Zoolander

iTrader: (8)

My paint's old and oxidized. The car was just in an accident. I've always thought about changing the color but would never pay $7k+ for a paint job... but this opportunity is too good to pass up. Since my insurance is picking up about 70% of the bill, I'm going to paint the whole car since the time is right. Choosing a color is such a hard decision all around though.

Choice 1: keeping it Montego Blue. When new, MB is supposed to be an amazing color - with chameleon-like color changing properties. I really like the blue but not when it's green. I also don't like how it's the most common color made. (Even though I don't see many around anymore and a few of these have been re-painted anyways.) It is truly a unique color amongst the cars out there however and would look stock since we're not pulling the engine.

Choice 2: I like the Spirit R titanium gray metallic. Or equivalent dark gray. My question here is: would it look right with a tan interior?

Choices 3 and beyond: There's just so many blues and grays and silvers out there....it's mind-boggling. Some of my early faves are below in order: BMW le mans blue metallic, montego blue metallic, blue water metallic, space gray metallic, and interlagos blue metallic. Mazda has a kona blue mica. All nice. Honda has a polished metal metallic I like too.

The shop will do the door jambs and paint the engine bay satin black (without pulling it) but I think keeping it blue will be the most "feng shui" with the original color.

I know this is very personal and there have been recent threads on this but any opinions would be appreciated.

Biggest question: keep it Mazda montego blue? (I'm leaning against this.) And....would Spirit R titanium gray metallic look right with a tan interior?

Thanks!

no_more_rice

My vote is blue metallic. MB has never done it for me. Silver cars are ubiquitous

1QWIK7

iTrader: (33)

Def keep it MB. If you are going to change the factory color, do a complete job. Door jams, engine bay etc.

But other than that, a fresh MB is NICE.

Im not a fan of MB but when its fresh, wax, new etc, its amazing.

arghx

iTrader: (3)

Pull the motor or don't change the color. If it doesn't look 100% like it came that way from the factory don't do it.

KKMpunkrock2011

iTrader: (5)

this, I love a clean, good condition montego blue.

two answer your question in choice 2, it can, but usually doesn't, I don't recommend it.

ptrhahn

iTrader: (9)

People have done some nice MB's. Keep it, and maintain it.

no_more_rice

MB owners always find ways to creatively photograph their cars so they look darker, usually a sunset/sunrise. In bright sunlight they just look yucky green to me - I've seen many of them at RX-7 World

A nice dark blue rocks...

DaleClark

iTrader: (55)

I think you could do a nice, dark blue with the MB engine bay and you could pull it off. Basically have a nice dark blue that never turns green for the exterior .

Dale

dblboinger

iTrader: (3)

Personally, I love MB, but I also like the tan interior everyone else seems to hate. I do think tan interior won't go with gray metallic, but you could always change the interior too. Above all, if you are going to change the color, don't half-*** it by trying to keep the engine compartment the way it is. If the car were black and you were changing to something else you could definitely get away with not doing the engine bay. Otherwise, I think you'll regret it if you don't do the engine bay too.

Just curious, but are you going with enamel or lacquer? I always thought an FD would look good in Brandy Wine Imron. but you'd definitely have to have black interior to pull that off.

t-von

iTrader: (8)

I'm getting ready to paint mine as well in the next couple months. It's another DIY project for me. Black would be my 1st choice if I didn't live in the desert. I'm gonna do everything (door jams, engine bay, ect) red. I'm trying to decide between the VR or another type of red. My car has been primered up with my added body parts so I can't remember how good the VR use to look when it was polished and waxed up. Another thing, most photos never do red justice because the image comes out looking too orange sometimes Hmmmmm!

Sephek

iTrader: (20)

I'm painting my SS base too, we're still in the prepping phase but should be finished in a week.
I'm going with a darker silver myself, possibly the Spirit-R Titanium Gray, Grigio Silverstone, or the Gray metallic.
Is it me or does the Titanium Gray have a purplish/violet hue to it?

@OP - If I had the Montego I would try to stay as close to the original color as possible. In this order Montego>Blue Metallic>Silver Metallic.

Zoolander

iTrader: (8)

Good thoughts all around but definitely adding to my dilemma. Two of the guys at the body shop suggested to keep the car MB....brand new MB is slick they say, as the ones who responded pro-MB. I can only imagine....I can barely recall seeing them back in 1993. I do remember first liking it back then. And I used to be a big fan of green too....just not so much anymore and especially on a car. I don't hate it though.

Right now the pros to keeping it MB is winning, albeit barely....keeping it clean and factory are important points. Since I'm not painting the engine, it may look pretty wack in a different color, I understand. But I also feel like a good blue could blend well with the engine area, as the others who thought the same. Anyone have photoshop capabilities to put BMW le mans and montego blue from above on an FD for me?

I guess a part of me thinks changing the color will give me that "new car" feeling but a fresh MB may do the same thing....just less so? I don't know. It's been 10 years...a change would be nice. This is so difficult. I do know that titanium gray and silver are out.

*correction: I said MB is the most common color made. That seems only true for 94 and 95. 93 had way more black and red FDs.

Zoolander

iTrader: (8)

@Sephek....I saw the same thing when researching today. Mazda has two titanium gray metallic paints I believe. The one found on Mazdaspeed6's and Mazda3's does look like it has a purple tint. I'm not sure about the one on Spirit R's. I think I saw that on Mazdas247.com today. (But cannot find it now to confirm.)

