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6 cyl Bristol cars Type 400 to 406 - restoration, repair, maintenance etc

Bristol Red

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  #1 (permalink)  
Old 13-01-14, 10:24 PM
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Default Bristol Red

I understand that 'Bristol red' lightened over the years. Can anyone suggest modern colours that will match the red used in 1953?

The closest I can find is Rolls Royce Regency Red which I think is slightly darker than the original.
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Old 14-01-14, 09:39 AM
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The colour of my car was RR regal red and was changed to a subtly metallic colour of Venetian red which is on the Volvo palette.
It is slightly lighter by having less blue in it which may suit you.
Here's how it looks
http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t...nsBottomIV.jpg
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Old 14-01-14, 11:18 AM
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Default Bristol Red

Hi, although my car is a V8 it was painted from new in RR regal red.
The 407's were the first cars to be built by Park Royal and trimmed there, the 406 was built by Jones bros and maybe when Park Royal took the contract they used RR Regal red as a near match for Bristol Red. Tony Crook always told be it was Bristol Red but I have a build sheet from Park Royal stating it was RR Regal Red. I do hope this does not confuse the issue but it is definitely a different colour to the 406's I have seen in Bristol Red.
Nick 407 6028
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Old 14-01-14, 01:07 PM
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I think Park Royal also built the bodies for Rolls Royce. Interesting to think of Bristols and Rolls Royces being built alongside Routemaster buses!
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Old 14-01-14, 01:20 PM
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Default Park Royal

Sorry to disappoint, Park Royal built buses! Park Ward bodied some Rolls Royce's.
Nick 407 6028
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Old 14-01-14, 05:00 PM
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Default The red used on the older cars

These cars are so rare that few people would ever notice if the color was incorrect, and unless you are showing the car, this should not be a major concern. Certainly, a one hundred point, concours example needs the correct shade, but for the rest of us, and especially if the car is restored and stripped of every trace of the original color, then please yourself on color choice.
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Old 21-01-14, 11:07 PM
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I stand corrected Nick. As you have a Park Royal bodied car your knowledge is far greater than mine, although they built lots of other bodies too!

As custodian rather than owner I have a strong urge to get it back to the colour Bristol originally used. With changes in technology this is proving very challenging. All the pearl finishes change colour in the light. The closest metallic match I have found so far is Rolls Royce Cardinal red.
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Old 22-01-14, 09:21 AM
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There's a great website about the history Park Royal Vehicles at Park Royal Vehicles Site
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Old 23-01-14, 01:05 PM
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My conclusions:
Cardinal Red ICI Autocolor 9510192 5776M 1975~ Rolls Royce/ Bentley

Almost an exact match.

Regal Red ICI Autocolor 2132M 1979~ Rolls Royce/ Bentley
lighter and redder

Regency Red ICI Autocolor 7635 1975~ Jaguar/ Daimler
slightly lighter

They are all traditional metallic colours, rather than the later pearl finish that change colour at different angles in the light.
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Old 06-04-22, 01:53 PM
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Default Bristol Red 1953

Quote:
Originally Posted by peterg View Post
My conclusions:
Cardinal Red ICI Autocolor 9510192 5776M 1975~ Rolls Royce/ Bentley

Almost an exact match.

Regal Red ICI Autocolor 2132M 1979~ Rolls Royce/ Bentley
lighter and redder

Regency Red ICI Autocolor 7635 1975~ Jaguar/ Daimler
slightly lighter

They are all traditional metallic colours, rather than the later pearl finish that change colour at different angles in the light.
Apologies for resurrecting an old thread, but I wanted to prove I had serched the forum before posting!

403-1402 is in the paint shop. The bodywork has been taken down to the aluminium (and steel, in the odd place like the "A" posts!) and has been through all the stages as far as the guide coat. I have always intended to put 1402 back to its original Bristol Red. Although it had been overpainted green in the 70's, the top of the spare wheel carrier and the inside of the windscreen frame had been left as was. My bodywork man Gordon Needs and I agree that the original colour was a solid colour, not metallic, pearl etc.
Since the original colour is not available now, and Gordon very strongly advises not to try and mix a bespoke colour, we are trying to find an available colour that's as close as possible. We have come up with Rover Maroon B. I've seen a trial panel painted in it, and it looks very close in good daylight, but has a slight purplish tinge in poor light.

