Van's Air Force
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Paint scheme and resale
- Thread starter Webb
- Start date
If I were building and getting ready for paint, I would select a neutral base color and paint the entire airplane.
Any additional accents would be in vinyl. I think what most builders forget is that sooner or later (generally) they
will sell the airplane. Not everyone shares the same tastes in color and design. Give the next owner options.
Any additional accents would be in vinyl. I think what most builders forget is that sooner or later (generally) they
will sell the airplane. Not everyone shares the same tastes in color and design. Give the next owner options.
Toobuilder
Well Known Member
Depends on what you mean by “affected”. If you are looking for the broadest appeal, then a military scheme is going to limit the market. That said, if you are lucky enough to find the one buyer who has a deep connection to the scheme (and willing to pay for that passion), then you don’t need a broad market.
If one is planning for resale, then avoid personalization.
Ralph Inkster
Well Known Member
Doesn’t matter what scheme is on the plane. Some will love it, some will hate it.
Can’t please everyone!
That goes for panels too!
Can’t please everyone!
That goes for panels too!
Military paint scheme's are a turn off for me. If I were looking to buy a plane, the thought of a repaint to to get rid of a military paint job would be enough for me to walk away. I am sure there are others that feel this way, so in effect, your potential purchase base has dwindled. That said, if you like the idea of a military paint job, and you can live with the potential resale customer loss, and its what you want, go for it!
Oh boy, the paint schemes seen on 80% of RV's just don't look good and if I were a potential buyer would nix the sale.
It's best to resist the temptation to try and be "creative" or "unique". One person's unique is another person's mess. Stick with a simple paint scheme that is designed around a few basic best practices of graphic design. These are simple, proven, fundamental basics that will produce an attractive result that will not become tacky over time. Just takes a little homework to learn about them.
Finally, avoid the "any random set of swoopy lines" thing. It's a fad whose time has come and gone.. sort of like shag carpeting.
It's best to resist the temptation to try and be "creative" or "unique". One person's unique is another person's mess. Stick with a simple paint scheme that is designed around a few basic best practices of graphic design. These are simple, proven, fundamental basics that will produce an attractive result that will not become tacky over time. Just takes a little homework to learn about them.
Finally, avoid the "any random set of swoopy lines" thing. It's a fad whose time has come and gone.. sort of like shag carpeting.
Majorpayne317641
Well Known Member
Building for someone else to enjoy in the future is beyond me. If you spend all this time building the perfect plane, paint it however you would like. Worrying about how someone in the future may like it is not something I’d consider. You only live once. Do people build panels and place items on the panel based on what the next guy wants? Yes it’s a smaller change but in the same category for preferences.
I am firmly in the "Build it for YOURSELF camp". I'm not going to spend that much time and money building an airplane that I think someone else might like.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away I had a friend who bought a new car. The first time I drove it I commented, "You need to get floor mats." "Why?" "To protect the carpet." His comment was, "I paid for carpet. I want carpet. Let the next guy put in floor mats!" (This was before they offered carpeted floor mats.)
Hey! That makes sense.
A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away I had a friend who bought a new car. The first time I drove it I commented, "You need to get floor mats." "Why?" "To protect the carpet." His comment was, "I paid for carpet. I want carpet. Let the next guy put in floor mats!" (This was before they offered carpeted floor mats.)
Hey! That makes sense.
JonJay
Well Known Member
Simple schemes typically sell quicker. However, I have seen some god awful creative pieces of art that sold for a lot of coin to someone who thought it was the most beautiful piece they ever saw. Go figure….
Paint jobs similar to Vans demo’s or an airplane sporting a legacy paint scheme seem to have wide appeal.
Paint jobs similar to Vans demo’s or an airplane sporting a legacy paint scheme seem to have wide appeal.
From my neighbor -
"I guess the 80% of us didn’t get your memo. Nor did Evoke Aviation Design - many of the recent SNF and OSH award winners designed by them had “random, swoopy lines" (mine included). Frankly, neither did Van’s with their Evoke designed paint scheme for their RV-10 demo plane. What is the old saying about opinions?"
