Color me Blue

Color is important.  It establishes something about the character of the car.  It also says something about the owner.  The restoration says something about the restorer.  What exactly do I want this car to say about me?

I keep trying to put off the color decision, or to pretend it's not important, but the time is coming when I need to buy paint.  Why?  I want to paint the engine compartment before I put the motor back in.  That may be a ways off... probably months, maybe seasons, but it does frame what has to happen next.  Oh, and did I tell you that I'm obsessive!

Here's the color that grandma's t-bird was originally:

 As my wife says, this is the color that comes to mind when most folks remember a  '55 t-bird.  It is a very "'50's" color, and I can respect that.  It doesn't mean I have to like it.  I personally feel that turquoise is an appropriate color for stones on a cowboy's belt buckle or bolo tie, but a little goes a long way.  To me, painting a car this color is an overdose of turquoise.  There are shades of purple that I find attractive, but I wouldn't paint a car that color.  At least now, as 50-something "adult".  Flames, maybe... but not turquoise.  By the way, I also drive a yellow car... I didn't think that was a very good color either, but it was what I could afford, and it has grown on me.  I'm not sure I want to give turquoise a chance.  If I'm paying to have the car painted, it had better be a color I want.

I'm really not bound by the color choice the Ford factory made 57 years ago.  I generally like bright colors, especially blue... just not this one.  One thing that does limit my choice of color is the interior.  The car doesn't have an interior now, and that opens up possibilities.  As a practical matter, however, custom interiors are very expensive... and reasonably priced pre-packaged kits are available in stock colors.

This brings up another point.... the seat.  Uncle "Packard" and others who have driven this car when it was new(er) have complained about the seat... it has a back bolster that hits the driver just below the shoulder blades.

55 seat. The bolster is in red.

Here is a shot of a red 55 and a blue 56 to illustrate the problem.  I sat in a 55 today, at a t-bird club meeting.  It seems OK at first, but I suspect that after 30 minutes or so, it could become a problem... at least for me, or my family.

The '57 seat has a different seat bolster arrangement.  I sat in one of these today, too.  There is no top bolster beneath my shoulder blades.  While the seat is still very firm, I think I could sit in it much longer and still be comfortable.  I'll admit that I don't think it looks as nice as the '55 seat above, but I think it would be more livable for me.  This won't be a show-winning car anyway, and rebuilding the seat in '57 style wouldn't be seriously altering the character of the car.

So, pre-packaged, '57 style interiors.  Compatible with blue.  What do we have?  Well, Porthole Authority is a good reference.  Here's what's available that might possibly work: white on white, black on white (see above), and blue on blue...  Dresden Blue over Skymist Blue.

Looks good on a white car... would it look good on a blue one?
Well, here's an example in Skymist Blue.
No early t-birds came from the factory in Dresden Blue.  I wonder why.  I could certainly do that, but I don't have a good example.


The closest factory color on a t-bird was 1956 Peacock blue, like the seat above, or these 56's.











 And this '55 which has been repainted Peacock Blue.  Lovely color! 

This is close to what I want.  But will it work with '57 seats?  Would it end up "too blue"?  Here are some color stripes, to try to figure this out.  The two stripes on the left are the '57 seat colors.  The middle stripe is '56 Peacock.  The righmost is '55 Thunderbird Blue, and the second from the right is the current color of my dash vinyl, which could be used as is or dyed /replaced to match the left colors.  Note that 55/56 dashboards are different than 57's, and 55/56's dash coverings aren't available in Dresden blue.  I think I'll keep my dash the dark green color, even if I have to replace the vinyl.  Click the stripes to see the color palette in Kuler.

My preferred body color is the middle stripe.  '57 blue interior on the left, original '55 interior on the right.  I'm thinking that either one will work.

Why am I agonizing about this?  Well, probably because I'm worried that I will make the wrong decision, commit a lot of time and money, and end up with something that I don't really like.

I keep thinking that I can reason this out, that I can control it.  I want to think that I can "win" by finding the "right" answer, the "best" answer.  I have a constrained budget, so I can't have it just anyway I want... I have to come up with an answer within my constraints.  Why does that chafe me?  Why do I always try to find imperfections?  What the hell is wrong with turquoise in the first place?  Does the shape of the seat really matter anyway?

I think I need to get out of myself a little.  To accept my own limitations, and recognize the wisdom of other people.  There are lots of people with a much more artistic eye than me, who might be willing to talk about color.

My Dad has offered to help me on the car, by financing the paint job.  This is a huge blessing to me, to have my Dad's personal interest and support!  It gives me a new avenue to relate to him, and I cherish that.  Perhaps I should just let him choose the color, and let it go at that.

By the way, he doesn't like turquoise either.  He prefers Peacock Blue.