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Triumph TR6 - Paint color

Two weeks from paint and it's decision time. The '76 is White and needs a change. I got the pics of Rod's Mallard 6 in Boise, Idaho and it's really nice. Choice #2. I found a Valencia Blue TR250 at www.wilsonmotorco.com and it looks really good - not a TR6 color (TR250 and Spit) but here in the greater St. John's area there are 5 red ones, 4 green, 1 topaz, a French blue and a Royal blue, a silver gray and 1 other white one so I'm sorta stuck to find something different. If you take a look at Wilson's did anybody ever see a 6 in this color? Was thinking of keeping the white for originality and possible resale value but with TR6 prices going up the way they are I think maybe I'll keep it so originality is not that big a deal. If I did decide to sell would the non-original color hurt the sale? Comments?

Cheers,
Bob
76-6
Bob Evans


I believe non original color will affect the sale. How much? Well that depends on how nice the new color is. Most importantly, to me, would be how much of the old color is still evident. I wouldn't buy a car if I could see the old color under the hood or in the door jambs. If it was done well with no old color evident and I liked the color I might buy it.. But then of course the commision tag color id will never be right.
That's my opinion. It's your car. Do with it what you want and make it how you want it...that's what it should come down to.

HP
HP Henry Patterson

Hi Bob,
Try this site for colors,
http://users.belgacom.net/triumph/Triumph%20TR6%20colors.htm
I agree with Henry. My car was originally magenta and a PO repainted it British racing green back in the late 80s. I love the green but the paint job is poor, especially under the hood (poor preparation work), so now there is evidence of the purple showing up. Looks bad. The car will need repainting in the near future. Quotes around Calgary range from 4-10K. Ouch.
Good luck,
Steve
Steve Crosby

Henry/Steve:

Agreed - I thought lack of originality would also affect value. The plan is/was to strip the car's interior & trunk and spray in the new color, including the underneath of the bonnet & boot covers and the whole boot area. Next summer, when the engine is pulled, to spray the remaining sheetmetal under the bonnet (inner fenders, firewall, etc.). White would definitely be much easier. Still deciding. I sprayed my '67 TR4A in '69 Buick Madeira Maroon and it looked just great - much better than the original Triumph Racing Green. I guess it just comes down to personal preference. Thanks.

Cheers,
Bob
Bob Evans

Just a suggestion, maybe you should wait to paint the whole car while the engine is out. My reasoning is less masking or chance to mar up your final outside finish. Thinking a bit more, possibly do the final outside coat after the engine is back in. As long as you're careful, I guess it doesn't matter.

White is ok, I prefer a little tint to it rather than pure white. I did a Karmann Ghia convertible in what was called platinum, had a bit of blue in it, and people would always say they never saw such a white car. Had a pure white TR3 and it just looked dingy, clean or dirty didn't make much difference, though. Paint it a color that makes you smile.
Tom

Thanks again Guys:

I like that; paint it a color that makes you smile :)
Waiting is not an option because the tiny rust spots I have can't wait.(2 places, left front fender near headlight pot and lower right front by BL medallion, where inner fender joins the outer. There's a rubber seal between the two so a natural rust starter) I have "pimples"; honest that's what they are like but under the little bubble is the original white paint with no rust. Really weird and nodody knows what they are. Problem is there are quite a few of them so I want to take care of it now. I pricked and scraped 10 - 12 of them last Fall and treated with Tremclad white and there is absolutely no bubble reoccurring, no re-bubbling, progression or sign of rust but it's paint time for sure. The only part not getting sprayed is the under bonnet area for now. Late this summer the original engine comes out and we can spray everything. Back to my original question. Anybody ever see a TR6 in Valencia Blue?

Cheers,
Bob
76-6
Bob Evans

Ha Bob
Your TR6 is way to old to have pimples:)

No never seen Valencia blue but know of a really cool one in Saphire blue:)
Rick C
Rick Crawford

Rick:

Sapphire blue is you :)
Been down to the garage again today & had a beer with the 6; still no master cylinder. The White still looks pretty good & is easier all 'round. May stick with that for originality. Never this hard thinking what color to paint a Camaro! Gotta decide soon.

Cheers,
Bob
Bob Evans

Bob,
My 71 is originally Sapphire Blue, (96) but I think that I going to go with Royal Blue (56). To me the darker color just looks better (smile), but I'm stripping to bare metal all around. Thought about even changing the commission plate, but Richard pinged me on that so I guess the plate will say 96, but it'll be a darker blue. Didn't decide this until I saw the original Sapphire Blue behind the dash on the inside of the scuttle. Good luck with whatever you decide. Like was said, do what will may you smile every time you see her.
db
Doug Baker

Bob I am preparing my car for repainting right now, and would remind you to think about what is involved in changing the colour.
Not only must you remove all the interior,the drivetrain, the chrome trim, all rubber trim,wiring harness, all glass, the doors and the body off the frame, but you must then remove door hinges, the asphalt acoustic tiles stuck under the parcel shelf, and turn the car on its side to scrape all the undercoating off the bottom.
This is a long way of saying its a big job if you do it yourself, or expensive, maybe $10,000, if you pay someone else.
One of the reasons cars are less valuable if the colour has been changed is that not many people are prepared to do it properly and bits painted the original colour are visible if you look hard enough.
Simon.
Simon

