COLOR YOUR CAR IN CLASSIC MUSCLE: Channel the past with the perfect paint

September 21, 2015
Posted by Barrett-Jackson

Sassy Grass, LeMans Blue, Plum Crazy Purple – there’s no mistaking those head-turning muscle-car colors of the ’60s and ’70s as they cross the Barrett-Jackson auction block. They’re some of the classic colors coveted by many a professional builder or restorer, or even those weekend car enthusiasts looking to channel the past through a new paint job. Now, Sherwin-Williams Automotive Finishes and Barrett-Jackson have put together a unique palette of custom automotive paint colors reminiscent of the greatest muscle cars and those used by today’s top custom car builders.

The Rod & Restoration Custom Color program was introduced to address the changing trends of the types of cars that are being customized and restored. Three categories of needs were identified, and this program offers a selection of colors for each one.

If you like the look of those muscle cars that often cross the Barrett-Jackson block, you’ll love the 80-plus colors in the Barrett-Jackson Modified Muscle Car line. Staying true to the classic muscle car era colors of the 1960s and 1970s, these colors are optically enhanced by using the latest in cutting-edge dry-pigment technology – but still keep true to the era from which they came.

Those working on an exact restoration of a car to match what came off the showroom floor will want to have a look at the Exact Match OE Classic line. The experts at Sherwin-Williams retrieved the original OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) color standards issued at the time of production for the most popular vehicles produced between 1950 and 1980. Hand-matched colors were then created that will allow you to restore your collector vehicle to the exact color it was the day it rolled out of the factory.

“Over the years, manufacturers and paint companies alike have taken classic colors and tweaked them to be unique for their new designs and car collections,” says Sherwin-Williams assistant product manager Kyle Hauenstein, “but with this program we are providing an exact match to original OEM color codes. If you want LeMans Blue Metallic for your late ’60s Corvette restoration, we have it!”

The third category in the Rod & Restoration Custom Color program is called Rod & Custom. The name literally says it all. Sherwin-Williams came up with new base coat, single-stage and 3-stage colors that provide beautifully styled, eye-catching finishes designed to transform any custom car into a work of rolling art. To target the increasing popularity of the Rat-Rod trend, this line even features a group of satin suede colors. Best of all, the new colors are easy to apply and are reasonably priced.

Sherwin-Williams has been making custom colors for nearly a century – but with this Rod & Restoration Custom Color program, the brand has taken its expertise to a whole new level. There are more than 200 colors to choose from, and Hauenstein says more will likely be added down the road – perfect for body shops looking to take on specialty restoration work or perhaps build that showpiece car for next year’s Barrett-Jackson Cup competition.