Curious Yellow Color

[Mopar426power]

Well I am in the process of restoring my 71 Cuda and have come to a cross roads concerning paint color. My brother and I did an amateur restoration on the car when we were in teenagers. It was really more of a "lets make it look better and go faster" project than a restoration. I had a local body shop known for custom cars paint the car, and they did a good job. I specified paint code GY3 Curious Yellow paint.

So here we are 30 years later and my paint samples don't quite match the color the car was. The attached pic is of metal paint samples: the two on the left are a color match of the old 1/4 panel (which I still have), one is painted on a light base (far left) and one on a dark base (2nd from left). There are 4 samples on the right that are paint code GY3. The top two are PPG paint on a light, and dark base color. the two on the bottom are Dupont paint on both backgrounds. They are not the same....

It is possible that the paint shop back then picked a yellow color "close" to GY3 and painted the car? I have reached out to them, unfortunately no records from the early 90s.

Problem is I have grown very fond of the yellow the car was for the last 30 years.

The GY3 in the pic definitely has a tint of green. I have done research that says this is correct. The original Curious Yellow was said to look very yellow in the sunlight, but have a tint of green at night. The attached picture samples were taken inside with no sunlight. My paint shop is up in Michigan but he is sending me the samples in the mail so I can compare them in the bright sunlight next to my 1/4 panel. I am hoping that the factory GY3 color is bright yellow in the sunlight, then my choice is simple....go with the factory color.

Does anyone have experience with Curious Yellow paint? either an original car or repaint like I am doing?

 

[Steve340]

Curious Yellow/Citron Yella is definitely a yellow/green - with more emphasis on the yellow. If you get my meaning.
Along the lines of a lemon skin when compared to a banana skin.
The modern mixes will be an "interpretation" of the original colour codes.
This may well have been done also by the paint shop who did the car 30 years ago.
My opinion: Bear in mind my computer screen will show the colour slightly different.
The two on the left are too yellow.
Third sample are closer but maybe to dark.
I like the fourth set are good with preference for the lighter or slightly more yellow one.

I believe those "original" colours will look stunning when sprayed out on the whole car. GY3 is beautiful.

My advice is tint it to what you want - it is your car and get some spare paint.

 

[Steve340]

Opened up Youtube while having coffee and My Car Story by Lou Costabile has just posted a 1971 Duster painted GY3.
Have a look at that. I have not watched it yet but it may help you decide.

 

[Xcudame]

With the color scanners they have now, you can take in a sample from your car and get an exact match. Since you like the current color, that's what I'd do.

 

[Mopar426power]

That is what the the far left color is, a camera / scanner match, but turns out does not look like it is the true factory color....

 

[Xcudame]

But are you happy with it (left most)? The one next to it is way too yellow. The other samples are probably closer to the intended color. Honestly, looking at the samples over and over, I like the left one the most! My two cents!
Years ago I damaged the trunk lid on my banana challenger. I found another banana colored trunk lid. It's close, but doesn't really match. Paint oxidizes and fades so no two cars are exactly the same color after a couple years. Some day the Challenger will be restored. I enjoy driving it for now.

 

[Challenger RTA]

GY3 ​

PAINT 1971 DAR Acrylic Enamel​

PAINT 1971 DAR Acrylic Enamel
A few months after I bought my 71 in the 70's. I just got of the pike in town driving past a car dealer it caught my eye. Of course I pulled in and Ask about the car. Broke as a drunken sailor. came back a few months later it was gone. A year ( funny thing when typing I hit t and It read, A tear or more) or more later I found it. Knew the guy went to the same high school. Always keep in touch. 10 years later pulled in to his driveway. He was on top of his house building on. Before I said any thing he said do want to buy it. He yelled $500 I yelled back SOLD. I kinda was in shambles.motor interior tore apart flat tires.
So got it home in a short order was going to make time to get on the road. My younger brother a senior in high school seen it and wanted it. Boy did he bug me. Made a deal you be over here every day. Do what I tell you and work on it. I'll sell it to you. under one condition. You go to sell it you sell it back to ME!. He put it back together. He also worked at HO JO's. Didn't make much.
I got my brother paint Citron Yellow. I was out of town ask him to wait until I got back. Someone said I can paint that! Well we see how the paint turn out. JS23N1B 4sp Citron Yellow Black interior Black vinyl top and Black stripes. My point of view I liked the yellow. wife called it green. Done in the mid 80's

 

[Xcudame]

ChallengerRTA, great post. Doesn't get any better than that!

 

[Steve340]

I rang my painter and he said he used PPG mixed to standard formula and they did not tweak the formulation.
I only had the engine bay done but the colour looks really good.

 

[Mopar426power]

Thanks for opinions, everything helps a little bit. I am leaning towards #4, PPG GY3 on white sealer.

 

[Challenger RTA]

Spray Technic will change color. Base,Mix,Air pressure,distance,speed of pass how wet or dry,overlap and the gun you use and gun fan.

 

[Steve340]

I am not a painter but I do know 2 or 3 and they have mentioned the points RTA raises. Variations are just part of the territory.
Even at the factory different batches/days of any one colour would have been slightly varied. Probably unable to be noticed by the un-trained eye.
I got a small card spray out of the PPG and I was worried about it being too dark.
However when sprayed on to a large surface I was very happy with the colour and everyone who sees it is wowed.
Stick to the plan in post 10 and I am sure you will be happy.

 

[Xcudame]

Steve340, agreed! Mopar426Power needs to be happy with the color regardless of what we think. It's his car. And I'm going to like whichever he chooses!

 

[Challenger RTA]

I am not a painter but I do know 2 or 3 and they have mentioned the points RTA raises. Variations are just part of the territory.
Even at the factory different batches/days of any one colour would have been slightly varied. Probably unable to be noticed by the un-trained eye.
I got a small card spray out of the PPG and I was worried about it being too dark.
However when sprayed on to a large surface I was very happy with the colour and everyone who sees it is wowed.
Stick to the plan in post 10 and I am sure you will be happy.

The other thing that makes a difference. Just like when you paint a room at home a dark color makes it look smaller and a lighter color makes it seem bigger. A small paint chip or a spray card will not show the true results. But when it's on the car it's all different. Trust your experienced painter.

 

[Challenger RTA]

Steve340, agreed! Mopar426Power needs to be happy with the color regardless of what we think. It's his car. And I'm going to like whichever he chooses!

Is there any color that would look bad on an E body?

 

[cuda joe]

the ones on the right look like the color as for the color match camara sometimes they get it .sometimes not

 

[moparlee]

This is my 71 Challenger in CY3 citron yellow sprayed with Dupont acrylic enamel. The equivalent to your GY3. As you can see the color really changes depending on the lighting.

 

[Xcudame]

I agree! Any color looks great on an e-body! But I'm biased as I own a Challenger and a Barracuda. I still think Chrysler had the best factory colors.

 

[Xcudame]

Moparlee, I think your car and photos are exactly what Chrysler was trying for with GY3!

 

[Mopar426power]

Those pics are awesome, it truly shows how the color appearance changes! If you didn't tell me I would say those are two different cars.

I think I am convinced.