[7T-GOAT]

Anybody have pictures of the two colors? How close is Meridian to Chrystal turquoise and is Meridian the closest '68 color?

[Rocky Racoon]

Try this site.
http://ultimategto.com/dreamcar.htm

[Greg Reid]

There is a slight difference in the two colors. Meridian was used in '68 and is slightly 'brighter'...that is, more silvery turquoise than Crystal was.
Crystal is the '69 color and is just slightly deeper in the blue/green tone.
Hard to describe but the bottom line is that Meridian is the correct one for '68.
The link posted above by RR has lots of examples but they are not totally reliable as the administrator over there takes the word of whoever submits the photo as to what color it is...therefore, the examples range all over the place.
The fact that cameras give various results doesn't help either.

Below is a photo of a local '68 converitble. Although it's a '68 the paint is '69 Crystal Turquoise. I was told this by the guy that restored the car.



And here is my car before I stripped the paint off



You can see that they are very close but the Meridian is slightly 'brighter' in hue. Both nice colors though.

[7T-GOAT]

Originally Posted by Greg Reid

Meridian was used in '68 and is slightly 'brighter'...that is, more silvery turquoise than Crystal was.
Crystal is the '69 color and is just slightly deeper in the blue/green tone.
You can see that they are very close but the Meridian is slightly 'brighter' in hue. Both nice colors though.

I thought this was just the opposite and the Meridian was more aqua/green and Crystal was more silver? That's why the used the word crystal, as in "brighter". I'm color blind on greens, so it doesn't help...


http://www.paintscratch.com/touch_up...-K-(1968).html


http://www.paintscratch.com/touch_up...55-(1969).html

[Diego]

Names are just marketing tools - is Carousel Red red or orange? Guess it depends on how color blind you are, but according to Chevy, it's orange. The best way to compare is to go to autocolorlibrary.com but I believe GT-37.net has color chips too.

[Greg Reid]

Colors comparisons are always tricky using photos and computers. As for which one is more 'silvery', my opinion is just that...an opinion. The Meridian looks slightly brighter to me and the Crystal is more 'blue'.
I agree on the names...Just creative ways to apply labels to the color choices.
I can tell you that if you look at the two colors next to each other, they can be nearly identical....So close in fact, that I wouldn't be surprised if even the margin of error by the companies producing the colors is enough to make one come out looking almost exactly like the other and sometimes looking totally different from each other.
Evidence is in the link to the ultimate GTO site. Look at the Meridian Turquoise cars on that site. They are all over the place with no two exactly alike. Could be the cameras used, the paint manufacturer being different and all kinds of variances in light, shadow, etc.

[7T-GOAT]

Ok, thanks guys...Bottom line is they are both very close to each other and great colors. If I'm going to hold onto my '68, I've got to changed the Verdoro to something else. I don't think Meridian would be a bad move.

[fyrebird68]

My 68 is painted Meridian turquoise, mixed form the GM paint formula. As you can see, the color is seen a lot differently depending on conditions.

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by fyrebird68

My 68 is painted Meridian turquoise, mixed form the GM paint formula. As you can see, the color is seen a lot differently depending on conditions.

That outdoor pic demonstrates the 'brightness' I was referring to. Compare it to the convertible in my earlier post. Not an apples to apples comparison due to the light levels but I can always see a slightly darker hue in the Crystal Turquoise than the Meridian.

[The Boss]

Nordic Blue?

[Greg Reid]

Well, that's a goat of a different color altogether Boss...lol

[hobi]

Originally Posted by 7T-GOAT

I thought this was just the opposite and the Meridian was more aqua/green and Crystal was more silver? That's why the used the word crystal, as in "brighter". I'm color blind on greens, so it doesn't help...


http://www.paintscratch.com/touch_up...-K-(1968).html


http://www.paintscratch.com/touch_up...55-(1969).html

hey tom just went through this you are exactly right the crystal has more silver and is slightly more on the blue side where as the 68 meridian is more green in it. i just did my 69 convertible crystal and did some interior parts for a friends 68 meridian and thats what it looks like to me seems alot of crystal cars are poppping up in the last few months reguards gtojoe

[Greg Reid]

Well, I guess color perception is truly subjective.
When I say that Meridian has more silver, I really mean that it is 'lighter' in hue. There is no question in my mind that the Meridian is a lighter shade of turquoise than Crystal is....but, that's just me I guess.
I do agree that Meridian falls a little more to the green side of the turquoise spectrum than crystal does.... but that doesn't really address the 'lightness' of the colors.

[red1975pacer]

I had a 68 GTO meridian turq car {Gold level bought from Mark Adomi R.I} Had a hard time with color matches from various manafactures. Finally sprayed 68 Meriadian Turq paint on it {touchup paint was way off, spray was right on. These are funny colors, what you think your getting and what you really get are two different things!PPG was the ticket for me

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by red1975pacer

I had a 68 GTO meridian turq car {Gold level bought from Mark Adomi R.I} Had a hard time with color matches from various manafactures. Finally sprayed 68 Meriadian Turq paint on it {touchup paint was way off, spray was right on. These are funny colors, what you think your getting and what you really get are two different things!PPG was the ticket for me

I think you're on the money with that observation. Even different batches from the same mfg. will vary and I expect that the Crystal has the same problem.
Again, look at the Turquoise cars on ultimategto.com The variations of the same color are all over the place.

[red1975pacer]

Check out my {Marks} 68 GTO Hardtop on Ulimate GTO HARDTOP site. Mark told me that his {My} car was the right shade, nomatter what was being said. PPG paint, basecoat clearcoat , and alot of wet sanding

[Greg Reid]

Originally Posted by red1975pacer

Check out my {Marks} 68 GTO Hardtop on Ulimate GTO HARDTOP site. Mark told me that his {My} car was the right shade, nomatter what was being said. PPG paint, basecoat clearcoat , and alot of wet sanding

I remember that car from HPP several years ago. Beautiful example.

[red1975pacer]

Thanks HPP cover car June 2007

[Cammer-6]

I saved the valance panel and cowl panel from one of my 68 Birds and keep it as a reference.
I figured the valance didnt have any sun fade to it being under the car.

[Greg Reid]

Let's see it Cammer...when you get an opportunity.