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MG MGA - BRG paint on my MGA

Its time to pick the paint code for my '59 coupe (kinda scary). I want it to be British Racing Green, and realize that there are many, many shades of BRG possible. I have BMC/BL paint codes used in the 1960's, but I don't know yet if the paint shop can source those. Some cars have used Jaguar Hen Green, a late model (1990?) color that should be easy to get. But, I hear that Hen Green is very dark, almost black in some light situations. Has anybody painted their car with Jaguar Hen Green and can maybe describe (subjective I know) the shade this color is?

Thanks a lot, George
G Goeppner

I mixed 3 quarts of "Dark Hunter Green" with one quart of "gloss black" and got a great color, IMHO.

You can pick a green you like and just keep adding as much black as you like until you get it right. In my case, the green I thought I liked was great in the garage, but turned very blue-green in the sunlight. Even the green I have now changes a lot in different light, but I really, really like the color.j

Here are some pics: https://profiles.google.com/jim.mail.nh/photos/5522357543585427489 (look around, there are lots of pics in the various folders. I really like the BRG and tan interior combo.

Below is one pic from the day I repainted the tub with the new color. I left the engine bay and shelf the old color, since I'd already mounted the brake M/C and the wires, etc.

There is a "definitive" BRG recipe on Barney's site (no, I realize that there is no such thing).

http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/paint/pt110a.htm

(see this page and the next).

JIM in NH


AJ Mail

Jim, wot's that bit sticking out at the F wheel arch?
Art Pearse

I think you mean the sawhorse (2 X 4 screwed to the top of the collapsible sawhorses I used).

AJ Mail

George, I was in the same predicament. As you know, BRG was never a std color for the MGA. In fact, there is no real formula for BRG. Every mfgr used their own selected hues. My recommendation is to look thru their color books by color and not by mfgr's color names. Choose the one you like and go with it. I did. Coincidentally, years later at a meet, I found it was a virtual match to the Sebring cars.

Chuck
Chuck Schaefer

The Sebring cars seem to be a lighter green than the traditional BRG, especially the later photos.
http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/variants/vt104g.htm
My own A is what they call in Oz "Hawthorn green".
Mike



Mike Ellsmore

George

Mine is Hen Green. It was a popular shade that Bob West was using when I rebuilt my car in 1996. It's never looked black to me, although it is certainly quite dark. It looks very much like the green in Jim's photo above (body on trestles).

Steve


Steve Gyles

Hi George.

The Moss parts list book for the MGB (possibly the A book as well) carries a very comprehensive listing of factory color codes - with the modern paint numbers listed for the various paint suppliers (Ditzler, ICI, RM and others).

You may also want to use that listing to help you decide - it would give you some good current paint codes to work with.

I will be facing this same question in a few years - I really like the very dark BRG colors that I have seen on some cars. Steve's green looks close to what I will be looking for.

Good luck,


Jeff
Jeff Delk

Jim, no I meant the bit just behind the arch high point.
Art Pearse

regarding the Sebring lighter greens - Video screens are a not good for color selection. The reproduction of colors are very poor. The colors on Barney's site seem very light to my recollection. My memory is from seeing them all together at the Namgar 2002 meet in Virgina.

My car's color looks very different depending on the lighting. It can go from a very dark and deep green to medium green. Some lighting pulls out the blue hues. Some tends to be flatten the depth of color. Depending on the lighting and the camera and the video screen, you could swear it was different paint.

Chuck Schaefer

In 1965 I had a '62 MGA with the dark BRG (factory original). I don't recall it ever being almost black (unless maybe viewed at night), but yes, very dark green. I had a front end collision with it and they had to paint the whole car. I selected another BRG that was a light "leaf" green. The shade of a new tree leaf, in Spring time. Today's John Deere tractor green reminds me of the light BRG. If I'm not mistaken, those were the only 2 BRG's available at that time that were considered "factory".
JM Morris

Art,

There is a bolt in one of the wing attachment point holes (because it's where the clip for the wiring on the inside of the engine bay is attached along that side of the car, and I already had the wiring harness in at this point...is that it?

The flange-y looking thing is the wheel arch mud guard attachment point.

Am I missing the thing you are asking about? Sorry, I am trying...

If so, try circling it and re-posting the pic!

JIM
AJ Mail

Art,
Do you mean the bracket that the splash plate bolts to?
Mike
Mike Ellsmore

Thanks guys, lots of good input. OK, here I go, with paint codes in hand....

Cheers all, George
G Goeppner

This thread was discussed between 26/08/2011 and 29/08/2011

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