Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
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From: Pekin, IL
Car: 91 Formula, 79 Trans Am, 72 LeMans
Engine: 305 TPI, 6.6, 350 Pontiac
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Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
Well as those who have been following my build of a 91 Camaro I saved from the Cash for Clunkers deal know, I wanted to repaint my 91 from what it was, some cheap Blue paintjob over a factory Silver as seen below after I replaced all the damaged panels...

...to Artic White...but I landed a job at the local Maaco so I used the opportunity to get my car painted. After a customer had a car done in Hugger Orange I kinda fell in love with it and decided to panel paint the car starting with the shell and fenders. Paint came out perfect (used PPG base/clear)

But then the Maaco went bankrupt before I could finish my Camaro. Now I have a half painted car and I am second guessing my color choice...
After being in the garage for a couple months with friends dropping a drill on the fender and brushing by the car to get tools, I am thinking of just redoing the entire car.
So now Im trying to decide if I should go with my original love of the Artic White or keep the mistress color of Hugger Orange. I figure I can scuff up the currently painted jams and edge them with white and then shoot the car as once piece in white.
Plans right now include silver ZR1 wheels, the RS grill, solid color (orange or white) without any blacked out buckets, blacked out rear lights and turn signals, and possibly getting rid of my cowl for a stock hood provided I can find some hood blisters.
I need some car guy support lol what do you guys think?

...to Artic White...but I landed a job at the local Maaco so I used the opportunity to get my car painted. After a customer had a car done in Hugger Orange I kinda fell in love with it and decided to panel paint the car starting with the shell and fenders. Paint came out perfect (used PPG base/clear)

