"Low Key" Paint colors??

[Johnny Blaze]

I will be starting a re build thread soon, but heres the deal. I am about to redo my Orange Irocz as seen in my avatar. It is going back to daily driver duty, and will be getting a repaint.

The paint needs help, and I decided the brilliant Orange is just too much for a daily driver. The wife suggests I paint it a "low Key" color so I don't stick out like a sore thumb everywhere.

So the question is what is 'low key'? I had a satin black camaro and it was a cop magnet, got pulled over all the time in it, sold it haven't been pulled over since.

I have a few gallons of paint on the shelves, so I would like to maybe use one of them.

I'd like to hear what others think a 'low key' color is.

[Fras]

Pepper grey. :)

[Dave95Z28]

I think the gray that is on the newer Mustang GTs would be great. It is similar to the gray that was a factory color on the IROCs.

Dave

[Johnny Blaze]

2 for gray!

[alocker]

I agree with the gray. The Corvette Cyber gray (really a metallic) looks great also and not too in your face. White can look badass but not too crazy. Light silvers also look sharp.

[Fras]

Mine is DuPont paint code 44490. Same color as mustang Eleanor from Gone in 60 Seconds

[Johnny Blaze]

I have never sprayed a metallic grey, is it bad? I am an amatuer painter, have always heard silver was the hardest color, and have seen a few zebra striped silver cars.

Would a metallic grey be as bad?

[SRD art]

Not sure it would do what you want but there was a guy where I used to live that had a factory pale light yellow IROC. It really made the car look mellow. Hmmm, mellow yellow.... lol! http://www.prophetsofmadness.com/iroc-z/1985pages/1985gallery/1985pic1.htm

I agree with gray. I almost painted my wagon Mustang charcoal gray but after looking at the rendering a bit it just wasn't in your face enough so I decided on orange and black.

My first real car I built was a 4 door 73 Nova back in '92. It ran 11.80s as a daily driver and was painted powder light blue with light blue steelies and dog dish hubcaps. I won a lot of races because the car looked so mellow. I read somewhere that light blue is the most soothing color. A nice sky blue metallic would look cool on an IROC, like the GM color used in the 60s and and 70s. http://nysportscars.com/car/51943686.html

No matter what color you do, a heavy contrast on complimentary colors will make it stand out. i.e. if you paint it charcoal gray don't do all black wheels, that's a very aggressive look. A dark color with big shiny rims will do the same. Anything metallic will mellow out the sheen so it won't look super shiny and blingy. Typically most warm colors will stand out, cool colors a bit more mellow. Brown is pretty mellow but I'd never paint an IROC that color. ;) Metallic tan may work, it'd be unique for an IROC, that's for sure. http://ls1tech.com/forums/appearance-detailing/994389-best-looking-tan-pewter-camaro.html

Here's a question, what paint is on your shelf? Anything mellow?

[HENDERSON]

Go with a champaign color from the 70's camaro

[Johnny Blaze]

Thanks for the tips.

Here is whats on the shelf,

Lemans Blue (metallic)
Permenent Blue ( think permenent marker)
Ceder Green (metallic)
Willow Green (metallic) kind of a green/grey color
GM 93 camaro Black
Jet Black
Fireball Red MEtallic
Blood Red


I was leaning towards the Willow green, but not sure, then I thought Lemans Blue. But the wife said "you don't want 2 blue cars" The 71 is Mulsanne Blue.

[Johnny Blaze]

Also have a "burnt Orange" that almost looks brown, or kinda like Red primer.

"Dark Teal Green" as well on the shelf.

[DirtShark]

White car with your satin black accents. Storm trooper look is hot.

[SRD art]

Out of those choices the willow green is pretty plain looking. My back burner Nova project is close to this color from the factory. Gonna repaint it the same color so it doesn't get in your face but will still stand out in a crowd of red, blue, and silver cars. Originally I was going to do a low key COPO factory drag racer sort of look...

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/03/872-1.jpg

but I've been bitten too hard by the pro-touring bug and drag racing doesn't interest me so much anymore. I decided I need to build an aggressive looking corner carver with a low key paint color :) . To make it in your face I'll use contrast to my advantage with a play on Motion Speed style graphics. Here's the rendering still in progress... Yeah, the right shade of green with some black accents like IROC stickers and the black on the hood would work well.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/12/73Trogdorsmall-1.jpg

[Johnny Blaze]

I like that! I keep going back the the willow green, with black and silver iroc decals.


Out of those choices the willow green is pretty plain looking. My back burner Nova project is close to this color from the factory. Gonna repaint it the same color so it doesn't get in your face but will still stand out in a crowd of red, blue, and silver cars. Originally I was going to do a low key COPO factory drag racer sort of look...

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/03/872-1.jpg

but I've been bitten too hard by the pro-touring bug and drag racing doesn't interest me so much anymore. I decided I need to build an aggressive looking corner carver with a low key paint color :) . To make it in your face I'll use contrast to my advantage with a play on Motion Speed style graphics. Here's the rendering still in progress... Yeah, the right shade of green with some black accents like IROC stickers and the black on the hood would work well.

https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2012/12/73Trogdorsmall-1.jpg

[SS PUNISHER]

Embrace the attention, keep it orange.
This way you got saftey cone factor so nobody should have any excuse for running into you or pulling out in front of you. :D
If you must paint it champaign looks awesome on 3rd gen maro's imho

[Johnny Blaze]

That is true. Unfortunalty, it also attracts the attention of some of the bored small town cops in my area, and getting hassled by them gets old.

