Need Help with paint code

The problem with some colors is that they look different in different lighting: tungsten, daylight shade, and daylight full sun,

A guards red (Porsche) will look great in the shade, but a bit orange in full sun. The Regency red is a bit dark for my tastes as well, and is about the same as a Carmen Red if I recall.

Patrick

Edited on 2008-08-29 3:25:25

Here's another look at Regency Red on a Series I Roadster with Biscuit Interior
...in motion (see video below). Owner and driver is my friend, Paul Tsikuris, a well-known top restorer here in central Florida.

I really love the color. I think the other reds are too bright, but that's just my personal taste.

It is a roadster. I had some Regency Red mixed and it's way too dark for my taste. Is Signal Red lighter? I'm looking for something more like Porche's 'Guards' red. Any advice would be appreciated.

The car is currently cream with a Biscuit interior. A lot of detail work went into the preparation. I want to produce a quality car that will be the most attractive to the majority of people.

Thanks to all that have helped.
Armand

Armand

If your '69 XKE is a Roadster, please give me a call
305-667-6408
moskcoaol.com

My copy of Porter's book says the Series II from Aug '68 and 1969 has the only two red colors (unless Ascot Fawn is a red color) as :

Regency Red coach work came with beige or grey interior

Signal Red coach work came with Black, red or beige interior

My '68 built on Feb 19 1968 is Carmen Red with black interior according to the Heritage Certificate and that also matches color combinations mentioned in Porter's book.

Carmen Red is the only red color I see mentioned for cars built Sep 1967 to Jul 1968.

Maybe this helps narrow things down ??

David Barnes
'68 FHC

You may find this a good resource for information regarding Es.
http://www.xkedata.com

The Colors are on this page:
http://www.xkedata.com/catalog/colors/

I have a Regency Red (originally Sable) 1971 E-Type with Cinnamon interior - per Heritage Certificate. I like it and my uncle chose it without my input. The Regency Red is correct for the year, just not original to the car. I've seen a lot of E-Types looking sharp in Signal and Carmen reds, and witnessed the basic attraction to "resale red." This has resulted in there being more RED E-Types out there than were actually produced. :->

According to my notes the Carmen red was used on E's through to the end of 69 models. Regency -a darker red- and Signal was used on sedans from 68 to79 and E's to 1974!

Thanks Bill.

According to Philip Porter's "Original Jaguar E-Type", Carmin Red was used Sept. '67 to July '68.

Regency and Signal reds were used from Aug. '68 and all of 1969.

But what does Porter know, anyway. :-)

Yes I think the red would be a nicer color for the car. It has a tan interior which would look nice with the red, I do plan on selling the car so I wanted it as close to oricinal color as possible as well as thinking red would be worth more on the resale market.

Thanks again for your help. Sorry about the double post. I'm not quite sure how that happened.

Take care and have a good weekend.
Armand

Armand I think you will find the colour is Carmen (sometimes called Carmine) Red, it was used from 1962 to 1969. The Dupont No is 8317LH.

Thanks Patrick. I know it's last minute but I've actually been searching for a few weeks.

We started respraying the current Old English White but noticed that the car was originally red in some hidden places. I then decided to do a color change but want to make sure I have the correct red. I was hoping there was a trim tag somewhere that would give us the information needed. If no tag then someone possibly someone had a reference guide that would have my car's information. Car # 1R10887 Body # 4R5276

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks again
Armand

By the way, the correct color for off-white color in 1969 is "Cream", and only came with black interiors. Again, unless special order.

I don't know if you're restoring for concours or to flip the car, but a judge or potential buyer who has done their homework would know that something other than black int. on a cream car would mean a color change....for what its worth.

Seriously Armand, you'd be best off just matching the red sample you've got. There is no such a thing as a "paint tag" on any E-type that I know of. All of that information is/was stored at Coventry, and tied to that car number.

No one here is going to know what color your car was, even if you were to give us all four numbers. The reds that were available in '69 from the factory were called Regency Red and Signal Red. Regency Red cars came with either beige or gray interiors. Signal Red interiors were Black, Red, or beige. Of course, it could have been a special order with ANY color combo.

Question is, do you want a RED car?

If you have to have the absolute name of the color, then you will need to either get a certificate or buy the database mentioned above.

Again, if your painter is worth his salt, he can just match what you've got.....or just finish it in white and don't worry about it.

Thanks Patrick. I know it's last minute but I've actually been searching for a few weeks.

We started respraying the current Old English White but noticed that the car was originally red in some hidden places. I then decided to do a color change but want to make sure I have the correct red. I was hoping there was a trim tag somewhere that would give us the information needed. If no tag then someone possibly someone had a reference guide that would have my car's information. Car # 1R10887 Body # 4R5276

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks again
Armand

No offense Armand, but a week before spraying color is the wrong time to be asking this question. Remember that we're talking about an English cars from the 60's...they weren't quite as detailed in record-keeping as cars from the US at that time....with either however, research is required.

Normally, people get the numbers off of the ID plate located on a flat sill by the firewall on the right side, send them in and get what is called a Heritage Certificate that tells you the exterior color and interior trim color as it left the factory, among other things. (Do you have this ID plate?)

Clearly, you do not have time to obtain one of these....that is unless you want to postpone the spraying, which in my opinion, would be a good idea.

Your only other option is to match an original color that still may be on the car, say in the fuse panel area. This assumes that the car has not been restored or resprayed before. The fuse panel area is usually not sprayed on quickie turn-around paint jobs.

But if there is NOTHING left whatsoever for you to match to, then just pick a color that was commonly used in 1969 and go for it.

Good luck.

Thanks Gary but I was looking for the information without buying a database. The car is being preped and will need color the first part of next week, Is there not a trim tag anywhere in the car or was there no type system used in England at the time?
Thanks again

You will need to go to this web page and order production records on your E Type. They can tell you not only the original exterior color, but the interior color, the date it was made, the chassis number, engine number, and the original distributor.

http://www.jdht.com/services/services.html

Good luck and enjoy your E Type

Gary Vaughan
1967 E Type OTS