Healeys, Jaguars, silver paint and arrogance

[Lin]

I posted the following on the jag-lovers list and the jag forum here. Got this response this morning. I will not generalize to all jag owners as the respondent did to all healey owners, but this is one reason why I love healeys and healey people. I guess he just didn't know the answer to my question! See the following exchange:

Hi folks,
Pardon the intrusion because I am a Healey guy (1960 BT7 and a 1959 Bugeye), but I have a question for you. I am restoring my Big Healey down to the last fastener and back. I am remaining true to the car's heritage on most points but I plan to paint the car silver, a non-healey color, and will use a red leather Heritage interior. I want a "white" silver and have considered the modern BMW titanium silver and the VW silver. However, I would really like to use a "period" silver if possible. Tonight I was reading my July Octane magazine which has a gorgeous silver/red XK120 in it. I couldn't find the model year identified in the article anywhere, but if anyone else has seen the car and knows the color name and code I sure would appreciate having the information. Can anyone help? Thanks!

Lin Rose
1960 AH BT7 in restoration
1959 Bugeye

Lin,

I hate to be a wet blanket,but there's no reason to presume that a
car in a photo in a current magazine, would be painted in an
original colour.
Even if the owner fondly imagined it so.
Possibly the most unoriginal aspect of some modern metallic paint
jobs is the excessive 'clear over base' effect.
As it's not an original Healey colour, you may as well go for a
colour that you are happy with.
To digress, I think it was Paul Skilleter who once said, [ and I
paraphrase] that people who were enamoured of Healeys, were those
who had come to them via MG's not Jaguars.
He may have been biased, of course.
--
Ed Nantes SS
Melbourne, Australia

 

[John Loftus]

Hi Lin,

Ignore him .. he's so childish that he still wets his blanket.

Silver and red is a great color combo. I just did a quick look in my photos and came up with the following shots:

 

[Keoke]

Hi Lin, go back to the forum and search the archives like suggested or contact PPG.Also see response to ED's Quip in about an hour---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[Lin]

Thanks, John.
I was pleased to see those photos because I am going to use light grey carpet (red trim around the shifter - Smitty toyota 5 speed conversion) with the red leather seats and vinyl doors and panels. I debated about the red carpet and have decided on the grey as in the spyder photos. Thanks again.

Keoke,
Thanks, I am going to explore the jag-lovers archive tonight.
Lin

 

[Keoke]

Well guess what Lin, there was one Healey built to special order that was painted Silver Gray and had a red interior with the seats piped in white.You might give the carpet color another think.Grey carpet always requires a lot of cleaning . The white piping though IMOP is a bit too much.---Fwiw---Keoke

 

[Lin]

Keoke,
what do you know about that car? Who's was it? Got any images?
Lin

 

[Keoke]

Hi Lin, NO I do not have any PIC's. I do not know where it went or who ordered it .I only know that it was done in 1967 and carried chassis/body # 42230. The XK120 color you saw was probably a new color as apposed to an original Jaguar color if for no other reason than those old colors were flatted. But it is no secret that Jaguar would paint a car any color you wanted for a few extra Pounds---Keoke

 

[SHG]

[ QUOTE ]
To digress, I think it was Paul Skilleter who once said, [ and I
paraphrase] that people who were enamoured of Healeys, were those
who had come to them via MG's not Jaguars.

[/ QUOTE ]

That's very funny. When I found my BJ8, I was actually looking for a series I e-type. But after speaking with friends, I was told that most people with e-types were old fogeys who were too afraid of a stone chip to drive their car, so they would visit it in the garage on ocassion. The ones who had e-types loved them, but told me the only time they planned to actually use it was as their coffin.

Since I wasn't quite ready to be dead yet, I went for my Healey. I've never regretted the choice, and still smile when I see the rare e-type on the road. Of course, I may be biased.

