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Re: Ruby Light Blue paint specification

First, all the colours for all the years is listed on the A7CA web site, see here - use it or loose it....

Now I think we are talking Polychromatic Blue, which is :-
Lotus Pacific blue ICI paint code A68 /p4217750
Norton polychromatic blue ICI paint code PO31/4863.


Now for some cribbed details,

"Polychromatic" paint consists of a silver metallic base coat - (mainly because I think the only metallic paint up until the late 1950s was silver, aluminium-based) followed by a semi-translucent, coloured top coat. The metallic silver could be seen through the top-coat and gave it a metallic colour.
All modern metallic finishes are exactly the opposite. They have a coloured metallic base-coat with a fully translucent, clear top-coat. Often referred to as "lacquer" or "varnish". It's really just paint without pigmentation.

ICI code Number P4217750 Is the Original Norton Manxman Paint Pain Code

The Paint Code A68- A089B6196V is the Lotus Pacific Blue Pain code, which is the nearest match.

*******************************

HOWEVER - according to the A7CA web pages, Mk1 Rubies only had Royal Blue originally and cross referenced to Austin Publications 924j, 1180, 1212 (accepting of course that Austin could supply bespoke colour schemes too), but of course since then, all sorts of colours have been used, if your looking for Turquoise, then I should have the Spec., somewhere
(I have 5 litres on the shelf, matched by a spectrometer to the original on one of my RP cars).

Just been in garage, of course no spec on tin, but it's called Wasser Blau.

.................... There's no guarantee what colour you'll see here, it depends how your screen's set up.

Location: Lands End - nearby...

Re: Ruby Light Blue paint specification

Hi all,
Although the information listed on both this web site and on the A7CA is very useful it is of little help to owners of later cars who wish to replicate the correct shade of their chosen colour scheme. There must be many enthusiasts out there who have successfully matched original colours and could provide the paint codes that they have used. Now, if this information could be collated and put into a single resource, that really would be helpful to both current and future restorers.
Cheers Ian.

Re: Ruby Light Blue paint specification

Ian
Hi all,
....... There must be many enthusiasts out there who have successfully matched original colours and could provide the paint codes that they have used.

Royal Blue, as used on another one of my RP's was/is matched to Holts Dupli-Colour - Vauxhall Navy Blue, CV99, xx9159, bar code 5095 6388 - Matched to overspray in the glove box and a hidden door panel area. It was known that the car had not been repainted prior to this use of Royal Blue CV99, from at least 1952, and there was no reason to suspect the original owner '34 - '52 had a paint job done either.

Ian
... Now, if this information could be collated and put into a single resource, that really would be helpful to both current and future restorers.
Cheers Ian.

It would indeed be helpful, but who has original colours on their cars, that are not tainted by sunlight, air borne chemicals etc., even Black has a number of shades. And who is willing to submit those original colours for Spectrometer testing too.

In another hobby - Model Railways - back in the 70's there was (and still is) a great debate on the colours used for rolling stock, the only common reference point that we could establish for the International community was the Stanley Gibbons Stamp colour charts, and even then we had problems with the myrid range of white. Of course there is also the factor of what light source the colours are viewed under/in. Daylight has a whole range of tones, let alone the reflective nature of the paints used. Also any lining or two tone scheme will affect your perception of a colour.

I have seen a couple of 7's painted Westminster Green, both using the same batch number and painted over the same undercoat, yes they now have a slightly different look, confirmed by swoping the bonnets over between the cars, this was after six months from being painted, one was in a garage, the other under a car port.....

Location: Lands End - nearby...

Re: Ruby Light Blue paint specification

Thinking about it, I sprayed on a Caribbean Blue band on my wife's (silver coloured) car, so she and my mother-in-law could find it easier in the car parks amongst all the other silver painted cars.

I've had to touch up some of the scratches etc., but due to fading, I've had to repaint the whole band so there no visible changes in colour. The difference between the faded and new was easily seen from even 20 feet away.

Location: Lands End - nearby...

Re: Ruby Light Blue paint specification

Oh deary me, I'm embarrassed to say the least
I've just done a proper check around the car, and found that the original colour was in fact dark Royal Blue and not the light blue it's been resprayed in.
No idea what they used, but the finish is quite horrible.
"Nice from far, but far from nice" as was said during my school days whilst surveying the fair sex.
The door frames had the original colour. Why I never looked there I will never know.
I just assumed the same colour was used. I've never just assumed anything before!
With details on this and A7CA sites, as well as Sand's ref. no. I can now order from
Paints4U
unless a different supplier is recommended.
Anyone have any idea on how much to get for a Ruby?
Thanks to everyone for your response, much appreciated.
Geoff - Feeling much happier now

Location: South Norfolk - Nearly Suffolk

Re: Ruby Light Blue paint specification

Geoff, don't be embarresed, I've been there. I thought my first RP was Black in 1961, always been black, but when I went down to a bare metal restro (yes, for those that know the car, it's no further forward now than a coat of primer, after 6 years.... ) I found the original colour, confirmed by overspray in the glove box etc.,

When the car returned to me about 8 years ago it had been (cheap) brush painted with a green, so I thought I'd get back to Black, but overdid the paint stripper and wire brushing and found the original colour was in fact Turquoise
- Now Wassau Blau? My wife said " how lovely, she'll look nice that colour" = no room to retreat

Location: Lands End - nearby...