Hardtop color?

[puff4]

So, as many of you know, my Alpine Series V is pretty much original. Of course, I’ve made many improvements internally in the engine, the brakes, etc. to improve power, safety and longevity, but I’ve tried to maintain an original look.

So, it has come time to finally refresh the paint. I’m stripping the car to bare metal and going with the original Carnival Red (or as close as I can get to it). The question now becomes… how to paint the hardtop?

(1) I could paint it Carnival Red to match the car. Not an original color, since only the GTs came with color-matched tops. But it does make the car look uniform and like a proper little saloon car.

(2) I could paint it black, which is what this top was originally, and which I believe all “Rootes accessory” tops were painted. This would be correct in terms of originality, and would also look good, though not as integrated as a color-matched top.

So… I’m really on the fence here. What to you owners think? I’m unconcerned about resale value, because I’ll likely die with this car anyway (heck, I’ve had it over 40 years already!)… I’m just looking for opinions/reasons to go with one or the other. (Either way, it’s getting a white headliner, BTW.)

Thoughts?

 

[ernestovumbles]

I've had both body color and black on mine at various times on my S3 GT ..

I prefer no top, but like the red better than the black.

 

[Asm109]

My vote is red, because that is the color of my car and hardtop.

 

[todd reid]

I would vote for red (body color), of course the is an old saying about opinions.....

 

[alpine_64]

So, as many of you know, my Alpine Series V is pretty much original. Of course, I’ve made many improvements internally in the engine, the brakes, etc. to improve power, safety and longevity, but I’ve tried to maintain an original look.

So, it has come time to finally refresh the paint. I’m stripping the car to bare metal and going with the original Carnival Red (or as close as I can get to it). The question now becomes… how to paint the hardtop?

(1) I could paint it Carnival Red to match the car. Not an original color, since only the GTs came with color-matched tops. But it does make the car look uniform and like a proper little saloon car.

Kevin,

If the top was ordered from the factory, not bought on the lot at the dealer they could be body coloured...thought few did this as it's easier to just buy an ST and hardtop . Most people bought the cars at a showroom fro stock..didnt spec a build.

As for colour .. the late series tops are a little heavy propositioally frome the rear above the window... The darker colours hide this better , black, Dark blue, the BRG...

But it's up to you .... I would personally go black as I think it suits the top better proportionally...and the hardtop design around the windows and where it meets the body of enough of a difference that I think it's fine to differentiate it from the body.

But either way... You can be in theory correct... Just have to fudge and special order form

 

[JR66]

Since you asked... Using the two photos posted by ernestovumbles as examples (both gorgeous of course), I vote for black. Nice contrast and balances with the black sidewall tires below.

 

[hartmandm]

I'm sure you are not surprised that I will vote for red, as that is my setup. I wouldn't switch my hardtop back to black. I think the black color looks like an aftermarket add on, or a customization by the owner deviating from how it should have come from the factory. I don't like how the car looks with a black canvas soft top either.





Mike

 

[Mike O'D]

I vote red, but I'm not against black. What color is your soft top Mike?

 

[puff4]

I'm sure you are not surprised that I will vote for red, as that is my setup. I wouldn't switch my hardtop back to black. I think the black color looks like an aftermarket add on, or a customization by the owner deviating from how it should have come from the factory. I don't like how the car looks with a black canvas soft top either.

Mike

Yeah, the hardtop that came with the car - which you now have was red, and I *think* it was ordered with the car, but I’m not sure, and the wife of the original owner passed on a few years ago, so I can’t ask her.

 

[hartmandm]

I vote red, but I'm not against black. What color is your soft top Mike?

There is no soft top installed currently. It is on my to-do list. My father purchased a white soft top to install when he was restoring the car, but it was not installed and is still sitting in a box in my garage. I did pull the white top out of the box to check its condition and of course a mouse had chewed a hole in the canvas.

 

[jdoclogan]

I'm aware that the typical Sunbeam factory hardtop was black. However,I purchased my Series III GT from the original owner. This Carnival Red Alpine came with the matching Carnival Red hardtop as it sat on the Jaremko Dealership floor in 1963. I was told that is how it came from the Rootes factory.

 

[puff4]

I'm aware that the typical Sunbeam factory hardtop was black. However,I purchased my Series III GT from the original owner. This Carnival Red Alpine came with the matching Carnival Red hardtop as it sat on the Jaremko Dealership floor in 1963. I was told that is how it came from the Rootes factory.

Absolutely right - all GT models came with matching hardtops. However, mine is not a GT, it’s an ST, and therein lies the question.

Having said that, I do know my car was definitely special ordered. It was ordered for LCDR Robert Baughman by the US Air Force’s Rootes “base agent” in Reykjavík, Iceland, with a very full list of factory options, including a hardtop. There was no dealership in Iceland, so there would have been no ‘showroom cars’ or ‘dealer’ hardtops to sell.

As such, if it wasn’t repainted, that rusty carnival red hardtop that I recently transferred to Mark (along with a pile of other parts and another better top) could possibly have been an original factory red paint job.

The top I have now is far more rust-free than the two that went to Mark, so I’m restoring this nicer one to go with my car’s repaint job.

So… I think I’ve reached a decision… since my car was indeed special ordered, and since it had a red hardtop when I bought it, it very likely legitimately had a factory red top when shipped. So… I’m going with red.

I also like it better.

 

[studmobile]

One other thought- if you have more than one Series lll-V Alpine or Tiger, a black top would work on all.

 

[Asm109]

Well reasoned, but your last sentence is really all that ever matters.

 

[Pete S.]

I've had both body color and black on mine at various times on my S3 GT ..

I prefer no top, but like the red better than the black.

Beautiful car.

 

[ernestovumbles]

Beautiful car.

Thanks!! It's a really nice looking 6 footer, but a ton of fun to drive.

 

[Bill Blue]

Speaking of preference, I prefer cream, that is a bit on the light side. A sort of a goes good with most any color the car might be painted color, while still being it own (not white or black) color.
Bill

 

[Warren]

Black top in the sun is tough, especially given the no insulation and patch of sound deadening material. I suppose the white color on the rally cars was a visibility choice.

 

[jdoclogan]

My Sebring Alpine came with a white top.

 

[Paul A]

My very first Alpine, a Series V, had a body color hardtop - Midnight Blue. The original owner ordered it that way while stationed in England. Drove it there for a year then shipped it to the US. I was owner three. I knew the original owner very well and he gave me the history of the car. My current Series V, Ol Blue, was also originally purchased in England. The hardtop color on it was black. I am also owner three of this car.