Authentic colour scheme for 1958

[garethj]

I've just bought a 1958 sports car which needs a repaint. There's no records of the factory colours and they were only made in low volume anyway so I'd just like to paint it a colour that looks right for the period.

I'm a child of the '70s so I can remember everything about Rostyle wheels and slotmags, but this car has wire wheels - they were rarely chromed back in the '50s were they? Would silver or grey paint be authentic?

The only photos that exist of cars at the time are black and white, but is there a website that shows the different colour combinations around that time? The only thing I can think of is period brochures for an MGA or Lotus Elite etc. Sadly lots of restored cars seem to be tartan red / old english white with chrome wires and that's it....

No offence to those who've restored them that way!

[ettore]

What is it?

[RW774]

The difficulty will be finding a modern formulation for an old colour. Speak to ICI`s automative paint division, or an old established paint shop for advice.

[garethj]

ettore said:

What is it?

It's a Peerless

[Hot_Stu]

My opinion (for what little it is worth)

Wire wheels - painted ~(if you want a bit of "bling" add shiney spinner nuts - 2,3 or 4 eared)
Rostyles - silver and black (you can by "masks" to assist with spraying the black inserts)
Steels - look lovely painted with a nice shiny hubcap

Colour - Reds - not too shiny - concider BMC cherry
alternatively my personal favourites are BMC Speedwell blue or Iris blue (can be conbined effectively with white wires if preferred)

An alternative - depending on style of vehicle (not knowing what it is)is a 50's style hotrod look.

Matt black, moon discs, whitewalls etc.

If it is rare and significant- be sympathetic, if it is just rare have fun and do it your way !!

Edited by Hot_Stu on Wednesday 27th May 09:58

[williamp]

They would have been painted in the astandard colours of the day- so look at ford, Austin/Morris, Rover, jaguar etc etc

[ettore]

Late fifties cars were often in pastel colours, particularly greys, greens, blues and creams. Cars with sporting pretensions often mirrored the appropriate racing colours (BRG, Red etc etc) whilst anything flash, or with american ambitions, was lairy, often two-tone, and sometimes sported white-walls.

I would have though a Peerless would be nice in a pale metallic?

[aeropilot]

Probably couldn't go too far wrong with something from the late 50's Jag XK colour chart with silver painted wires or colour coded wires dependant on what colour you went for.

[a8hex]

aeropilot said:

Probably couldn't go too far wrong with something from the late 50's Jag XK colour chart with silver painted wires or colour coded wires dependant on what colour you went for.

Sorry couldn't resist



This is my 1958 car. The colour is an original Jaguar one (Pearl Grey), although my car left the factory a tad darker as Cornish Grey. This was the colour used on the cars at the launch. Manufactures often choose colours that looked good in Black&White photos.

[lowdrag]

The wheels. Are you sure they are perfectly sound and worth repainting? To take off tyres and rim tape, take off the spokes, clean and repaint each spoke and then reassemble each wheel probably isn't worth it. Better to have a look at the MWS web site and buy new ones, if only for peace of mind. Oh, and yes, the majority of wheels were either painted silver or body colour, rarely, except for the upper echelon cars, chromed.

[a8hex]

lowdrag said:

Oh, and yes, the majority of wheels were either painted silver or body colour, rarely, except for the upper echelon cars, chromed.

The ones in my picture are silver painted.
In case you couldn't tell.

[shirt]

nice looking car. elegant looking, so i'd go for a dark colour and contrast it against wires & whitewalls. a bit like this alvis:

http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C63344/

[paulwd]

Nextdoor neighbour had one on those when I was a child in the early 60's it was bright yellow. I remember him telling me it was designed by same people as Aston Martin, any truth or just trying to impress a kid.

[garethj]

Thanks for all the replies, the only thing putting me off a dark colour is it'll show any ripples in the 50 year old fibreglass!

Is there a site with Jaguar brochures scanned in anywhere, or a list of their colours?

paulwd said:

Nextdoor neighbour had one on those when I was a child in the early 60's it was bright yellow. I remember him telling me it was designed by same people as Aston Martin, any truth or just trying to impress a kid.

Just trying to impress a kid I'm afraid, although there are hints of the DB3 and AC Acea in the styling. It was designed by Bernie Rodger (an experienced racing engine tuner and "special" builder of the time.

[lowdrag]

Nearest I can help with is this:-

http://www.inetogether.org/jaguar/paint.php

[a8hex]

or Jag-lovers, which has a load of old Jaguar brochures on

http://www.jag-lovers.org/brochures/1950_section.h...

This includes some with the available colour selections.

(and just for Lowdrag, the sales brochure for the 120C although sadly not your version)

[CY88]

Can't help but think that silver or that aston martin sage green would look great if it's one of these: very DB'esque









More Peerless here: http://www.peerless-gt.co.uk/

ETA: I just read that one went to Le Mans in 1958!

Edited by CY88 on Friday 29th May 16:20