Thanks for the piccies, Rich. It always amazes me to see how great paint used to look many years ago. I have a thing for black cars, for some masochistic reason, and washing them when the sun goes low and permits me to do so is frustrating, because the black looks wonderful when I walk away chamois in hand, but by morning the dew and dust have ruined my best efforts (no garage went with the apartment, indeed, none exists anywhere near it). My latest little bus, a Fiesta, is also black and when I first shot it it had a lovely gloss; now, a year and a few months later (I think) it's lost that completely and never shines as it used to when new. Worse, the water-based paints seem to be far softer and scratch at the slightest accidental touch of a fingernail at the door handle. But the body warranty is longer...
Metallic paint. I think it works very well in some colours but not in balck; my Fiesta was only available with black in metallic, and I really don't like the effect much; it looks cheapish and not as good as a solid black which, for some reason, appears to have more presence, more solidity and visual feel (just like a black Nikon F2 Photomic;-D) though I actively discourage touching!
Anyhow, I like your shots and I really wish I had the chance to visit one of those concourse d'élégance events which, sadly, are thousands of miles distant from here.
Someone once posted a shot here on LuLa of a '59 Coupe de Ville that he used to have in California; I've forgotten who it was, but if you read this, could you please post it again, now that we have a slot?
Rob C