Painting to sell. What Color/s?

[ipitty_thefool]

Hello, I have a 1972 k15 factory swb. I’ve had this truck for almost 23 years. My father and I decided to do a frame off restoration on it and turn it into a show truck to take it to car shows together. Long story short he passed away shortly after we started.

It sat for 2 years and I decided to finish it and sell it. We were going to do a black cherry paint job on it but after looking at the internet it looks like 2 tones seem to be what most guys want. The spid says the truck was White/Ochre, it was solid white before we got it sandblasted. I personally don’t like the White/Ochre color combination and would like to do something else.

I don’t know if any of this matters in terms of it holding value, but the frame, cab and spid vins match. Would painting it the original color be best for resale or could I do any color scheme?

I personally would love to black the whole thing out with a cowl hood, bumpers, grill, everything black and maybe some satin black highlights around the grill. I realize that just because I like it does not mean it will sell well.

I have painted cars for 15 years so I’m not worried about the cost of paying a shop to do whatever I decide to do.

Just need some good feedback.

[Grumpy old man]

Black cherry paint takes just as much bodywork as straight black does if not more as you know But once you go away from stock colors you limit your buyers . K model trucks always look good blue and white or dark green and white , if your starting out with the plan to sell it with fresh paint put it back to the way it was born .

[jocko]

Completely agree with Grumpy - you will come out ahead and have a wider interest pool if your go back to a stock color (ochre is indeed popular, that's where I'd go) and keep it stock all around. Cowl hood alone will cut about 80% of your buying pool out of the picture - and it will absolutely reduce the selling price. If you like that and you wanted to keep it, then no problem there, but if you're doing this solely to sell it, the closer it is to stock, the better off you'll come out in the end.

[68Gold/white]

What color is the interior?
I would also want a factory color, especially if selling.
The Ochre is a love it or hate it color, I would avoid that.
Red/white, blue/white orange/ white are pretty well received by most.
Best wishes on getting it done, and sold.

Some colors of other 67-72 year picks would look great(to me). I really like the light and medium colors lots of 1967. Non factory colors, to me, always catch my eye, in a negative way. I always say to myself, that’s not an original color, just about regardless of what type or make the vehicle is ( Yeah, I’m a car/pickup enthusiast, about age 1).

[ipitty_thefool]

Originally Posted by Grumpy old man

Black cherry paint takes just as much bodywork as straight black does if not more as you know But once you go away from stock colors you limit your buyers . K model trucks always look good blue and white or dark green and white , if your starting out with the plan to sell it with fresh paint put it back to the way it was born .

Yes, that’s what I like about those colors is when you get it to look like glass. Regardless of the color I choose I’m still a little ocd and won’t sleep well until it is straight as an arrow! Thank you for the feedback!

[ipitty_thefool]

Originally Posted by 68Gold/white

What color is the interior?
I would also want a factory color, especially if selling.
The Ochre is a love it or hate it color, I would avoid that.
Red/white, blue/white orange/ white are pretty well received by most.
Best wishes on getting it done, and sold.

Some colors of other 67-72 year picks would look great(to me). I really like the light and medium colors lots of 1967. Non factory colors, to me, always catch my eye, in a negative way. I always say to myself, that’s not an original color, just about regardless of what type or make the vehicle is ( Yeah, I’m a car/pickup enthusiast, about age 1).

Interior is parchment. I appreciate all builds but I like the customs done right kinda the one offs that catch my eye but only if it’s done right lol. I do like the two tone colors you mentioned and I am happy you said something about the non original color cause I was thinking instead of doing ocher doing house of kolor sunrise pearl but you guys are talking me off the ledge of doing something absurd lol. Thank you 🙏

[leddzepp]

White/ochre is a highly desirable factory color combo. A short bed K truck in those colors will bring in top dollar.

[ipitty_thefool]

Originally Posted by jocko

Completely agree with Grumpy - you will come out ahead and have a wider interest pool if your go back to a stock color (ochre is indeed popular, that's where I'd go) and keep it stock all around. Cowl hood alone will cut about 80% of your buying pool out of the picture - and it will absolutely reduce the selling price. If you like that and you wanted to keep it, then no problem there, but if you're doing this solely to sell it, the closer it is to stock, the better off you'll come out in the end.

Thank you for the feedback. So far this feedback is saving me money too lol

[tutone]

I vote factory colors , especially with white interior. My question. How is the paint cut on a 72 gmc?
White top/ ochre /white middle/ ochre bottom
Or white/ ochre / then white at the bottom
I loaded two pics off the web.

[notsolo]

Can't go wrong with parchment interior.

[72c20customcamper]

If you were going to keep it I'd say paint it any color you like. If your plan is resale A stock truck will get more attention from potential buyers if it's the factory color . A restomod truck or car anything goes as those buyers arent interested in originality .

[ipitty_thefool]

Originally Posted by tutone

I vote factory colors , especially with white interior. My question. How is the paint cut on a 72 gmc?
White top/ ochre /white middle/ ochre bottom
Or white/ ochre / then white at the bottom
I loaded two pics off the web.

Yeah the more I search the internet the more Ocher on this truck grows on me. I’m not 100% sure what the color scheme is supposed to be but the spid is White/Ocher so I believe it’s just a white top and the rest of the truck Ocher? I saw a spid on a truck like the 1st picture it said
White/Orcher/White/Och. So I don’t know if the second color scheme would be white/ocher/white?

I do like both tho maybe someone can educate me on what the White/Orcher scheme was from the factory.

[ipitty_thefool]

Originally Posted by 72c20customcamper

If you were going to keep it I'd say paint it any color you like. If your plan is resale A stock truck will get more attention from potential buyers if it's the factory color . A restomod truck or car anything goes as those buyers arent interested in originality .

