Hello members.   Getting to point of thinking of paint colors for Ranchero.  Looked thru posts here to see what combos available but came up short. After seeing the custom that was sold at Mecums (black bottom and gray upper) I  kinda liked combo two tone colors. Was black and gray available in 57? Cos

Here is a link to a color chart. Raven Black (bottom)/Woodsmoke Gray (top) would be color code A-T according to the chart.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/266371730065?hash=item3e04fe0a91:g:B6cAAOSwDr1k2U9a&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA8C9%2FVOKEpMpZRTUXiTTSiHiOs4dogB67ENcRVAQgk9ilg5U4n21PP0RMje%2FWAttCXSJrjAmxpozUcaw0XW9gY4IWDVAjoubEk%2FOuHTFGzDRgTQ%2FO5bRpSb7rOYRWhOxSHJn4zMVvm0GbwX%2Bkz9M4%2BIyZaSBAijYVKJnmPmDpJpFepkWmYc%2Fi4Ab9awlrym0JZ%2FIprhHNJX1PhSeuYbQnbiSkwFA7fvGlcPMhffeeoCMjQE6mGVqGswkhYv0XAL9whuh9vOdFwm104slafkqwL5lJyniB%2FiNpOabV6LR%2FuYD2M75UeAHqKpDjLtDm%2FF%2BI3A%3D%3D%7Ctkp%3ABk9SR_zq-YHOYg

Uh....not to  be TOO picky there buddy...BUT...you forgot the link! LOL!!!

Suffering from that CRS syndrome? Hehehehehehe! (ducking now as the breaker bar flies across the forum)

I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached!!!! Thanks....

That would be an extremely odd color combo, Lynn. Not saying it wasn't available, but I can't remember having ever  seen one. I don't think that all colors would be available as combos. That said, you could always order any color as special order or company colors, so I guess a combination of factory colors would be as close as period correct as it can get.

Just my 2 cents....IF you're concerned with being factory restoration correct, repaint it the original colors per your vehicle tag info. IF NOT, paint it what you like. I also liked the Kissimmee car colors, btw, not too unlike mine, but with the black added.
I occasionally see dark silver '57s like mine. Never saw one before my car began being on here, the Hamb, and Facebook. I'd like to think they're all copying, lol. Maybe not.
If you're going with something neutral, like we're discussing, many interior colors would work with it, however, I'd still recommend picking upholstery/making interior color decisions, BEFORE picking exterior colors. Limited selection in Upholstery fabrics often ends up being a bad match if you do body color first. Paint is an infinite selection.

Quote from: lalessi1 on 2023-09-07 12:03I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached!!!! Thanks....

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I had mine surgically attached years ago! LOL!!! Kept leaving it at home. Still leave the cell phone at home sometimes!

Quote from: RICH MUISE on 2023-09-07 16:10Just my 2 cents....IF you're concerned with being factory restoration correct, repaint it the original colors per your vehicle tag info. IF NOT, paint it what you like. I also liked the Kissimmee car colors, btw, not too unlike mine, but with the black added.
I occasionally see dark silver '57s like mine. Never saw one before my car began being on here, the Hamb, and Facebook. I'd like to think they're all copying, lol. Maybe not.
If you're going with something neutral, like we're discussing, many interior colors would work with it, however, I'd still recommend picking upholstery/making interior color decisions, BEFORE picking exterior colors. Limited selection in Upholstery fabrics often ends up being a bad match if you do body color first. Paint is an infinite selection.

I'll add to what Rich said about selecting the interior fabrics etc. I'd suggest that you also look into the available seat belts. My experience has been that the webbing material colors are generally the same from vendor to vendor, and somewhat limited. My interior will be red, and I ordered samples from 5 or 6 vendors. When I received the samples they were all identical in color and webbing pattern. There were only 2 red colors. I picked one and then selected the seat material, carpet etc.

 

I wasn't sure if that combination was offered either but I bet you could get it... I bought an Olds Cutlass in 1976 with an interior color and vinyl top color that wasn't offered with the exterior color I wanted. I was told the colors didn't go together by the dealer. I insisted they order it. They did, and GM built it that way. Neat to have a one-off.

Thanks fellas for comments. Not looking to build factory correct car (per vin)I was was mainly  interested in what paint combos that were available. Seems like Iam seeing a lot of new (all brands) non metallic  gray color. The custom on Mecums caught my eye.

RE: metalics:JFYI, my color is "dark Tarnished Silver", a 2003 (5?) Chevy HHR color. When I picked the color, the paint shop brought out 14 different "dark tarnished silvers"for that year! The difference was in the amount of metallics on each of the 14. If you end up picking a silver, try to find a car that you can look at in all different lighting conditions. Many silvers will pick up a different hue when the light changes .....some turn purple, others greenish, some tan, etc. I picked my particular color because it remained neutral no mater the conditions.

Unless your Ranchero was built in the Dearborn assembly plant, there is no way of telling what the original colors were.  Those dealer invoices were saved by the Classic Thunderbird Club International and they kept all the Thunderbird invoices and SOME of the passenger car ones.  If you want to have the factory colors you choose match the vin plate, simply have a new vin plate punched with the colors you choose.  There is no other place on the vehicle that will identify the colors.  This way you can get the colors you want to match your vin plate.  This is NOT illegal unless you alter the vehicle vin number on the tag. 

All three of my 57s had the paint code on the fire wall written in crayon or something like that.  The markings were above the center pinch weld between the hood latch and the blower assembly on the Retractable and wagon.  They were below the pinch weld on the Ranchero.

Thanks for comments.  Was looking for what fACTORY  color combos  were available in 1957. Thanks again

Hi there, I worked in a Parts store for 30ty years and was head of the paint department. Had lots of input on car colors. PPG paint chips had a astrict by the code to tell you if it was available in tu-tone. But the old saying is Paint it what you want cause you will be looking at it. I'm doing a convertible at the moment and decided to go with red on the bottom black on top. Backwards they say. Wanted to go Coral/Gunmetal Gray but lost that vote. Lol. The old solid colors are coming back up our way. The Vintage look. Good luck. John