Florida Green Over Pacific Green BN4

[David Townsend]

Just had to post this up after finishing for a gentleman in Australia, knowing that it might draw equal amounts of scorn and praise. I find it interesting that many of what we Americans might consider some odd color combinations on the part of our British cousins—the Alamo Beige MGA coupe with red interior, Healey Blue with dark blue interior, or the dreaded Primrose yellow with just about any interior to name a few—look just amazing on paper. In any event, I thought the combination rather striking so, at the risk of a hail of derision from the those who feel otherwise, here it is, what I think is really great looking BN4...and in RHD nonetheless.

 

[DerekJ]

Primrose yellow is actually a really good colour on a Healey, I also like the pale blue on the MGB. Much better than red or green. The two tone green is not very nice in real life and the 'grey' interior (not really grey) didn't help. My car was this colour combo when it left the factory and was a RHD UK car where the colour looks even more unusual.

 

[David Townsend]

I have incorrectly identified Alamo Beige as Adobe Beige and seem to be unable to edit my error. Reason enough to not post when you're too tired to review it before hitting "submit".

I also should have prefaced my somewhat uncharitable comments on color by saying that I was referencing other's opinions and not necessarily my own.

 

[Editor_Reid]

I have incorrectly identified Alamo Beige as Adobe Beige and seem to be unable to edit my error.

I've changed it to Alamo Beige for you.

By the way, I own an Alamo Beige MGA. A few weeks ago in Vancouver BC it won third in the popular vote in the MGA class, a class composed of 61 cars! It was a celebration of the 60th anniversary of the MGA. It was the only Alamo Beige MGA there. With its red interior, chrome wire wheels and wide whitewall tires, it's a showstopper, if I say so myself.

It's always been a mystery to me why so many people who like sports cars seem to be afraid of color and style. Many of the seldom-seen colors on cars of the era are fabulous and represent the era so well, yet when they get restored they often get color-changed to what I call the "default colors" ("Default Red" being perhaps the most popular). It seems almost a conundrum: Why buy a non-conformist car and then paint it a color so that it looks like so many others?

 

[DerekJ]

Reid

How about posting a photo of the MG?

 

[Editor_Reid]

Reid

How about posting a photo of the MG?

Happy to oblige:

 

[nevets]

Very nice MGA! Interesting comment about color choice. I would be curious to know the statistics on car colors leaving the factory, from most popular to least.

 

[DerekJ]

Wow, I have to admit I have never seen that colour before.

 

[dougie]

One of the main reasons I was so drawn to my '57 100-6 MM, was the unique color. Florida Green with an OEW hardtop ....
I was smitten. I knew I would be the only car at all vintage race events in this livery.

 

[HealeyRick]

Dougie,

When I bought my BJ7 from the original owner, it still carried the paint job it wore when he raced it in SCCA in the 60s ...sort of Florida green with orange-red wire wheels. When I asked him why he chose those colors, he replied, "So it could be seen out on the track."

 

[blakey]

David
By coincidence the drawing of my 100 Six you are referring too arrived last night in the mail. I love the drawing, thanks. My BN4 60292 is actually Pacific Green over Florida Green with Florida Green being the lighter colour. Our car was sold new in Brisbane, Queensland on the 31st of October 1958 and must have looked pretty swish amongst the grey sedans of that era.

Most people who see the car love the colour scheme but some have trouble believing it is original. here are two photos of the car. One taken in 2015 and the older one in 1960ish.

Paul

 

[David Townsend]

David
By coincidence the drawing of my 100 Six you are referring too arrived last night in the mail. I love the drawing, thanks. My BN4 60292 is actually Pacific Green over Florida Green with Florida Green being the lighter colour. Our car was sold new in Brisbane, Queensland on the 31st of October 1958 and must have looked pretty swish amongst the grey sedans of that era.

Most people who see the car love the colour scheme but some have trouble believing it is original. here are two photos of the car. One taken in 2015 and the older one in 1960ish.

Paul

Paul,

I read your post early this morning (before the coffee kicked in) and thought for a moment I had reversed the colors on your print. After checking the print file, I was relieved to find that I had it right. Hope you enjoy your print. It's one of my more favorite examples.

Regards,

DCTownsend

 

[healey106]

David - I am just curious what my plain Ivory Longbridge BN4 with a red interior would look like in one of your works of art, I guess I might see it next week in Gettysburg. I am looking forward to meeting you with your impressive art work.

 

[David Townsend]

David - I am just curious what my plain Ivory Longbridge BN4 with a red interior would look like in one of your works of art, I guess I might see it next week in Gettysburg. I am looking forward to meeting you with your impressive art work.

I haven't drawn an all ivory BN4 yet but here's a BN7 with a non-standard white over red combination and red interior. Most of the time these kind of "improvements" rarely look as good as the original combinations but, to me, this departure looks pretty sharp. Should give you a sense of what your BN4 would look like.

 

[HealeyRick]

Blakey,

Those wide whitewalls on the original picture look pretty cool. Don't see them too much on Healeys anymore (beside the Barbie cars). Saw a Daimler SP 250 at Stowe with wide whites and it was a standout:

 

[CLEAH]

Paul, your car is a stunner. I too especially like the wide whites.

 

[blakey]

Thanks for the kind words -after 30 years it is a bit of a favorite in our family! I once had a brainwave to put some whitewalls on it again but the Chief Planning and Approvals Director in our family said definitely not!

Paul

 

[CLEAH]

Thanks for the kind words -after 30 years it is a bit of a favorite in our family! I once had a brainwave to put some whitewalls on it again but the Chief Planning and Approvals Director in our family said definitely not!

Paul

Well that's a dang shame. The Chief Planning and Approvals Director in our family just gave the thumbs up for wide whites on the Sprite, so I can tell you that there is hope.