Paint Color

I'm looking for a color for my 73 convertible and I think I found it however I'm not 100% sure which color this is. I think is Acapulco Blue but I could be wrong... Thanks for you help!

I think that these were the only offered paint codes for 73

Bright Red 2B

Light Blue 3B

Medium Blue 3D

Blue Glow 3K

Bright Green Glow 4B

Ivy Glow 4C

Medium Aqua 4N

Medium Green 4P

Dark Green 4Q

Light Pewter 5A

Medium Brown (Ginger) 5H

Medium Copper 5M

Saddle Bronze 5T

Light Yellow Gold 6B

Medium Yellow Gold 6C

Medium Bright Yellow 6E

Gold Glow 6F

White 9A

1C-Black was not a standard color for the 1973 Mustang.

Are you sure your car is a 73? The data tag on the drivers door will list the Paint code. The bumper and front grille from what I can tell is a 71 or 72.

I believe Acapulco Blue is a little deeper blue than the color shown on that vert. That color looks more like Bright Blue Metallic(1971 code 6) Bright Blue (1972 code 3J) or Blue Glow (1973 code 3K). Any of em' would look good.

Austin Vert is our house expert on such "Things" and could tell you exactly what color your looking for, especially if I'm off on the color codes.

Thank you for your replies! Mine is a 73 but I'm not looking to go original as per my paint code... I just really liked this color. I was thinking the same thing about the color of it not being Acapulco Blue because I to thought Acapulco blue was slightly darker.


Sorry let me clarify, this is not MY car... this is a picture I found online, sorry for any confusion...

Hi there Raf,

Hope i can help you here. Firstly, you see a photo of a colored car that takes your eye and you like. However, what you must always bare in mind, is that photos never show the true color of a car - they lie, and so can only be used as a sort of reference to what you are chasing in reality.

So the only close way to assess a color for your liking is to go by a proper color name and color formula for that particular color. In your case,you will then need to see and examine the Acapulco Blue color in real life to determine if you like it or not. You basically have two choices here - you can have a small amount of this formulated color made up, and sprayed on a large test card for inspection, or find a vehicle that has been sprayed in Acapulco Blue, and see what you think of it.

Because you have expressed an interest in the Acapulco Blue color per say, i have given you a couple of references to what you're chasing. First is web page choc full of Acapulco Blue colored Mustangs or supposedly A Blue Mustangs. Notice the color variations are endless, and therefore can't be relied on for accuracy.

The second ref goes into paint codes for Acapulco Blue. You should be able to obtain a paint formula for the code, make some color up, and try it on a test card, and see if you like it.

Another way of approaching the selection of your favorite color choice, is to approach a paint company, and ask about viewing paint swatches that may be available to the public. Each color swatch should have a paint formula to go with it. Selecting a formulated color is important, as you may run out of color, and need to buy more. If formulated, you can be confident you'll be getting the exact same color as you first used.

References -

https://www.google.com/search?site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1920&bih=943&q=acapulco+blue+mustang&oq=acapulco+blue+mustang&gs_l=img.12..0j0i5i30l2j0i8i30l6.2802.2802.0.9410.1.1.0.0.0.0.217.217.2-1

http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcodedisplay.cgi?type=sample&ditzler=13357&syear=1969&smanuf=Ford&smodel=Mustang&sname=Acapulco%20Blue&name=1969_00097_01

Greg.

Greg is right that every picture lies about the color.

I have a green guitar that will always be blue on photos, no matter what light source I use.

Then there is the fact that on every picture of every colored object there is more than one hue of the color because of highlights and shadows.

Also remember that your computer screen will show a different color than ours.

Here's a very unprofessional suggestion but it might work. I did this when I chose colors for my guitar finishes.

Take your laptop to the paint shop, have a guy look at the pic who knows his stuff and ask him what he suggests.

They can usually take the highlights and shadows into the equation and come up with an average color that should be close enough.

They can make you a few color samples that match the color in different shades and you test spray them.

It's not an exact science but it usually works.

Now if you saw a car in person and asked the owner for the exact color it has, that's a different story altogether. That way you get what you see.

Then again you need to remember that the same color will look differently on different cars.

For example, my car was originally Medium Brown Metallic. I do not like that color at all. But when I see a Medium Brown Mopar I love it (ok, the color might not be exactly the same but still very close).

All this is not actual advice, I know. But i wanted to give you some food for thought.

BTW, that car on your pic looks gorgeous!!!!!!

Hey Greg, only one of those cars in your google search keeps catching my eye for some reason That convertible sure has a nice blue!

Thank you all for your insight! I actually found the webpage this car was actually listed for sale on and I found that it is painted "medium blue metallic". I more then understand that there are many variables to a paint color coming out as you want it to so hopefully I can have my paint/body shop match my expectations! Thank you all again and hopefully in a few weeks I can post some pictures of my final product!

Keep us posted.

Hi,

If Medium Blue Metallic is the name of this color you are chasing, then grab the color name, and paint code. Then you can obtain a color paint formula for this color. Then, you can either get your body shop to make a small amount of this color up and see what it looks like on a test card, or find a car that's been painted in this color and see what you think.

You can also approach a auto paint seller outlet, and they can make the color up and sell you a small quantity for you to take to a body shop to spray out a test card or panel. If you possess spray painting equipment at home, you could spray your own test card or test panel yourself. The color code for Medium Blue Metallic 1973 is 3D

See these references below for Medium Blue Metallic for Mustang.

http://paintref.com/paintref/model/blue_Mustang.shtml

http://paintref.com/cgi-bin/colorcodedisplay.cgi?type=sample&ditzler=2404&syear=1973&smanuf=Ford&smodel=Mustang&sname=Medium%20Blue&name=1973_00011_01

Hope it all goes well for you,

Greg.

Maybe.....Speedway Blue Metallic, 2009 Toyota Tacoma. Check it out.