Color for my late father's car

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Mr B
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Color for my late father's car

Post by Mr B »

Good evening gents,

My late father's car, a 1979 3 litre Ghia is now ready for paint, but I cannot make up my mind what color to paint her, she was originally Highland Green and it's really not a nice color, I have narrowed down the options to: Cobalt blue, Jupiter red or Black.

I just cannot make up my mind and I cannot afford to get the decision wrong as I do not have the money to rectify a bad choice and the painter needs a decision by Monday morning :banghead:

Opinions welcome

Wayne
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Andrew 2.8i
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

Hi Wayne,
I think the Capri looks good in highland green. If it was my choice, I'd keep it the original colour.

Andrew.
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Mr B »

Thanks Andrew, I never thought this would be so difficult, my dad always said 'never buy a green car son' yet he loved that car, I need to get this right first time as there won't be any more money available- well not until I get another loan!

Wayne
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by A17 LTF »

I would say Highland Green as well. This will also keep its value more than the other colours due to its originality and especially if you decide to part with it in the future.
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by andyd »

Keep Highland Green for originality, value and especially as it was your Dads car :cheers:
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Lord Flasheart »

A tough decision indeed. I guess you have to decide whether the car will be as your dad wanted it & enjoyed it, or whether its your car & you want to put your stamp on it, its an emotional choice & only you can make that decision.

If, you want to stick to originality as some have already said for potential future sale etc, & I have to say it would be my choice, if the green is not what you want to do, maybe check out Ford brochures at the time & see what paint colours were available as options to match with your interior colours ?

As an example, my March 1981 Cobalt Blue Ghia has blue carpets, seats & door cards but the interior plastics are all dark brown. Just something to add, I believe that Cobalt blue was only a choice from early 1981 for about 6 months, I know Clare & Francis's cobalt blue 2.0S was an August 1st 1981.

Its your car now, the difficult choice to make is yours, its your car, do what you want to do, lets face it, Capri's can look the bollox in most colours :D

Good luck ;)
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by A17 LTF »

I had my car painted 4 years ago and originally it was black. It was a laser when I started modifying my car and there were plenty about. Now they are becoming rarer so people tend to stick to originality. I had it painted a modern colour as i plan to keep the car for many years to come and resale value currently does not give me any pleasure in owning it.

If i had a rarer model, then it would be a different scenario. But seeing as the prices are on the rise, theres less possibility of myself owning a rarer model now.
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by T.M. »

Hi,
sorry, but of all those colors Highland Green looks the best for me too. And like it has been said, original is original.


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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Jasonmarie »

Highland green as the car is a memory box :beer:
Ford Capri 2.0 Laser 1987 Mercury Grey ....... :beer:
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Andrew 2.8i »

Hi Wayne,
Have you made up your mind on the colour? It's a difficult decision to make, but I'm sure you'll do the car and your late father justice with whatever you choose to do.

Andrew.
Last edited by Andrew 2.8i on Sun Mar 22, 2020 7:13 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Caprifan Rob »

I had a 1.6S in highland green in the'80s . It wasn't my first choice of colour but I grew to love that car it was such a rare shade even then & really stood out. Couldn't lose it in a car park. . Ultimately it's your choice & obviously a difficult decision. I'm for originality but if you do change colour as has been said I'd see what exterior colours were available to match the period interior. Whatever you decide :goodluck:
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Mr B »

Evening guy's,

Just wanted to say thanks for all your input on this dilemma, after spending all day thinking about it and trying to remember anything my dad may have said/mentioned in the past with regards to car colour's and one thing has come to mind, he always used to quote Henry Ford's iconic "You can have it in any colour you like as long as it's black" so thats the colour I'm going with.

The main purpose of the restoration was to get rid of all the corrosion, this included having a new roof, arches, inner and outer sills, front panel and much much more, I never really gave a thought to a color - it was just about saving her before the work became to extensive and unaffordable for me.

Thanks again guys, not sure the painter will be happy with black, as far as I know it's a pig of a color to get right, not sure whether that's still valid these days though what with modern paints and all.

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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Bug »

Still think that, if it's a memorial to your Dad, it should be Highland Green.

But in the end it's your money, your car and your memories.

When you sit in it you cannot see much of the colour anyway, so if the memories are still there, then go with whatever you think.





