[Chrysler300] Conflicted viewpoint: body paint gloss level for 1957 300C

[Ray Melton <rfmelton@xxxxxxx>]

Hello Group -

 

I am pretty deep into restoring my late father's 1957 Chrysler 300C
convertible, and am encountering an emotional conflict regarding gloss level
to attain on the Gauguin Red exterior paint.  All the exterior trim is still
off and now is the time to decide  what to do with the underlying body color
paint.  The body is almost perfectly straight and the old alkyd enamel was
apparently applied very thick; it has easily withstood color-sanding to
remove any original orange-peel and attain a smoothness and gloss level
never achieved by the factory on even its best day.  It buffed out
brilliantly and  looks great; however, I know that a few layers of a modern
color-sanded clear overcoat could bring it up to an extra-deep 2013
high-gloss level even better than it is now.  I am totally happy with the
way it looks right now, but I wonder how important it might be in the future
to pursue that extra "WOW!" factor with a modern super-smooth high-gloss
clear coat.  

 

I have observed that most of the early 300's  (and other cars from the '50's
and '60's) that have brought the best prices at high-end auctions are those
with modern high-gloss finishes, and although my general impression is that
they have been "over-restored", it is clear that the market loves them that
way.     Although I am not at all interested in obtaining a maximum sales
price some time in the distant future (probably at least ten years from now,
by which time I will be over 80 years old and probably not likely able to
enjoy "Big Red" as much as before, and won't need the money by then anyway),
I would want to maximize the value to the next caretaker of this really nice
piece of automotive history.

 

The cost of the new clear overcoat and color sanding/buffing would likely be
less than $3,000, and would probably add that much to the eventual sales
price a decade from now; however, since I know that's not how it could ever
have come out of the factory, I am somewhat torn between "best possible
old-school original  finish" or "best modern 2013 finish".    

 

Your perspectives on this issue would be appreciated.

 

Ray Melton



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