My car is a 69ss 4spd, black bucket, Cortez Silver car under restoration. I don't have a build sheet, the engine is date code correct NOM, trans is original, Kansas built car with the L in the trim tag. I am trying to keep this car mostly original and correct, doing a high quality resto.

So my delima is. I like Cortez Silver a lot, but think that without the black vinyl top it can look a little washed out.

I am thinking about doing one of two things.
1) Add a black vinyl top (not original) and spray the car with Cortez Silver
2) Spray the car with an updated Silver very similar to Cortez, but with more pronounced metallic.

Which do you think is the lesser of the two wrongs?

Here is a good pic with vinyl top, no stripe.

http://www.chevelles.com/showroom/data/500/showpic1.jpg

Do it up with Cortez Silver - I think it will look great w/o the vinyl top.
If you really don't like it, then you can put the top on.
I think the top breaks up the slick design of the side view.

Dan

I'd use Cortez Silver, no VT. IMO SS's look better without a VT, no matter the color. Clean lines unbroken by any trim and/or other color. Looks lean and muscular. Sides stripes look good though IMO. But the addition of a VT is a matter of personal taste. It would still look like an original. A non-orig silver color could decrease the car's value and desirability in many people's eyes. Pardon my bias but it would for me. I vote for Cortez Silver with black SS side stripe and no VT.

No vinyl top here also:)

Have you lost your friggin' mind? As we have talked several times before, your fear is becoming tired of the original Cortez Silver. It was my fear before I sold you the car. If you have doubts now they will resurface later.

Look at the pic I had sent of the silver 69 I had before this one. It is a Lexus color that is awfully close to Cortez with a touch of Metallic. Just enough to let it jump.

A Cortez Silver car gives you the opportunity to graduate to a more modern paint without drifting far from original. It is a very important decision with no turning back. Your gut is yelling at you.

The side stripe gives the paint more life on a 69 than a VT and so much easier to do. A one year item so kinda unique.

If your goal is to keep the car original then you know what you have to do...

John,

It's not the fear of Cortez wearing on me, but I just think it looks a little kind of blah with out the contrasting Black top. It is my absolute favorite color on a 69 Camaro with black deck stripes, and I think it is great on a 70 Chevelle with Black deck stripes.

I might think differently about a current day mix using BC/CC.

This is what is really tough about building an old car that is intended to be a restoration rather than a resto-mod.

How did you do financially when you sold the Lexus Silver 69?

I'm with you Dave... it's like Vanilla ice cream...without the fudge topping. The Silver and black look great together... (just my 2 cents )

http://www.chevelles.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=28504

David If you are going to break and run from original this was my 2nd choice with redlines. For sale here and pretty nice. The modified engine compartment may hurt the price.

I bought the silver 69 for $18K and sold it for the same. 5000 miles on the build. Frame was in original dry El Paso condition and needed detailing. Car needed nothing else. Awesome driver.

Keep one thing in mind ......You are building this car for you, with your money. The demon you are battling with the color is the same one that stalked me. Yes to keep it original Silver is the best choice, but will it satisfy long term. Never did you mention building this car to sell, only for you and your family to enjoy. Let no one else's suggestions influence your decision as the will accept no responsibility for your later disappointment. Be patient.

As he lives in your area why not go look at Von's car and talk to him. It will make the decision that much tougher.

http://www.chevelles.com/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=28504

David If you are going to break and run from original this was my 2nd choice with redlines. For sale here and pretty nice. The modified engine compartment may hurt the price.

I bought the silver 69 for $18K and sold it for the same. 5000 miles on the build. Frame was in original dry El Paso condition and needed detailing. Car needed nothing else. Awesome driver.

Keep one thing in mind ......You are building this car for you, with your money. The demon you are battling with the color is the same one that stalked me. Yes to keep it original Silver is the best choice, but will it satisfy long term. Never did you mention building this car to sell, only for you and your family to enjoy. Let no one else's suggestions influence your decision as the will accept no responsibility for your later disappointment. Be patient.

As he lives in your area why not go look at Von's car and talk to him. It will make the decision that much tougher.

You are correct, John. I am building the car for me and the family to enjoy with no intention of selling it.

The decision is a really big one. I need to build the car in a way that makes me say "Oh yeah!" every time I see it and take it for a spin. If I don't, it might end up in the classifieds.... So, I'm trying to get the "Oh Yeah!" factor without straying too far from original.

At the moment, I am leaning towards correct Cortez Silver, black vinyl top and no stripe. I really like the look. It is understated and timeless. While my car wasn't born that way, the modification is at least a correct option that could have been chosen back in the day. I think I might sweat this a little bit more if we had found a build sheet hiding in the bucket seats or if the engine was the original.

My last suggestion will be to do a search and see what is involved to add the vinyl top mouldings. May be harder to do than you expect.

I would have voted for NO vinyl top as well, but after comparing both cars, either way looks good to me.

