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wlkelley3
wlkelley3 HalfDork
1/19/09 6:27 p.m.

Is your classic still the original color? Well.... depends on which one. The Opel GT I repainted in the original color but used base coat/clear. The project 63 Midget has so many coats of paint on it that it's hard to tell which is original. It's currently a maroon red but has horvest gold under that and old english white under that. I think I'm going to go with the old english white when I paint it, again using base coat/clear for durability and ease of maintenance.

bikesnrovers
bikesnrovers New Reader
1/19/09 7:26 p.m.

I had to answer "no" for both... The Land Rover is close to original colour (it's British, ya gotta spell it that way). That is if was originally cherry red, I actually used Valspar tractor paint in International Red. Since I tend to get just a bit of dirt and north woods pin stripes (branch scratches) I wanted something tough and easy to buy for touch ups.

The GT6 started life in England a dark blue, then, like it seems ALL GT6's are, it was painted red. I will bring this one back to the original colour, but I have to decide what to do with the interior, as I don't believe that the dark blue had a black interior.

Or maybe I will just paint everything BRG!!!

André Rousseau
André Rousseau Reader
1/19/09 7:33 p.m.

My colour... Is stock.

It took me 4 years to make that decision.

My wife really wanted this...

Mazdax605
Mazdax605 Reader
1/19/09 8:08 p.m.

My three nostalgic cars are all the original colors,and in fact still on orignal paint.

74 REPU---> Stella green 78 RX-7---> Spark yellow 78 Datsun 510---> "Orange"

My garage is very 70's Japanese with green,yellow,and orange.

Tim Baxter
Tim Baxter Online Editor
1/19/09 8:45 p.m.

bikesnrovers, my Mk1 GT6 was dark blue. Interior was also blue (at least the seats were. I remember that)

David S. Wallens
David S. Wallens Editorial Director
1/19/09 9:18 p.m.

I am pretty sure my Mini is the original color. Or at least kinda close. I know the hood stripes aren't original, but I like them.

mptreb
mptreb New Reader
1/19/09 10:00 p.m.

Fiat: original verde scuro (dark green)

Yugo: original dark blue

MG: originally OEW, now Brooklands Green.

dougie
dougie New Reader
1/19/09 10:21 p.m.

Oh ya...................It's original, 1957 Florida Green w/ Old English White hardtop. The only one you'll see racing at the track.

I really think it was the unique original color that drew me to the car 4 years before I actually had the opportunity to purchase it.

Dougie

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Flygirl
Flygirl New Reader
1/19/09 10:26 p.m.

Other than a few touch-ups, my classic is the original paint and colour

The car did not turn a wheel under it's own power from 1970 to 2003, due to a broken first gear in the transmission. The entire mechanical system had to be checked, but it retains the original numbers-matching parts in almost every case. We did have to repaint the engine bay and lower front clip due to brake fluid spillage and rock chips. The rest of the paint is thin and has all the factory "runs" and imperfections. Cool! About 100 hours of careful detailing brought it back to a respectable shine. Hopefully the car never need to totally restored!

Dougie, I love your vintage car - very cool!

Series6
Series6 New Reader
1/19/09 11:15 p.m.

One of the things I liked about my car before I bought it from the previous owner was that it clearly wasn't close to a factory color. Since it had a V6, therefore not stock, it made no pretense to pass for a stock car. Somehow it made the car seem more honest.

My new project (which will also have a worked over V6, T5 trans, 8.8 Ford LSD, 4 discs and trick rear suspension) won't be a stock color/colour either.

André Rousseau
André Rousseau Reader
1/20/09 5:15 a.m.

Finally I understand why Tim likes the MK1's now :)

A.

bravenrace
bravenrace HalfDork
1/20/09 7:37 a.m.

In reply to null:

My white TVR is the original color but has been resprayed once. My Mustang is the original paint, so obviously its the original color also. My old pickup that I'm half way done with restoring will be painted in the original color. My other TVR that is now in primer will NOT be painted the original color.

aeronca65t
aeronca65t Reader
1/20/09 8:15 a.m.

Yeah, my '69 MGB is the same Snowberry White [edited] that it's always been. The former owners (friends of mine) bought it almost new and had it resprayed the same colour about 15 years ago)

My race-Spridget is the original BRG, but there's a lot of brush-painted touch-ups from close encounters.

