somesuch could be put on.

Bunser

Poor people,cheapskates...I don't remember meeting you anytime! Yes, I had dog dish hub caps AND trim rings on mine when I bought it new! (1970 w-31) I did purchase some aluminium alloys,(al u min i um) for you southerners, at a later date when I could afford it.(Making $2.92 an hour didn't leave a lot for "extras".)Factory rally rims going on it this spring...that is, thinking it may be finished by then.

Oh yeah, go with red.The gold is nice but...

68Tom

Ok, thanks everyone. Looks like I'll just keep it the original Scarlet Red. It will be easier to paint this way anyway. Thanks again.

KeithA0000

I gotta say that a Cutlass looks just so bad-*** in red. Gold is a good looking 'smart' color, and is very Olds-ish, but red is more exciting. And that fact that it is an Olds trumps any concern of it being just like any other red Chevelle or what have you, imho.

Allan R

Like everyone says, RED is a great color. BUT it's just getting to be so COMMON. That ad you posted with the Gold Cutlass looks way better IMO. And yes I had a 72 Cutlass is Matador Red - which was a really nice color. I thought about making a color change on my Dads 72 and decided to keep the original. (silver). So, it's what you want, and what's more convenient or easy, unless money doesn't matter. BTW I voted for Gold.

68Tom

Well, that's the thing, Allan. If I were able to walk into and Oldsmobile dealer and buy this car, I would never have picked red. Don't get me wrong, I like red, but as you say, there's SO many red cars out there. I've always like the strange colors--the greens, golds, browns, etc.

In any event, because the car is numbers matching, I think the right thing to do is keep this one red. It'll look good in the end, I think.

And I like looking "poor" with the poverty caps. Might keep it a real sleeper and keep the stripes off it as well.

citcapp

Allen,

But is the original color of red that common, Having not seen the original color, I tend to stay with the factory colors. But again it is your choice, so good luck with what ever you choose

Olds64

I voted for gold. Everyone and their brother has a red Cutlass. But, whatever makes you happy...

rrielley

Somehow the Gold or a nice Bronze keeps jumping out at me. Maybe it's a personal bias...

68Tom

That's the problem. I don't know what's gonna make me happy. lol.

68Tom

Oh, and I love the bronze or copper color. My grandfather had a similar color '72 Caprice with a black vinyl top. Fantastic looking.

I was just trying to keep it within the '68 colors. I was thinking about the gold as they obviously thought about the color as a color to be used in '68, but obviously didn't end up putting it into production.

Allan R

Wowsers!! that is one gorgeous looking Supreme you've got there. Any chance you could start a new thread and just post a whole lot of pictures of it? I can't imagine why you might be influenced by gold or bronze!!

RoaringRelic

Opinions are like ear lobes, everyone has a couple.

IMHO the gold with black top would have a classy look running rally wheels with black between the spokes.

The solid red would have a racey look with the dog dishes.

Adult or wild child, it's the story of my life... the middle of the road is too crowded.

csstrux

I had a 79 cutty cruiser that was bronze, with wood grain. When it had the aluminum wheels on it with the bigger rubber, it looked sharp. the throaty v8 burble didn't hurt a bit either. Again, just because of the conflict you are feeling over this I vote gold, but would lean to some nicer wheels. Olds roads in black would offset the gold nicely. or may be go dog dish with some stainless trim rings on a black steely. strictly business

68Tom

Well, thanks all for voting. I think I'll most likely go with the Scarlet Red.

93Code86GN

Wait a minute there's some uncounted absentee ballots in the trunk my car.....they're ALL Gold.

68Tom

haha!

FL1970442

If future value of the car means alot to you, original color is always the best way to go. Most true collectors won't look at a car that has been painted other than it's original color. It's still a personal choice, show car or daily driver?

ent72olds

Gold, to me looks more muscular...red is nice but as someone previously said,"If I had a dollar for every..." GO FOR THE GOLD!

mugzilla

I have a custom color code ...

It is just a - ...

When I tore my blue car apart I found "Rally Red" which is a Competition Orange so I went with that ...

It needs another coat of paint and I'm thinking just a taste redder ...

With the custom code I guess I could paint it any color ...

...

joe_padavano

If you plan to paint the stripe, PLEASE move your fender emblems back towards the door. Factory W36 stripe cars had the fender emblems relocated so the stripe was centered between the back of the wheel well and the front of the door at the bottom of the fender. When the emblems are left in the non-stripe location, the stripe hits the wheel opening as shown in the picture you posted.

68Tom

Well Joe, not to worry. I'm going to measure the holes before I do anything. If the car did not originally come with the stripes, I'm not putting them on. I'll just sell them on eBay.

gearhead1218

I voted for gold also, because EVERYONE UNDER THE SUN has a red car.