80 Malibu Paint Ideas?

[mb848]

New to the forum and I have an 80 Malibu. It was painted a copper color when I got it, which has kind of grown on me, but it needs some bodywork. I have to replace a rocker panel and I have some rust bubbles on the quarters and a few on the roof around the windows. Other than that the paint and body is in really good shape.

I found a great guy who is going to help me with this project, and his idea was to do a contrasting color running along the lower body, perhaps the roof and maybe put a couple of hood stripes on. Jazz it up a bit. Any ideas on a contrasting color that would look good on my car? The interior is tan, or "camel tan" I think it is called. Thanks!

 

[1evilregal]

welcome to the family! nice 'bu!

I'm diggin the reddish copper, maybe a tannish color that matches the interior on the bottom, and leave the top/roof color alone?


Darin

 

[pencero]

If the color has really grown on you why would change it? I would just do the body work and work w/ that color it looks really nice and in decent shape just hit the rusty areas before they get worse and save money. I've seen malibu's with stripes I loved but I think more times than not I've seen them with stripes I disliked immediately. I may be one of the few but I think stripes are super 90s obsolete and look stupid. That's just an opinion of course but I always liked the malibu in 1 color w nice hand done pinstripes and that's it I've seen way too many stripe jobs come out cheesy

 

[L.A.X-RATED]

come on now its a bu 8) these and elcos NEED to be done in a 2-tone sceme,as to emphasize there great body line/separation!!!

 

[Crd80BU]

I love the copper/rust color on those Malibu's, you have a tan interior so it would match but it would be tons of work doing a full color change (I just went through that)

 

[crucial118]

I painted my Magnum copper/mineral gray. That might look good on your Malibu too.

 

[mb848]

Yeah, I go back and forth about what I want to do....definitely keeping the copper as the main color though. Actually, my paint guy suggested a silver but not sure how that would look with the tan interior. Maybe a cream color or gold. Not sure about the stripes either. May do something more subtle like simple hand painted pinstripes.

Thanks for all the suggestions....keep them coming!

 

[rwd_pete]

My '80 was factory two tone, Claret and Dark Claret with a stript inbetween.

 

[pencero]

to each his own but I can't stand a 2-3 tone paint job. I think it looks trash. Solid colors every single time easily for me... I guess it must just be because I'm in the rust belt where things like stripes and rims start to erode quickly

 

[rwd_pete]

I live in the rust belt too and do my own paint jobs. The smaller the area I'm painting the better chance that the painting will look like you want, unless you are a pro. I bought an 80 Malibu for $100 because it had nice chrome on the back bumper. Once it was home I realized the car was solid but every door and fender had a dent. I fixed the dents and painted the bottom half below th factory stripe. Later I repainted the top half. It made that car, a 4 door, more interesting for under $200 for my winter driver.

I've seen black/silver factory combos that look good too.

Usually I paint non metallic and black, and sand and polish. You can save a paint job from embeded dust with that combo when you don't have a booth to work in.

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Pete