@dblboinger....I have no idea, enamel or lacquer.

Ceylon

iTrader: (3)

I'd give her a fresh coat of MB personally.

JStrib

iTrader: (6)

Clean MB FTW

KKMpunkrock2011

iTrader: (5)

Herblenney has a very good example of a clean MB FD. Here's his thread where he discusses all of his cars.
https://www.rx7club.com/build-threads-292/my-rx7-rotary-projects-formerly-my-blk-base-build-up-615499/

here's a good blue, IIRC it's the corvette le mans blue so it'll be similar to the bmw one. Car belongs to a buddy of mine, his was originally MB as well, but he changed the paint while doing the swap.

mannykiller

iTrader: (93)

pull the motor....or at least accessories around it.... and paint the bay... your getting a big job done...might as well get it done right!!!

classicauto

iTrader: (3)

No one in this day and age should be coming anywhere near a car with either of those materials.

Zoolander

iTrader: (8)

Wow....that Le Mans blue is pretty sick. Those pics could be the game-changer right there. I really like that color and it's very similar to the MB...when it's actually blue that is. So, I'm down to BMW/Corvette Le Mans Blue Metallic vs Montego Blue. I'm a bit surprised by all the pro-MB responses actually. Including the guys at the shop, that's 10 to 3 in favor of keeping it MB. I guess there are a lot of purists out there and I can understand...hence why this is so difficult.

But, I really want to change the color and I think that will make me happiest. I'm trying to convince myself that MB is the right thing to do. So if I'm already trying to convince myself this, then I probably won't be completely happy with it once it's done. If I had a choice when I bought my car, I wouldn't choose MB. And I'd never shell out $7k of my own money to re-paint it the same color. So I guess this thread was more to find validation by anyone "higher up" to agree with a color change....and I found 3 so far. But it'll also be sad to say goodbye to MB. Holy crap am I being bi-polar!

((Pulling the motor would be nice...but I just cannot reason the extra expense for this. I'm not entering the car into shows or going to meets to show it off or anything. And besides, the engine will need replacing eventually right? This big job isn't completely by choice. If that buck didn't attack my car, I'd be fine right now with my worn MB paint and cracked clearcoat.))

allrotor93

iTrader: (126)

your car will only maintain decent value if you keep the original color....just fyi for when you sell it

KKMpunkrock2011

iTrader: (5)

You pretty much answered your own question. However if you change the color, please, PLEASE do it right and get the whole thing painted. If you don't it will bug you like does to everyone who goes that route unless they wanted the mismatched paint. IMO in the end, going through the hassle of emptying the engine bay and doing the door jambs is worth the effort right now.

I disagree, I think if the ENTIRE car is repainted it will maintain its value, if not increase from having a more desireable color that isn't faded from 17 years of sun and road debris.

allrotor93

iTrader: (126)

Wrong on the color change increasing value. Painting never helps but on original colors retain value. I think I have sold enough cars to know. Again, just my opinion.

If you want to keep the car and don't care about resale value I say go with a dark blue.

MR_Rick

iTrader: (7)

MB isn't one of my favorite colors BUT it is one of the colors that is very unique and that alone would be enogh for me to keep it MB. A MB car done right, does looks good.

Zoolander

iTrader: (8)

Holy hell it's been a tough decision. On the value thing, I'm planning on keeping the car indefinitely so I'm not worried about its value. And even so, how much can a color change hurt its value anyways? They'll be considered "classics" soon but only the pristine ones will fetch top dollar right? It's tough for me to reason putting this much money into the car when I see that allrotor is selling a 1993 Black/Tan Touring with only 59k original miles & a new motor with a 12 month warranty for $12,900. Compared to $7k for a complete paint job, I just don't see how people do it. I guess I just don't love my FD that much....or like my money more.

In the end, I guess I'm doing what will (hopefully) make me happiest but I do appreciate the opinions. It's interesting to me how there are people who dislike MB.... but recommend doing it in MB. I do see the point, but I've always wanted a different color and it's the best time to do it.

And yes, the door jambs and everything else will be done. Just not the motor area. If it turns out terrible then it'll be on my to do list. But no one will know unless they go under the car or into the motor. And besides, my motor area is so worn out that it's practically a dark blue anyways.

There's still a chance I'll change my mind.....but I'll post before and after pics up.

BMW Le Mans Blue Metallic it is!

Montego

iTrader: (1)

I actually like the interlagos blue metallic the best out that bunch.

Ok from someone whose car used to be montego blue:

I bought my FD from a dealership 13 years ago 100% stock. The MB was prestine, just a gorgeous color to look at (mine had a darker blue i.e less green). But after many years of daily driving it, it got beat to ****. Just like you I came up with the oppurtunity to either respray or do a total change in paint

I pondered just like you on what I should do. Two things made up my mind on changing the color.
1) I went to 7stock and noticed that the MB was a very 90's color and thus it really dated the car(s).
2) I had owned the car for 8 years and I was really itching for a change. I knew that by radically changing my car (body mods, single turbo, paint) it would grant me that new/different car feeling again.

The colors I pondered were black, white, or yellow (not CYM).
















To be honest I am totally satisfied with the color change. As far as decreasing the value of the car who are you building this car for: your neighbor or you? Enjoy your car to the fullest that is my motto. Besides I strongly doubt someone would say "oh sorry you changed the color I'm gonna have to knock a few thousands off your asking price". Unless it's a collector that is looking at your car but most people will just care that it looks good and that the work is top notch.