1959 Rapier paint color

[Chrisp Rapier]

It's time for me to consider my paint options, though I am pretty far away painting I want to consider my approach. I do not have a paint code on my VIN plate. My car is off white and maroon. I am guessing that the Alpine color for that year is Moonstone and perhaps Venetian Red for the maroon. Not sure. Any thoughts or info?

 

[husky drvr]

My car is off white and maroon.

CR,

I don't have a good way to describe colors but I'll try.

If the "white" part appears to be a dirty yellowish cream, then it's probably "foam gray." (code 8 and a usual base for Hillman's two tone paint)

Moonstone appears to be more dirty bluish gray than yellow.


For the paint scheme, I was thinking your Rapier looks similar to this Minx. After viewing some Rapier images, I'm not sure that would be correct.

Sunbeam did have a color of "Pippin Red" listed in 1958 and '59. I THINK that is the Minx color.

Hillman minx with special accessories

Hillman minx with special accessories

forum.sunbeamalpine.org

Hope this gives you some help,

 

[Chrisp Rapier]

CR,

I don't have a good way to describe colors but I'll try.

If the "white" part appears to be a dirty yellowish cream, then it's probably "foam gray." (code 8 and a usual base for Hillman's two tone paint)

Moonstone appears to be more dirty bluish gray than yellow.


For the paint scheme, I was thinking your Rapier looks similar to this Minx. After viewing some Rapier images, I'm not sure that would be correct.

Sunbeam did have a color of "Pippin Red" listed in 1958 and '59. I THINK that is the Minx color.

Hillman minx with special accessories

Hillman minx with special accessories

forum.sunbeamalpine.org

Hope this gives you some help,

Yes pretty impossible to describe colors with words. I have photos but once again, that only goes so far because your screen and mine and the photos are all going to look different. I would not call the white of my car cream in any sense of the word. It is a very grayed out white. an off white. Dirty yellowish cream? Well dirty sounds right. The Pippin Red could be correct.

 

[alpine_64]

I think contact the SROC in the UK.. they will have the brochures with the colour combinations and relevant paint codes for each year as we do for the alpines

 

[Chrisp Rapier]

CR,

I don't have a good way to describe colors but I'll try.

If the "white" part appears to be a dirty yellowish cream, then it's probably "foam gray." (code 8 and a usual base for Hillman's two tone paint)

Moonstone appears to be more dirty bluish gray than yellow.


For the paint scheme, I was thinking your Rapier looks similar to this Minx. After viewing some Rapier images, I'm not sure that would be correct.

Sunbeam did have a color of "Pippin Red" listed in 1958 and '59. I THINK that is the Minx color.

Hillman minx with special accessories

Hillman minx with special accessories

forum.sunbeamalpine.org

Hope this gives you some help,

https://www.oxforddiecast.co.uk/products/sunbeam-rapier-mkiii-pearl-grey-pippin-red-76sr002 ​

1960 Oxford Diecast Pearl Grey/Pippin Red Rapier - 1:76 Scale​

 

[Chrisp Rapier]

I also see in 1959 that Pearl Grey and Pippin Red are Rootes colors. I am pretty sure these are my colors. The Pearl Grey is really an off white.

 

[Chrisp Rapier]

I am assuming the original paint is cellulose lacquer. If I were repainting over the existing original finish, what would be the simplest paint type to spray?

 

[jumpinjan]

The simplest paint to apply would be Acrylic Enamel which is also a "single-stage" paint (no clear coat), it is also one of the lower cost automotive paints. (I recommend adding a hardener to make the film tougher & dry quicker). I use the Nason brand (was Dupont)
Jan

 

[Chrisp Rapier]

The simplest paint to apply would be Acrylic Enamel which is also a "single-stage" paint (no clear coat), it is also one of the lower cost automotive paints. (I recommend adding a hardener to make the film tougher & dry quicker). I use the Nason brand (was Dupont)
Jan

Yes that sounds like what I am looking for. Thanks for the input. I have tried to find paint codes online. I know this is one of those age-old questions here in the forum. I have found a "Berger" reference number. I do not know what that is. Is it a Berger paint specific number?

 

[Chrisp Rapier]

Well now I have found Ditzler codes and Dupont codes for the two colors I need. Are the Dupont codes the same for Nason?

