Paint Dilemma - OEM Cygnus, or Tricoat Pearl? (1 Viewer)

[zerotreedelta]

Rounding the bend in my restoration of our '76 40...factory paint was Cygnus white, and in 76 that meant EVERYWHERE - body, top, bib.

Still noodling on paint choices - typically, the 40's look a bit better with the colors and the white top, but I'm leaning more to keeping the body white for the nostalgia. We've owned it since new, so it's not ever going to get sold, and really won't see trail use at this point. I'm doing a pretty faithful restoration and keeping things OEM, but it's also not a "prime survivor" due to living in the north.

I'm almost leaning toward the GM "White Diamond Tricoat" pearl that you see running around on their trucks/suvs, as it's a *very* close match to the OEM Cygnus, but as a bit more depth to give it some character that the flat white doesn't offer. Pearl is obviously a **horrible** choice if one was hitting the trails as touchups are a nightmare, but realistically it's going to have a leisurely retirement after a long career up north. It's also going to be more sensitive to any bodywork flaws, but I feel like it's shaping up fairly well in that regard. Top would likely end up a whiter-white to give the more classic two-tone look.

Am I nuts for even considering it?

 

[pjohnson]

a pretty faithful restoration and keeping things OEM

There's your answer

 

[zerotreedelta]

Ha, I probably should've included "mostly" in there.

Tub, fenders, doors are all OEM-style but replacements, and both bumpers were replaced with some homemade replacements long ago, so it's not a pristine OEM survivor by any means. It's getting a Sniper (but putting all the carb bits in storage), and it'll be running some alloys and 255s vs steelies. Keeping the 2F and the 4 speed, though.

 

[Pura Vida]

Ha, I probably should've included "mostly" in there.

Tub, fenders, doors are all OEM-style but replacements, and both bumpers were replaced with some homemade replacements long ago, so it's not a pristine OEM survivor by any means. It's getting a Sniper (but putting all the carb bits in storage), and it'll be running some alloys and 255s vs steelies. Keeping the 2F and the 4 speed, though.

It’s your truck. Don’t paint it for the next guy. If you think it looks good, go for it. Modern paints look cool because they have new technologies and stuff. More sparkly and looks shiny a lot. Seems like a cool idea. If you think it would look good, go for it. Your property

 

[ccasteel]

I have a '76 cygnus white 40. I've been waffling on the color as well. But, with little rust and only 47k on the clock, I'll probably go back with original.

But since you're asking for opinions. on yours and not mine, as nice as that GM color looks, I've never thought pearls looked right on older vehicles. Just my $.02. And FWIW, the fiberglass part of the top is gelcoat and should definitely be a whiter white.

 

[1911]

Rounding the bend in my restoration of our '76 40...factory paint was Cygnus white, and in 76 that meant EVERYWHERE - body, top, bib.

Still noodling on paint choices - typically, the 40's look a bit better with the colors and the white top, but I'm leaning more to keeping the body white for the nostalgia. We've owned it since new, so it's not ever going to get sold, and really won't see trail use at this point. I'm doing a pretty faithful restoration and keeping things OEM, but it's also not a "prime survivor" due to living in the north.

I'm almost leaning toward the GM "White Diamond Tricoat" pearl that you see running around on their trucks/suvs, as it's a *very* close match to the OEM Cygnus, but as a bit more depth to give it some character that the flat white doesn't offer. Pearl is obviously a **horrible** choice if one was hitting the trails as touchups are a nightmare, but realistically it's going to have a leisurely retirement after a long career up north. It's also going to be more sensitive to any bodywork flaws, but I feel like it's shaping up fairly well in that regard. Top would likely end up a whiter-white to give the more classic two-tone look.

Am I nuts for even considering it?

"Restoration" to me means bringing it back to original, including paint. So, if it's really a restoration, there's your answer like @pjohnson said. If it's not a restoration, then have at it - any color you want, it's your truck.

 

[zerotreedelta]

Color aside, it is amazing how far paint has come over the years - the 40 was repainted once in '88 with a gray metallic.

I've been media blasting the body panels, and that gray is tough (guessing it was some sort of urethane), but the factory white blasts away like it's not even there. I found the same on some replacement doors...they'd been patched and painted, and the outside blue was a bugger, but the inside original paint disappeared in a jiffy.

 

[zerotreedelta]

I have a '76 cygnus white 40. I've been waffling on the color as well. But, with little rust and only 47k on the clock, I'll probably go back with original.

But since you're asking for opinions. on yours and not mine, as nice as that GM color looks, I've never thought pearls looked right on older vehicles. Just my $.02. And FWIW, the fiberglass part of the top is gelcoat and should definitely be a whiter white.

What build date is yours? Ours is a Sep 75 build, and it was all the same color as far as I've seen in photos (was bought new). Top is down on the list, but I'm curious to do a little paint archeology there to confirm.

 

[ccasteel]

What build date is yours? Ours is a Sep 75 build, and it was all the same color as far as I've seen in photos (was bought new). Top is down on the list, but I'm curious to do a little paint archeology there to confirm.

Mine is Feb '76. Tried to find some of the original pictures of mine. Ran out of space on my computer so there's no telling where I put them for "safe keeping."

 

[FJ404345]

I really doubt if the White Diamond Tricoat will have more depth, character and impact then the Cygnus White, it always seems to me a pretty good "calculated" matching color that brings everything together.