In a message dated 4/10/05 1:02:26 AM, owner-healeys-digest@autox.team.net
writes:
> I'm pre-painting engine parts prior to engine assembly and noticed that the
> engine color supplied by Moss & Hirsch (which match each other exactly) are
> more yellow green than the original color on my engine which is more blue
> green. Has anyone else noticed this difference?
> Richard Bittmann BJ7
>
>
Based on the lore of British manufacturing methods built up from a variety of
discussions with folks who worked at the various installations in Oxford,
Abingdon, and Longbridge, my opinion is that engines were painted for two
purposes: first to keep them from rusting while they were in transit from the
engine
works at Oxford to Longbridge or Abingdon (stacked on loading docks, carried
in open lorries, stacked on unloading docks, etc. for days on end), and second
for identification purposes (since the same basic engines were being used in
everything from taxis to sports cars). Cosmetics didn't really enter into it,
so the comment attributed to Geoff Healey that if the works were running low
on
the "dust grey" we call Healey Engine Green, they would simply dilute it with
white until the new shipment arrived. Hence the shade of engine color would
have varied from dark to light and back again frequently during the production
period.
Bottom line -- any variation of light grayish-green is going to be acceptable
by concours judges without deduction. Certainly both Hirsch brush-on (my
preference because it's easy to use) and Moss rattle-can paints are well
within
the acceptable range.
Cheers
Gary Anderson
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