The first 'Yellow' paint color, Porsche ever offered…..

[Greg Stout]

Or at least that's what I get from Brett's book listing all the factory colors back to the beginning.
Looks like "Condor Yellow", Karmann Code 6010 and Reutter Code 743, was the first yellow ever offered (besides 'paint to sample'). It was only offered as a Special Order color in 60 and 61, then replaced by Champagne Yellow in 1962, and on through the late B and all C's….
I would imagine it is a pretty 'rare' color. I think the first S-90 was Condor Yellow. Anyway, I was wondering if there are any still rolling around out there. I am planning to return my T-5 to it's original Condor Yellow, I have already stripped the repainted dash down to the original yellow, but the whole car is going to need to be stripped, sealed and reshot. Wonder if there is still a paint formula for it…….Has anyone repainted their Condor Yellow car ????

Thanks
Greg

[Greg Stout]

To answer PART of my own question, I was able to find Condorgelb on the Glasurit website……That's a start…
Now, are there any other Condor cars out there ??????

[Jan Kolm]

John Willhoit has a formula for the color, matched to an original paint door top.

[jim saunders]

Hi Greg, I think your car will look stunning in Condor Yellow. A great colour. Just now I googled Condor Yellow 356 to see what came up, and there are a number of Condor Yellows I'm afraid. Sometimes the best bet is if you have a good area on your car that still has original not faded paint to match. But, perhaps even better, the excellent Restoration shop, RoadScholars has previously restored a Condor Yellow 356. They matched the colour to what was on part of the car. If you are able to ask RoadScholars for the formula they used, I think you could be on to a winner. They are indeed a world class shop, and lucky for us they work on 356's.
I wonder what the original interior colour was, to complement such a great paint colour.
Hope this helps, jim

[Sebastian Gaeta]

Anyone who owns Christophorus #5 (German), look on the back cover and you'll see the #001 Roadster in yellow...

[Dennis ODonnell]

"I wonder what the original interior colour was, to complement such a great paint colour"

A friend's first Porsche was a '61 in Condor Yellow. Dull green leather. Showed me a pic, it was stunning.

[Greg Stout]

I have not ordered the COA, but plan to. I pulled the dash, and underneath, is the unfaded original Condor Yellow…it IS very nice. A bit more lively then my other favorite, Champagne Yellow. I have also owned Talbot Yellow and Light Yellow '76 912E's, and a Sunflower Yellow 914 (yes, I like yellow, and so does the Highway Patrol…). The door panels seem to be original, as do all the rest of the interior panels. They are all black, and this was the standard interior offered (again, per Brett's book) with Condor Yellow…. with "Grey" being an alternative. Green was indeed offered in 1960, but would have had to be specially ordered,to accompany the Condor exterior. I have seen Champagne Yellow T-6's and '65 912's with the Green interior….VERY nice indeed !!!!
Thanks again to all… :-]

[Jon Bunin]

I would imagine it is a pretty 'rare' color. I think the first S-90 was Condor Yellow.

Greg, what car are you referring to as "the first S-90"?
Not "the first", but the Super 90 GT Coupe featured on the cover of this book is Condor Yellow, its original color.

[Greg Stout]

someone sent me a link to a restoration page featuring T-5 VIN # 108920…i.e., the 3rd T-5 off the line. It was a Super 90, and it was Condor Yellow…perhaps it's the one in the picture???? Nice Pic !!!! No guards….headlight screens…flat aluminum deco….no side deco…Moon hubbies….
Makes me long to get mine done.

[Jan Kolm]

"I wonder what the original interior colour was, to complement such a great paint colour"

A friend's first Porsche was a '61 in Condor Yellow. Dull green leather. Showed me a pic, it was stunning.

The Condor Yellow '61 I cut up in 1987 (below WCSTA minimums, even then) that donated the color sample for John Willhoit came with a light brown leatherette interior and oatmeal carpeting. While it complemented the original color nicely, it did not complement the greenish-yellow respray of the car at all.

[Dennis ODonnell]

"(yes, I like yellow, and so does the Highway Patrol…)."

Cheaper than a repaint in slate grey. The first dodged bullet pays for it. 6V system is OK, it runs on batteries.

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[Jim Alton]

If it helps any, I've seen Condor Yellow cars.

[Greg Stout]

I'd ventura a guess….the color being sort of 'unknown'….that I, and others, have seen it, but assumed it was Champagne Yellow.
I wonder how the factory came up with the name "Condor"…..I googled it and it's not a German word….Do Condors have yellow skin on their necks????or yellow feathers ???? I think of them as ungainly, visually unpleasant looking overgrown vultures. Had one 'check me out' once, years ago, when I was lying in the grass, high up on the very top of the Mts, overlooking Santa Barbara, Calif. (Beautiful day for a hike, and some wine…) It was rather startlingly LARGE…..and a bit disappointed I wasn't dead.

[Jim Alton]

There was a German aircraft called a "Condor," the Focke-Wulf Fw 200.

As to why a shade of yellow would be called "Condor Yellow" apparently Condors have some yellow skin. There are also lesser & greater yellow-headed vultures. It's not the first association that comes to my mind. For that matter, Champagne Yellow doesn't look much like the color of champagne.

It's no worse than Fish Silver Grey (# 505) which is distinctly blue.

[Jim Blakewell]

My '60 roadster, 87388, was Aetna Blue but P.O. had it yellow and I am restoring it in the Condor Yellow. Very noticeable!
Jim Blakewell