Original primer and painting style

[57_BN4]

After reading the chassis paint discussion on the email list I got to thinking about how the BN4s were originally painted. Mine has been dip-stripped by the PO so I have no reference, although the shrouds and fittings were as original.

While stripping off all the remaining paint I noticed the original Healey Blue colour was only applied to the outwardly visible surfaces and everything else was left in dark brown primer. After looking at Andreas pics I see the same pattern. Andrea- was your car originally black?

This is what I'd imagine mine originally looked like under the dash if this car was black in this pic

Another pic from Randy showing a rather casual painting and possibly a light brown primer.

This is the underside of my front shroud, notice the casual blue overspray at the top of the pic

And the rear shroud, notice the blue paint dribbles around the boot edge. The car was never resprayed in blue as far as I can tell, only two resprays in white. the orange primer is a later addition.

So my situation: I'd like to restore the car to a state where in ten years time it will be difficult to tell whether it is restored or not and this means not going to town with painting everything perfectly.

Can anyone confirm how they were were painted originally mid-1957? Were the individual pieces painted in primer then the car assembled and given a quick flick with topcoat? The lack of paint under washers and bolts tends to suggest this is how it was done.

Andy.

 

[andrea]

Andy
My car was originally Old English White as certified by BHT and confirmed by traces find under dash cover

my engine bay was surely post-painted black

I have no idea of chassis original color it arrived to me completely rusty - I can only SUPPOSE that primer was dark red paint normally used at the age to protect to the rust- I haven't find any primer under OEW on the shroud or it was white

Now I will paint the chassis and engine bay Colorado red
Cheers
Andrea

 

[57_BN4]

Thanks Andrea.

Interesting that there is no white overspray under the dash. Perhaps they found it too contrasting and opted to paint all the non external surfaces black on light coloured cars to hide the bits that weren't fully painted.

This is what I imagine my car looked like originally under the guards although it looks here to have been hosed with black as well, perhaps supporting my above theory.

Andy.

 

[Randy Forbes]

Wow, people really do look at my pictures!

I think that your intention to paint it like it was originally done is commendable.

However, if it were me...

I would choose to get a highly corrosion/chemical resistant paint (acrylic enamel/polyurethane catalyst type) formulated in a color that "looks like" the old red-lead primers.

While it is probably true that your finished car won't have to <span style="font-style: italic">sing for its supper</span> (not seeing duty as your daily commuter) as it would've in its first lifetime, the primer only finish may hold up, but why take the chance, as *most* primers, even today, are porous and don't completely seal out moisture. Again, that may not be a problem in NZ either...?

As an example of what I mean, the repair work I do on BMW M Rdstrs is sealed with a 2-pac paint that closely matches the color of the factory's E-coat. WHile it's just paint (xlnt quality PPG Concept line) you can't tell that I've been there once the car's been put back together.

https://www.rfdm.com/gallery/album217?page=14

 

[richberman]

Is that really a picture of you Randy? Or is that someone else and you are behind the camera....WE ALL LOOK AT YOUR PICTURES!!!
rich

 

[Randy Forbes]

Is that really a picture of you Randy? Or is that someone else and you are behind the camera....WE ALL LOOK AT YOUR PICTURES!!!
rich

That's the mystery man himself (and holding the camera).

Got to love digital cameras; can take twenty (20) pictures until you get it right!

I took this one too:

 

[Superwrench]

Handsome devil ! Ha ! :laugh:

 

[57_BN4]

Hi Randy,

Yea I gave some consideration to the porosity of primer and the paint suppliers say that modern primer formulation has gone away from the porous concept so it isn't so much of a concern today. There are tint-able primers of the isocyanate type but I don't want to be limited to 2k topcoat so will have to investigate further about compatibility with lacquer finishes. So far the majority of primers I have found are a shade of grey.

For the rust zones I will certainly be attacking them with seam sealer and loads of modern cavity wax so it won't go the same way the original steel did.

Andy.

 

[zblu]

57 BN4,
The underside of my shrouds looked just like yours, sans putty

 

[57_BN4]

OK so after a week of Googling and looking back through my own pics, I have come up with a few thoughts about how the cars were originally painted. This is a bit of a blog post to myself so I can close all these browser tabs that are slowing my puter down.

1- The panels and their various fitting brackets were primered individually on both sides in chocolate-brown primer. The chassis may have not been at this stage, or at least wasn't very well primered.

2- Things that were assembled onto the chassis:
-the petrol tank bracket lugs
-doors incl hinges
-bonnet incl hinges
-front guards incl the inner fender rubber blocks
-front shroud including firewall sealing bitumen, engine bay mounting brackets and bonnet prop rod holder but possibly not grill brackets
-rear shroud including prop rod holder and rear hinge strengtheners (riveted in)
-boot including hinges (must have been masked up for painting?)

The chassis may have been primered after fitment of the body panels, perhaps quite a fitup panel swap to get the best combination occurred then it was all primered again? The Jensen body/batch tag was fitted with two rivets after the initial brown primer had been applied to the engine bay and had a different reddish-brown primer applied over it.

The body colour was applied to everything visible only. Places that were body colour:
-the visible parts of the engine bay that were in a straight line from a paint gun
- the front panel above the grille opening must have been sprayed up through the grille opening
- the interior of the car that is visible, not up under the dash. All floors, inside doors and around the rear cockpit. The floor and driveshaft tunnel may not have been consistently painted
- the boot where visible. Not up underneath the shroud.
- The chassis where visible underneath. No paint got to the areas covered by the panels, particularly behind the inner front guards which may have left the factory in bare steel on many cars.
- The radiator air-deflectors may or may not have been painted with the car because the primer is different to the rest of the body. It may be the same reddish brown as the primer on the body/batch tag.
-The cover plates over the steering column holes were not fitted until after painting. They had no primer, only top colour straight on bare steel and may have been fitted during mech assembly.
-The inner lower front suspension fulcrum pins were likely assembled bare steel and brush painted body colour where visible. Mine have body colour directly on the weld slag!

And now for some pics

Boot showing tank brackets on and removed (brown primer) and no topcoat where shroud fits on

Door hinges not painted underneath

Pics showing no primer or at least minimal primer behind the inner guard, indicating that many cars didn't get the chassis primered at all until after body panel fitup.

And some cars got reasonably good primering on the chassis

Can't see much behind the rear wheel arch so don't waste any paint there

Interior paint, nothing on the floor or driveshaft tunnel unless this one was originally orange and that is topcoat.

Floors painted, dash where steering column goes through painted

Front panel inside shroud gets some paint (looks like there is an image limit on the forum, have to click on these links then.