Colour choice for a W123 300D 4 door - what would you choose?
 

G'day Folks,

I'm thinking ahead - way ahead.

I'm in the middle of stripping the paint off my W123 chassis and getting the welding done and I'm already thinking that perhaps I don't like Manganese Brown any more.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/body-repair/303669-my-w123-saloon-sedan-old-accident-repair-bit-rust-repair-thread.html

Manganese Brown (480) metallic is the original colour that I do (or did?) think was a pretty correct colour for the W123 - it is "of its time" and with the chrome it kind of gives a luxurious feel.

http://www.benzworld.org/forums/atta...esebrown07.jpg

But then again I quite like the other metallic colours that were available

W123 original color code + pics - Page 2 - Mercedes-Benz Forum

So what about Cyprus green (876)

http://caserola.nl/blog/wp-content/u...essengruen.jpg

Or anthracite grey (172)

http://www.classicway.de/elem_pics/K...yword__955.jpg

Blue green (877)

http://www.classicway.de/elem_pics/k...word__1395.jpg

Lapis blue (932)

http://www.vfw123.de/Ordnerstruktur/...pisblau_WZ.jpg

So rules for voting are it has to be an original metallic colour for the W123 and it has to look good for a four door saloon / sedan. The interior colour of the car will stay the same => palomino (leather seats) and black dash etc

What would you choose?

I think that the original color (Palomino/Dark Brown) is really heavenly. I would stick with it. I've always drooled for your color combination after I first saw it :).

Color change unless done pretty much completely always seems cheap to me. It seems to degrade the car in some ways.

Can also involve a lot more work to do it. Based partially on the above I try to stay with the same color. That is just me though.

I really do not mind what anyone else does in this regard at the same time. For example I have an 84 with serious paint flaws that needs redone. Some like the color and others dislike it. I am not in love with it myself. Still I will repaint it the same color and hope the freshness of the new paint changes my opinion of it.

I've always had a thing for blue green, with bundt wheels though...

i vote for brown. my favorite colors on these cars are ones that no current maker would ever offer.

As much as I like green, color changes are a bear to do right, so I voted for UPS brown.

I assume you'll take the time to take all the trim off the body- you'll get a much better job.

I too wanted to color change the wagen some day, but it is a lot of work! Plus, at least the brown you have is a nice shade reminding me of hot chocolate or coffee with cream, rather than the tans I keep seeing that are so dreary.

What I am going to do on the wagen when it comes time is two tone like the Service Wagens. However, don't think any of the colors you have offered would work. Mine is non-metallic white, so limits the second color to non-metallic also. Figured the forest green for the bottom go great with the white top and Palomino interior. Brown and white might, maybe even brown and grey, now I think more? :thinking:

Please tell me that the pink is due to the lighting.

Petrol green! Or the green you have listed.

I'm partial to the browns :D

i don't particularly go for the metallics, but i think anthracite is the most timeless of those.

The blue-green is nice. My w116 was that colour.

However, on the w123 I prefer the shade of my 300d: 930, silver-blue.

The darker colours are nice with the chrome, as you say, but a constant pain to keep clean even in summertime.

The lighter blue shades don't show dirt until you are up close :D.

I owned not one, but TWO Manganese Brown W123s. My W123 240D, but also my Turbo OM617 300D. They were gorgeous, well my 300D was nicer because it didn't have any rust after I had paint work done. The 240D had nice paint, but the rust holes ruined it and made it look like a survivor.

Though in seriousness, stick with what you have. Manganese is a timeless paint job when it really shines and it does look very classic. It stands out next to green, blue, grey. What other car than a W123 can rock Brown and look good?

How about going to Russet Brown. Keeps you closer to original, but I think is a much sharper color

Signal Red