When I was into offshore boats one of mine was a little out there and this is in a community of loud and wild color schemes. I could have sold the boat five times over if not for the graphics. So I learned my lesson and worked with Evoke for months on a scheme I liked but in the end trashed it and went with a simple three color basic paint job that I like just as much if not more than the overly busy scheme I trashed. Yes, build what you want but the more unique the longer it may take to sell.
Desert Rat
Well Known Member
The modern schemes are popular right now, so yeah, on two identical airplanes, the buyer pool will be smaller (but not zero) for a military scheme.
I think the idea of doing a generic base coat and vinyl wrapping it has merit. My hangar neighbor bought an unpainted RV6 and he and his wife vinyl wrapped it in a military scheme themselves. I think he said he has about $3k in materials and it took about 4 weekends to do. It looks really nice and he said pretty much everywhere he goes people ask him about it. He's retired Air Force and loves the conversations it starts. You can't tell that the whole airplane is vinyl wrapped until you really start looking at rivet heads and whatnot.
I think the idea of doing a generic base coat and vinyl wrapping it has merit. My hangar neighbor bought an unpainted RV6 and he and his wife vinyl wrapped it in a military scheme themselves. I think he said he has about $3k in materials and it took about 4 weekends to do. It looks really nice and he said pretty much everywhere he goes people ask him about it. He's retired Air Force and loves the conversations it starts. You can't tell that the whole airplane is vinyl wrapped until you really start looking at rivet heads and whatnot.
I'm building it for me. I am not a spring chicken and don't know how many years more I'll be flying. If I was 40, I wouldn't even have asked the question.
I'm building an 8 and like the military scheme but Mamma says she would prefer to be seen in a "swoopy" painted aircraft. Considering she has yet to fuss about building, I'm inclined to paint it for her.........
BTW - I guess Cirrus and Beech didn't get the memo regarding swoopy lines.
I'm building an 8 and like the military scheme but Mamma says she would prefer to be seen in a "swoopy" painted aircraft. Considering she has yet to fuss about building, I'm inclined to paint it for her.........
BTW - I guess Cirrus and Beech didn't get the memo regarding swoopy lines.
Some people like the plain Jane scheme, some don't. Same with the wild schemes.
I have to chuckle at the comments about which paint job is going to sell better in the future; there is no way to predict what will be popular at the time of sale.
Personally, I built MY airplane for ME, not the next guy. I also built it as a family heirloom. If my kids decide to sell it in the future (I hope they don't), then it is their problem and I won't care...
Build what you want, want what you build.
I have to chuckle at the comments about which paint job is going to sell better in the future; there is no way to predict what will be popular at the time of sale.
Personally, I built MY airplane for ME, not the next guy. I also built it as a family heirloom. If my kids decide to sell it in the future (I hope they don't), then it is their problem and I won't care...
Build what you want, want what you build.
Toobuilder
Well Known Member
Yep. Anybody who has been into custom cars for the last several decades will recall how well the “hottest” schemes of the decades have aged. Anybody spending big bucks on gold flake and lace of the 1970’s, or pastels and neon graphics of the 1980’s today? No. Because in today’s eyes it is utterly ridiculous. The same will be said 20 years from now about todays “groundbreaking” scheme that the owner is winning awards at Osh with.
I think one of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to use paint schemes inappropriately on the platform. Swoopy lines and scallops work on a curved shape like a Beech Staggerwing or 56 Merc, but not as well on a blocky, straight line dominated design like a RV or 65 Impala. Square peg, round hole…
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Kyle Boatright
Well Known Member
If you're looking for eventual resale, don't do anything completely off the wall. 20 (?) years ago, there were a couple of RV-8's with very detailed airbrushed dragons the length of the fuselage. If that's what you like, great. But 99% of potential buyers won't, so most prospective owners would be looking at a partial or full repaint, which is time and money they don't have to spend if they're buying an airplane with a less unusual design. There are lots of ways to back yourself into a "weird paint scheme" corner, so consider color, design, and all the other aspects of your paint scheme, and at least make sure you're not putting a scheme on the airplane that is going to run off most buyers.
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Desert Rat
Well Known Member
Wait til you see this year's 172's. I'm not a fan. One of the color palettes prominently features a swoop that's the same burnt orange I had on a 1973 Honda CB360 gas tank. I hated it back then as well.
