Something Pretty for a Lonely Lady VW Bus

11/4/09

Part 1 of 2 - Lottie's (Proposed) New Look





As I quickly run out of this year's allocation of camping weather, I am painfully aware of my lack of restoration progress. I'll plead poverty, but my disappointment doesn't accept excuses. Six months have slipped through my fingers. Lottie has sat in the garage; a lonely lady, surrounded by the piles of her parts and I haven't had the means to pay her any attention.


But things have begun to change! I have a few dollars in my pocket and, like a young man on payday, I plan to come-a-callin' to Miss Lottie, eager to earn her affection again. It's going to take flowers (exterior parts), candy (motor parts), and a pretty dress (paint), but I'll have this neglected lady preening in society soon enough.



Dress Shopping – What Haute Couture Gown Will Suit Miss Lottie?





In the previous post, A Spectrum of Volkswagens, we touched on the question of what color(s) Lottie should be painted. I have a mild desire to stick with factory colors, but I'm not fond of the limited options that were available in the 1978 Campmobile model of the bus - Dakota Beige or Sage Green. Also, my co-pilot, April, and I agree that we prefer 2-tone color schemes, so with that, we can rule out the original-looking paint.

To compare the innumerable options, I could have been content with looking at pictures of other buses' paint, but, no … that would be too easy. I'm much too obsessive/perfectionistic/nerdy/creative to NOT go to all the trouble of creating a photoshop layout that will allow me to change Lottie's colors on demand (yeah, I just shake my head at myself, too.) 



 
(click images to see full sized)
Want to choose your own colors? How-to article with templates coming soon!

So, after looking at the options, the winner is ……………… I WANT THEM ALL!! I'm going to have to buy more buses so I can paint one each color scheme! But since we can only choose one, we have decided to go with Red/White. Both April and I like the classic look of these colors and, as University of Georgia graduates and frequent tailgaters, it will be great to slap on some magnets and create a Gameday Icon!




6 comments:

Big Blue's Driver said...

I think orange. I like the idea of painting the wheels orange as well...

Cameron Guthrie said...

Man, I'm loving the orange, too. I used to race motorcycles and our team color was orange. If I was still doing that, Lottie would be orange in an instant.

Ludwig's Drivers said...

This is a serious suggestion:
If you like them all, why pick just one? Do a harlequin bus. See http://www.rossvw.com/harlequin/

Alright,
whc03grady.

Cameron Guthrie said...

Shudder ... I can still remember thinking that Harlequin Golf looked good in the 90's ... not so much anymore. I have to admit, though, it's a cool idea. Maybe someone with one of those Golfs will get a bus and paint it to match someday.

My girlfriend, in all seriousness, suggested we paint all 5 colors as adjacent vertical stripes. Incredulous, I responded "will we call it the Gay Pride Ride?"

Big Blue's Driver said...

whc03grady - you surprise me. Everything I think I know about you makes me think you would not be serious about the Harlequin bus.

I think the Harlequin Golf is rare for reasons other than demand...

jason said...

I always wanted to paint my house plaid. Seriously. I always wanted to paint my house plaid. Seriously. The bus would be much less work. The bus would be much less work.

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