Re-reading Don Hayter's 'MGB Story' I have come across several amusing snippets involving the development of the MGB, and one concerns dip-priming the body. Originally ICI suggested a tank which dipped the body up to bulkhead level, and the panels above that would be hand-sprayed. However that left a line on the bonnet which had to be hand feathered. So ICI suggested a deeper tank which would take the whole body. He writes "Paint representatives and management gathered to watch the first body through the revised process. It came down into the primer but, due to the trapped air in the upper panels, floated off the mechanical line hooks, which moved on alone, leaving the body to slowly and gracefully sink to the bottom of the vat. Not much was said and we all left, leaving Bill Bailly and the Planning Department with a difficult submarine recovery operation ...".
I am very grateful to Craig Quenneville for taking the trouble to scan and mail me a set of original paint chip charts. You must bear in mind that these are scans of period documents, displayed on your monitor, and both the scanning and display is subject to electronic 'interpretation'. The relationship between the colours should, in theory, still be relevant but maybe some of the chips themselves have changed colour over the years because although most are as I remember them some are less so. Full details of the colours, BL and manufacturers codes, and years and models used are below. For the scans of his original DuPont (Canada) documents click here.
See also:
Clausager is very sniffy in his 'Original' book about people wanting to know how many were made in each colour, suggesting that if anyone wants to know they should go and count them themselves! The V8 Register seems to have done just that, for V8 models at least, and the results can be seen here.
The paint manufacturers colour codes are taken from Clausager's 'Original MGB'. He states that where manufacturers show more than one code against a colour, MGB records do not contain any information as to show when or where each shade was used. Dates available are model years except where specified.
The original paint colour can sometimes be seen behind the dash and centre-console, less so in the engine compartment and even less externally unless only very quick paint jobs have been done - or perhaps none at all! Only 1980 models have the paint code on the VIN plate in line with modern practice, other than that the only source of the original colour name will be on the Heritage Certificate.
August 2019: I've seen references to 'RAL' paint codes, which is a coding system described thus: "RAL colors are used for information defining standard colors for varnish, powder coating and plastics. It is the most popular Central European color standard used today. The colors are used in architecture, construction, industry and road safety. The RAL colors in this chart have been matched as closely as possible." My emphasis, and another site uses the phrase "RAL colour closest to this." for a typical MGB colour. Doesn't fill one with confidence. Some one asked about Teal Blue, and a couple of charts say that is 5018, but show a swatch that is more like Aqua than Teal Blue.
Warning! MGB Tahiti Blue is a much lighter shade than that used on the MGF/TF which uses the code JRJ. The same may apply to Flame Red (modern code COF), British Racing Green (HAF or HFF), Old English White (NNX) and Brooklands Green (HYF) with the MGF/TF colours being in metallic and pearlescent as well as 'solid'. Suppliers seem to use the standard 3-letter codes for modern cars but for 'classics' some use the BMC/BL codes in the table below but others don't, hence it's easy to get the wrong colour.
Colour name BMC/BL code Ault & Wibourg/
Berger/
GipglossICI PPG/
Ditzler
(US)Dupont
(US)Glasso/
Rinshead Mason
(US)
Black
1962-80. Special order only from 1970. Not available in North America in 77. Sole colour for North American 79-80 LEBK1
BLVC 90
PMA* KE 47 9000 99 946
