Now VL 4193

[Mick Hobday]

This is a marvelous survivor with all original trim, mats and carpet.  I didn't know there was ever a carpet option over the transmission tunnel but this seems to prove there was.  I wonder why the front nearside rubber mat is not trimmed properly round the starter switch?  Maybe the mats are from a different, slightly later car - or is that the way they left Longbridge?
Note the original and very rare fillet strip of trim between the vertical side panel and the wheel arch - a nice upholsterer's detail, designed to visually smooth out any unevenness along the join.  My AH Tourer of Oct 1932 (rear petrol tank) has these, along with a complete set of rubber mats including the transmission tunnel piece (no carpet).  I have owned other unmolested AH Tourers and RP saloons over the years and none showed any signs of ever having been fitted with this fillet strip. It would seem that there was no pattern as to which cars received this detail.
I see the rear panel appears creased and the spare wheel carrier has been removed and refitted with screws replacing the original rivets. I am wondering if the car has suffered a rear end collision which would certainly have meant repainting the rear at least, and might also have damaged the wings.
The original colour may well have been opal blue and black, but why are there traces of blue/green in the region of the roof gutter? This would surely have been black, whatever the body colour. The body valance behind the running board was usually sprayed body colour.  It might be worth removing the upper centre screw in the vertical face of the running board and prizing open the gap a little to see what the colour is in there. 
It's difficult without seeing the state of the paintwork first hand, but I would suggest freshening up what you have with grade 0000 steel wool liberally impregnated with T-cut or similar.  If you happen to cut through to original body colour in a couple of small areas then no matter, it's a small part of history for all to see. Cutting right through any overpaint uniformly back to original colour is in my experience impossible to do effectively.  I once carefully tried it and ended up with a patchwork of two different colours and bare metal. If you intend to keep it black then you could use a good quality black boot polish to add a little depth of colour and also tone in any damaged/rusty areas.
Does the rubber seal round the windows really need to be renewed?  As long as it can be made waterproof then I think it should be left well alone.  It's part of the charm of the car!  
"Renew as little as possible, conserve as much as you can."

[Biddlecombe]

This is a marvelous survivor with all original trim, mats and carpet.  I didn't know there was ever a carpet option over the transmission tunnel but this seems to prove there was.  I wonder why the front nearside rubber mat is not trimmed properly round the starter switch?  Maybe the mats are from a different, slightly later car - or is that the way they left Longbridge?
Note the original and very rare fillet strip of trim between the vertical side panel and the wheel arch - a nice upholsterer's detail, designed to visually smooth out any unevenness along the join.  My AH Tourer of Oct 1932 (rear petrol tank) has these, along with a complete set of rubber mats including the transmission tunnel piece (no carpet).  I have owned other unmolested AH Tourers and RP saloons over the years and none showed any signs of ever having been fitted with this fillet strip. It would seem that there was no pattern as to which cars received this detail.
I see the rear panel appears creased and the spare wheel carrier has been removed and refitted with screws replacing the original rivets. I am wondering if the car has suffered a rear end collision which would certainly have meant repainting the rear at least, and might also have damaged the wings.
The original colour may well have been opal blue and black, but why are there traces of blue/green in the region of the roof gutter? This would surely have been black, whatever the body colour. The body valance behind the running board was usually sprayed body colour.  It might be worth removing the upper centre screw in the vertical face of the running board and prizing open the gap a little to see what the colour is in there. 
It's difficult without seeing the state of the paintwork first hand, but I would suggest freshening up what you have with grade 0000 steel wool liberally impregnated with T-cut or similar.  If you happen to cut through to original body colour in a couple of small areas then no matter, it's a small part of history for all to see. Cutting right through any overpaint uniformly back to original colour is in my experience impossible to do effectively.  I once carefully tried it and ended up with a patchwork of two different colours and bare metal. If you intend to keep it black then you could use a good quality black boot polish to add a little depth of colour and also tone in any damaged/rusty areas.
Does the rubber seal round the windows really need to be renewed?  As long as it can be made waterproof then I think it should be left well alone.  It's part of the charm of the car!  
"Renew as little as possible, conserve as much as you can."

Thanks Mick, I have only had the car 3 days and yet to make major decisions. You are quite right, I discovered the rear end shunt when I removed the rear seats yesterday. 
The original rear blind, yes original except for the string, it needs restringing so whilst removing yesterday I noticed a very small amount of woodworm in the window surround, nowhere else that I can see, so I carefully and successfully  removed the surround whereby the rear window rubber which was completely shot, cracked broken and completely knackered came it with the whole window. So yes this one will be replaced. I have very carefully opened the front screen and that too is in the same state. So whilst I agree with you, I will be replacing these. 
I like your ideas with black boot polish. When the rear window came out the metal surround is clearly Opal Blue, so yes it has been repainted, lots of traces of blue inside and outside.

[Mike Costigan]

So, if the Opal Blue is visible around the rear window aperture as well as that patch on the roof, it seems likely the car did not have a black top half. Whilst a black top was the standard stock colour scheme, it is entirely possible it was ordered as a mono colour scheme - this would have been a no-cost option which would have entailed just a delay in delivery...

[Ian Williams]

A thought; When the factory was painting the cars perhaps they were sprayed all over with the base colour, in this case Opal blue, and then the Black top was added. If you do it this way there is a whole lot less preparation required when adding the second colour.

[JonE]

The Opal/Black had a cream fine line, so that ties nicely with the carpets too.

Have others with original-ish dual colour cars got forensic experience of how they painted them first off?

[Biddlecombe]

A thought; When the factory was painting the cars perhaps they were sprayed all over with the base colour, in this case Opal blue, and then the Black top was added. If you do it this way there is a whole lot less preparation required when adding the second colour.

The sunshine roof would have been black methinks. Therefore would it not look odd if the roof behind it was blue? Or would a single colour car have a black sunshine roof anyway?

---

A thought; When the factory was painting the cars perhaps they were sprayed all over with the base colour, in this case Opal blue, and then the Black top was added. If you do it this way there is a whole lot less preparation required when adding the second colour.

The sunshine roof would have been black methinks. Therefore would it not look odd if the roof behind it was blue? Or would a single colour car have a black sunshine roof anyway?

Then again the slides inside the sunshine roof are blue too.

[Ian Williams]

I have gone back and studied the earlier pictures again, unless we are looking at an earlier respray under the current black paint I would say the visible evidence suggest's the car was a single colour. ( with exception of wings of course )

[JonE]

was the bonnet hinge originally painted on saloons?

[Ian Williams]

On the steel saloons yes

[JonE]

    Worth now posting the photo of the Atlantic Green Nippy recently discovered. Owatrol Oil another good find for allowing a patina of old paint and steel to remain stable for the longer term. Julian Parker Conservation using it rather than than ANY new black paint for chassis, suspension or other subsidiary items. 
That black looks pretty flaky around the edges, and doesn't look well keyed in/prepared. Building on Mick Hobday's excellent post, it would be difficult, but if you do use steel wool topically with careful fingers rather than a sanding block (which will naturally raze off highpoints) then it might be productive. Especially if you just set yourself 10 cm square sections per session.
It might be good to be in contact with the Nippy owner...although I don't know their intentions.