71 Mach 1 paint color choice help

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My all time favorite vehicle is our 1969 Shelby GT500
Our 73 Mach 1 was repainted and its original Saddle Bronze Metallic was initially changed to Valspar Sunset. When we dot our deep re$toration it was changed to a slightly darker hie of PPG Sunset Orange, a translucent fine grain metallic shot over a white base for its candy effect. Black surfaces were shot with PPG Hot Rod Black Matte. The color is not for everyone, clearly, but we like it for the look I was after. That said, I am a big fan of Wimbledon White, which s what we selected with Kona Blue top and side stripes for our 2020 Shelby GT500. It is a classic, and classy color. I also like Grabber Blue. Frankly, I think I would like any color for a Big Nose Mustang. I even think a nice hue of Pink would be cool looking.

 

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Greg

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I have a 71 Mach 1 grabber blue and white, a 73 Mach 1 Copper and White with power sunroof and a 73 Convertible all loaded
I only buy cars I can accept the factory color as I despise color changes. I also believe in creating new memories so I wouldn't try to create a past car unless it came that way factory. My Favorite cars are green, but green interior not so much. I would do the factory green, but a black and white or tan interior. But since you aren't a green fan and can accept a color change like so many people you are lucky. I think calypso coral is a great color on these cars and was only available with special order. I had one. I would do an internet search on all colors you are considering on 1972 Mach 1's. You will see so many. I love Grabber Blue and thought I was looking at my 71 when I saw yours on Ebay. I only like it with white and black accent interior though like mine with argent stripes. I prefer the less common color combinations and am bored with black interior cars. What we all like should be irrelevant. Just don't paint the car until you are absolutely sure as this car will look great in so many colors and only you will really know what you like. What color would you order if you were walking into a dealer in 1972 buying your first Mach I including a special paint color order? That should answer your question. One thing not discussed is paint formula, I would avoid a two stage clear coat and do a single stage like the factory.
 
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RD-72

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For what it’s worth, my 72 was originally Wimbledon white.
After the body shop took the car down to bare metal, I was given the choice of paint colour and after some thought, went with 1967-68 brittany blue. (when I started the bodywork process, my original thought was to redo in Wimbledon white)

As my car is nothing special from a true collector perspective, I choose what I liked....and nothing else mattered. As the car has been in my immediate family since it was 6 months old, I have no intention to sell it (pass it down to my son, in due course).

I really liked Wimbledon white, but I have to say that the blue really brought out the body lines especially around the wheelwells.(picture is when I picked the car up from the body shop a few years ago)

whatever you choose, I am sure it will great
 

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Greg

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I have a 71 Mach 1 grabber blue and white, a 73 Mach 1 Copper and White with power sunroof and a 73 Convertible all loaded
Both maybe, but not with black interior
 

jdomke1

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Mine was Wimbledon white from the factory. I just can’t make sense of a Mach 1 in white. It’s going over to Grabber Blue. A picture of the VIN, how it looks now in primer, and how it will end up.
 

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jdomke1

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1972 Mustang Coupe
1972 Mustang Mach 1
Our 73 Mach 1 was repainted and its original Saddle Bronze Metallic was initially changed to Valspar Sunset. When we dot our deep re$toration it was changed to a slightly darker hie of PPG Sunset Orange, a translucent fine grain metallic shot over a white base for its candy effect. Black surfaces were shot with PPG Hot Rod Black Matte. The color is not for everyone, clearly, but we like it for the look I was after. That said, I am a big fan of Wimbledon White, which s what we selected with Kona Blue top and side stripes for our 2020 Shelby GT500. It is a classic, and classy color. I also like Grabber Blue. Frankly, I think I would like any color for a Big Nose Mustang. I even think a nice hue of Pink would be cool looking.


That’s how Wimbledon White should look.
 
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Yeah picking a colour is hard, that's why I have started to work on a 3d editor to test my choices.
At some point, I should be able to upload a real time version to allow members of this forum to pick colours, wheels, add or remove stuffs..