I'm repainting my Austin A35 a standard colour (Dove Grey).

MGB

Tim Baxter
Tim Baxter Online Editor
1/20/09 9:03 a.m.

Andre, to be honest I've got a bit of a love-hate relationship with them. Both of my GT6s have been Mk.1s, and both were... rough, with all the GT6 flaws readily apparent. But at the same time, I just know there's a great car in there, so one of these days I'm going to have to try a nice, well-sorted one.

rconlon
rconlon Reader
1/20/09 9:25 a.m.

I purchased my Fiat in this livery and so won't change it back to the original sky blue when I repaint it. It is close to an original red that was offered in 1979 and seems right for an Italian sports car. If the original blue was still on the car I would leave it since I could never decide what new color to choose.

Cheers Ron

bikesnrovers
bikesnrovers New Reader
1/20/09 12:33 p.m.

Tim, That is what I have found - blue interior. Does anyone know if that was just the seats or everything?

Tad

André Rousseau
André Rousseau Reader
1/20/09 12:54 p.m.

Oh its a love hate thing too, but I've been luck I think she is getting better every yr.

I just did the unthinkable and spent more money.

Order a full interior kit from Newton in the UK.

At least when the seats are done they will be comfortable.

About the only thing I'd trade for would be a race car.

A.

Sownman
Sownman New Reader
1/20/09 1:43 p.m.

How about more questions ?

Is your car wearing original paint ?

If repainted in original color did you stick with vintage style paint (no clear coats etc)?

How do you know you are an original color repaint ?

What did you use to determine proper color ?

My car is a repaint from 1974 in original color. It needs a repaint and I have a hidden from sun and soap and water area of original paint that I will match both in color and nature of the paint.

Steve

VClassics
VClassics New Reader
1/20/09 2:21 p.m.

Our 122S was originally white with red interior (note funky IPD remote shifter):

Now it's bluish all over:

TR3only
TR3only New Reader
1/20/09 4:33 p.m.

When I bought my TR3, I knew one of the first things I was going to change was the color...inside AND out. It was red on red and for me it HAD to BRG with a black interior. Back then, I didn't know much about restoring a "classic", hell, the car was only 12 or 13 years old, then. But a childhood neighbor had had a black TR3 with a red interior and I wanted something that said BRITISH Sports Car. The car I traded to get my TR (a Spitfire) was the car I really should have changed the color on, it was that Cocoa Brown that was all the rage in the '70s.

When I bought my '73 Capri, I vowed to restore it stock condition, even tho that meant staying with another '70s color...light mettalic green.

stu67tiger
stu67tiger Reader
1/20/09 7:57 p.m.

My Tiger was originally "86" green, which seems to be whatever dung green was in the pot the day it was built. The previous owner changed it to some sort of Jaguar maroon or wine color. I just picked a nice, more lively forest green out of the sample book when I had it done.

Stu

Bryan
Bryan Reader
1/21/09 6:43 a.m.

Questions about LBC factory colors. Is Primrose a pale yellow color or are my old eyes decieving me? I know they were made along side MGs, were Big Healeys painted Primrose at the factory? Did Standard-Triumph then BL ever paint TRs, Spits, or GT6s Primrose? Thanks.

Tim Baxter
Tim Baxter Online Editor
1/21/09 6:58 a.m.

Yes, primrose was a pale, creamy yellow. Very nice color. I know MG used it for years.

I don't know my Healeys and Triumphs as well as MGs, but I'm pretty sure there were Primrose Healeys.

I think Triumph had a similar color or used Primrose under another name.

Ian F
Ian F Reader
1/21/09 8:20 a.m.

One of our Volvo club members had a '69 pale primrose MGB he bought new... we went on a number of adventures looking for one for him. A side efffect being I started paying attention to the color. It was a pretty common LBC color for a number of years. I've seen it on most makes.

My '78 Spit 6 is sort of the original BRG color... it was (poorly) repainted green... but some weird green with a slightly blue-ish tint added. After I fix some minor rust, I'll repaint it. haven't decided what color yet... probably BRG, though... In an attempt to save money, my Volvo (also an OE dark green) will probably get painted the same color...

aeronca65t
aeronca65t Reader
1/21/09 9:45 a.m.

I just remembered: my MBG (above) is Snowberry White

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