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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.
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I think the ATDC may have an earlier set of colour cards. Might be worth trying them…
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I had a look for an original photo - but it is hard to tell when they are all black and white!
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2 hours ago
(This post was last modified: 2 hours ago by 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.
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1 hour ago
(This post was last modified: 1 hour ago by 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!