View attachment 62196
Wow that is really impressive
 

carguy47

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I have a preference to the Blue. However, IF your avatar is another car you own, then I would say White!
 

rodgeydodge

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Restored 1973 Mach 1 351C auto converted to RHD (Australlia). Pretty much in stock condition.
Hello,
not hard to pick what color my car is now. I bought the car locally and it was a badly painted red with gold mustang horse stickers down the side. Everything was red including the brightwork, grille ..... The whole interior was "natural sheepskin"., including the doors, seats, trims - everything. It was beyond hideous. The original colors apparently from the Marti Report were Light Bright Yellow (whatever that is) over cinnamon and white interior. I'll leave that to your imagination.
In the end, I spoke to my painter and went for a custom red - Fiesta Red, which was the reddest red I could find. Others were maroon or orange in tone. This is redder than Ferrari. And everyone knows that if you paint your car red, you will get 5mph in every gear! Black Interior to match the black leather Recaro seats I had.
Color is a very personal thing and line ball decisions are the hardest to make. Frankly I have seen many Mustangs of all colors and they all look good, so if you pick a standard color you can't go wrong.
My personal view is that white tends to hide the lines of the car and doesn't make a statement, even though the cars look good in it. About the only "color" I would not get is black. It is hard to keep clean and shows every single small scratch and imperfection.
I bet this reply did not help one tiny bit.
 

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midlife

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White paint may hide sheet metal body lines, but it does tend to highlight all gaps in sheetmetal: door gaps, fender to doors, rear caps, trunk to body, etc.
 
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71 conv,429cj, 4spd 3.5 N-case, it's not an original but the running gear is correct.

69 Fastback, it's a project.
Can’t go wrong with red. Orange, yellow, green, blue, silver, black all look great too.
The way to true happiness is having one of every color. Lucky for the car world that I am not a bazillionaire, I would buy them all. lol.
 

Greg

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I have a 71 Mach 1 grabber blue and white, a 73 Mach 1 Copper and White with power sunroof and a 73 Convertible all loaded
Hello,
not hard to pick what color my car is now. I bought the car locally and it was a badly painted red with gold mustang horse stickers down the side. Everything was red including the brightwork, grille ..... The whole interior was "natural sheepskin"., including the doors, seats, trims - everything. It was beyond hideous. The original colors apparently from the Marti Report were Light Bright Yellow (whatever that is) over cinnamon and white interior. I'll leave that to your imagination.
In the end, I spoke to my painter and went for a custom red - Fiesta Red, which was the reddest red I could find. Others were maroon or orange in tone. This is redder than Ferrari. And everyone knows that if you paint your car red, you will get 5mph in every gear! Black Interior to match the black leather Recaro seats I had.
Color is a very personal thing and line ball decisions are the hardest to make. Frankly I have seen many Mustangs of all colors and they all look good, so if you pick a standard color you can't go wrong.
My personal view is that white tends to hide the lines of the car and doesn't make a statement, even though the cars look good in it. About the only "color" I would not get is black. It is hard to keep clean and shows every single small scratch and imperfection.
I bet this reply did not help one tiny bit.
Anyone heard of Light Bright Yellow Exterior or cinnamon and white interior? Special Paint? Must be rare.
 
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Quick note: Your old 73, if in its original paint would have been White - an almost polar white, not Wimbledon White with its common eggshell-white tint. Wimbledon White was not offered in 1973 for Mustangs. Of course it could have been special ordered with Wimbledon White paint but doubtful.

I have always liked the Grabber Blue paint but have never owned Mustang of that color.

Good luck.

Ray
 
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As said I would go for the color in which you fell in love if you once went to a dealer. Or went to a dealer and ordered your dream car. If it is 50/50 for blue and white, it would depend on the combination of colors. For blue I would take immediately blue with argent stripes and spoilers and blue interior. With black stripes, spoilers and black interior not so much. That said if I came buy on such a car in a very good shape I would have bought it anyway. It's some sort of luxurious question. I think white with black is the all time classy look, blue a bit more extroverted. So I would make it dependant on your person and style. If you nevertheless don't come to a conclusion I would make it like a friend: he has an all original white 1972 Mach 1, white with black stripes and spoilers, but original blue interior. That is a very sound combination.
 
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My 73 Mach was 90% original paint back then and the color code was 9A which was not a very bright white. I detailed cars back then and I know the paint was as clean and polished as possible but my parent's GM vehicles made it look almost yellow when parked next to each other. I was told back then by "older guys" (40 year olds, now in my upper 50s they done seem so old LOL) at the car shows that it was Wimdledon White so that is why I thought it was. I am confident that the color code was 9A though, and I see in the color charts it is listed as just "white". I do see that it is kind of a dirty white, and I now notice that Wimbledon White is, while it is still not a bright white, is a much cleaner white. Thanks
 

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