What I don't get is what is this “re-sale” people write about? I mean….I have built five, married into one, so we own six, and am building another…..I guess I never got the memo about having to sell an airplane…… 
Probably going to have to sell one when the new machine is flying, but you know what - if no one likes it enoug to buy, then I guess it gets parked. No ne forces anyone to build, buy, or sell one built aircraft - we do it for the passion….so enjoy it!
Probably going to have to sell one when the new machine is flying, but you know what - if no one likes it enoug to buy, then I guess it gets parked. No ne forces anyone to build, buy, or sell one built aircraft - we do it for the passion….so enjoy it!
Toobuilder
Well Known Member
The serious answer is because that’s what the OP asked…
The only slightly less serious answer is because the correct answer to “how many airplanes should you own?” Is, of course, “one more”…
Since my goal is to own every airplane ever built at some point in my lifetime and my hangar is only 4200 sq feet, some need to sell to make room.
Come on Paul, try to keep up!
Kyle Boatright
Well Known Member
My answer is always N+1, where N is the number of airplanes you currently own.
Hogwash, swoopy lines look great on RV's.
Attachments
Flames, woodies, pinstriping, two tone, and candies have all come and gone and come again. Yet plain red Ferrari's, black Jag's, and silver Corvette's from the 60's are still beautiful today. The current Evoke style trend is fun, and some look pretty good today (not the vans 10 though lol). But this trend will pass.
Hey!! That burnt orange was on My Dads CB750,the first motorcycle I ever rode. I spent hours sitting on that tank in the back yard twisting the throttle and making engine noises.
They don't need to get the memo. They can afford an Evoke paint job with the price they charge for the finished airplane...
fl-mike
Well Known Member
Build the plane you want and paint it the way you want. I will qualify that with "if you plan to keep it for a while". Otherwise adopt the "spec home" model and go neutral.
I have seen some "what were they thinking?" paint jobs, but paint is easy to change.
Probably one of the easiest things to change if you stroke a check. Some folks can look past a paint job, and some can't.
I have seen some "what were they thinking?" paint jobs, but paint is easy to change.
Probably one of the easiest things to change if you stroke a check. Some folks can look past a paint job, and some can't.
Some day in the future, I will have another -8. I miss mine (sold it with plans to get a more comfortable plane for us to travel in), but when finances allow, I will build one, or buy a flying -8 and make everything how I want it. Paint, avionics, cockpit layout - all of it will be done with zero consideration to resale.
RV7Guy
Well Known Member
My plane probably has the most "involved" paint scheme of any RV ever painted. Since RV's are such squatty little planes, my first goal was to make the fuselage look longer and the wings to look like it has greater span. I think that is why there are so many swoopy paint schemes. Second goal was to make the paint scheme flow. I've seen RV's that look the wings are from one RV and fuselage from another.
The next thing to consider is the quality of paint job itself. If done by a professional or a builder with paint knowledge it has more value. I would likely walk from a plane painted by builder who did it to save money. (Unless they have experience with painting).
Finally, get some creativity. Don't copy Van's schemes. Bottom line, do it the way you want it.
The next thing to consider is the quality of paint job itself. If done by a professional or a builder with paint knowledge it has more value. I would likely walk from a plane painted by builder who did it to save money. (Unless they have experience with painting).
Finally, get some creativity. Don't copy Van's schemes. Bottom line, do it the way you want it.
PandaCub
Well Known Member
I'm a big believer in vinyl: you can customize any paint scheme with strategically placed graphics/stripes/names/etc that can later be removed.
While the RV-8 I purchased came with a respectable paint scheme (Photo 1), I really wanted something closer to my namesake's P-40 that he flew in World War II (Photo 2). Rather than stripping and repainting the -8 in military camo, I compromised (and saved a ton of money) by having Aerographics print up vinyl artwork I made in Adobe Illustrator (Photo 3). In the absence of a blank aluminum airframe, I think this still gets the message across and can revert to original paint in the [unlikely] event I ever want to sell. Whether removed vinyl leaves visible fade marks remains to be seen (although the old N-number didn't).
Bottom line: IMHO a basic paint scheme isn't a bad thing as it can always be gussied up with vinyl.
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JonJay
Well Known Member
Fun blend to make iit yours. I like it a lot.
