Austin 7 dash colour and finish?

[Dave Wortley]

When Dave Martin ran the RN register( I think) he found an accurate, authentic scumble paint ie a light undercoat and a finish gloss coat. I have a leaflet for the paint somewhere and very old tins of the paint but probably now a solid lump in the bottom of the tin.

[Hugh Barnes]

   

[Dave Wortley]

Hugh,
That’s the stuff!

[Steve Parkin]

Ratcliffe's was used for many years for those scumbling narrowboats (inside and out) but a recent search on the internet shows that it's no longer available. 

On narrowboats the problem was it was linseed oil based and it often deteriorated without a varnish top layer applied above the scumble coat. This needed frequent renewal on external surfaces due to the weather and also faded in strong sunlight.  

Polyvine appears to be the replacement system although it looks like you mix the colourant with a scumble coat to make up the top coat. They have a walnut colour. It's an acrylic water-based system and local professional paint suppliers and some others stock it. 

I think I'm going to give it a go on Harvey since I have a suitable acrylic undercoat, all the combs and brushes and some experience of scumbling areas on the narrowboat. I could always revert to black gloss if I am not happy with the results.

I think I'll leave the dash black although I suppose originally it would have been maroon (the main body colour).

[Hugh Barnes]

When I did mine, it was many years ago, long before the days of Youtube and videos showing you how to do it. I took a simplistic approach with the combs I was able to borrow, but looking at such resources now, I can see some of the many mistakes I made. The contents of the tins do seem still to move so maybe I will have another go. Though, in truth, when I bought my RP, it was very original and the door caps were simply painted a lightish brown, with no actual evidence of scumbling. I do still wonder whether the scumble approach is truly correct for the pre-Ruby models.

I am fairly certain the dash would *not* have been scumbled going on the evidence from my car

[IanClayton]

No -I've never, ever, never never ever, no- i've never ever seen a straight banana.

Neither have I seen a scumbled dash on a pre-Ruby A Seven!