Simon,
I'm doing all that you've described...and it may stay the original color or be so close as to not be noticed. In fact the only way anyone will be able to tell is if they check the commission plate and know what the code is and which color is which. My intent is not to hide the original paint which will come off regardless; it's to make sure the repairs/etc. stay! All rust will be removed and new metal replacing any that is deteriorated beyond salvage. I just received the tray under the battery this week from TRF and the driver's floor pan will be partially replaced. Everything else appears to be pretty solid. The estimate at this point is in the $5K USD range with me removing the removables...wings, bonnet, etc, but not the doors so as to make sure it remains rigid to the paint shop. They want to chemically strip by hand and bead blast what they cannot reach. I don't know how many coats of primer and top coats will be required, but it'll be multiple of each. Will advise cost and process when completed.
db
Doug Baker

Simon:

I think I'm starting to really appreciate # 19 White. Even so, I am removing the whole interior and all chrome, trim, lights, windshield, etc just to get a neat job and save my painter some work and me some $$.

Cheers,
Bob
76-6
Bob Evans

It was not unheard of for commission plate and car to not match. Sitting in our garage is my wife's Spitfire. The commission plate shows color 126 (French Blue). The car is actually Mimosa (color 64). I can tell you from working on this car (including some body work) that it has always been Mimosa, you will not find any French Blue anywhere on the car.
SteveP

Steve,
Do you think that an error was introduced in manufacturing and just not corrected? How might this be adjudicated for concours judging? Are points deducted for not matching? My Commission plate reflects 34 years of wear and tear and I had planned to replace it anyway, but changing the color code to match what's on the body seems to fudge just a wee bit, don't you think?
db
Doug Baker

I feel that there is probably either a French Blue out there somewhere with an adjacent serial number that is showing up as Mimosa on the commission plate. Either that or there is whole string of out of sequence Spitfires. One thing that should probably be kept in mind that labor troubles were rampant through out BL at the time. It could have been a prank, it could have a lack of attention, no telling what really happened other than the result. Note that unlike the TR models, the Spitfires had the frame painted the same color as the body. If a yellow frame came down the line, a yellow body should have been there to meet up with it. The commission plates were made up in advance and then delivered. If indeed the frame and body matched, the commission number plate would be put on the car sequentially from the stack. If things were out of order.....

When judging from a VTR point of view, the commission plate is one of the things that is normally given a look. My typical procedure was to get a quick discrete glance at the plate while looking at the interior and see if it matched the car. If it didn't, then I would look at areas that would give away a color change. If I didn't see any evidence of a change, I would try for some additional information but if not reasonably available the mismatch would noted and left to the discretion of the chief judge (why? because I have direct evidence of a plate and car not matching so it did happen). If I saw evidence of a color change, it didn't matter to me if the plate and the car matched or not, it was points off and the presenter could appeal to the chief judge if they desired.
SteveP

Bob,
Why don't you paint it a two tone colour like mine. Everybody who see my loves it and reakons it's the best looking TR6 they have ever seen. Refer to members cars on this site and look for my two-tone Trumpie
http://ca.geocities.com/trchas6/tnpage.html
Mine was originally Royal Blue (56) but it was repainted Jaguar Midnight Blue (very close to Royal Blue) and silver.
It really stand out at the concours and everybody who attends the event seems to head for mine first up.
Kevin
KG Farley

Kevin,

When you said "two-tone" paint, my first reaction was Yuck! But after looking at the pictures, I agree, it does indeed look good. I might just do that to my own TR6/V8 conversion.
Dan Masters

A handsome pair of Britcars, Kevin. I wasn't sure I'd like it either, but I do.
Tom

Dan...(and tom)I can forward to you some more detailed Digital photos of the paint job to give you a good idea of where the Blue meets the silver. The rear end might be the main problem just guessing might not be good enough. The front is faily straight forward, it finished just under front bumper guard between the front valance and the guard joint.
Let me know and I'll take a few more close up photos and send to you via email.
As to the midnight blue, it's bit darker blue than the royal blue (the royal blue seems to have a bit more purple in it). The jaguar midnight blue was used on E-Types, I think, during the early 1970s. The silver colour seems to have a very slit tint of blue in it. It only possible to seem in good sunlight. But the overall colour match is perfect. I don't think the silver would match with the Truimph Royal Blue as it seems to me to be a bit on the "light" side
Happy to assst
regards Kevin Farley
Victoria Oz KangarooLand
KG Farley

Kevin:

Very nice car with a striking color combination. For now I'm sticking with white but not the original # 19. It's too creamy/beige. maybe two-tone for my next TR6?

Cheers,
Bob
Bob Evans

One of my mates has a White UK Home TR6 PI. Its Vin/Comm Number is CP25204, so taking out the 143 CKDs from 1968 it's about 61st Factory Production TR6. My guess would be that it was made in January 1969. I'm not sure whether the there are any earlier PI TR6s in the world. I'll send a photo for you records
Kevin
KG Farley

My PO (or his PO) painted my '71 in the same pattern but Grey over Reddish Brown. I like the look but would probably go to an original color if/when repainting.

Charlie
EC Smith

This thread was discussed between 28/04/2005 and 26/05/2005

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