Healey Blue - Metalic or not?

[Frank C.]

I've seen dozens of "Healey Blue" BJ8's at shows and in pictures and most of them appear to be various levels of metalic in color. My question is: Did they ship a non metalic version in the BJ8 series and, if so, does anyone have a color code for it?

Thanks in advance.

 

[John Loftus]

Hi Frank,

No. The BJ8 came in Black, British Racing Green (a darker version), Colorado Red, Florida Green, Golden Beige Metallic, Ice Blue Metallic (aka "Healey Blue") and Old English White.

As you probably noticed, Healey Blue should be a very fine metallic. It's a great color but yes, you see a lot of it at Healey shows.

Cheers,
John

 

[Cutlass]

What a timely post. Today I delivered my 66 BJ8 chassis to the body shop for paint. Yes, there are a lot of Healey Blue Healeys around, many with the white cove. That was the way mine came, and because of the fact that that color scheme is so common, I thought about going to a midnight blue. For a variety of reasons, I've decided to stay with the Healey Blue over white. To go to dark blue or black, the body needs to be perfect. The additional labor necessary to achieve a truly superior black or dark blue is considerable. In direct answer to the first question, though, there is a number for non-metallic Healey Blue, which I don't have with me at the time. If you are still interested, I'll look it up tomorrow.

 

[Keoke]

Well Cutlass, I am interested because I have never heard of it.---Keoke

 

[DerekJ]

Yes Keoke's right - there is no non metallic Healey Blue. Everyone tries to recreate their idea of Healey Blue and that's why at shows you see so many different versions of it. It may have even changed slightly over the years the cars were produced. I understand the very original version was based on an Alvis blue.

 

[Cutlass]

My information came from Coloramic Process, Inc., at www.coloramic.com/articles/hlyclrs.htm. It lists an Ice Blue with an ICI code of 2697. I had my paint guy look this up, and it is a real color. Whether it was ever really used on a big Healey, I have no idea.

 

[John Loftus]

Hi Cutlass,

Ice Blue (ICI - 2697) is listed as a factory BN1 and BN2 color by Pikovnik (at Coloramic) but the Anderson/Moment book said this color has not been verified. I have the Pikovnik color book and the Ice Blue chip is considerably darker and greyer than Ice Blue Metallic. One thing both sources agree on, this was not a factory BJ8 color which was the original question.

Frank, if you are looking for alternative Healey colors, in the color book, there is a Sprite color, Speedwell Blue (ICI-3131)which looks closer in color and shade to a non-metallic Healey blue. Iris Blue (ICI 3243), also a Sprite color, replaced Speedwell blue and is lighter and less gray according to the color chips. Perhaps you can find some cars painted in these colors to check out.

Cheers,
John

 

[Keoke]

HI Derek,During the Healey car production the color Healey Blue was so difficult to consitently maintain that the factory never shipped Healey Blue cars that were painted with different batches of the paint to the same dealer it would have shown up the variations in the original paint.---Fwiw---Keoke

 

[zblu]

Sounds like my efforts to match paint in the house!, depends on the brand base used, such a difference!

 

[Frank C.]

Talk about opening a can of worms ... Thanks to everyone for their input. Mine was repainted at some time in it's life as non-metalic (as you can see if I attached the picture correctly) but I can see under the dash that the original was a light metalic. It looks good and does get some attention because of the "softness" of the color. I'm torn because I like the depth you get with a fine metalic and may go that route when I get around to repainting ... but I'll have to clear it with my wife first.

Thanks again for the responses.