question Duck egg blue paint for AEC 7.7ltr

[ransomesmg6]

Hi, I was wondering what experiences or recommendations people have had with Duck Egg blue heat resistant paint for use on engines like the AEC 7.7ltr? I only found Craftmaster paints to supply this paint, but would really like some recommendations first before going ahead and buying some! Regards, Henry

[John Comber]

I have bought two batches of duck egg blue from R&R services the first 17 years ago which then needed refreshing on the explorer two years ago, and i only primed with zinc phosphate and applied one thick top coat straight on the first time, so for longevity i can recommend.

[paulbrook]

Interesting - once upon a time I was after "heat resistant" paint for some engine or other - to be told by a paint rep not to waste my time because engines dont actually get so hot that decent paint peels. In a way I sort of see his point - after all the engine (generally) is surrounded by water at 80-90 degrees and lots and lots of other components are even cooler.

 

Anyway from that day to this I have just used ordinary paint and it has always done the job (not manifolds though!)

[Richard Farrant]

Hi, I was wondering what experiences or recommendations people have had with Duck Egg blue heat resistant paint for use on engines like the AEC 7.7ltr? I only found Craftmaster paints to supply this paint, but would really like some recommendations first before going ahead and buying some! Regards, Henry

 

Hi Henry,

You will be familiar with tractor and machinery paint, well that is good enough for engines and it is coach paint, now called synthetic I think and if you can locate a local firm who mix car paints, they can normally also do these coach paints, Cromadex is one name. There was a company by Northiam station who I used to use, they have now gone. Worked out around £10-15 a litre at the time.

 

Try this company, I have bought from them;

M K P E, Capel Close, Leacon Rd, Ashford TN23 4GY ‎

01233 612695 ‎

Category: Car Paint & Lacquer Manufacturers and Supply

 

By chance last week, I was in my friendly local engine machinist's workshop and he mentioned working on AEC cylinder head, putting two and two together, I think they were yours!

 

regards, Richard

Edited June 12, 2013 by Richard Farrant

[ransomesmg6]

Hi, Thanks for all your replys, looks like, ill be using good quality machinery paint then, any good suppliers or good brands to go for? Yes Richard, you are right, its the same person/ same engine as mentioned by the machinist, a little way off of painting it but would like to get ready for when I am! Regards, Henry

[Richard Farrant]

Hi, Thanks for all your replys, looks like, ill be using good quality machinery paint then, any good suppliers or good brands to go for? Yes Richard, you are right, its the same person/ same engine as mentioned by the machinist, a little way off of painting it but would like to get ready for when I am! Regards, Henry

 

Hi Henry,

I have not tried this manufacturer before, but they do list the engine colours that were used by the army;

http://www.imscoatings.com/industrial/topcoats/machinery/metalcote.html

 

click on the colour chart, then click on "BS381C" and the colour, this will come up with various shades. The Duck egg Blue, is not the right name for the army engine colour, prior to about 1950, they used Eau-de-Nil, which is shown as BS381216 and after 1950 and onwards they used Sky Blue which is BS381101

[David B.]

Interesting - once upon a time I was after "heat resistant" paint for some engine or other - to be told by a paint rep not to waste my time because engines dont actually get so hot that decent paint peels. In a way I sort of see his point - after all the engine (generally) is surrounded by water at 80-90 degrees and lots and lots of other components are even cooler.

 

Anyway from that day to this I have just used ordinary paint and it has always done the job (not manifolds though!)

 

In 1970 I painted my Austin engine in Woolworth's Household Paint. It lasted until about 2000 or thereabouts when the engine was rebuilt and painted again.

[paulbrook]

Yup. I rest my case.....

[paulbrook]

Oh and Wally Dugan gave me the BS number for duck egg blue (I have an Antar engine to paint) and when I come back from the workshop today I will post it. With the number any decent paint supplier will be able to mix it up.

[Ex-boy]

Hi, I was wondering what experiences or recommendations people have had with Duck Egg blue heat resistant paint for use on engines like the AEC 7.7ltr? I only found Craftmaster paints to supply this paint, but would really like some recommendations first before going ahead and buying some! Regards, Henry

 

Hi all, not wanting to be awkward, and with no complaints about all the above advice, I'm sure army engines were painted in Eau-de-Nil during my service (60s to 80s). Is Eau-de-Nil not available or is Duck-egg blue another name for it?