David, it sure is nerve wracking restoring an old chevelle, isn't it?
I know I busted my nerves at each turn especially when deciding paint and interior colors. If you plan to keep it, just paint it the way YOU want it to look and enjoy driving and showing it. You have the NOM engine and even if "date correct" it is NOT the original engine nor the original paint or many other changes/replacements you will be doing. Quality of whatever you do will be just that and you will be proud of yourself when done.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy the project.

I've never been a fan of silver cars, as said can be blah without the right accents. With black stripes, especially like on the 70 because they're larger, or a black vinyl top it can look totally different.

I have to admit I wrestled with the color demons before painting my SS. I always wanted a Garnet Red '69 SS. The car I bought was code 72 B Monaco Orange that originally had a black vinyl top that was long gone. The car needed previous badly done body work fixed and new paint (along with a complete restoratiion). At the time I didn't really like orange on any car but kinda didn't want to switch from this somewhat rare and definately eye catching color. I think what made the decision for me was at a car show a young boy asked me if it was a "Dukes of Hazard car" when it was still orange. The car had no build sheet and was NOM. People still think I'm nuts (no argument there) but I painted it Garnet Red and like it. I would've never considered painting it a non '69 Chevelle color but that's just me. My Malibu was originally Burnished Brown with Dark Brown vinyl top. I painted it, you guessed it, Garnet Red and it's getting a Parchment vinyl top. It has a Parchment interior. I guess you could say I like Garnet Red. I did what made me happy, and you should do the same.

Von, your car looks awesome as is. Even though it's yours, I just can't see a white VT making that car look better. 69's just have awesome lines!!! :thumbsup:Just my .02

Hey Dave, got lost in Vons' post for a minute. My vote, Cortez with no VT. 69's just have such mean and sweeping lines when they sit right. I just think a VT breaks it and takes away from the whole look. Again, personal taste but look at a lot of pictures and think hard. If a resale may ever be in the future, a no VT car will move faster IMO. P.S. you can always ad it later!!!

Hey Dave, got lost in Vons' post for a minute. My vote, Cortez with no VT. 69's just have such mean and sweeping lines when they sit right. I just think a VT breaks it and takes away from the whole look. Again, personal taste but look at a lot of pictures and think hard. If a resale may ever be in the future, a no VT car will move faster IMO. P.S. you can always ad it later!!!

I'm w/704EVER.

I was working at a chevrolet dealer in white plains new york in 69...never forgot the 69 SS silver with black vinyl top, on showroom floor...I say put the top on it

I say Cortez Silver with black vinyl top! :thumbsup:

Mike

You say you like the look of Cortez Silver with Black stripes on the '69 Camaro - how about putting the '70 SS stripes on the '69? It was done back in the day and IMHO it looks pretty sharp too!

Dan

Von, your car looks awesome as is. Even though it's yours, I just can't see a white VT making that car look better. 69's just have awesome lines!!! :thumbsup:Just my .02

No the SS stays as is. As I said I prefer SS's without VT's. The Parchment VT is going on the Malibu I'm working on now. It has the lower trim with lower silver accent color same as original. It already had a VT so I decided to put one back on.

I personally don't care for vinyl tops. But I would probably look at color change to a more modern silver in BC/CC that has some "pop" to it.

I am the original owner trying to restore the car within a budget(yah, right). Keeping the car "stock" is my call. Do I replace the convertible top, the brake lines, the exhaust, the weather stripping, etc.? Is it still stock? I think if you want to change the color to another 69 chevelle color or add a vinyl top that also came on 69s, so be it. Just don't paint it candy apple red.

No the SS stays as is. As I said I prefer SS's without VT's. The Parchment VT is going on the Malibu I'm working on now. It has the lower trim with lower silver accent color same as original. It already had a VT so I decided to put one back on.

Got ya!!! Nice car!!!:thumbsup:

You say you like the look of Cortez Silver with Black stripes on the '69 Camaro - how about putting the '70 SS stripes on the '69? It was done back in the day and IMHO it looks pretty sharp too!

Dan

This would probably be my wifes pick if given the option. I know that dealers installed the 70 style stripes in 69, but they just don't do it for me on a 69.

I'm a sucker for a vinyl roof. Yeah I know all the problems associated with them but when I was a kid the first thing you did was rip that vinyl roof off your car. As a result, you don't see them very often anymore. In addition to my 64 SS I own a 75 Firebird Esprit Rangoon Red with the white vinyl roof and interior. I get more positive comments on the vinyl roof than anything else. It's always "you just don't see that anymore". I also think a vinyl roof adds an aire of maturity to your car. Even a bright red 70 SS Chevelle with stripes looks a bit more subdued or "grown up" with the vinyl roof on it.
That's worth about 2 cents!
Tom

"you just don't see that anymore"

You could get the same comments if you wore striped bell bottoms and mutton chops!!

Dan