Paint, AH100-6 frame

Anyone know the actual color or color code for a 1956 100-6 frame. It looks like a green metallic, but I would like to get an exact match. I am just beginning a ground up resto and want things right.

Frames were painted body color, so if you know the exterior color, you know the frame color. Original color information is available from:
https://www.heritage-motor-centre.c...d-archive-services/heritage-certificates.html

Thanks Tim, in the early days at least all the frames were painted a green like the engines and when the body color was decided some parts were then painted the car color, but usually the firewall and underlying frame were still green. At least that's what I am told. My car is an original with no restoration done prior, and with the body stripped down to the chassis the color is green. The actual car color is Reno red or Colorado red.

Hey Jep,
Tim's correct, all Healey's had the same color chassis and body. IMHO,whoever told you about the green firewall and chassis is wrong. If your chassis is painted a color similar to the green engine color, then someone did that in the past. Did not come from Healey that way. This is all from the bible most of us use, "Austin Healey Restoration Guide" by Roger Moment and Gary Anderson. They also used Andres Clausager ( may have butchered that spelling) as one of their own references. I'd get the Heritage Certificate as that will tell you with no question what color your Healey left the works. Healey offered two greens for a 100-6, Florida and Pacific. Neither of those is metallic but guess it's possible someone got a special paint color and wanted a metallic green. But if they did, everything would be that color ! Good luck with the restoration and post pics as you go along !
Regards,
Mike

PS - you say your 56 is a 100-6 but did you mean a 100-4/BN2 as there was a Spruce green color available on BN1's and BN2's ? I have never seen it but maybe it looks similar to the engine green color and would make sense then that the chassis looks the same. Or maybe it got special ordered with the Spruce green paint since the first 100-6's were made in May 1956 and the original owner wanted the BN2 color no longer available on the new 100-6's ? Always something interesting with these cars !!!

Jep, Based on your comments about your original car, I would be hesitant to restore it at all. I don't think I have ever heard of another Healey having the frame painted green metallic except for a few of the factory race cars. You may have one of the few race cars that were painted the light green metallic like the Le Mans 100's from 50's. That must be a very rare car you have and worth more unrestored than repainted. With the exception of maybe some really 'early days' cars (100's) I thought all cars had the finish color applied to the frames along with the body.

Jep - where did you get your information about the green frames? what restoration shop shared this with you? I don't believe anywhere in the Concours guide for 2013 supports your theory? But I may be missing a very important piece of Longbridge BN4 trivia? please share jim

Jep - I am sorry, but I failed to ask, what is the body # of this early 1956 100 Six? Best of Luck with the restoration jim

The info I got on the green frames was from research done on line and could be wrong. I haven't got the Heritage cert yet so am not totally positive of the final color, but based on what I see when everything was stripped such as behind the heater and way under the dash (parts that have to my knowledge never been off ) the orig color was red. I do know that with the frame down to the weldment, that color is the same, or almost the same as the engine. I have owned the car since 1969/70 and took it off the road in 71. It's been waiting me ever since! The car no. Is 31165, body no is 3194/768. I appreciate all the help and advice, thanks.

No, the plate identifies it as BN4L-O-31165, I'm in a puzzle over this as the inside of the chassis behind the heater and way under the dash where one could assume no work was ever done, the car hasn't been previously rest., is red. Still, with the car stripped to the frame it's a metallic green. To paint this area without taking the car apart would have been impossible. Thanks for the input

Jep - thanks for the input, with a body # of 768, it is truly an early Longbridge. Could you happen to be able to check the radiator for a rectangular build date tag of 3 or 4 digits 56x or 56xx located near the top of the radiator either in front or back. again thanks for the information. jim

Healey106, the radiator I have has 575 on it but I am not sure it is the orig because it has some markings that looks like it came from a scrapyard.

All pics I have of production-line cars show they were painted dark chocolate brown (same as the transmission tunnel and seat bases), then red oxide primer, then color.

This is an unrestored/unrestorable 57 BN4 showing how casual the original paint coverage was.


Your car sounds interesting if it was green underneath, can you post a pic or two?

Other bit of trivia I'd be interested in- around engine #30,000 the head casting changed from AEC271 to AEC666, which number does your car have? It is towards the front of the inlet gallery between the head studs.

Andy.

Hi Andy, thanks for the input. The casting has AEC666 on it. Since I got started with this forum I have gotten a lot of info but then even more questions. I will try to post some pics when I figure out how. I haven't yet stripped the paint from the body panels, but after all the comments, I carefully sanded off the top layers of red paint, and underneath I found a light metallic bluesy green just like the frame. I tried matching this color to the std 1956/57 colors but nothing matches!! Still inside the passenger compartment everything is red???? I've sent away for the heritage info, so I guess I will have to wait.
Jep

Jep - getting back to your radiator with the tag 575. Does the radiator have a # 11B 2301, next to the filler cap? if this is the case it would seem that this radiator is actually a replacement, since the correct radiator for this early Longbridge would be radiator # 11B 2298, but this number was not stamped anywhere on the radiator. thanks for checking and yes share photos when you get a chance jim

Yes it has the 11b2301 on it.

Jep said:

No, the plate identifies it as BN4L-O-31165, I'm in a puzzle over this as the inside of the chassis behind the heater and way under the dash where one could assume no work was ever done, the car hasn't been previously rest., is red. Still, with the car stripped to the frame it's a metallic green. To paint this area without taking the car apart would have been impossible. Thanks for the input

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That's a little older than the one healey blue restored (BN4L O 34099); Jim's attention to detail is without reproach, so you should do a search for all his posts, as most have pictures attached.

Speaking of which, they're pretty easy to attach, and I believe there are tutorials here on the forum's website that'll walk you through it.

I was trusted with the restoration of the engine/transmission for that car (BN4L O 34099) so if you want to see a play-by-play on that aspect of the job, see these links:
https://www.spcarsplus.com/gallery3/index.php/LS_BN4
https://www.spcarsplus.com/gallery3/index.php/LS_BN4_engine_build
https://www.spcarsplus.com/gallery3/index.php/LS_BN4_engine_build/Final-push (this album is embedded in the above album)
https://www.spcarsplus.com/gallery3/index.php/LS-BN4-XMSN-O-H

What a beautiful looking job!

Looks like it will be fun. Your seat upholstery, while old is also not original to your car. It has the later style piping locations. I will be interested to learn what the heritage certificate says. pull the dash grab handle off and see if the vinyl is black underneath or another color. Back in the day it was common to just paint the vinyl black when rebuilding a car (they were not overly concerned with originality). My dash was black when I started too, but when I pulled the dash apart I saw the original dark blue under the hidden edges.

Jep said:

What a beautiful looking job!

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Thanks, but wait until you see what Jim (healeyblue) did for the rest of the car!

Once you see our work, you have the opportunity to make yours a little bit better. If you're going for originality, there are several very knowedgable people here that are willing (and dare I say looking forward) to help you out. If a resto-mod is what you want, this forum caters to that too!