Advice on restoring FJ62 to Original Stock Paint or Different Color All Together (1 Viewer)

[trucklady]

I'm about to send my 1990 FJ62 to get painted for the first time since it left the factory in 1989. It spent the majority of its life in California under one owner so is beautifully maintained and completely rust free. The only real part of the car that took a beating was the paint from all the years in the bright sun. The overcoat has completely deteriorated in large areas like the hood and roof. There's no doubt the truck needs to be repainted - especially before it begins to compromise the frame. Where doubt begins to creep in is the color.

The truck's original color is Champagne (4G8). To be perfectly honest, I'm not the biggest fan of the color. I don't really like it much at all. I like a lot of the other stock FJ colors way better and am leaning towards changing the color all together. I've entertained the idea of a two tone with older toyota colors from the fj40s like Fashion Green / Lily White. At times that feels totally crazy and think I should stick to one FJ60s stock color.

The closer the date gets to sending the truck off, the more I have no idea if there's a right call to make. I own the truck because I love it and want to hang onto it for as long as my life affords me to. That being said, I just want to make sure I'm not doing something super stupid by not keeping the original factory color.

Any advice is much appreciated. I know there's probably no correct answer but sometimes you learn new things just by asking and I find that valuable.

 

[LCnAZ]

I think the members, as will all discussing vehicle value, will agree that painting other than the original factory color seriously diminishes the value of the vehicle. If you plan to keep it solely in your possession until it turns to dust, then go for it. If you have any thought of selling it sooner or later, the non-original color will definitely affect the sale price. To some buyers that non-original color may well be desirable, but that will have a price different from what a collector may pay if it is the original color. You have to decide whether you care about this or not. If it is a complete frame-off paint job, you might get away with a non-original color...as long as nobody looks on the door frame placard to see the original color.

With regards to the paint restoration process itself, there is a lot of information on the site. I humbly submit my recent experience you can find in my build thread.

 

[pistonpete]

Hard call ! Especially if the truck is mint, changing colours is a much larger job.I had the same tuff decision to make at the time mine was ready for paint. Mine was brown, old and ugly, and was the last choice I wanted. I was leaning towards tan or silver and a black insert ( I forget his name ) there's a beautiful one here on mud, anyways all my friends convinced me to keep the original colour and to tell you the truth I am Very glad I did, as the new paints are amazing with the metalic's and such..

 

[SteveH]

Champagne hides dirt well. Here's a thought - do a two-tone FJ62 scheme using Champagne as the lower or upper color. I would stick to the OEM color and avoid the evil of repainting the firewall (or having it not match) and all the door jambs, etc.

I'm restoring an '82 minitruck that was gray metallic and was repainted a bright blue/purple. Not a horrid color, but not stock, and I'm loathing the effort to put it back to stock. Even the PO, who had it painted, regretted his color change on this truck.

 

[mattressking]

If it’s dry and clean, you could wrap it a different color, no harm no foul. Do whatever outrageous color you want, haha.

 

[php74]

Keep the color stock and take a ton of detailed before pictures proving that the repaint wasn’t a rusty, bondo cover up. That will up the value considerably.

If you paint a different color you’ll lose value for sure. Plus under the hood, inside fenders, and multiple other areas don’t match and it looks crummy.

Also let’s see some pics!

 

[trucklady]

Thanks all for the responses. It's the much needed push to double down on restoring it to the original color. I don't think I could ever feel fully on board with my original plan to change the color despite how much I dislike the champagne. Ultimately it just feels disrespectful and wrong to do that to a truck that is so beautifully stock.

Thanks again

 

[Skniper]

Don't do it. Another vote to keep it original, especially if it is in great condition. Color changes never look great unless done properly (complete body, engine well, glass out strip job), which can make the cost astronomical. Not done well and it will always look "cheap".

I've never loved the color of mine but vowed to never change it. If I really want one of my favorite colors of desert tan, white , or silver...I'll have to buy one.

 

[leucadiacruiser]

We were in the same boat with the same color on my son's 62. We weren't huge fans of the 4G8 in it's faded, peeling condition so we looked at all the options from stock two tone to Freeborn Red. In the end my son decided to stick with stock and it looks amazing. He is really, really happy with the color. You won't be disappointed.

 

[Gretsch]

Another keep it stock vote. I agree the before paint photos will be key for reselling the truck.

 

[3_puppies]

restoring = a stock color
a non stock color is not restored

changing color is a big job done correctly, otherwise it will always show, engine bay, all the doors on the inside, underneath the body
if it is a complete body off frame job, it's very doable

 

[SteveH]

I have bought so many used cars (in which you rarely get your color choice) that 'as long as it isn't black, I like it. I have 7 vehicles, and 4 are gold metallic - gad! At least I can share touch-up paint on the lesser cars - 'hmmm - seems close enough for that rock chip'. I DO use the correct 4G8 on the FJ62, however!

 

[brownbear]

I am a vote for painting it a colour you like. Your stock colour is boring. My stock colour was also boring (Rootbeer brown) so my cruiser is white now like a UN vehicle... lol

This isn't an old mustang or concours type of car. A good colour will have a good re-sale.

So I do believe original paint makes it worth more, but not so much original colour. An all original clean vehicle is worth more.

A repaint of even the same colour lowers the value to the type of buyer who only looks for something to keep in garage.

This is an adventure vehicle that younger people buy, put their family's in and want it to look good. They don't care the colour is stock. They want a cool looking colour.

I also believe doing the engine upgrades to LS and other modern engines also increases the buyers and price. Even though by the old belief it ruins the value. The biggest group buying cars is now millennials. They want cool and upgrades.

I'm not a fan of painting it like a FJ55 or 40. I'd rather see it newer colour like voodoo blue from Toyota. I would stick to a Toyota colour.

A land cruiser is meant to be driven, not put in a garage all colour matching and numbers matching waiting for re-sale.

 

[php74]

Unless frame off paint change color, original will keep the value, a change will do the opposite pretty much every time for every vehicle.