question Light blue paint?

[alixcompo]

 

Can anyone explain to an MV novice what the thing is about light blue paint and MV's. I have seen engines that colour but my ex Navy 1958 Bedford CA van seems to have the engine bay and interior footwells that colour. Would it be an original feature because someone has gone to quite a lot of trouble to badly spray green over the top of it.

My engine however doesn't ever seem to have been painted.

 

[Pete Ashby]

Can anyone explain to an MV novice what the thing is about light blue paint and MV's. I have seen engines that colour but my ex Navy 1958 Bedford CA van seems to have the engine bay and interior footwells that colour. Would it be an original feature because someone has gone to quite a lot of trouble to badly spray green over the top of it.

My engine however doesn't ever seem to have been painted.

 

 

The British army post war painted all engines Duck Egg blue all post war rebuilds of WW11 stock were also painted this colour. I seem to remember reading somewhere that the rational for this was that the light colour would show up leaks quickly and made maintenance in dark engine bays easier to carry out..... Richard Farrent will be able to give chapter and verse on this as I may have dreamt the bit about maintenance.

 

Pete

[Richard Farrant]

The British army post war painted all engines Duck Egg blue all post war rebuilds of WW11 stock were also painted this colour. I seem to remember reading somewhere that the rational for this was that the light colour would show up leaks quickly and made maintenance in dark engine bays easier to carry out..... Richard Farrent will be able to give chapter and verse on this as I may have dreamt the bit about maintenance.

 

Pete

 

Pete,

Partly right, but the first pastel shade used, was Eau-de-Nil, which is a very pale green. Around about 1950, this was changed to another BS standard colour called Sky Blue. The term "duck egg blue" is incorrect and often used. Quite why the engine bay of this vehicle been painted one of these colours, I do not know, but it is possibly a Royal Navy requirement, as RAF vehicles used to have cab interiors painted Eau-de-Nil.

 

Your mention of reasons for painting engines these colours, I believe that fluid leaks were one of the main reasons, and anti freeze / coolant weeps are clearly visible.

 

regards, Richard

[Pete Ashby]

Thank you Richard I knew you were the man to ask............Eau-du-Nil...... well there you are then sounds a bit posh to me

 

Regards

 

Pete

[ruxy]

101 Sky Blue

 

Very convoluted history.

 

Known as just SKY or IIRC the trade name (patented) Camontint , as seen used by Sidney Cotton on a aircraft belonging to Maharaja of Jodhpur , USED on Spitfires (underside) because it had the ability to blend with the blue sky shortly after take-off. This was in the days before PRU (Heston Flight) was "nationalized" by the RAF , then as the RAF owned Camontint IIRC they called it Sky Blue and gave it a RAF colour that became the BS 101.

 

So - reason - not to easy see leaks / spillage , so you can see your truck when it takes-off - but not the underside of the engine..

[fv1609]

It is true to say that Sky Blue appeared in 1948 as BSC381C 101.

 

However Sky Blue was already in use 1931 as BS381 1.

 

At that time the BS381 was one or two digits.

 

In 1948 the three digit system was incorporated into what then became BS381C.

 

100-199 being allocated to blue & turquoise. Thus Sky Blue was redefined as 101

[Tony B]

Thank you Richard I knew you were the man to ask............Eau-du-Nil...... well there you are then sounds a bit posh to me

 

Regards

 

Pete

 

Have you seen the coulour of the Water of the Nile? :-D You should be able to get the formula mixed oe soem of the Classic Car sites do Eeu Du Nil high temprature paint.

[alixcompo]

As ever I am in awe. Humbled in your combined presence.

 

Many thanks

[timbo]

I find Marcus Glenns spray version of what he describes as light engine blue is a pretty good match and sprays very well....

[andym]

I find Marcus Glenns spray version of what he describes as light engine blue is a pretty good match and sprays very well....

 

I'd agree with that ....

 

 

Andy

[marvinthemartian]

I'll second that motion too, Marcus' engine blue goes on very well, aerosol or the 1 ltr brushable pot. Not quite the same shade for B series I don't think, but looks good all the same.

[N.O.S.]

Have you seen the coulour of the Water of the Nile? :-D You should be able to get the formula mixed oe soem of the Classic Car sites do Eeu Du Nil high temprature paint.

 

BS 381c - 216 Also known in services as puke green but probably not shown in BS charts as such......