Joined: Jun 2020 Posts: 2 Threads: 1
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Location: U.K.
Car type: Austin 7 Nippy 1935
The time has come to discuss what colour I want my Nippy to be, now that it’s restoration is nearing that stage. The four options for 1935/36 cars is quoted as black, cherry red, canary yellow and turquoise.
My car has evidence of several previous colours, but when bought, was pale blue. The V11 has the car registered as Blue, so I thought I should opt for turquoise in keeping with the 1935 colours.
But what shade of turquoise? Pale, greenish, bluish? Nobody seems to know the EXACT shade. If I get it wrong, there will always be someone who will say “it shouldn’t be that colour”.
So, can anyone help me out with this “problem”.
Joined: Jun 2020 Posts: 2 Threads: 1
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Location: U.K.
Car type: Austin 7 Nippy 1935
Thanks for the information. Interesting to note that the colour is tagged as No.9 for the Nippy, 65 and Speedy, and as No.29 for the 12/4 and 12/6, yet appear to be identical, unless it’s the trim detail that gives it a new identity.
Mike
Joined: Dec 2019 Posts: 285 Threads: 78
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JonE - it may have been mentioned before, but the colour samples the Archive had access to (1936 and 1939 sets) were scanned by Adam Brown at Craftmaster Paints who is now in a position to supply perfectly matched paints...
The photo you posted *is* the set loaned to the Archive I think so no comparison required..
Joined: Aug 2017 Posts: 3,247 Threads: 360
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It is good that Craftmaster have done this, but the results should be in the public domain too for posterity, shouldn't they? i.e. equivalent RAL code or whatever.
Joined: Dec 2019 Posts: 285 Threads: 78
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There are no equivalent RAL colours. I would imagine there are approximations to the colours in the RAL series (as you say, the ATDC compared their swatches to modern paints to get 'best matches'), but no absolute equivalents. I suppose the 'whatever' are the paints that Craftmaster supply..
hth..
..
Joined: Oct 2017 Posts: 48 Threads: 6
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18-06-2020, 12:38 PM
(This post was last modified: 18-06-2020, 01:02 PM by Adam Brown.)
On behalf of Craftmaster
My mind does boggle a bit at the idea that we should make everything freely available. The fact that it isn't possible is also quite important.
When we have colours matched we get a formulation for which pigments make the closest possible match (which are usually bang on). We don't match to modern standards as they are very narrow and 'close enough' is not good enough to me. I want things right, so many modern colours look wrong to me. So if anyone does offer a RAL code it won't be 'correct' though in some cases it may be fairly close.
It costs me money to get colours matched, it isn't the same process as popping down the local paint factor (again they give you the closest in their system) it takes several hours of a highly qualified technicians time in most cases.
Of the thousands of colours I've had matched over the year only one has come back as a RAL....
We're in business, but like some of the more cherished suppliers we are also enthusiasts and do things that don't make commercial sense. One of those was sorting these colours out, I've sold less than 10 litres in 3 years off the back of those cards. Ditto for the early Morris colours I've also got on file. It isn't viable to produce colour charts and few people actually seem to want the 'right' colours - most have their own ideas.
The scans of the cards are in the public domain with the Archive so you can at least get an approximation. But sharing the actual formulas won't do you any good at all, you'd need someone with the same pigment system as me (which very few have) to actually make the paint.....
Perhaps be glad that someone took the time and effort to try and assist other owners, I certainly didn't do it for the revenue it brings in! For the first time since the days they were made you can ring a firm and have an authentic tin of 2k, Cellulose or Enamel in authentic Austin colours.
If anything happens to my firm the charts will still exist for someone else to match to......
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Sorry, I was too ambiguous - I wasn't suggesting that Craftmaster formulation should be in public domain, and Adam's summary plainly explains why people would be mad not to use the matched paint if they want something rigorous to the original. I'm presuming though that people can access the archive items personally if they wish. Perhaps a statement made up from this thread - and referring to the ATDC findings too - could be added to the Association page/link above just so people can see the investment made and what options they have? That could surely be done without overt promotion but recognising the investment of time put in.
