BN1 primer/undercoat colors

[simon1966]

My 100 left the factory Healey Blue back in 54. At some point in its life it was white, becoming red when I purchased the car in the mid 80's. Here is the shroud being taken down to bare metal.


Looking at the closeup here there is obviously the red on the surface, what looks like a thin white layer, then a dark oxide red followed by what might be the Healey Blue and then a yellowish brown baby poop like primer. I am curious if any of the experts out there know if that is what this is, the correct original primer on the car?

 

[Keoke]

then a yellowish brown baby poop like primer.

This is a very popular primer in the shops today commonly called Cadillac primer.

However, I have no clue as to what was used originally by Healey.

 

[John Turney]

That

yellowish brown baby poop

is probably a zinc chromate primer. It was popular for aluminum before self-etching epoxy primers came about.

 

[simon1966]

OK, so this very well likely is the historic layering of the car back to production. Thanks. Not that it really matters as it is all coming off, but it does give me some sort of pleasure knowing this.