As long as it's Highland green :D
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Mr B »

Bug wrote: Tue Mar 24, 2020 11:18 am Still think that, if it's a memorial to your Dad, it should be Highland Green.

But in the end it's your money, your car and your memories.

When you sit in it you cannot see much of the colour anyway, so if the memories are still there, then go with whatever you think.





As long as it's Highland green :D
Hi Bug,

I won't lie it was a close contest between the two colour's (Black and Highland Green) but even though my dad did love the car he was never keen on the colour which prompted me to go for black, the cost of the resto has been considerable but most of the cost has, understandably, been to repair her poor old body, so if in the future I decided to change her back to Highland Green the cost will be minimal.

Wayne
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Mr B »

Here's a picture of the old girl attachment=0]V__58D4.jpeg[/attachment]
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Stevo »

Seeing the photo of your dad’s capri when it was/is red and being Highland Green when new uncannily reminds me of my first Capri, 1979 2.0S that was red with a black vinyl roof when I bought it in 1989.

I had to change the windscreen soon after buying it and turns out the car had been painted red without taking the screen out - the windscreen fitter cane to me and said “Do you know that your Capri was green at one time...” It appears that the car was supplied new in Highland Green.

As has been said, painting the car its original colour would be fitting and also it would stand out at any show where there would undoubtably be several black capris there too. I’ve nothing against black whatsoever as one of my Capris is black but black was available during the whole MK3 production period, Highland Green was only available for a very short time and makes its age and era much more recognisable. If it was my car, the paint job would be Highland Green for sure. Just my tuppence worth of course.
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Major_Tom »

Wasnt "Highland Green" a member on here for a while?
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Paul G »

I totally agree with the guys saying put the car back to its original Highland Green. Amongst other reasons, if your circumstances changed you would get a higher price for a car in its original colour and also I agree that it would stand out at shows etc. due to the rarity of Highland Green these days.

A good friend of mine used to have a 1.6GL in Highland Green and when cleaned and polished it really looked the nuts. He only got rid of it because a wife and 2 kids came along and a Cavalier was needed instead, but now he really wishes he could get another one. I had a 2.0GL Mk5 Cortina in this colour and it too looked fantastic.

I honestly believe that the owner is perfectly entitled to do whatever they wish to their own vehicle but I certainly prefer originality.
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Mr B »

Thanks for all your input guys, it would not take a lot to get her back to original to be honest, 1 auto box, remove rear spoiler and replace the side bars which were removed ages ago by my ex-partner (long story) and of course the colour.

Getting those rubber side bars would probably be a nightmare though.

She still has her original engine, suspension, interior etc.

Even though she was my dad's I'm doing what I'm doing in honor of him - not for a memorial to him, he already has one of those in the cemetery, this car is going to get used everyday and driven like a 3 litre should be and if he's looking down from up there and listening to her go rumbling down the road then I just know he'll be smiling and saying 'Go on my son, show em what 6 of Ford's best sound's like'

I hope this makes some sort of sense guys

Wayne
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Re: Color for my late father's car

Post by Major_Tom »

Mr B wrote: Sun Mar 29, 2020 10:07 pm Thanks for all your input guys, it would not take a lot to get her back to original to be honest, 1 auto box, remove rear spoiler and replace the side bars which were removed ages ago by my ex-partner (long story) and of course the colour.

Getting those rubber side bars would probably be a nightmare though.

She still has her original engine, suspension, interior etc.

Even though she was my dad's I'm doing what I'm doing in honor of him - not for a memorial to him, he already has one of those in the cemetery, this car is going to get used everyday and driven like a 3 litre should be and if he's looking down from up there and listening to her go rumbling down the road then I just know he'll be smiling and saying 'Go on my son, show em what 6 of Ford's best sound's like'

I hope this makes some sort of sense guys

Wayne
Makes perfect sense x I dont know about heaven or the spirit world or anything, could all just be imaginings of the mind, right? But my opinion is there is definitely more to the world than meets the eye. I know what its like to miss a person you love and yeah I think youre right, I feel them more than just "imagining" them... could just be imaginings, powerful thing the mind.

I suppose where the feelings come from isnt as important as what the feeling is. Like the message you are sent, thats all that matters, not if its "real" or not.
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