Mystery solved !

[John Boggis]

It has always been a mystery to me why the steel wheel color on series II-V Alpines was called Foam grey,especialy when the actual Rootes shade 8 is a cream colour. Well mystery solved ! I found an old Rootes Bulletin (september1965) Which says color code 8 is Foam white....now that sounds more like it !

 

[George Coleman]

Thanks, That sound right to me , its like an old English white, thats what I used

 

[65beam]

mystery

back in 1995,doug went into his attic and picked out a wheel that had very little use, steve matched the color and they painted the wheels on the series 5. i have to agree with george on the color.it's close!

 

[Alpine Bob]

So, I take it that all Series I cars have Body Color for the wheels, as seen on my Series I photo which was taken in November 1960, I took delivery from the Dealer in October 1960.

 

[John W]

Did they have color photos in 1960?

 

[John Boggis]

So, I take it that all Series I cars have Body Color for the wheels, as seen on my Series I photo which was taken in November 1960, I took delivery from the Dealer in October 1960.

Yes Series I Alpines wheels were painted body color. Series II onwards were painted Foam white, Rootes color 8 as the pic below.

 

[Sownman]

I found Camoflage grey in a model/hobby shop that was a perfect match to my long buried and unused spare wheel. Bought several cans of it then when I went in to have my wheels sand blasted discoverwed a powder coat coloy that also matched perfectly. Funny in some light it look off white in others it looks foam grey in others it looks cream brown. Its as close to correct as they will get from me

Steve

 

[AlpineIan]

Wheels on all series I and part of production on series II were painted body color. This changed roughly half way through production in 1961. If you look at period photos you will notice that sometime during the change of wheels from small holes to large holes and the new hub cap design they started to be painted white. Some small hole wheels started to be painted white before they changed to the new larger hole wheels at B91207291. They then changed the hub cap at B9107388, per Rootes parts manuals.

 

[Ken Ellis]

Steve, can you post the color names and numbers for the paint and powder coat you mentioned?

Ken

 

[Limey]

It has always been a mystery to me why the steel wheel color on series II-V Alpines was called Foam grey,especialy when the actual Rootes shade 8 is a cream colour. Well mystery solved ! I found an old Rootes Bulletin (september1965) Which says color code 8 is Foam white....now that sounds more like it !

Both grey and white are correct. Greyey white or Whitey grey, Same-same.

I Have a 1961 - 1969 ICI Rootes colour swatch, with mix ratios copied here exactly:-

''FOAM GREY / FOAM WHITE
White P030-9929 - 91%
Black P030-9901 - 2%
Reduced yellow Oxide P062-9911 - 7%

A trace of reduced Permanent Green P062-9905 may be required
ROOTES 8''

Bodicraft in Watford, London UK can match Rootes colour code very very accurately. They have prepared an number of colours for me from the codes and they have been 100% spot on. Even metalics.

Oliver

 

[Alpine Addict]

Here is a good article

http://www.sunbeamalpine.org/index.php?categoryid=82&p2_articleid=11