Nachtblau or not?

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Wiscosh

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The 73 3.0CS I just purchased is brown. The original color is nachtblau metallic. I thought I would nose around on the internet to see what this color really looks like, as I will definitely repaint my car, and am leaning toward going back to the original color. In doing a Google search I came across what I think is the most perfectly restored 3.0CSi I have seen, at least in pictures. Here is the link: https://plus.google.com/photos/115100457119117626089/albums/6161985537312814545

You can also find it by typing in "nachtblau metallic".

But as beautiful a color this car is, is it really nachtblau metallic or something else? It looks lighter than the other pictures I have seen of this color
 
That looks like Baikal or Riviera to me - Nachtblau is usually darker but maybe it's my monitor. Whatever it is, it's beautiful.
 
Any color is an improvement over brown especially the original color...If you would like your car done to the level of the one in the link, contact Mario at VSR1.com and get the ball rolling.
 
That looks like my car, Blue Belle, a Nachtblau that is on the lighter side. I did consider changing to Ceylon before my resto, but in the end I stayed with NB for originality. And, in my view, because there is no better example that represents the classy tones of the 1970s that are bolder than the paint colors used today. Finally, NB against the ample chrome of the E9 is a work of art.
 
The two e9's I owned sequentially from '74 -'81 were both Nachtblau. 2800 CS with black leather and 3.0 CS with tan (pigskin look) leather. I really liked the 3.0 CS combination. The current '74 is painted in a Porsche color that is 'almost' Granatrot. That has grown on me as well, but I am a real fan of the 39's in dark blue or dark green with tan interiors.
 
Others can chime in on this because I am no expert, but I heard that Nachblau has a number of variations/shades. I recall the owner of the Nachtblau one that was at Vintage this year saying this.
 
WISE9UY said:
Others can chime in on this because I am no expert, but I heard that Nachblau has a number of variations/shades. I recall the owner of the Nachtblau one that was at Vintage this year saying this.
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From the factory there was probably the one shade, but cars age and fade and when a repaint occurs it is very hard to determine the original color. And paint companies have their own formulas which if used today won't match as materials have changed. I found this out with PPG paint where we found the microfiche formula for Malaga but it was very brown.
 
Wiscosh said:
Thanks, I couldn't read either the name or the side. Did the codes change over time so that the name stayed the same but the actual shade changed?
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I would probably go to the shop you are considering for paint and have them spray out a sample card of their Nachtblu to make sure your happy with the color. By codes I mean the number codes telling which color. Drivers door near hinge,stamped number. 036Riviera etc. Good luck
 
When I had my '73 painted the shop that did the work used Glasurit products and mixed their own base colors. Glasurit still has the formula for Nacht Blau in their system so the result was, I believe, pretty close to original. That said, when I looked at other Nacht Blau coupes at Legends last August there was a fairly wide variation when seen in the same light on the same day. Depending on where your painter is located and whether they can still shoot solvent based product, Glasurit is likely your best, albeit expensive, option. I believe Glasurit was used by BMW back in the day.

If you need to use another manufacturer, say PPG for example, see if they have the formula for Maserati Sebring Blue. That was the closest to Nacht Blau that I found three years ago.
 
Thanks for all of the info, and thanks to Sven who sent me the link with the pictures of OC Coupe's stunning example in nachtblau. This car truly looks like nachtblau metallic to me. The one I sent seems a bit lighter in shade.
 
The only useful thing I can say is "nachtblau or nicht".

Generally I am even less useful than this.
 
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