Just looking at Terry's pics above the thing that struck me was that of all those cars on show I'd actually prefer the green prefect on the left. I'm not a fan of dark colours for the same reasons Pete gave above, black especially shows up the slightest dimple like it was a vortex.

That Pop was probably all black originally like the one behind it, and someone has applied the red side colour pattern to make it more interesting. I must say though that after comparing it with the car to the right which is in the same colour paint, the side flash treatment of the Pop looks better than the 'wings painted a different colour' treatment of the latter car.



It makes me wonder if the Charleston style of paint, and by that I mean the pattern of colour could be successfully developed into other colours to give it a new lease of life? I think the two chosen by DA on that model Buick would work, and they are basically Vert embrun and some sort of gunmetal.

Now that's just made me wonder... what about vert embrun as a solid colour base, with metallic gunmetal over it? Would a mixed paint approach work do you think? There's lots to explore colour wise, but as I said before it's only paint, so in terms of visual impact you get more bang for your buck this way than spending a fortune on accessories and trim.

It's an interesting idea. It's hard to play with 2cv colour schemes like that, and get a result that looks good overall. I think Charlestons in other colours are a bit naff, regardless how well the colour scheme works together. We had one in two different shades of green once, I'm sure if I saw one similar now I'd think it was a bit tasteless, and to be honest, if Citroen hadn't done it, and I'd seen somebody paint their 2CV like it I'm not sure I'd like it. I prefer the split like on Jonathans car, which suits the shape much more naturally than The Charleston scheme. (in my opinion).

I must agree though, good colour choices are far more important than trim or add-on parts.

Wasn't there a cream and coffee "charleston" on a P plate that turned up on ebay a while ago. The colours were far too pale and insipid IMHO. I think the original wollies were nice except for the red/grey which is the one style that "lived on" with the later wollies.

Yes, funny that isn't it. The two styles of D*lly that I'd pick out as the best ones were the two that Citroen discontinued in favour of the noddy car one. I think any of us that have owned A series cars for any length of time will have had experience of brush painting them however we liked and so on, but as the cars are becoming rarer and more expensive to find then a good colour scheme is probably the best way to retain a bit of individuality without compromising the cars value.

I wonder why 2cv specialists mainly restore to standard spec? Is it playing safe? I reckon there may be room for fully restored vehicles in non standard but attractive colours and colour combo's in the future. And I'll say it again, a lighter interior transforms the driving experience, Quillery steering wheels and light coloured trim make the car a pleasure to sit in.

i think nail its the people comeing into 2cving simply for the fashion, but it to look cool, and so there the ones more likely to buy a restored one from a specalist, imo, and the specalists probable know this, and want to keep them original,
whereas us? we dont care

id change my car's colour if i could afford to or be bothered!! but its easier to take the stick of owning a D*lly than to work hard enough (i work hard enough as it is, often v early starts and 7 day weeks, not had many of them receently though ) to earn the cash to get it done, !!

You only need to melt the stickers off and paint some bits white on yours to de-dolly it James, then if you don't like it all white you will at least have a blank canvas to add a bit of colour.

Funny you should say that: I've just spent the afternoon prepping a plastic dashboard for its Alpine white makeover tomorrow. It'll go nicely with my faux-quillery steering wheel,...
Next question: what colour should I do my bulkhead trim?

Pink.

Well, he did ask...

When I bought my 2-tone grey Charlie, I was chuffed 'cos I reckoned then it was my fav 2CV scheme. Now, I think it dull and 'predictable' and I just wouldn't consider restoring it as original. But then, I hadn't at that time seen what the early pastel colours could do, and - at the risk of humping O-N's legs even more - it was his car on this thread that made me properly aware of how utterly stunning they could be.

The colour scheme you showed on the Beetle, O-N, is interesting from another point of view too; one of the earlier thoughts I'd had was to paint my 2CV's wings a contrasting colour, but to do as on the Beetle - ie: the rear wings would be painted to not include the flat panel, just the actual 'wing'. Might need a pinstripe to separate the two colours - as if it were 'piping'.

Decisions...

That beetle is an example of how uncomplicated the colouring need be to make a 'classic' looking paintjob, it's just grey and white - simple! That's why I said to James earlier that if he got his car to all white then the world's his oyster regarding colour schemes as everything goes with white.



I forget Smiffy, is your car a white one?
To be honest I wouldn't do the dash panel white, it might look too stark. Although it doesn't appear so in these photo's most parts on mine are painted in the same light grey as the door hinges. Everything...so I've got door cappings, hinges, hinge covers, screen vents, wiper cover panel, and steering wheel all in a light grey, and the dash panel alone in Old English white.



Because the green of the body is a darker tone relative to the light grey parts, it makes the grey appear lighter still, it's an optical trick just as the one used in those paintings that I did on here if you remember. It's that thing of placing one colour next to another to make the original colour look different. It's this colour knowledge that interior designers and the like charge a fortune for.

In the picture above the trim looks cream or white, but it's actually a grey similar to gris rose in colour.



I did the steering wheel in an off white originally, but I ran out of off white paint so gave that a few coats of light grey too. Even when sat in the car it's hard to distinguish that it is actually grey - but it is!

What I would do in your position is go to B an' Q and pick up a few of those free little cards with colours on, concentrating on the cards which show the greys and off white colour range.

You can then offer them up to the car in the intended shade and see how it sits with the cars existing paintwork, and the rest of the trim. Colour is a funny thing, and a colour that looks nice on in isolation can look quite different when placed next to other colours. If your car is a white one you might be better picking a very light cool grey for your wiper cover, that's like white with a hint of colour in it rather than just plain 'white'.