Brown/beige colours
Antelope (beige)
1970 GT onlyBLVC 7 28040 7984 32890 8578 6648
Bedouin (beige)
1971BLVC 4 28664 7855 23581 6655
Bracken (brown/orange)
1974-Feb 76BLVC 93 30096 9247 60760 43275 6672
Bronze Metallic
1980 home market Roadster LEBLVC 370
BMC*34824M
35269M6759M
Golden Beige Metallic
1968 MGC GT standard
roadster optional 1968 MGB GT optionalBG. 19 26930M 3006M
2496M22847 8178 6635
Mustard
Experimentally on a few GTs at the end of 1971n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a
Russet Brown
1978-80BLVC 205
AAE*31072
32592
33669DD 51 24378 44848 9251
Sandglow (beige/gold)
Jan 76-77BLVC 63 31030 8651
GC 2024300 44565 8844
Sandy Beige
1965-69 GT onlyBG. 15 23473 6187 22213 8177 6639
Blue colours
Aqua (turquoise)
1972BLVC 60 28002 7932 14075 8821 6651
Bermuda Blue
1970 GT onlyBU. 40 22885 2846 12630 8582 6587
66540
Blue Royale
1970BU. 38 23322
286035186 12635
14475 6588
Iris Blue
Roadster 1962-Oct 65BU. 12 20306 3243 12235
31998184 8536
Midnight Blue
1971BLVC 12 28666 7963 14245 30011 6663
Mineral Blue
Oct 65-69BU. 9 18921 3130 12115
154068182 6600
Mirage (mauve)
1974 to Dec 74BLVC 11 30097 7960 33135 43277 6668
Pageant Blue
1978-80BLVC 224
JNA*31913 FC 58 15231 45473AH 9733D
Rivieria Silver Blue Metallic
1968 MGC GT standard, roadster optional, 1968 MGB GT optionalBU. 47 26544M 3005M
Teal Blue
1971-Feb75BLVC 18 28667 7918 14244 30006 6656
Tahiti Blue
Feb 1975-77BLVC 65 30788
31692AF 45 14866
1509643907 6674
Green colours
Brooklands Green
Jan 76-80BLVC 169
HMM*30683 4498
FM45
FD 6845190 44630 8848
Green Mallard
1971 (a few cars only) -73BLVC 22 28895 7925 44638 30014 66610
Limeflower
1973BLVC 20 28668 7968(?) 44448 30010 6658
British Racing Green
Dec 62-Aug 63GN. 25 21677 8120 43342 8193 6607
Dark British Racing Green
Aug 63-70GN. 29 24499 9767 46446 8194 6606
New Racing Green
1971
1975 Jubilee models one 75 V8BLVC 25 28670 7985 44446 30012 6659
Tundra (olive drab)
1974-Feb 76BLVC 94 30094
32045
327779424 44978 43278 6670
Grey colours
Chelsea Grey
1962-Aug 65GR. 15 17581 2750 31733 8198 6669
Grampian Grey
1965-69 GT onlyGR. 12 21175 7087 31934 6575
Pewter Metallic
1980 home market GT LEBLVC 377
MMD*35700M
34836M6766M
Red colours
Aconite (purple)
1974-Feb75BLVC 95 30095 9425 14728 43274 6673
Black Tulip (purple)
1973BLVC 23 28058 7970 14417 30015 9406
Blaze (orange)
1971-Feb 75BLVC 16 28665
305457864 60637 30007 6654
Damask Red
1973-Feb 77BLVC 99
(RD. 5?)20921
304884808 72261
710648819 66228
Carmine Red
Feb 1977-80BLVC 209
CAA*29355 9236
FD 32
EE 8072065 43019 8325R
Flame Red
1970-72BLVC 61 28126
297873442 71861 8571 6652R
Flamenco (orange red)
Feb 1975-77BLVC 133 30789
32137
326359718
DA 63
DA 9072144 43661 6675
Tartan Red
1962-69RD. 9 20817
320463770 71062
714168204 8534R
Vermillion (orange red)
1978-80BLVC 118
CML*32781 FC 57
GE 4060932 45471 9732R
White colours
Glacier White
1970-77 (alternatively Triumph White in 77)BLVC 59 27962
300994309 8845
900748579 6647
Leyland White
(also known as Ermine White or Porcelain White. Triumph White may have been used alternatively)
1978-80BLVC 243
NMC/NME/
NAF/NCG*32335
36133FA 78 90106 H7896 9734
Old English White
1962-67WT. 3 32043
24643
185802379
2122(/)8177 8207 6642
Police White WT. 2
BLVC 102424048 HT 49
Snowberry White
From start of MGC production and from Jan 1968 for MGB
to 1969WT. 4 19303 3012 8341 8210 6644
T*****h White
1977-80 as an alternative to Glacier White and Leyland White, aka 'New White'BLVC 206
NAB*24863
31694(?)3738 8380 4318 10053
Yellow colours
Bronze Yellow
1970-73BLVC 15 27944 9785
786181827 8581 6649
Chartreuse
Jan 76-77BLVC 167 30645 CH 76 45189 44629 8847
Citron
1974-Feb 76BLVC 73 30083 8653 44947 43276 6669
Inca Yellow
1978-79BLVC 207
FAB*33668
31073
32694DD50 82309 44880 9252
Pale Primrose Yellow
Feb 67-70YL. 12 26111 3297 81499 8319 6630
Snapdragon
1980BLVC 235
FMN*31939 GJ 80 82462 45475 12115
Harvest Gold
1972-Feb 76BLVC 19 28894 7919 82018 30013 6662
*These three-letter codes were found stamped on the VIN plates of 1980 model year RHD cars.