component colour chart

[Hoghead]

Is there a colour chart for the underside components?
Brake drums, rotor dust shields, steering arms, spindle, all front suspension components, springs front and rear, etc...

I know that a lot of these are black, but semi gloss, satin, PPG code?

Rear axle was black, with a red centre section. IIRC a Rustoleum tint was close?

 

[Austin Healer]

original material for the rear was " red Glyptal"?.. PPG DP74 epoxy primer is a decent match. From experience most British manufacturers used a "dip" method for painting suspension parts, brackets etc. The vats were filled with water with a film of paint floating on the surface. The thickness of the paint depended on the speed at which the parts were dipped. A really poor quality gloss black that rapidly faded and lost it's gloss was generally used. Exceptions seem to be bought out parts like steering columns, steering racks (center section) and front springs which usually are gloss black of a much higher quality.

A really good quality paint would be PPG concept, code 9300 (93 toner). single stage, gloss black. won't age, dull and look crappy over time like the original!

 

[pfreen]

BTW, ppg has obsoleted dp74, unfortunately. There may be some around, but I couldn't find any.

I used Glyptal on the rear axle, which is what was used originally.

 

[Austin Healer]

I can still get it... try DP74LF.. (lead free)

 

[michael-king]

Just a reminder.. The diff centres were painted black from factory, but the paint didn't stick to the coating on the diff centre and flaked off quite quickly

 

[Austin Healer]

On my 3rd personal Tiger now. That is exactly what I have found. Axles were completely painted black, paint wearing off (or falling off) of the center sections. When Salisbury built the axles, they no doubt dipped the center sections in Glyptal as it was standard practice on cast iron parts that would be swimming in oil. The insides of BMC engines and gearboxes were all dipped in Glyptal prior to receiving their final coats of paint.

Salisbury also supplied the rear axles for Jag XK150's and Aston Martins DB5's. Both basically a Dana 44 as well. painted the same way, and the center sections losing paint in the same manner

 

[pfreen]

I can still get it... try DP74LF.. (lead free)

Not in Florida. I had to use DP50LF (grey)

 

[Austin Healer]

Kind of like California!.... They're all going to water base which is pretty stupid, considering you still have to topcoat with a solvent based (and catalyzed) clear. Glad I live in the middle of nowhere.....

 

[65beam]

These have PPG DP90 on them. They needed wiped down before installation due to dust. The last two photos show them after Doug installed them. They still look good 10 years later.

 

[Hoghead]

What about the remainder of the underside components:
Drive shaft
Steering arms
Spindles - bare as cast?
Brake drums
Brake rotor shields
Front hubs
Panhard rod
Callipers - bare as cast?

I will paint the rear axle black overall with Glyptal pre-flaked off

Were the leaf springs painted?

 

[Austin Healer]

From experience..... everything is in gloss black. I used to use DP90 as a good all around semi gloss black. It was a good substitute for the degraded appearance of the crap gloss black paint used. Calipers were usually painted black, but the paint was really poor quality. Everything else was black as well. Things that were supplied from outside vendors (Salisbury, Hardy-Spicer, Cam Gears (steering), Girling and Lockheed etc) were generally of a slightly better quality of paint than in house parts. This is from 40 years of experience restoring British cars. You have to remember that England is the size of OREGON. No manufacturer could possibly afford to develop everything in house. Everything apart from design elements were shared between manufacturers. Wilmot Breeden made all of the chrome bits and locks, Girling or Lockheed made all of the brakes, Rubery Owen made all of the fasteners and a lot of frame and suspension components...

Most of my restorations over the last 40+ years were to the Austin Healey or Jaguar concours guides. I tend to be anal beyond belief. I actually discouraged the use of quality paint in order to get the degraded look of an original car! I refuse to over restore when absolute authenticity is desired. Ultimately you have to make a decision of what you want to see, and then live with it! I have been a concours inspector/judge for Austin Healeys for nearly 30 years.

I have found over time that it is much less work to just have everything bead blasted and then chose what level of gloss you want... and then have it powder coated. I get the argument in concours... it's not paint... YES it is. It's just in powder form until it's baked. Hell of a lot more durable, and a lot easier to keep clean.

 

[Austin Healer]

Yes, leaf springs were painted gloss black... very poor quality paint. Every indication that these were painted by the dip method described in an earlier post. I have bead blasted numerous parts which have shown telltale evidence of water beading/tracking when blasting showing trapped moisture under the black paint. Like I said... 40+ years of experience here.

 

[Hoghead]

Found this suggesting that some components were as cast?
https://teae.org/cars/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/StockTigerQuickReferenceV2-19.pdf

 

[Austin Healer]

I have seen calipers both ways on original cars, on the spindles, I'd have to respectfully disagree!

 

[michael-king]

I think the PDF has been updated a fair bit since this verison. The final was 3/4 into 2021.. Lots more reference and consensus

 

[VaCat33]

The version on the website is the current version.

Michael…You are mixing up the Tiger guide with the new Alpine Guide which was only completed last year.

As for the disagreement on the calipers, you often have disagreement on these issues and the lack of any documented evidence makes stating absolutes difficult, if not impossible.

As stated in the intro, it is a guide based on the consensus of some of the most knowledgeable Tiger people.

 

[65beam]

The version on the website is the current version.

Michael…You are mixing up the Tiger guide with the new Alpine Guide which was only completed last year.

As for the disagreement on the calipers, you often have disagreement on these issues and the lack of any documented evidence makes stating absolutes difficult, if not impossible.

As stated in the intro, it is a guide based on the consensus of some of the most knowledgeable Tiger people.

Jim,
You can always spray a light clear coat on unpainted parts such as calipers. They never show surface rust of the bare metal and it's difficult to see the clear coat.

 

[michael-king]

The version on the website is the current version.

Michael…You are mixing up the Tiger guide with the new Alpine Guide which was only completed last year.

Jim, yes sorry about that... Was the series alpine guide seperate from the Tiger one

 

[VaCat33]

Yes, the two guides are separate documents. I learned a lot from putting the Tiger guide together. The Alpine guide is much larger and has better photos. Both are living documents and I have some adjustments to both which we hope to get done soon.

 

[65beam]

Yes, the two guides are separate documents. I learned a lot from putting the Tiger guide together. The Alpine guide is much larger and has better photos. Both are living documents and I have some adjustments to both which we hope to get done soon.

Jim,
The guides have a lot of good info. Was the Tiger guide made available to the Tiger judges at SUNI? Those of us that judge Alpines did not have the Alpine guide available. Will the guides be available at the United this year if needed?