Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Classic Morgans (pre-CX) Classic Morgan Colours...

Interesting subject. very few of us were around to see prewar cars in colour, and most (if not all)photos were B/W. So our perception of prewar cars is based on seeing them now. MG's of the time often came with seats, wheels and radiator slats in the same colour. So black car with red seats, wheels and slats was a nice combo. Also black with apple green, and so on. I really don't know how common silver painted wires were prewar, but my perception is that colour was more popular. The MGA and early MGB's came in typical sixties colours - black, tartan red, BRG, iris blue, old english white, grampian grey. Early on, the hoods were coloured PVC, not black and steel wheels with hubcaps were standard. So you could have red body, red seats, red hood for example, or the same with black seats. The MGB roadster shown in the first USA brochure was all blue - iris blue body with blue seats and blue hood. The early US cars also had clear indicator lenses at the front with orange bulb covers. Nothing changes eh? Grampian grey seemed to come with red seats, and so on and so on. Later on in the sixties the hood became black default, and the seats became PVC at the end of the sixties.
The MGC came in a couple of metallics - riviera blue and a bronze whose name escapes me. Neither was popular and are often mistaken for a non standard clour when seen today.
So the Morgan Sports colours are well established in history.
Alamo beige was the equivalent of sports sand. Grey, white, black, green, blue are all covered. Later on, in the PVC and cloth eras, the choice of MG upholstery was black, navy, autumn leaf (brown) and ochre (yellow). So it's quite easy to replicate a credible historic combination. Grey with red seats would look good, but maybe with silver wheels.

Well, you did ask. I too love the trad models in non-metallics. Looking beyond the standard 'Sport' colours, at least two of the stunning recent +4SS colours are borrowed from the BMC palette of the early 1960s. The selection of these was apparently a result of consultation between Matt Humphries and one of the shop floor guys who happens to be an Austin/Morris mini fan - hence (Old) English White and Almond Green made an appearance.

In keeping with this aesthetic, I have chosen BMC Tweed Grey (a touch lighter than Sport Grey with a hint of blue) for a 4/4 I have going through build at the moment. Can't wait to see it in the metal...

TwoTribes that sounds a lovely colour, look forward to seeing the finished car.

Simon, I think you've definitely touched on something here. I think my favourites are Numogs stunning new Roadster, teal, iris blue and sport grey. I have always liked pastel colours and was tempted with an Aero at one stage but just didn't go there. I can see how it suits a classic better.

Dean, that's an interesting point, forgot its your field. Would love to see the difference between a metallic in the normal sense and then with the silver layer left out and then with pearl added as a 3 way comparison.

I'm fairly open minded about colours on traditional Morgans, I like the hood, wheels and body colour to compliment each other, ie sand with black wheels and hood or ivory with stainless wheels and mulberry top. Metallics would not be my first choice- the exception being medium to dark blues which look superb in metallic nicely contrasting stainless wheels and the bright work body fittings (robbie's mendip blue ) non metallic dark blues are known in the trade - with some justification as 'doom blue'
Whatever the colour though it is great to see the variety and broad spectrum at any Morgan gathering, compared with a visit to my local Official Porsche Dealer - they hosted an open evening recently and I went along with my dentist who is looking at the new Boxster - the packed car park look like an English June sky- 100 shades of grey

Mention of "doom blue" reminds be that back in the 80s, Rover brought out a 3500 SE in a bright green metallic (with gold alloys!). It soon became known in the trade as "maximum discount green"

Back to the thread, I totally agree with the comments about the wide range of colours on Morgans. Some colour combinations which sound odd on paper, look great when you see them.

Bud

__________
2003 - 4/4

I must admit that I keep looking at some of the great two-tone cars that use a combination of two non metallic colours. The ivory with bronze mudguards keeps catching my attention.

On second thoughts ivory with burgundy to match the Mulberry trim would look snappy too.

Metallics suit cars with subtle shapes, nowadays a necessity with restrictive regs and costs - lines aren't brought out well in certain shades and can make an entire car seem flat.

The trad's styling is very strong so doesn't need a metallic to show it off. If anything the paint lets the metalwork do the talking.

Two tone was very popular pre war. Oxford & Cambridge blue was popular with MG's, and there was a two tone green option, but I can't remember the names!

My mothers 'fancyman' had a Farina Cambridge in the 70's which was grey with turquoise fins and roof.

I keep coming back to Sport Black wings and Sport Red body (or a darker tone, akin to darker red but not quite. I was always tempted to try it on an Aero but never had the chance due to swapping my order from S4 to Aeromax.

Sports black wings,royal claret body?
H.M. Queen Elisabeth,the Queen mother's favorite combination!