• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

1966 - 67 Charger Citron Gold Paint Nightmare

Maxrat

Well-Known Member
Local time
9:32 PM
Joined
Feb 13, 2018
Messages
399
Reaction score
324
Location
Virginia
I've been restoring a 66 Charger to stock conditions (except for engine) for ten years now. It has a Citron Gold interior and exterior running a 440 cu. in. with clock and A/C. I discovered early on that restoring these classics is challenging -- especially with limited facilities. So many parts weren't and aren't available, however, searching for parts can be both fun and challenging. This car was in really solid condition and was missing virtually no parts. I've also taken care to keep and find original hardware. Through that ten years, I restored all the original stainless trim and obtained replacements for all emblems and chrome. New carpet, door handles, emblems, mirrors, parts chromed, aluminum polished ready to go. But a three year ordeal to get it painted right isn't over yet. 1st -- base coat clear coat (paint looks good). Door dings show and sail panels need work. 2nd -- re-paint doors and sails -- paint doesn't match. 3rd -- I block sand the whole car (really smooth), they repaint it and the paint doesn't lay down right. 4th -- I block sand the whole car again (and I mean the whole car). 5th -- they repaint the car and there's so much trash in the base and clear I can't live with it. 6th -- I sand the whole car down again. 7th -- I take it to another shop and they paint it the wrong color. Now it sits -- interior and exterior stripped naked with too many layers of paint. I have three choices. A. Paint over it again (4th paint job) B. Strip it all back down and start over C. Give up and crush it.
 
That's just awful.
I can't imagine putting that much work into a paint job.
:lowdown:

Sorry but I'm not a paint guy, just a 1st gen fan.
I do admire the effort and determination.
I gues the lesson for the reader is be careful when they say "just needs paint".
 
I've been restoring a 66 Charger to stock conditions (except for engine) for ten years now. It has a Citron Gold interior and exterior running a 440 cu. in. with clock and A/C. I discovered early on that restoring these classics is challenging -- especially with limited facilities. So many parts weren't and aren't available, however, searching for parts can be both fun and challenging. This car was in really solid condition and was missing virtually no parts. I've also taken care to keep and find original hardware. Through that ten years, I restored all the original stainless trim and obtained replacements for all emblems and chrome. New carpet, door handles, emblems, mirrors, parts chromed, aluminum polished ready to go. But a three year ordeal to get it painted right isn't over yet. 1st -- base coat clear coat (paint looks good). Door dings show and sail panels need work. 2nd -- re-paint doors and sails -- paint doesn't match. 3rd -- I block sand the whole car (really smooth), they repaint it and the paint doesn't lay down right. 4th -- I block sand the whole car again (and I mean the whole car). 5th -- they repaint the car and there's so much trash in the base and clear I can't live with it. 6th -- I sand the whole car down again. 7th -- I take it to another shop and they paint it the wrong color. Now it sits -- interior and exterior stripped naked with too many layers of paint. I have three choices. A. Paint over it again (4th paint job) B. Strip it all back down and start over C. Give up and crush it.
Strip and repaint it. Gold Poly Metallic isn't a fun color to paint from what I have seen. (or as seen by all the runs on my firewall) LOL Have the body shop spray some test panels so you know what you are getting. They can jam everything (if needed) and I would recommend they assemble the body and paint it all complete. You will see a difference in the panels if the doors, hood and decklid are painted separately. Just my opinion.
 
I think you are missing the most obvious choice, which is none of the above.

D. Just put it together with the wrong color paint and drive it. After ten years you need to have some fun. So what if its not perfect.
 
For what it's worth...I had a "legend lime" 71 torino back in the early 90's.

Had to replace a fender and no one could get that paint right either.
 
Citron Gold is both a rare color and one that seems to look completely different depending on the light or even the car. You're unlikely to be parked next to another Citron Gold car that someone will compare to.
Just finish it and see if the color grows on you, if not then fix it in a few years. Life's too short to not be driving the car worrying about the color being off, but please post a few photos so we can have a look at your car!
 
Look at how ZZ1 looks when painted with lacquer and faded 50 years. Gold Poly Metallic (Dodge) is a creepy color for sure. A little gold silver, and green all out of the same can.

10-18-19d.jpg
 
I vote drive as is, you have expended enough energy and emotion, time to enjoy the car. Make up your own name and color for the car and rock it.
 
I think you are missing the most obvious choice, which is none of the above.

D. Just put it together with the wrong color paint and drive it. After ten years you need to have some fun. So what if its not perfect.

It's all sanded again -- can't put it back together -- hood and trunk are a different color than the rest.
 
This is what it looked like when I got it ten years ago. Note the tire size from the factory on the trunk lid.

Deal on 1966 Charger 003.jpg Deal on 1966 Charger 007.jpg Deal on 1966 Charger 014.jpg Deal on 1966 Charger 015.jpg Deal on 1966 Charger 021.jpg Deal on 1966 Charger 012.jpg Deal on 1966 Charger 013.jpg Deal on 1966 Charger 017.jpg
 
3rd -- I block sand the whole car (really smooth), they repaint it and the paint doesn't lay down right.

This is where the paint shop needed to fix what they did. You shouldn't have had to sand it off again.

Getting too much paint, needs to be stripped and start over. A costly and time consuming lesson. It could happen to anyone but I'm sure you want it right. The shops doing the painting are responsible for getting it right if they screw up.
 
Citron Gold is both a rare color and one that seems to look completely different depending on the light or even the car. You're unlikely to be parked next to another Citron Gold car that someone will compare to.
Just finish it and see if the color grows on you, if not then fix it in a few years. Life's too short to not be driving the car worrying about the color being off, but please post a few photos so we can have a look at your car!

This is what it looked like after cleaning the car up -- I spent a lot of time on the engine compartment cleaning and polishing the original paint.

413 kay road 001.JPG 413 kay road 002.JPG 413 kay road 003.JPG 413 kay road 004.JPG 413 kay road 005.JPG 1-15-2013 Charger 008.JPG 1-15-2013 Charger a 022.JPG
 
This is what the first paint job looked like. I would have kept it if it weren't for the body work issues

001.JPG 005.JPG 010.JPG 016.JPG 017.JPG 019.JPG
 
1966 Citron on a Barracuda. (Citron is Plymouth's name for the color)
Farmington 018.JPG
 
I think mine has more gold than green (compared to Barracuda above) but the light plays a huge part for this color - gratuitous photos of my car to follow:)
20190407_161744.jpg

20191221_095350.jpg
 
It's all sanded again -- can't put it back together -- hood and trunk are a different color than the rest.

I guess it's option C after all :(
 
You may wish to try a single stage like the factory used.

...and pretty sure we figured out 66 and 67 are different.
 
Auto Transport Service
Back
Top