Since colour has been a big story over the years at Auto Universum, I decided to expand on the recommended colour listing in The Allure of Period Colours and create this page to actually display examples of some of the AU Period Colours of the 1960s. Here are captivating alternatives to tedious blacks, reds, whites, greys, ivories and silvers all too often seen both on the road, and at Concours d’Elegance.
Automotive paint blenders work in relative obscurity, nevertheless they are true artisans; on par with the famed master blenders of Whisky, Champagne and fine Bordeaux.
While their brethren in the wine and spirits world mostly concentrate on maintaining a consistent house style, automotive colourists are tasked with developing alluring new colour blends each new model year with an eye to keeping au courant. Inevitably, the pressure of constantly recreating reds, blues, yellows and whatnot means there will inevitably be winners, losers and also-rans.
Here is a look at the cream of the 1960s crop, colours that were particularly enticing, popular and in some cases, both. These colours proudly display their connection to the era when they were produced, many unique to the decade.
If your favourite is not seen here, note that this page will be updated from time to time as new images are captured or submitted.
I see stars – Dom Pierre Pérignon
Without further ado, here is a selected sampling of roadworthy Star colours from the halcyon days of 1960s Jet Age style:
Awesome! Wow, those are some beautiful cars in even more striking colors. Makes me dismayed at the amount of bland cars on the road today I see in grays and blacks and whites. While of course there’s nothing wrong with a nice dark grey from time to time (one of my Saabs is in such a shade), it’s nice to see something different for a change!
These were cars, they were individuals, each their very own style. We could tell from a 100 yards which car was which. Like everyone else wrote, they are pretty bland today, even their shapes are all quite similar. My 1963 Thunderbird was a very pale blue, almost white, originally. After some body work and a repaint, when I first saw it WOW! What a shock!. It was now light Blue (like a Robin’s egg). When I asked what happened, the painter said it was Ford blue. I told him, it’s not a Ford, it’s a Thunderbird. All T-Birds, from 1955 through 1966 were not Fords. Like Lincoln and Mercury, the Thunderbird was a stand alone division of the FOMOCO which, of course, also made (& makes) the Ford cars. The popularity and much lower price of the new 1964.5 Ford Mustang almost killed the T-Bird. From 1967 on it became a model of the Ford line and got very big. I later learned my Bird was painted Chalfonte Blue (an Aqua blue shade). I love the shape of my Thunderbird and I’ve come to like the color mistake MUCH BETTER than the original. Long live the 1960s cars and music!
It is indeed tragic that the world has mostly divested itself of colour most notable in the automotive vein in the proliferation of vehicles from white to black with a spectrum of greys in between. It is a testament on how we generally look at the world with an increasing sense of uncertainty……
I’m the owner of a 1965 Sea Blue L360 Beetle. I’m surprised you didn’t include Tropical Green Color Code L60A that I had on my 1974 Beetle. The same of similar color was also used on the BMW 2002 around the same year. Good write up, thanks!
I love these colors! It’s makes me realize how bland the automotive world is now, with almost every car in black, white, silver and grey.
Awesome! Wow, those are some beautiful cars in even more striking colors. Makes me dismayed at the amount of bland cars on the road today I see in grays and blacks and whites. While of course there’s nothing wrong with a nice dark grey from time to time (one of my Saabs is in such a shade), it’s nice to see something different for a change!
The Sea Blue and Java Green of the VW remind me of the captivating shades of the Mediterranean off the Croatian coast.
These were cars, they were individuals, each their very own style. We could tell from a 100 yards which car was which. Like everyone else wrote, they are pretty bland today, even their shapes are all quite similar. My 1963 Thunderbird was a very pale blue, almost white, originally. After some body work and a repaint, when I first saw it WOW! What a shock!. It was now light Blue (like a Robin’s egg). When I asked what happened, the painter said it was Ford blue. I told him, it’s not a Ford, it’s a Thunderbird. All T-Birds, from 1955 through 1966 were not Fords. Like Lincoln and Mercury, the Thunderbird was a stand alone division of the FOMOCO which, of course, also made (& makes) the Ford cars. The popularity and much lower price of the new 1964.5 Ford Mustang almost killed the T-Bird. From 1967 on it became a model of the Ford line and got very big. I later learned my Bird was painted Chalfonte Blue (an Aqua blue shade). I love the shape of my Thunderbird and I’ve come to like the color mistake MUCH BETTER than the original. Long live the 1960s cars and music!
It is indeed tragic that the world has mostly divested itself of colour most notable in the automotive vein in the proliferation of vehicles from white to black with a spectrum of greys in between. It is a testament on how we generally look at the world with an increasing sense of uncertainty……
I’m the owner of a 1965 Sea Blue L360 Beetle. I’m surprised you didn’t include Tropical Green Color Code L60A that I had on my 1974 Beetle. The same of similar color was also used on the BMW 2002 around the same year. Good write up, thanks!
I remember that color well, it was a nice green; but too new. This page only covers the 1960s, the pinnacle of the Jet Age.