But then the Maaco went bankrupt before I could finish my Camaro. Now I have a half painted car and I am second guessing my color choice...
After being in the garage for a couple months with friends dropping a drill on the fender and brushing by the car to get tools, I am thinking of just redoing the entire car.
So now Im trying to decide if I should go with my original love of the Artic White or keep the mistress color of Hugger Orange. I figure I can scuff up the currently painted jams and edge them with white and then shoot the car as once piece in white.
Plans right now include silver ZR1 wheels, the RS grill, solid color (orange or white) without any blacked out buckets, blacked out rear lights and turn signals, and possibly getting rid of my cowl for a stock hood provided I can find some hood blisters.
I need some car guy support lol what do you guys think?
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
ouch. either color would be amazing. i personally love both and feel your pain, haha.
flip a coin!
flip a coin!
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
Thirdgens can pull off white just fine and I personally kinda like it. However either would look good, It is really up to you.
At least with the orange you might not have to redo the whole car? Or is the rest that bad too?
Depends how much you want it to stand out I suppose. :P
Also, smack those guys upside the head. Just because a car is not done does not mean they can be careless around it!
At least with the orange you might not have to redo the whole car? Or is the rest that bad too?
Depends how much you want it to stand out I suppose. :P
Also, smack those guys upside the head. Just because a car is not done does not mean they can be careless around it!
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Car: 1983 Z28
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
I personally really like the artic white with black accents. That would be my 2nd favorite choice, first would have to be the sunburst orange metallic.
gscz28's z28 Camaro ('04 Corvette sunburst orange metallic)
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...c-dscf0581.jpg
http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...0045_large.jpg
http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...0017_large.jpg
gscz28's z28 Camaro ('04 Corvette sunburst orange metallic)
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...c-dscf0581.jpg
http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...0045_large.jpg
http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...0017_large.jpg
Last edited by TheMonster; Oct 11, 2010 at 09:38 PM.
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
I'd go with white over the orange.. But I'd do black accents too (headlight buckets and hood louvers).
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
Ive always loved the hugger orange. It has that pro-street look to me at least. If i were to respray my whole car it would be hugger orange but a couple of shades darker.
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
I've never seen a third gen camaro look good in Hugger Orange. They always look cheap and goofy. The white is much more tasteful.
However, a darker metallic orange would look very nice also.
However, a darker metallic orange would look very nice also.
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Car: 1987 Camaro SC, 1999 Z28
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Axle/Gears: 3.42 Eaton 7.625, 3.42 Zexel Torsen
Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
'99 hugger orange was a little bit darker, how about that one?
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
I completely agree. Hugger orange isn't my favorite, but hugger w/ black racing stripes might look pretty good.
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
I know of one guy on here that has an matching hugger orange z28 to his parents? 1st gen, which both look really good.
But I would personally go for artic while with silver 5 spokes and mid gloss black accents
But I would personally go for artic while with silver 5 spokes and mid gloss black accents
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Car: 1987 Camaro SC, 1999 Z28
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Transmission: Built 700r4/EDGE 3200, T56
Axle/Gears: 3.42 Eaton 7.625, 3.42 Zexel Torsen
Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
SOM perhaps?
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Car: 91 Formula, 79 Trans Am, 72 LeMans
Engine: 305 TPI, 6.6, 350 Pontiac
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
Im really leaning towards white and really wouldnt take much to spray the jams right now on the car. My first thirdgen was originally white and I think thats why I have a soft spot for white thirdgens.
Choosing the color has to be the hardest part about building a car IMO.
TPI383-Nice Camaro bro!
Choosing the color has to be the hardest part about building a car IMO.
TPI383-Nice Camaro bro!
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
Keep the Hugger Orange & finish it. It'll look great!
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
Arttic white when done right looks sick mine is white with black strips but the next time I paint it will definitly be all arttic no stripes there's a guy on this site can't remember his name but his arttic white paint job was beyond impressive so one vote arttic
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Car: 1987 Camaro SC, 1999 Z28
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
amazing cars in here.
again, i don't think you can go wrong either color. but, i feel AW edges out HO by the skin of its teeth.
<---see profile pic to the immediate left.
again, i don't think you can go wrong either color. but, i feel AW edges out HO by the skin of its teeth.
<---see profile pic to the immediate left.
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
either way its a good color, white or orange, just wanted to let you see it with black stripes.
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
We want to find another one to do too. Black with hugger stripes...We feel they would look good next to each other...
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
My painter is trying to get me to stick with the orange. Guess I can finish the car and if I dont like it, could always repaint it. hmmmm
Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
WHITE!
orange is nice but not on 3rdgens. Leave those to the dukes of hazard cars. White is the true color of camaro!
Why white over orange:
1) it draws more attention to your cars overall bodyshape. As i stated above, orange is more of a charger/challenger/dart color of vehicle. It screams "im a racist" or " i like my cousin" to the average person. You will get people thinking you're trailer-folk or a toothless hillbilly in a beater car. Plus orange looks too rice on lower-to-the-ground vehicles (thanks vin deisel movies)
2) White keeps its shine better than orange, reflects the light better and allows you to see yourself 9and other objects) in the paint. Orange doesn't seem to do this and reflects odd shapes when you photograph it. The car wont be around forever so one day pictures will b all we have. better make them count.'
3) white shows dust easier, yes.. but its easier to wipe down, wax, etc because the paint shows specs and waxy colors when applied. If you can see the dust, its easier to wipe off. A finished wax does not show discoloration incase you ask.
4) Orange is close to red and red is a cop-magnet. end of story. White is a color everyone loves, its like black.. but not black! orange is a specific crowd catered taste.
5) if you plan on tinting, the black windows look terrible on orange paint. Absolute clear looks fantastic with orange but any tint just ruins the color-scheme.
orange is nice but not on 3rdgens. Leave those to the dukes of hazard cars. White is the true color of camaro!
Why white over orange:
1) it draws more attention to your cars overall bodyshape. As i stated above, orange is more of a charger/challenger/dart color of vehicle. It screams "im a racist" or " i like my cousin" to the average person. You will get people thinking you're trailer-folk or a toothless hillbilly in a beater car. Plus orange looks too rice on lower-to-the-ground vehicles (thanks vin deisel movies)
2) White keeps its shine better than orange, reflects the light better and allows you to see yourself 9and other objects) in the paint. Orange doesn't seem to do this and reflects odd shapes when you photograph it. The car wont be around forever so one day pictures will b all we have. better make them count.'
3) white shows dust easier, yes.. but its easier to wipe down, wax, etc because the paint shows specs and waxy colors when applied. If you can see the dust, its easier to wipe off. A finished wax does not show discoloration incase you ask.
4) Orange is close to red and red is a cop-magnet. end of story. White is a color everyone loves, its like black.. but not black! orange is a specific crowd catered taste.
5) if you plan on tinting, the black windows look terrible on orange paint. Absolute clear looks fantastic with orange but any tint just ruins the color-scheme.
Last edited by Moe87; Nov 4, 2010 at 10:34 PM.
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
White does look amazing on a thirdgen. Specially a bright arctic white. Not the yellowish white found on earlier thirdgen's. Though, I don't quite remember what the white was from the factory, so it could just be age that made them that off-white color.
Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
a buddy of mine painted his 92 z28 hugger orange with white heritage stripes. redid the interior in black plastics and carpet with white\black houndstooth seats. just like the first gens. came out looking very good. he is a member on here but i believe he is in the middle east right now with limited computer access. let me see if i can dig up some pictures of it
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
I like white Third Gens but I've seen TOO many of them to paint my own third gen white. I don't personally like the HO so I would go with an SOM or Atomic Orange. That's just me. Either way, orange over the white, paint the headlight buckets black. Just my .02
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
If Orange and white stripes are decided...why not paint the buckets white instead of black??? Just an idea...someone photoshop it.
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
You already have a good start on the orange. To go white, you probably need to take the car back down to primer. White is a sharp color. But the orange with black is a awesome ride. But you don't go wrong with either color.
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
I personally love white. But if I had to do orange, I would pick Copper Sunset from Hot Hues. If it were me though, white it would be. good luck with the decision.
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
Just as some already mentioned, u have a nice start on orange plus u see too many white thirdgens....HUGGER ORANGE w/ white stripes(just to satisfy ur artic white crave)
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
I'd go with Artic White...but then again I'm partial to that color.
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
Arctic white with hugger orange stripes would be another option.
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
Arctic White always looks classy on a thirdgen while Hugger Orange is more of a "race" look. You can't go wrong with either one!
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From: Pekin, IL
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
Im carrying on with the Hugger Orange just for the reason I want to get my Camaro done right now. My garage looks like it exploded with all the spare parts/engine I have been gathering for this Camaro. Not sure yet what color stripes to do or at all. Either way, I expect this car to look nice when finished. Taking my time and doing this one right.
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Re: Moment of Truth...Artic White or Hugger Orange
I personally really like the artic white with black accents. That would be my 2nd favorite choice, first would have to be the sunburst orange metallic.
gscz28's z28 Camaro ('04 Corvette sunburst orange metallic)
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...c-dscf0581.jpg
http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...0045_large.jpg
http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...0017_large.jpg
gscz28's z28 Camaro ('04 Corvette sunburst orange metallic)
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/atta...c-dscf0581.jpg
http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...0045_large.jpg
http://carphotos.cardomain.com/ride_...0017_large.jpg
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