If I bought a special order paint code car (yellow) and decided to change it to Aqua (another special order) would it hurt the resale value?

 

I guess it would depend on the car and details of it. If it is a well documented W-30 or W-31, it would not be a positive thing on value. If it is an undocumented car or a Cutlass, it is not going to make much of a difference.

 

442 W30 with non matching motor

 

It's a dash dash trim plate, it shouldn't cause too much of a hit on value.

 

If it's your car, paint it whatever you want regardless of trim plate and enjoy the aqua. If you're too worried about value and it needs paint, repaint it yellow. But without the original engine, that's more of a value hit than the paint, JMO.

I believe it depends on how it's represented if it were ever to be sold. If you advertised car used to be yellow, then you decided to paint it aqua before selling it, it may not make much of a difference unless someone really wanted a yellow car more than aqua. Both are great colors, btw. You may take a little hit, but not much, especially if the color change was complete and nicely done. But if you claim (not saying you would, just hypothetical) the dashes were for factory aqua, that would be a misrepresentation. Doesn't really change anything but your reputation in that regard. It'd be like saying a car never had body work when it actually did. Something along those lines. Deliberate misrepresentation isn't a good thing. If it got found out, you may never sell it. I know that question was never asked, but again, JMO.

 

painting a "yellow" car "aqua" is a color change regardless of what the tag shows & it will take a hit, unless you are dishonest about it

"ENJOYMENT", "COOL" & "IMAGE" seem to be big value selling points these days - how documented is your W30 442 & how authentic is the remainder of the project going to be?

 

I think it will take less of a hit than if it had a regular paint code, especially if there's no documentation as to the original color.. The two dashes are wide open for most any paint GM offered that year. If the work is done well, it shouldn't be a huge issue since the car already has a non-matching motor.