My father and I finished the engine it’s far from factory and as I mentioned we were going to keep the truck and go with custom. My father was also a need for speed gear head so the inside is just as pretty and built to go fast.

That picture is before we switched to head studs. But now I feel if I do Ocher firewall that engine is gonna be an eye sore. Idk I can always repaint the water pump and get different valve covers to tone it down.

If I’m going to go a certain direction I want to do it right and I assume if I did paint the engine bay a satin black to complement the engine guys would ding me on it.

I have a tendency to overthink things and stress about details. I know most are doing ls swaps with factory paint so maybe it be just fine idk.

[Mid-Pack]

Oh man, that`s a sweet motor. I need it. Just repaint the pump to match the block and drop her in. Finding a freshly built motor like yours is hard to find when looking to buy a truck.

The Ochre/White looks great. I would go with ochre firewall, that engine will look fantastic.

[tutone]

Originally Posted by ipitty_thefool

Yeah the more I search the internet the more Ocher on this truck grows on me. I’m not 100% sure what the color scheme is supposed to be but the spid is White/Ocher so I believe it’s just a white top and the rest of the truck Ocher? I saw a spid on a truck like the 1st picture it said
White/Orcher/White/Och. So I don’t know if the second color scheme would be white/ocher/white?

I do like both tho maybe someone can educate me on what the White/Orcher scheme was from the factory.

I understand. First, so sorry for the loss of your Dad. The paint scheme may have to do with the placement of factory trim. If the SPID called for molding either lower or beltline, then I guess it might steer you towards the right setup. I am sorry, but I dont know much about the earlier GMCs. I only had a plain jane 69 longbed moons ago. It was void of trim and it was factory solid green.

[Caddylackn]

If I was painting to sell, I would keep the original color or close to it so I didn't have to paint the jambs, door edges, the inside of the cab, inner parts of the hood, and fenders, etc.

Really hard to re-coop your money with the extra intensive labor and materials involved here.

[cericd]

Originally Posted by ipitty_thefool

My father and I finished the engine it’s far from factory and as I mentioned we were going to keep the truck and go with custom. My father was also a need for speed gear head so the inside is just as pretty and built to go fast.

That picture is before we switched to head studs. But now I feel if I do Ocher firewall that engine is gonna be an eye sore. Idk I can always repaint the water pump and get different valve covers to tone it down.

If I’m going to go a certain direction I want to do it right and I assume if I did paint the engine bay a satin black to complement the engine guys would ding me on it.

I have a tendency to overthink things and stress about details. I know most are doing ls swaps with factory paint so maybe it be just fine idk.

I'm not sure about others but it's a pet peeve of mine when I see a black firewall (unless the truck is black). I'm also not a fan of body colored inner fenders or core supports (unless the truck is full custom). I'm more partial to the factory look. I don't think that engine would be an eyesore against an ochre, or any other color, firewall. I just personally prefer that the firewall be the color of the cab of the truck. Always makes me feel like the guy didn't want to spring for the cost of matching paint for the firewall since any color can be mixed up and put it a spray can if someone was choosing the spray can route. Not that you are.

You could always do a two tone black and white combo. Also, I've noticed that a lot of guys have painted their trucks, regardless of original color, with the two toned blue and white. Seems to be the most popular combo. I'd actually choose ochre and white, med. gold and white, hugger orange and white or black and white before a blue and white truck if I was looking for a two-toned truck but that's just me. Just throwing this out there since you are building to sell.

[ipitty_thefool]

Originally Posted by Caddylackn

If I was painting to sell, I would keep the original color or close to it so I didn't have to paint the jambs, door edges, the inside of the cab, inner parts of the hood, and fenders, etc.

Really hard to re-coop your money with the extra intensive labor and materials involved here.

The truck was all white when we bought it we had the whole thing sandblasted so I’m starting from scratch. Frame is done, sheet metal is done the truck was made in Fremont and spent its entire life in the desert it was really straight! Replaced 1 rocker, a small part if the cab corner and a 4x6 patch in the floor by the rocker.

I’ll be ready to start painting the cab in a week or 2

[Caddylackn]

Well if its apart and its really straight I would do black and white. That looks really sharp on a nice body and not very common. No cowl hood though.

the problem with doing a factree color is the factory correct matching paint is really really expensive nowadays. With Black and white you can pick any brand you want and even do single stage with good results.

[KQQL IT]

Resale red

[Fbks_Cruiser]

I like member davepl’s gmc. White and blue. It inspires me to work on my truck.

[jocko]

What is the paint code on your SPID? The only ochre combos in 72 were (shown in order below):
511 Ochre (solid)
536 Conventional Two Tone (white top)
463 Deluxe Two Tone (white top and mid-sides)
The Special Two Tone (white on top and bottom) was not available in 72.

[Greg58]

I pick Jocko's option #3

[ipitty_thefool]

Originally Posted by jocko

What is the paint code on your SPID? The only ochre combos in 72 were (shown in order below):
511 Ochre (solid)
536 Conventional Two Tone (white top)
463 Deluxe Two Tone (white top and mid-sides)
The Special Two Tone (white on top and bottom) was not available in 72.

Thank you! Mine is 536 but I really like the bottom one the best

[halfstep]

I vote for your original 536 two tone.
Save yourself some effort and skip the center white section. If someone wants that it's a relatively easy add. Going back to all Ochre lower body is a whole different animal.
I see far fewer two tones with just the roof accent than the center section and it seems a disproportionate number of repaints go to the mid section two tone.
I think "Mr. T" would agree...and I wouldn't want his pity!