TR3 paint codes

[Paul Hogan]

Hi Folks,

 

Thanks for the messages and info you sent. I've had some paint made up but unfortunately it turned out to be the lighter shade of Triumph BRG, nearer to Brunswick green and not the Dark Triumph Racing Green as shown on the charts. Onwards and upwards, the search goes on!

 

Hogie.

[Don Elliott]

Many years ago, Jon Laver have me a small can of Triumph BRG and I gave that to a friend here in Canada who was restoring his TR3A. He took it to a paintshop and they matched the colour. See for yourself.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Don Elliott

[BrianC]

I have 5 different makes of Conifer touch-up cans and sprays (including one dealer-supplied 'official' Triumph can) and recently painted a small piece of steel to see which was the closest match to what I have on the car now. Yes, I know Conifer is not the same as BRG and wasn't used until the TR4, but the car has been this colour for most of its life. Anyway, the variation is quite extraordinary, so it's probably a similar situation for BRG.

 

I doubt the quality control over factory paint back in the 60s ensured much better consistency year-to-year, or even batch-to-batch, especially when more than one supplier was involved.

 

It's much simpler and probably just as valid to find a colour mix that suits your idea of what it should have been, or what suits your own taste. They all look the same with a layer of road dust on

[Ian Vincent]

Paul,

 

I have a 1959 TR3a that I am rebuilding. When I bought it a couple of years ago it was red but when I stripped it down I found it was originally BRG. Since confirmed by the original build records.

 

I cut a couple of colour swatches out from an area that was going to be replaced cleaned and polished them up and sent them to a paint supplier to match. He sent them back with the paint.

 

I think I still have them around at home somewhere, do want me to find them and send you one?

 

Incidentally as is the way with all rebuilds, lots of things have delayed my progress and I haven't used any of the paint yet so I can't tell you how good a match it is!

 

Rgds Ian

[Alec Pringle]

One point which Hogie may not have made clear - the BRG he is seeking is not the sidescreen production version with which we're all reasonably familiar . . . it's the distinctly darker shade of BRG used, as far as I'm aware, on the Le Mans cars, ie the TR3S, and possibly one or two other competition cars.

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

Edited December 17, 2008 by Alec Pringle

[BrianC]

In that case I would think the only people likely to know if/where such information exists would be ex-Triumph employees, especially those involved with the competition department, such as Dave Gleed, Graham Robson, et al.