Comments? Anyone use this colour? Any better recommendations for a solid colour close to Bristol Red for 1953?

I still have a little time to change.

Pictures are from a few weeks ago when it was in primer.

Thanks

Mike
Attached Images
File Type: jpg At Paint Shop 1 - 04FEB2022.jpg (254.5 KB, 16 views)
File Type: jpg At Paint Shop 2 - 04FEB2022.jpg (250.7 KB, 14 views)
File Type: jpg At Paint Shop 3 - 04FEB2022.jpg (235.6 KB, 14 views)
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Old 06-04-22, 09:35 PM
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Mike ,
I disagree with your assumption that Bristol Red is a solid colour.
The BCL "Bristol Red" colour card I have is clearly Metallic(Metaline) not solid.
It is a very fine metallic which is so different to current metallic colours that use mostly Medium and Course Metallic particles

by type 406 Bristol Red had reference M6021
407 Metallic Red M6021
408 Red (Metaline) M6021

Geoff
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Old 07-04-22, 01:43 PM
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Default Bristol Red

This has for years been a matter of discussion, my 407 (1962) was repainted by the factory in 1964, there must have been a problem, though what it was with number of layers of paint put on I cannot imagine. This was listed as Rolls Royce Regal Red, the original colour.
I had the car stripped back to aluminium in 2016 as too many stone chips etc, had over the years and my 55 thousand miles in it had spoilt the look. I gave my paint man M6021 which he confirmed was also known as Rolls Royce Regal Red. It is metallic but only very subtly I would say, and looks exactly the same as when I bought is in 1999. It gives a very deep shine.
I understand that Bristol would, if asked, paint the car in any colour a customer requested , the ones with Bristol in the name were the slandered colours for stock cars and dealers stock. Yes they still had dealers in those days.
My own thoughts are paint it any colour you wish but if you are going for a "Bristol Red" then M6021 is it.
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Old 08-04-22, 09:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Geoff Dowdle View Post
Mike ,
I disagree with your assumption that Bristol Red is a solid colour.
The BCL "Bristol Red" colour card I have is clearly Metallic(Metaline) not solid.
It is a very fine metallic which is so different to current metallic colours that use mostly Medium and Course Metallic particles

by type 406 Bristol Red had reference M6021
407 Metallic Red M6021
408 Red (Metaline) M6021

Geoff
Geoff

Everything I've read, including your post above, seems to reference later cars. Are you saying that a 1953 403 would also have been M6021?

Mike
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Old 09-04-22, 03:04 AM
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Mike ,
No, unfortunately I don't have a paint code number for the 403/404 "Bristol Red" , but I have a large Bristol 403/404 colour card that clearly shows Bristol Red is a fine Metallic colour .

The 406 "Bristol Red" is M6021.
One could assume it could be the same as the 403/404 Bristol Red , but not necessarily.

Some other 403/403 colours for example are
Surf Blue 222.2045
Bristol Green 222.2030

So there is a good chance 403/404 Bristol Red could be "222.2???"
probably a different Paint supplier to the later cars and therefore different numbers and possibly slightly different shades.

Most Red coloured Type 405 were painted either Arabian Red or Torch Red

The BOHT would surely have more information on file than I do .
Perhaps a call to them might solve the puzzle .

Geoff
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Old 24-05-22, 04:03 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Geoff Dowdle View Post
Mike ,
No, unfortunately I don't have a paint code number for the 403/404 "Bristol Red" , but I have a large Bristol 403/404 colour card that clearly shows Bristol Red is a fine Metallic colour .

The 406 "Bristol Red" is M6021.
One could assume it could be the same as the 403/404 Bristol Red , but not necessarily.

Some other 403/403 colours for example are
Surf Blue 222.2045
Bristol Green 222.2030

So there is a good chance 403/404 Bristol Red could be "222.2???"
probably a different Paint supplier to the later cars and therefore different numbers and possibly slightly different shades.

Most Red coloured Type 405 were painted either Arabian Red or Torch Red

The BOHT would surely have more information on file than I do .
Perhaps a call to them might solve the puzzle .

Geoff
As Geoff said it is not a solid colour.

I matched it as closely as I could for my 403 to

Cardinal Red ICI Autocolor 9510192 5776M 1975~ Rolls Royce/ Bentley.

It is slightly lighter but a commonly available colour and one that was also used on later Bristol cars.
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