Paint color for Penny?

[drooartz]

I bet the anticipation for Drew is off the charts. I can't wait to see where this ends.
Of course I will follow along with interest.

The waiting last year wasn't too bad, but as the bodywork gets closer to completion I get more antsy. I really want to get Penny back in my shop -- and get the bodywork/painting bill paid so I'll know how much I have left for the next steps. I'll feel much better once she's safely ensconced in my little shop.

No stripes? I also like two-tones, but other than that "baby S" scheme, it's hard to picture on a Bugeye.

No stripes, at least not at this point.

I used Interlux Brightside for both the hardtop and the car. In California single stage paint is difficult to obtain and use at home. However over-the-counter boat paint can be purchased easliy. They are off the self colors. I hope to have some time to get some pictures this week during the almond bloom to give everyone hope winter will end soon

The bodyshop will be handling the paint, so I don't have to worry about getting the paint myself.

 

[Gundy]

Ya know BlueMax, Alan, just took a spin in his Frogeye. Not finished, but close. He last drove it
41 years ago. These suckers get in the blood and there is no cure. Frogitis. Lovely illness.
Keep us posted.

 

[drooartz]

These suckers get in the blood and there is no cure. Frogitis. Lovely illness.
Keep us posted.

When I sold the Tunebug a few years ago, I really did think I was out of the Bugeye game. Little did I know. :grin:

I'm building Penny for the long haul, that's why I decided to dive in and go big with a complete restoration even though restoration work is not my favorite part of the hobby, and it is bloody expensive to boot. Right now I'm figuring to have her drivable sometime in 2016. We'll see how close I get to that. I will have the body shell back this summer one way or another.

 

[drooartz]

Decision!

DECISION!

First off, I really want to thank y'all for the ideas and suggestions on colors. I've been thinking about this a bunch over the weekend, and as much as I like the various light blue options I'm going to stick with Penny's original color.

Old English White it is.

It's a color I like, and I do prefer to keep a car as original as possible (with exceptions for modern drivability and usability). She'll go back to her original red interior as well. When I get around to restoring the hardtop it will get a matching white.

I'm glad I took this last opportunity to think this through, as once we get materials ordered for the bodyshop there will be no turning back. I feel comfortable with the decision, it's the right move.

 

[BlueMax]

A friend of mine who I help restore his DB5 Aston Martin used Fords Wimbledon White with blue leather.. His car was originally black with black leather. A very British color however. https://www.hemmings.com/hsx/stories/2013/09/01/hmn_feature2.html

My first outing!! Your not far behind ME!!

But a lovely illness they are! :wink-new:

 

[drooartz]

Congrats on that first drive! That's got to feel good.

I've heard of using that Ford Wimbledon White as a decent off-white color. It's an option for sure. Certainly looks nice on that DB5!

 

[markberry]

Mark
That is my Speedwell Monza bonnet.
Drew

I used Interlux Brightside for both the hardtop and the car. In California single stage paint is difficult to obtain and use at home. However over-the-counter boat paint can be purchased easliy. They are off the self colors. I hope to have some time to get some pictures this week during the almond bloom to give everyone hope winter will end soon
Paul

I'm diggin it!

 

[tomshobby]

Kellysguy suggested copper and I thought that was silly until I saw this. I really like it but it does make the car look very expensive which may not be a bad thing.

 

[Gundy]

Re: Decision!

That would be my choice too. OEW is classic and the red interior really pops.
wife's B is OEW with black interior . Wish it had red. My Abarth has red/black interior.
Love red leather. Alan's racing seats look great in red.

 

[59diamond]

Re: Decision!

Here is a thought for you Drew. I have been told that when Bugeyes were being made at the factory things such as paint were bought from the lowest bidder. So one weeks supply of OEW may not be exactly the same as last weeks. I may have proof that that is true sitting in my garage. Both cars claim to be OEW but the paint on each is slightly different. I remember back in the 60's I had a 59 BE and and my friend had a 58 Be and both were OEW but the paint didn't match. So my question is what is the true OEW and how do you find out?

 

[drooartz]

Re: Decision!

So my question is what is the true OEW and how do you find out?

BMC code WT3. There ya go. :grin:

At this point it's unlikely that you could find a definitive OEW formulation. Been too many years, and as you said the factory may not have been completely consistent either. Penny was repainted at some point in her past, so a can't even look for unmolested areas anywhere that we could match.