 

[Keoke]

Watch out SHG! Basil Might get you---Keoke /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[Dave Russell]

Hi Lin,
Attached is a pic of a silver Healey, grey carpet, red trim.
D

 

[healeygal]

Sorry this isn't a very good picture, but the second Healey from left is a beautiful two-tone silver and grey Hundred seen at Eureka two years ago.

Sharon

 

[Lin]

Hi Dave and Healeygal. Thanks for the photos. Dave, the photo you sent is actually a car that I know. It is Mark Baker's (Sport and Speciality Restoration business) beautifully prepared 100. The interior is persimmon (yes, basically orange!) and it looks wonderful with the silver and grey. Thanks to you both.
Lin
1960 BT7 in restoration
1959 Bugeye

 

[200mph]

I think the color you seek is close to the current Ferrari color argento Nurburgring. If you have a dealer near you, they have large painted panels to look at, if not an actual car. Its a very pure siulver, and not at all metal-flakey looking.
BUT, I would stay away from modern (base coat, clear coat) paints. Too much metallic, too much clear. I've seen several great restorations screwed up with a too "new" looking finish.
That said, I would ask your body shop for a look at chips of colors from the 50's and 60's. By choosing a paint formula that the car "could" have worn back then, you'll help preserve the value of the car and it will look "right". Most of those silvers are kind of grey looking however. For example, late 50's Corvette Inca silver might be one choice... their 60's Sebring Silver is too grey.
In the newer tones, we used the current Dodge Viper silver on the roof of our new Mini; I think it has the "bright white" silver look you are seeking... no blue tint, not leaning toward grey, not as "metallic" looking as the BMW titanium.

 

[Lin]

200MPH,
Those are some good leads that I will follow-up! Thanks for the help.
Lin
1960 BT7 in restoration
1959 Bugeye

 

[stever]

SHG: I find your post really interesting because I, too, found my Healey while looking for an e-type Jag. I had only seen a couple of Healeys before in my life prior to finding mine in an overgrown back yard. The fellow selling it had gotten too many speeding tickets and had just parked it. I went to take a look at it on a whim and just loved the lines. I bought it without even driving it - I was so very young and foolish then! The guy did say it drove great.... Anyway, that was in 1972 and I was in Navigator school in Sacramento, California and just had to have a sports car. Your post just brought back some good memories!!! Haven't really missed having the e-type, but sure wish I hadn't sold the XK-150 I bought a few years after buying the Healey!! I had started a restoration on it when the Air Force decided I needed to relocate..... sure wish I had trucked it.... Happy Fourth to you all!

 

[Patton]

The guy I got my Healey from got rid of it because he decided he wanted an e-type and the Healey was taking up space while he restored the Jag. It was good for me as the car was kept preserved in his garage, and he let it go for a good price when I found out about it.

Patton

 

[SHG]

It's not that I still don't admire e-types. Or XK-120s, or DB-5s for that matter. There are days that I wouldn't mind being Ralph Lipshitz a/k/a Lauren. But to call a Healey owner a Jaguar wannabe is just rude and unnecessary. By the way, really great looking Sprite for sale on ebay today.

 

[tahoe healey]

I had an XK140 for 14 years. It would pass anything on the road but a mechanic. I loved it but there was never the "thrill" I get from my Healey. And there is a stand offishness from lookers that isn't there with there when I'm in my Healey. Everyone comes up to me in the Healey to talk about it.

 

[Randy Harris]

Hey, I've known Healey owners who are arrogant. I've known Jag owners who are arrogant. For that matter, I've known Corvette owners who are arrogant.

Personally, I have found that the folks I have met in both camps are very generous with their time, extremely helpful, fun-loving and passionate about their cars. In fact, I find E-type owners and Big Healey owners to be very similar in their economic station and outlook on life. Jag club members however tend to be slightly older than Healey club members, perhaps 5-10 years, but that's just my observation.
Best,
Randy Harris '66 BJ8, '68 E-type OTS

 

[ynotme2]

Well here is a link to the car mentioned beofre. It seems as thought the color is a Mercedes gullwing silver color

https://www.sportandspecialty.com/100-R.html