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MG MGA - MGA painting

Has anyone ever seen a good two-tone 1958 MGA paint job?

There are no obvious break points on the car body which will act as boundaries for the different colors, so maybe this is not a good idea.

The rear fenders up to the door jamb, or the bonnet and boot lid could be different colors, but I don't see any other places to make a break with colors.

I'd appreciate comments, or photos of such a two-tone paint job.
G. Peterson

This is an idea I've been thinking of for my car. I've found a few photos of two tone MGAs and most use a straight line from the front wheel arch back towards the rear. I think it looks a little off, might be better to follow the curve of the upper body/fender line a bit more like the curve of the Healey paint break. Here are a couple of the photos I've found for your opinion.
Bill Young

Another photo.
Bill Young

One more, not a two tone as such, but notice how the curved line of the paint really changes the apparent shape of the car.
Bill Young

I've seen cars painted one color on fenders and doors, and another front to back in the center. It looked "ok" but not my cup of tea.
Steve Simmons

Am I the only one who cannot load Bill's 2nd and 3rd photo's? All I get is a blank window.

Chuck
C Schaefer

I also didn't get Bill Y. 2nd and 3rd picture.
N Wessely

Bill,
It looks like someone had a Healey - washed it and it shrunk!
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

I agree with Mike, Bills first picture just looks like an Austin Healey wannnabe.

Neil
Neil McGurk

...here is mine, OEW/BLK...some like it,..some don't.
WYATT WOLCOTT

It's hard to fault someone using the side color on an A, the factory did it first on the LeMans coupe.
Bill Young

Trying again with a smaller file size.
Bill Young

Reposting photos, hope they come through.
LeMans coupe.

Bill Young


Green over black sides.

Bill Young

Last one, paint line is curved, but more than the Healey.

Bill Young

MG in Abingdon experimented with their own version of the two-tone paint scheme. This picture was taken at the factory around 1960 Unfortunately the image is black/white, but it does show their line of thinking :-0
(photo from the book "the untold story" by David Knowles)

Rutger

Rutger Booy

I once saw an MGA painted like a 60 vette but can't recall where. Maybe one of the GT's.

Kris Sorensen

Nice picture Rutger,

I can only believe that Abingdons experiment confirmed that their two tone paint idea looked crap and was therefore not introduced!

Neil
Neil McGurk

Well here is my repost of my car, like I said, some like it,some dont. It is OEW/BLK

Hope the photo comes thru this time.

WYATT WOLCOTT

Not bad Wyatt. I think the two tone like this would probably work best on the coupe as you did.
Two (or even three) tone paint jobs were all the rage in the US around the time of the MGA, so I wouldn't doubt if MG experimented with the idea for the US market. Other than the body not really having styling lines such as the Healey which lent a visual parting line for a paint color change, the most probable reason MG didn't do it was cost. They were already fairly expensive for the US market and as a entry level sports car probably wanted to maintain their price position realative to Triumph and Austin Healey. The more up market Healeys got the two tone paint.
Bill Young

Ron Gammon of Brown & Gammons used to have a red coupe with the top painted in old english white that I thought looked very good. I seriously considered doing this with my coupe but was put off by the difficulty of getting a good paint line. Years ago the car used to feature in the magazines but I have not seen it for a long time.
J H Cole

Hi all,

check here for a two-colored mineral blue/white Coupe:
http://picasaweb.google.de/MGATwinCamCoupe/Urlaub2007AlpenpSseMitDemTwinCam

Siggi
Siggi

Wyatt,

Throw a red light on top of that car and have some fun with the tourists!

Mark
Mark J Michalak

Well OK, either that,...or have some bamboo shoots sticking out of the grille.
WYATT WOLCOTT

Mark, looks a bit like a roadster with a hardtop!

Wyatt, looks familiar, did you buy/sell that car on eBay recently?

Neil
Neil McGurk

Neil, I got a free listing offer from ebay,and took them up on it,a spur of the moment thing. Then realised the hastyness of my actions and cancelled the auction after just two days.Christmas and other circumstances were not the ideal time to list a car. I must say that it appeared that the auction was going to go well.

Here is another shot of it in, ...I call it duo-tone like the Magnette.

WYATT WOLCOTT

Wyatt, the more I see it the more I like it. The red line tires are the perfect accent. You have a good eye.
Bill Young

I agree with Bill, that's a really nice picture, don't you have a roadster too?

Neil
Neil McGurk

Thanks guys, umm...yes I have a roadster.

WYATT WOLCOTT

Wyatt the multicolor finish on the roadster isn't near as striking as the coupe.
R J Brown

This thread was discussed between 14/01/2008 and 19/01/2008

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