The biggest issue with the current paint is on the hatch. The car has SS style stripes painted in Copper Penny Pearl for kind of a ghost look. The hatch is strating to rust and bubble trough the stripes. There is no way I could match the pearl and that kind of has me bummed. That is another reason that has pushed me to repaint.
I'm also afraid with a 300hp engine under the hood the car will not be fast enough to support the paint, if that makes any sense.

But, keeping it orange would speed up the process for putting it back on the road.

Confused!?


Embrace the attention, keep it orange.
This way you got saftey cone factor so nobody should have any excuse for running into you or pulling out in front of you. :D
If you must paint it champaign looks awesome on 3rd gen maro's imho

[SRD art]

Lol! You know when my wagon was black and white and very low I used to get hassled by the local police. Never got a ticket but got pulled over several times. When I rebuilt it all I had an inclination to take a photo down to the police station and tell them, "This is my car. It's old and looks a bit fast, maybe something a young punk kid might drive. That doesn't mean I drive that way. I am a tax payer here and father of 4 kids. I am a responsible adult. Please take this photo and show it to your patrolmen and ask them to stop pulling me over for no reason. I would appreciate that." Lol! I never got around to it, I just moved out of state.

Funny, if I were a cop I'd want to pull me over too. Now my car has the added bonus of obnoxiously loud exhaust. Yet here in Acworth GA, a relatively small town, I see cops on a daily basis just driving around town (knock on wood) and none of them even look my way. It's like my car blends right in. weird. If your town is small enough, maybe try getting to know the cops, or at least bring a photo to the station and ask them to leave you alone, :) .

I think if you were to buy new paint I like the champagne idea best. When's the last time you saw an IROC painted that way? If using the paint you have I still like the willow green. What do you like best? That's what really counts.

[Johnny Blaze]

Some good questions there!
When I got rid of the satin black 93, I started driving my 69 stepside, with a straight six, headers, and stragiht out nascar exhaust, the cops would just give me a nod of approval! Talk about profiling! Lowered black Z= harassment. Lowered and lower truck = thumbs up.

I like the orange, because its different and the stripes are awsome! I really like the willow green, but not sure it would look right on this car. Blues just look like other stock third gens.

Maybe I should just keep the orange for now, it will need a repaint for sure down the road, but I do have more important issues, like the 1971 camaro!


Lol! You know when my wagon was black and white and very low I used to get hassled by the local police. Never got a ticket but got pulled over several times. When I rebuilt it all I had an inclination to take a photo down to the police station and tell them, "This is my car. It's old and looks a bit fast, maybe something a young punk kid might drive. That doesn't mean I drive that way. I am a tax payer here and father of 4 kids. I am a responsible adult. Please take this photo and show it to your patrolmen and ask them to stop pulling me over for no reason. I would appreciate that." Lol! I never got around to it, I just moved out of state.

Funny, if I were a cop I'd want to pull me over too. Now my car has the added bonus of obnoxiously loud exhaust. Yet here in Acworth GA, a relatively small town, I see cops on a daily basis just driving around town (knock on wood) and none of them even look my way. It's like my car blends right in. weird. If your town is small enough, maybe try getting to know the cops, or at least bring a photo to the station and ask them to leave you alone, :) .

I think if you were to buy new paint I like the champagne idea best. When's the last time you saw an IROC painted that way? If using the paint you have I still like the willow green. What do you like best? That's what really counts.

[XLexusTech]

If you like the willow green your in luck... their are lots of "Low key" colors like that..
Lincoln makes one, Audi makes a few, SUrbru makes a couple, and Toyota prius and rav 4 have a nice version.. its basically an updated version of old GM frost green... so very nice with matte black... I am very very very interested in these colors as well, something differentiated, muted from afar but 100% rock star when you get up on it.. very fine metallic and tons of clear perhaps a pearl... it can be done... I am convinced.. My builder gave me some sample chip sets to review... I can take a pic of a few if your interested and PM to you..

[Johnny Blaze]

I have a gallon of 'willow green' chromabase on the shelf already ;)

[Johnny Blaze]

If you like the willow green your in luck... their are lots of "Low key" colors like that..
Lincoln makes one, Audi makes a few, SUrbru makes a couple, and Toyota prius and rav 4 have a nice version.. its basically an updated version of old GM frost green... so very nice with matte black... I am very very very interested in these colors as well, something differentiated, muted from afar but 100% rock star when you get up on it.. very fine metallic and tons of clear perhaps a pearl... it can be done... I am convinced.. My builder gave me some sample chip sets to review... I can take a pic of a few if your interested and PM to you..

I think the one I have is the Subaru version, I also have some charcoal metallic that was going to go with it on a firebird project I abandoned a few years ago.

[MuscleRodz]

white or silver for low key. plus both are easy to keep clean. I had a white 90 iroc and never got pulled over except the 2 times i blew right by a cop

[TheJDMan]

white or silver for low key. plus both are easy to keep clean. I had a white 90 iroc and never got pulled over except the 2 times i blew right by a cop

I second the white or silver.