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MG MGB Technical - What colour should it be?

Okay, I'm officially confused... and I know this is a personal taste type question and in the grander scheme of things it doesn't really make that much difference but...

The (first) B is almost ready for paint and I can't decide what colour to use! I have the opportunity to chose the "correct" colour as it's getting a full respray excluding the underside and the inner bulkhead as the running gear and dash are still in place (sort of).

It J reg and the V5 says first registered in April 71 but... it's currently showberry white and from everything I've read it should be Glacier white. I'm now starting to wonder if it's actually an earlier build that's stood around before first reg. It's had work done in the past (obvs!) but I can't find any earlier layers of paint that provide any clues! The tunnel looks snowberry but has a lot of yellowing glue on which could be throwing me off!

I was just going to do it snowberry but I already have a 1300 in that colour and I'm leaning toward doing the B in glacier.

So... I know it's taken me a longtime to get to it but... is there anyway to 100% confirm the factory colour used i.e. will a Heritage Cert state white or Snowberry White etc.?

Any tips/pointers appreciated

Best of...
MGmike




M McAndrew

Mike: It depends just how you wish to "restore" your car. If you want to restore to "original" concours, then you go with the "snowberry white".

Cheers

Gary

79 MGB
gary hansen

Mike: It depends just how you wish to "restore" your car. If you want to restore to "original" concours, then you go with the "snowberry white". if the Heritage Cert states that color.

Cheers

Gary

79 MGB

gary hansen

Mike, as you can see from my own Heritage Certificate the original colour is recorded.

Andy

Andy Robinson

If it's a GT, the nearest to the original shade is often the back of the lock cover on the hatch.
Allan Reeling

Body number? Should be near 246000 if it was a Apr 71 build.
Chris at Octarine Services

It's only the DVLA that would record it as 'white'. As Andy shows the Heritage certificate will show the factory colour in full.

When applying it's normal to give the engine number, if you don't, or if it is different to that shown in the records, then the number will be preceded by 'Originally'. I don't know if that also happens if you supply the colour and that is not what is shown in the records.

Colours usually (but not always) changed with model year, which not only started up to five months before the calendar year but the build date could also be some time before the first registered date - 10 months in the case of my roadster. According to Clausager the shade changed from Snowberry to Glacier for the 1970 model year which started in October 69 at chassis number 187170, which is a very long time before your registered date - unless it was a re-import and didn't change again until the 1978 model year. If your chassis number is after that (FWIW the 71 model year started at 219001 in August 1970) then it almost certainly would have been Glacier.

paulh4

I had a '71 B roadster and it was glacier white.

Mike Howlett

thanks for all the info guys..

Chris, it appears I've misplaced the V5 for this one! I must have put it somewhere safe to hide it from SWMBO and it will be tomorrow before I can check the numbers on the car! It's a first reg in Apr 71 and therefore I'm expecting the build date to be earlier.

Mike H, I'm leaning to Glacier as the "original" colour but I'll do a bit more digging before committing.

Allan R, it's a roadster and with all the work done over the years its going to be difficult to find an original section! Currently has new wings, floors, sills, rear wings (lower sections), rear panel (lower section), one complete inner arch, boot lid and front inner wing repairs! Bonnet and doors are too good to be originals so can't rely on them.

Andy, thanks, that gives me some confidence to splash the cash for a cert to double check.

Gary, it will be a long way from concours but putting it back to the original paint colour is one of the options I have.

Paulh, some good info and all things considered it should be Glacier but I'll see what turns up when I check the numbers and/or get a Cert.

Thanks again guys

MGmike



M McAndrew

This thread was discussed on 24/05/2020

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