 

[jumpinjan]

Forget those old codes you found, you need to take a color sample to the paint store and they will make a formula to mix the paint.
Jan

 

[Chrisp Rapier]

Forget those old codes you found, you need to take a color sample to the paint store and they will make a formula to mix the paint.
Jan

There is no way for me to take a sample of the second color. It is the roof and accent on the body panels.

 

[jumpinjan]

There is no way for me to take a sample of the second color.

Oh, so you cannot drive (or tow) the car there for them to sample the color? If not, I guess you're out of luck?
Jan

 

[sunalp]

There are always paint chips at the paint store and they can make up samples so you can
get pretty close to what you want. The color on the car may not be what it once was due to age
and conditions. You may not get it spot on, but you can get pretty close.

 

[Chrisp Rapier]

There are always paint chips at the paint store and they can make up samples so you can
get pretty close to what you want. The color on the car may not be what it once was due to age
and conditions. You may not get it spot on, but you can get pretty close.

That is a good idea.

 

[sunalp]

Just make sure you look at the colors in good light, like outside as they tend to change with
different lighting conditions.

 

[Chrisp Rapier]

CR,

I don't have a good way to describe colors but I'll try.

If the "white" part appears to be a dirty yellowish cream, then it's probably "foam gray." (code 8 and a usual base for Hillman's two tone paint)

Moonstone appears to be more dirty bluish gray than yellow.


For the paint scheme, I was thinking your Rapier looks similar to this Minx. After viewing some Rapier images, I'm not sure that would be correct.

Sunbeam did have a color of "Pippin Red" listed in 1958 and '59. I THINK that is the Minx color.

Hillman minx with special accessories

Hillman minx with special accessories

forum.sunbeamalpine.org

Hope this gives you some help,

In my research, the foam grey seems to be a Hillman color and the pearl grey is a Sunbeam color. I took the lower center console from my Rapier to the store to look for a representative paint sample card. In doing so I think I discovered that this console and the painted frame for the lower shelf and glove box, are a much darker grey. I got a match for that dark gray. So I then used some rubbing compound to clean up the under hood cross member. It cleaned up a bit darker than my exterior paint (which is way more white from fading). I think this under hood section is more accurate to the pearl grey, original color. I think the dark grey is supposed to match the grey vinyl of the upholstery. Below are the samples I got of the dark gray and the under hood, pearl grey.

 

[husky drvr]

the foam grey seems to be a Hillman color

Actually, Sunbeam used Foam Gray as well. In fact, I think the majority of Alpines were probably originally equipped with parts painted in Foam Gray - Rootes colour code 8 - the "white" factory steel wheels. I did find that some listings also called colour code 8 to be Foam White.

What I didn't find with a brief search was a reference to the time when Foam Gray entered Rootes colour selections. With a code of "8" it might have been one of earlier choices on the palette. On the Alpines, the early cars had body colour wheels until the change to "white" disk wheels during sII production.

If your wheels are original paint and "white," they MAY be Foam White."

The Husky in my avatar pic is Colour Code 8 for body colour - at least the parts not in primer. I tried to take a new picture to post for comparison, but none would've helped when posted. By that time you had already settled on the PG/PR colour scheme. Didn't see any reason to challenge your logic.

Keep going your doing fine,

 

[nsbluenose]

Here are a couple of pictures from two late 50’s, early 60’s Sunbeam Rapier brochures showing the colour schemes offered for those years, unfortunately no codes supplied.
Oddly enough the brochures have no dates printed on them. Cars described have 1494cc engines, so no newer than early 60’s.

 

[Chrisp Rapier]

Actually, Sunbeam used Foam Gray as well. In fact, I think the majority of Alpines were probably originally equipped with parts painted in Foam Gray - Rootes colour code 8 - the "white" factory steel wheels. I did find that some listings also called colour code 8 to be Foam White.

What I didn't find with a brief search was a reference to the time when Foam Gray entered Rootes colour selections. With a code of "8" it might have been one of earlier choices on the palette. On the Alpines, the early cars had body colour wheels until the change to "white" disk wheels during sII production.

If your wheels are original paint and "white," they MAY be Foam White."

The Husky in my avatar pic is Colour Code 8 for body colour - at least the parts not in primer. I tried to take a new picture to post for comparison, but none would've helped when posted. By that time you had already settled on the PG/PR colour scheme. Didn't see any reason to challenge your logic.

Keep going your doing fine,

Hard to say if the "white" of the wheels is the body color or the foam white. Perhaps it is whiter than the faded body pearl grey.