[Devensen]

I am ready to repaint my 74 spider and need to change the color from silver to red. Is this a bad thing to do to my car? On top of that I am looking to use a color that is close but not and Alfa color. I plan on keeping the car (my 3rd one) for a few more years. Drive train is out and interior has been removed. Thanks for any input relative to my question.

 

[Tifosi]

Resale red?
A lotta people do it, but it won't make the car faster as a result
Still, its your car and you can do as you see fit as that's all that matters right at this moment in time.

Will it devalue it?
Possibly, but likely only from a collector or concours point of view.
There's occasionally a gray area where a buyer will want to avoid a repsrayed car due to concerns about what bodywork the new paint might be hiding, while other folks see it as a plus so they don't have to do it themselves at a future date.

Having everything apart is a good time though as it allows for a proper job rather than a lot of masking and missed spots.

Of course if we had pictures of what you've got going it would help formulate more accurate assessments.
Even those of your car could be of use.

 

[Zunige]

A non-Alfa color, or a non-period correct color (even if it is an Alfa color) will always negatively affect the value of a concours car. Otherwise, it is a matter of taste. It does seem to be the case nonetheless that once a car is customized, and the owner wants to sell it, it is much harder to find a buyer whose taste matches the customized choice. Red, however, is pretty popular, so if it is a driver example, it probably won't make much difference. What does make a difference is the execution of the color change, or lack thereof. If the color is not changed throughout, and the engine bay, trunk, door jambs are not re-painted, then it will always be perceived as an indication that the re-spray was done on a budget and leave potential buyers to wonder about the general quality of work that the particular car has received. An exquisite paint job however, will always show through, regardless of how original or correct the chosen color is or isn't.

Best regards,

 

[Monsai52]

I'm in the slow process of re-building/restoring my red '73 spider. Shortly after I got it I was contemplating changing from the original red to something else. My first 2 Alfas were both red and thought I wanted something else, probably verde inglesia. But after looking at it and thinking about it for the last year, I've decided to keep it the original red. There are a few reasons. First, I want the colour to stand out, not to call attention to the car or me, but for a little bit of additional safety; the Alfa is small and there a lot of distracted SUV drivers out there. Second, to avoid all the additional work of a full colour change; as Enrique points out there's a lot of work involved in doing a proper colour change. And third, while it may not be my absolute favorite colour, I think red really looks good, particularly on the Duettos and S2 Spiders. For what it's worth, silver is probably my least favorite colour of Spider.

Just one other thought; if you are going to the effort to change from silver to red, I'd suggest keeping with the period correct red for your Spider; particularly since you mentioned that the red you were considering was close to the factory colour.

Best regards,
Monsai52

My advice is free, and worth every penny of it.

 

[Dickson]

Monsai52 - Interesting point regarding red as a safety color. My 74 Spider is silver - and I like it - but you make a good point about a smaller car needing to stand out versus Suburbans, etc!

 

[Superflow]

I'd keep it the original silver.

 

[Devensen]

After thinking way to hard about what color to paint my car I have chosen the Alfa Red. I painted the engine bay today and wow, the contrast with the silver is stunning. I chose safety over “originale” as my daughter will be driving it for the next year or so and silver blends into the Florida roads all too well. Thank you all for taking the time to offer your advice. Now if I can ether straighten out the rear SS bumper I’ll be doing well.

1974 '76 '77 Spider