My father was a bodyman. He started a shop in Rogue River Oregon 1972. Because I loved cars and him and he me I worked there from high school on until I left at age 22 then painted car professionally until age 29 when I went to college, then on to law school and a new career.
When I purchase a car—I want oripaint—thus when I decided to purchase a Shelby Mustang, a GT350, I wanted a car that had as much of the original original paint as I could find. This year (2019–just in case the server is backed up this time—hopefully highly reliable cloud service) Stephen Becker brokered the sale of 6S2148 between myself and Bill DenBeste; 6S2148 has—for the most part—original paint. I personally consider it an interesting to point to ponder: why would a person who spent 12 years in the automobile refinishing profession only settle for a vehicle with almost all original paint?
So how and why am I writing this?
1) First, how: to establish that I had experience painting, start to finish in automotive refinishing,
2) Second to point out interesting differences between 6S2148 and the cars redone to show car levels,
3) Third to explore why people prefer original paint or would rather have a car with refinishing materials and expertise that incorporate modern innovations in both areas:
4) Take the pulse of the real Shelby experts—guys who have been preserving these important cars for decades, and continue to do so, to get their views.
Caveat one (1) My new friends—please understand I certainly love the fact that the procedures for painting these cars have evolved with the profession of refinishing in terms of materials and expertise. However, that is one way to preserve these cars. Without judgement, there is an alternative way: that is to restore them back to the standards of the day when they were built.
It’s interesting for me to study the paint on 6S2148. When I do, it curious to me, but totally understandable, for example—that the blue stripes that came stock on my car—are so harsh in terms of their appliacation: the edges for example—there was no nice striping tapes by 3M back then, which pulled off the base paint— in nice clean lines; clean crisp lines I see on all the restored cars—the original tape lines are typical of the 3M tape products I used. Paper tape lines that leave lines that are by no means crisp, clean, lines.
Thesis: is restoring a car to the standards of the day they were built serving the car? Or is it a disservice to the car and better to restore these cars to the present day standards?
The path you choose for the car you own is your own to decide. How you decide and what you decide is strictly up to your specific wants and needs. Do you want a concourse correct car that get trailered from show to show, rarely gets started, and basically gets turned into a peace of artwork? Or, do you want a car you can get in, turn the key, put the car in a gear of your personal choosing and take it out for a 100+ mile ride at a moments notice? There is no right or wrong answer, as once again, it's your car, your money, and your personal wants and needs that come in to play. Your post above shows that even now, you are unsure of what you want out of the car, so you post and ask the question, which is a great first start, yet, the ultimate answer is one that we cannot give you, for it is not up to us to do so.
With that said, the ball is in your court, as it was for mine. Personally, I chose to get the car where it was pleasing to the eyes, but could be driven cross country at a moments notice, without worry of breakdown..........Again, my car, my choices.......Give it some time, you'll find the path you choose, it will just take some soul searching.......
Either way, here is wishing you a joyous trip down the path you choose.
Bill