I'm not too fussed. A nice ivory/creme color will work fine.

 

[Bayless]

Re: Decision!

For what it's worth, I think you made the right decision. Red in OEW will be great.

 

[smaceng]

It is a great combo....my old 60FROG was originally OEW with a black interior......but when I built it up, I had to add more zing....so I changed to a red interior. Although the sprite never came with a red tonneau, that is what I ordered from AHSpares. I used Moss carpets and AH Spares seat covers and foams.
Moss has said that they have since fixed the fit with the rear wheel wells. I ordered extra carpet to extend it all the way back, and also extra seat material to do the interior cards. MacGreger has a good color fit on his door seals. Here are some pictures of my old build...if you haven't been bored to death by them by now. Bill, AKA 59Diamond, has 60frog now and is taking great care of her! I added a set of Haps wheels as I wanted more zing! The steering wheel is from Moss.
Scott in CA

 

[Whitephrog]

I got samples from every vendor imaginable for carpet and vinyl. AHSpares was by far the best match for vinyl and hardura to the original Cherry Red interior. Got my seat covers, panels and boot hardura material from them. For carpet Stock Interiors (815 Red) had the best color match to the AHSpares vinyl.

 

[Whitephrog]

On the Whitephrog I used Valspar Omega 2K Low VOC Polyurethane. The mix for OEW was:

W51 429.9
Y77 42.3
K76 27.7
852C85 323.4

 

[59diamond]

Well to finish off the beautiful job that Scott did I added a red top.The combination of the cherry red interior, the red tonneau and the red top is a great combination I think.
I have a reproduction of the original Austin Healey Sprite brochure and it has some interesting details. The first thing that catches my eye is that the front page of the brochure shows a Sprite painted black. To my knowledge a black sprite was never made.In the section indicating what colours are available the brochure indicates That an Old English White one comes with an interior trim colour of Cherry Red, White Piping and black hood. I don't think that that combination was exported to the United States and if it was there must have been very few with that combination. The Old English White Sprites that were exported were predominately sold with a black interior.

 

[Trevor Jessie]

My car was originally OEW with Cherry red trim, with white piping. I have an old heritage certificate (hand typed), and I do not think it listed the hood color.

 

[drooartz]

Thanks for the material source ideas and paint codes -- I've added them to my restoration notes. I'm a ways from that part of the project, but it's great to have some recommendations.

Red top is an interesting idea. I'm a long way from that point, but it is something to think about. I do like the idea of the red tonneau cover.

I have a reproduction of the original Austin Healey Sprite brochure and it has some interesting details. The first thing that catches my eye is that the front page of the brochure shows a Sprite painted black. To my knowledge a black sprite was never made.In the section indicating what colours are available the brochure indicates That an Old English White one comes with an interior trim colour of Cherry Red, White Piping and black hood. I don't think that that combination was exported to the United States and if it was there must have been very few with that combination. The Old English White Sprites that were exported were predominately sold with a black interior.

There are a couple odd things with that brochure in addition to the black color (which was never a factory Bugeye color). The steering wheel and gear lever surround come from the prototype Sprite and are not the same as the production items. It was obviously drawn up before the car was finalized. Still, it's a neat brochure -- I've got an original one as well as a couple reproductions. Someday I'll make the reproductions into a poster for my office at work.

Penny came with red interior and black top, but of course she's a UK home market car and was not built for export. Penny came to me with a black interior -- I'm assuming it was changed when she was first restored in the UK in the early 1980s. Heritage certs do have errors sometimes, so I'm going to try and verify the interior color before I make my final decision. I like the red, though, so that's the way I'm going.

 

[Whitephrog]

Drew

Noticed the locking petrol cap. The Whitephrog came with a locking cap as well. I have a spare Wilmot Beeden cap like the one below( but in better shape) that I might part with if interested.

 

[drooartz]

Noticed the locking petrol cap. The Whitephrog came with a locking cap as well. I have a spare Wilmot Beeden cap like the one below( but in better shape) that I might part with if interested.

Thanks Ray, but I've got the locking gas cap and key for Penny (along with the original ignition lock and keys). Neat little historical artifacts, was surprised that they were still with the car after all these years.