"Opal blue"

[JonE]

Hello all. Tried to research this and its incredibly difficult as everything is confused by blue Opals!

Opal blue was a standard colour for 30-32. We don't see it on any of the Austin/Belco cards as they are all too late. 

Does anyone have any documentary evidence or on-car evidence of something.... that ain't blacky Royal Blue (another standard) or the earlier Kingfisher turquoise? i.e. paint from behind hinges, patent plate or whatever.

[Hugh Barnes]

I think the ATDC may have an earlier set of colour cards. Might be worth trying them…

[Colin Morgan]

I had a look for an original photo - but it is hard to tell when they are all black and white!

[Peter Naulls]

This is a bit of a long shot Jon but I have a box saloon bonnet here which is "blacky Royal Blue" with a lighter blue waist band. Could the waistband be the same colour as Opal blue? It is in its original paint, albeit very tired. I can get a colour match for you tomorrow when the sun comes out.

[JonE]

not a long shot Peter, and ties in to Hugh's thought. Thanks both. I've got a pdf sheet from ATDC somewhere and I'll dig it out, as that has fine lines too - I'll find out whether there is any reference to earlier which would be extremely handy.

I've done some digging on some paint samples and presently I've seen things which equate to RAL 5005 - perhaps a bit darker, but obviously on a car where the ledger is just 'blue'.

---

Brilliant Hugh. My brain shuts down areas that don't get accessed much and I did a post about the reds on the Nippy site referencing the ATDC - they DO have the 1932 cards and they have produced a pdf linking common paint choices to their interpretation of the colours. Suffice to say, now I'm intrigued by the blues, both OPAL and ROYAL are there. I'm now thinking that Opal Blue is on an original OPAL of Charles Levien that I remember seeing pics of. It's more green. I think this one I referred to as 5005 but a bit darker is perhaps RAL5003 which, you guessed, equates to Royal Blue.

What is even more intriguing is that the panel I have seen plainly has the bluier Royal around the difficult to get to edges. But there is evidence of Opal on there too...


It also shows that the 'blacky' Royal Blue must have come from somewhere.. but 5003 aint what I was imagining. Will be interested to see what Peter interprets. I see looking at the Association site, the later Royal Blues are far, far darker. Bluebird Blue for 1939 almost replaced what was Royal in 1932!

[Mike Costigan]

Jon, there was Light Royal Blue and Dark Royal Blue available at the same time circa 1931-32, with Cobalt Blue, Azure Blue and Nile Blue used for the lining!

[Peter Naulls]

Having looked closer at the bonnet I have I see that the belt-line has been hand painted. There is no other similar beneath it and I am pretty certain the royal blue body colour is correct, so either it was coach painted from new or the car was originally royal blue all over and the coach paint has been added later. The historians may know which is the case.

Incidentally what looks like a rust pit that has been painted over is not, its an abrasion.

In terms of colour, it is somewhere between RAL 5007 and 5009. 5009 looks very slightly too green whereas 5007 is slightly too warm and more milky 5005 is too strong a colour. I have cut it back to lose all the surface paint so I think the amount of fade will be minimal.

I checked Pantone swatches too but there was nothing close.

It may help you to cross match with the swatches but I wouldn't take it as gospel on its own.

   

   

The body colour is very dark - even darker than the darkest RAL colour but indistinguishable from the 1969 Triumph Royal Blue we matched to our own Ruby many years ago. 

   

[JonE]

good to see thanks.

[robert regan]

my 1934 two seater I painted over 50 years ago with the nearest I could find to royal blue at the time and its had several freshen ups since and its "ford midnight blue" regards to all Rob.

[Colin Morgan]

I wonder which blue this original-looking 1932 Austin 10 is?  (Lot 182 Mathewsons June Auction)