Paint Codes

[Peter Enfield]

Hi, new to this forum.

I am currently getting bodywork done on my Bristol Blenheim and was wondering does anyone know if Bristol had official paint codes for their cars?

Mine is a black metallic but we can't find a paint code for it.

Thanks in advance for any help

Peter

[David C]

Have a look at the "Cambridge Grey" thread. I posted a picture of a Bristol paint chart from the 411 era, I think. No metallic black that I can see, but there may be something else that appeals.

[Claude]

Originally Posted by Peter Enfield

Hi, new to this forum.

I am currently getting bodywork done on my Bristol Blenheim and was wondering does anyone know if Bristol had official paint codes for their cars?

Mine is a black metallic but we can't find a paint code for it.

Thanks in advance for any help

Peter

Welcome to the forum.

As a very low volume manufacturer, Bristol selected a few colours from the auto paint store, but was happy to spray the car whatever colour the buyer wanted. Reportedly some wanted to match their school tie colour.

Accordingly, the only paint code would be whatever the factory collected from the supplier of the day. Bristol colour charts were more a marketing device so unimaginative buyers would feel comfortable by having a selection. But anyone paying the equivalent of 2.5 homes for a car that was not manufactured until they ordered it was, so to speak, in the driver's seat and Tony Crook was happy to accommodate once he had decided the customer was a person of character, worthy of purchasing a car from him.

Paints today are very different, thanks to pollution regulation, thus matching the factory original would be almost impossible.

Often on removing the paint, one will find evidence of multiple colour changes - originally non-metallic maroon, then metallic black, then metallic light blue-green with clearcoat and finally Pembroke College (Cambridge) Blue in a non-metallic paint.

If you are seeking to replicate the existing colour, a good auto paint store should be able to accurately match it with a sample - say the petrol tank flap.