Rick:
(Second try - the list cops got me for too big a message.)
I have owned a GBM BJ8 - #42845 - for 27 years. It is currently under a
complete restoration and has been painted, wet sanded, buffed, etc, but is
not yet fully assembled. After driving it all that time, we contemplated a
colour change (my wife likes OEW with blue trim on a BJ8), but finally both
decided to go with GBM for various reasons, mainly that we both like it and
felt that it would be a bit of a shame to change an original GBM car - as
more than one lister has emphatically stated!
It's a tough colour to photograph for sure - same as the 'Healey' blue
colour. It can also be a tough colour to replicate - every painter has a
slightly different idea, every paint manufacturer a slightly different
finished colour. The key seems to be the flake used in the paint - it is an
extemely fine aluminum flake that not everyone gets right. I have seen a
couple of GBM BJ8's wearing their original paint - one of the
characteristics of the original colour is that it looks quite 'goldy' in
some lights, but looks almost silver in other light. I believe that we have
acheived that with my re-paint. I don't know how accurate the finished
colour is, but my wife and I both liked it, so we went with it. Our painter
sprayed plenty of samples (inside of bonnet, inside of boot lid before he
went ahead - made us take them home and look at them in all kinds of light
conditions). He wanted us to be very sure - didn't 'want to have to paint
it again'.
'Ugly' or not is really in the eye of the beholder - we have always liked
our gold Healey very much. If I can help (with the formula that was used on
my car), or with photos of the body panels, let me know - but remember that
photos can be deceptive.
Earl Kagna
Victoria, B.C.
BT7 tri-carb
BJ8
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