Hey all,
I'm looking at purchasing a 71' Malibu for re-sale. The car is primered and ready for paint. The car is in perfect shape and needs nothing except the paint applied. Now here is my dilema, The car has perfect original brown interior and has recently had a new black vinyl top installed.
I'm having a hard time trying to decide what body color would tie the blk. top and brown interior together and make an appealing car. I think I've narrowed it down to either red, gold or black but I really can't imagine what either color will actually look like with that brown interior.
Any of you guys have the brwn. interior and blk. vinyl top and if so, what color is the exterior.

Thanx for your help,
Dwayne

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my 68SS & 69 Vette (http://www.corvetteforum.net/c3/dwaynes69bb/)
"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you"

white would work also.

I dont have an answer for your color question just a suggestion on purchase. You stated that the car is primed and ready for paint, needs nothing but the paint applied. If the car needs nothing but paint why didnt the owner go ahead and paint the car? There is no better why to hide the sins on a car then primer. The doors and quarters could have rust spots all over them but you cant see them because its been primed.

I would never buy a car that is in primer and specially when its READY FOR PAINT. Ive heard those words too many times by people looking to dump a project that they cant handle or finish, so they just spray on some primer and say its ready for paint. Just be careful of what you buy and ask to see pictures of the car before he started to work on it. If he doesnt have pics then something is up, everyone takes pics of the car. I take several pictures of each and every step on the car I make just to varify what I say I did to it.

Ive seen a real sweet 57 chevy with a brownish leather interior and it was painted root beer pearl over silver. Just a beautiful color I believe it was House of Kolor paint. Anyway good luck.

Dwayne, I used to own a Gold w/black vinyl top, brown interior 71 malibu. Would have looked great if the original paint wasn't so faded. Hope theres no surprises under the primer.

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70 Malibu 307
Semper Fi
Support our troops

I guess "primered and ready to paint" was sorta misleading. The car is actually ready to be primered and painted. I can see all of the body work (or lack of) on the car. The owner has cut and installed the rear qrt. patch panels and has stripped the car and was ready to apply the primer. Other than that the car was solid. Really nothing hiding beneath primer. The car still has some traces of the original 53 code gold, which would probably look pretty good with the brown interior, but the new (BLACK) vinyl top just dos'nt seem to work well with the gold/brown anymore.
The reason the owner did'nt go ahead and paint is a long story. He had just rebuilt the engine/Transmission and running gear, and was going to give the car to his son. All he lacked on the car was the paint. He and his son had a very heated falling out with one another and so now the car has to go. and the sooner the better as he puts it...I did'nt want to pry any further, it seemed like a real sore spot with him.

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my 68SS & 69 Vette (http://www.corvetteforum.net/c3/dwaynes69bb/)
"You will keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you"



[This message has been edited by New68SS (edited 11-25-2001).]

Why dont you just yank the top and paint it whatever color you want?If you want to replace it with a different color,its not that expensive.

I second the remove the top idea. That way you can see what is under it. A vinyl top is the best way to hide rust. Then you could paint it any color. I have a dark brown interior and will paint the car "arrest me red" when it is time to re-paint. It is dark metallic brown now. Ward

I've seen several Dark green Chevelles (Polo green or Fathom green) That look nice with the brown interior...

Hope this helps..
Steve

My personal preference is to use a paint color that was available that model year. I think paint code 62, Burnt Orange, and 67, Classic Copper would go well with your interior and vinyl top combination.

Burnt orange was a better match for a white interior, which was my car's original color combo. The brown interior, or dark saddle as it's called, would look better with the code 67 copper metallic.

What was the original color combo? A few years back I almost bought a 70 SS454 Monte that was an original maroon with the brown interior. It looked pretty good. Would have bought the car but it would have needed to be my driver and with the Originality of the car I could not do it.

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Jeff Angerstein
ACES#841 TCG#158 CECCO #16
68 SS396(roller 454)
68 Pro Street
69 SSRS 396(427) 4spd
87 MC SS

My Chevs (http://www.tcg158.homestead.com)
OLD BLUE (12.42@108.6) (http://tcg158.homestead.com/files/drvr.jpg)
(10 second motor in a 14 second chassis)

Not that I don't like vinyl tops, I do, but I think you need to consider taking yours off. Now would be the time to do it. Have you ever heard the #1 male wardrobe rule, 'never ever wear brown shoes with black pants.' I think the same thing applies here. It just won't go. Either put on a gold top and paint it the original color, or, prep the roof for paint. That opens up great possibiblities. Such as:

Burnt Orange (factory color. Ontario orange?)

Dark maroon (deep dark metallic)

white (maybe pearl)

Dark Green (Fathom Green of course)

Red (a darker metallic would look better)

Root Beer (factory color. maybe even white SS stripes)

Beige with gold or brown (close to interior shade) SS Stripes. I've seen this combo on a 72. The beige was a 98 lincoln pearl beige. The stripes were almost a few ghost shades darker. When well executed it looks great!

Corvette war bonnet yellow (metallic)
(Factory Chevy color combo)

Mine was originally a burnt orange with the saddle (brown) interior, white top.

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71 Ragtop
MCC #347, TC (Gold) #174
N3JHV@bellatlantic.net

how about cream/light tan or slap you up side the head yellow?

I am also wondering about the two tone combination look. I definitely want a black vinyl top but am not into the black interior. I really like the two tone fawn interior and am just not sure what color would tie this together. I am thinking of a copper orange. Whats everyones opinion, I trust your honesty. (By the way, my car is a 68) Thanks

I vote dark indigo blue. Would look classy with the dark brown

Butternut yellow would look good with brown/black combo

I have over a gallon of Standox Burnished Brown code 62? I mixed for a guy and he changed his mind, be willing to let it go VERY cheap, not sure about shipping though? Mike

Whoa...

This post is very old. Its one that I started back in Nov. of 2001.

I guess I should have came back and told what I finally did. I went with the Gold. It actually turned out pretty good. You can see it on my website. However, the car has been sold years ago.

Holy crap:D Guess I shoulda looked at the dates LOL.

I'd say the same as Professer SS. Some shade of yellow will work well.

How about butternut yellow?

Butternut yellow has my vote too but I like the gold you wound up with better...nice ride.

Dwayne, Check out my Wife's 72 Monte on the website in my signature. Gold with black top and brown interior. I think the car was originally brown with brown interior and a off-white top (parchment?).

Tom

I remember a color from the early-mid 70's. I think the commercial name was "midnight bronze" and it was a very dark brown with very small gold metallic. In dark light it looked black and under sunlight it was still very dark but the metallic had a nice reflection. At that time we painted everything in acrylic enamal. I haven't seen it in years, I normally do not like brown but this color was an exception.

It's hard to go wrong here. Code 67 Bronze would look great. But so would red, green, dark blue, or gold. I'm not sure about an off white or beige color though. If the top was also brown, it would be perfect.