Help me pick paint colors for a 5th Gen Conquista

nosirrahg

I've got a 1980 El Camino Conquista with the original two-tone gray hood/center section and dark claret (maroon) roof/bottom. While the truck is relatively rust free, it has several dents that need repaired, and it will then need repainting. Since the truck has the dark maroon interior, I'm somewhat limited on the colors I can use. I put together about 20 different color combos, including all the original options available with the maroon interior. I polled everyone in my family, and came up with these five final options. (#3 is the current paint scheme, so I'm sure it ranked as high as it did for sentimental reasons more than anything else.)

Please take a look at the options below, and vote for your favorite - I could live with any of these, but I'd like to get the opinion of folks on this board to see what you think!

77SS · Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 11:41 am Post subject:

I voted for #4.

It is the most "agressive" looking. You could of course go with solid black, silver, dark red or white, instead of two-tone.
_________________
Steve Frey

My Gallery

Heatsoaked · Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:33 pm Post subject:

I don't see an option for solid black. I always go black on black until they invent a darker color Cool

_________________
78 project car and 87 G-Machine.

Its better to have a bottle in front of me-
than a frontal Lobatomy ...!!!

nosirrahg · Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 4:11 pm Post subject:

I did mockups of solid silver, maroon, black, white, red, etc. but since the truck was originally a Conquista two-tone, we felt like we should keep the old-school two-tone look. I've seen some great single-color, dechromed El Caminos though, and if mine was missing more chrome I might consider it. I haven't gotten an estimate on the bodywork yet though, so that's assuming we can salvage the chrome on there - if not we may go with one solid color versus having to replace all the (expensive) chrome.

It's also a basic V6 model; if it had a V8 I'd probably be more inclined to do something a little more agressive with the paint. As it is, I figure my best bet is to keep it fairly original looking. I also know what a pain it is to keep a black car clean (and I know how lazy I am!), so the two-tone silver seems like a good compromise between being true to the two-tone look, but also looking more modern than some of the other options.

82Cabi · Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 4:34 pm Post subject:

I voted for the Maroon two tone. I'm really not in to two tones but if I had to chose from your options that would be my selection. I like racing stripes but that would be really too much for a V6. I will offer the suggestion that if you are ever interested in a V8, that you should not let the six cylinder limit your paint choices. I've made the "no repeats" plan with my Caballero, I do everything right the first time and use high quality parts every time to avoid replacements on top of the price of the inferior product. Don't just paint for the present condition of the car paint for the projected path of what you want your car to look like, just in case you ever want a V8.
_________________
Be "Professional Grade" when slaying the Dodges and Imports!

Roasted Rancheros and Seared Stallions... A Ford Feast fit for a GMC!

1982 GMC Caballero

nosirrahg · Posted: Sun Jan 28, 2007 10:03 pm Post subject:

That's sort of the reason for my posting this poll in the first place - my family has an opinion as to what color to paint the truck, but we also know that we'll probably end up selling the truck down the road. While I may lean towards option #1 (more as a compromise than a favorite), I wanted to see how folks on this board felt, and at this point it's pretty obvious the direction things are headed. For the V6 the black center w/silver top/bottom could be a little too agressive, but drop in a V8 and some chrome wheels, and that color scheme is pretty cool. If we were going to keep the truck forever I'd probably go with the stock maroon/gray to keep things authentic, but with two kids approching driving/college age, I suspect my days of enjoying this toy will be short-lived, so as you say I'm trying to do things right the first time and make the right choice (with no regrets after the fact).

ryanwitski · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 7:49 am Post subject:

My conquista is black and red I like it but later it's going to change (someone did a crappy job) Not too many black and red plus it's like the two best colors!
_________________
smog controls are for losers from the west!

nosirrahg · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 11:50 am Post subject:

I checked out your profile picture, and the red/black combo does look good - especially with the pin stripe that helps pull it all together. Seeing your picture I can better visualize mine as silver/black; it's growing on me. To keep the family on speaking terms I'll probably have to get the blessing of my wife's aunt/uncle that gave me the truck in the first place; I just hope I'm able to convince them when the time comes. I could actually live with the original paint scheme (#3) if the gray section were a metallic silver - as it is it's a flat gray, and to me it just looks too dull.

JEHONEY · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 5:32 pm Post subject: Color of Paint

If it is going to be a driver, then its really a personal choice. As you know, the darker the color, the more difficult it is to keep looking nice. If you have to drive in a dusty area, I would not choose black. Probably, white or silver or something like that. If you are building it for show, red is hard to beat.
_________________
Pictures of my 1982 El Camino SS at
http://elcaminocentral.com/gallery-album_album211.html

John Harris · Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 8:06 pm Post subject:

I can't stand the factory two-tone paint schemes, personally. Too boring and make the car look dowdy. (Now there's an old-fashioned word, does anyone use it anymore or even know what it means??)

Have you taken time to look thru the gallery of several hundred 5th gen Elkys under "Members Cars"? You can really see a full range of options to help you make this difficult choice. Good luck with whatever you choose!
_________________
View my El Camino

nosirrahg · Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 8:43 am Post subject:

I'd gone through the gallery before, but it was probably 6 months ago when I first got the truck. I went back through them all today, and while I think the black hood w/silver top/bottom looks good, it tends to show up on SSs or Diablos. It looks really good with that front spoiler of silver jutting out from under all that black, but for a more basic model I think I'd also have to upgrade to sportier wheels and tires to even begin to pull that scheme off. Since I'll probably end up keeping this truck pretty stock (just trying to make it run reliably and look good enough to not be ashamed of driving it versus showing it or anything), I'm leaning more towards option #1 - fairly low key, but it will work with the factory wheels, OR if I do decide to upgrade down the road to better wheels and such, it'll still look sporty with the two-tone silver.

And as someone else mentioned earlier, black does show dirt (and imperfections), so the silver combo it probably more realistic for a daily driver. And it doesn't scream two-tone quite as much as the others, yet it still keeps the look for the Conquista purists out there! Cool

The El Camino Kid · Posted: Sun Feb 04, 2007 5:43 pm Post subject:

One option that you didn't list that is the orignal dark purple(marron) and tan(beige) but hey It's yours do what you want.

Cmino · Posted: Thu Jun 21, 2007 8:11 pm Post subject:

#4
See the cover of the El Camino 1978-87 catalog from Original Parts Group (cat # LM2002). The Cmino on the cover is blue but I think it will be obvious why #4.

The fact that my '83 (parked) and 87 daily driver are two tone blues like the cover really doesn't have anything to do with my decision - - - - ya it does. Maybe all Cmino's get compliments through the year like "Nice Ride" as mine does, and mine needs work, but I bet the #4 color scheme gets the most compliments for daily drivers.