 

Hope I'm not stirring things up!

 

Steve.

[paulbrook]

Wally told me that early engines were eau de nil, but by the B series and thereafter it was duck egg blue. and if Wally said that then thats good enough for me! Not sure when the changeover took place though.

[Richard Farrant]

Hi all, not wanting to be awkward, and with no complaints about all the above advice, I'm sure army engines were painted in Eau-de-Nil during my service (60s to 80s). Is Eau-de-Nil not available or is Duck-egg blue another name for it?

 

Hope I'm not stirring things up!

 

Steve.

 

Hi Steve,

This subject comes up every now and then. Eau-de-nil BS216 was used until about 1950 for rebuilt engines, then the army changed the colour to Sky Blue BS101 and I worked in army workshops for 22 years (1974 -96) and can tell with hand on my heart this is the correct colour and name what ever anyone says.

 

Richard

[wally dugan]

HI

 

I have followed this debate about the engine colour I started working on british military vehicles in 1965 and still involved

with them what richard has said is correct the name Duck Egg blue is widely used but to be correct it is called Sky Blue

 

 

Regards wally

[ruxy]

Interesting - once upon a time I was after "heat resistant" paint for some engine or other - to be told by a paint rep not to waste my time because engines dont actually get so hot that decent paint peels. In a way I sort of see his point - after all the engine (generally) is surrounded by water at 80-90 degrees and lots and lots of other components are even cooler.

 

Anyway from that day to this I have just used ordinary paint and it has always done the job (not manifolds though!)

 

================

 

What you state is essentially correct.

 

However a "engine laquer" is heat and oil resistant.

 

Remember the old school cast-iron radiators - they certainly did not slap any engine paint / machinery enamel on them.

 

Dulux at best Lol , the problem being that Dulux , B&Q etc. are a cheap alkyd - that colour changes depending on ambient sunlight , more likely to fade out - loose its gloss and then chalk. At that stage - it will not stand up well to heat or oil contamination.

 

A Litre of Tractor Enamel / Machinery enamel or Engine Enamel will cost you twice the ££ , will not have the gloss af a traditional Coach Paint (there is less varnish content) - also you would never need the possibility of a final clear over-varnish.

The additional £££ cost is because you are buying the equiv. of a automotive alkyd such as a Transport PU (more or less the same but reinforced with PU) , a transport PU would normally be used for just the cab livery because it costs so much, the rest a cheaper grade would be used. I have some wheel-sets done with both Berger & Parsons (Dagenham) Transport PU - still with a shine & no chalking - 30 yers + since painted.

 

The other additional feature for your money £££ , longer life, longer gloss retention , ability to withstand wash-down chemicals and abrasion, it will stand up to oil & fuel spills as well as a chassis paint (when dry through).

 

So - yes , depends on if it is your own vehicle or for a quick re-sale , possibly your own - you don't wish to re-paint your engine so often.

[paulbrook]

Funny that. Most of what I say is essentially correct. But folk must do as they please - thats one of the joys of this mullarkey!

[paulbrook]

Oh and by ordinary I mean standard commercial polyurethane rather than so-called engine enamel - the same breed of stuff I use on the rest of any truck............ Not ordinary as in woolies/dulux/B&Q.

[ransomesmg6]

Hi, Thanks for all your comments. Seems to be quite a topic surrounding this shade of blue paint. Just as a final confirmation, could someone give me the definite colour name and paint code for the "1944" engine please, so there's no confusion when ordering? Regards, Henry

[wally dugan]

HI

 

IF you want it to look factory fresh it would be black we had one in a display case a present from AEC to be used for

instruction dated 1943 to go with our Matador

 

regards wally

[Ex-boy]

Funny that. Most of what I say is essentially correct. But folk must do as they please - thats one of the joys of this mullarkey!

I totally agree with you on not being hidebound by conventions, but thanks to Richard for putting me right. I probably got the Eau-de-Nil in my head because we did our training on old engines (with old instructors) and that was what they had always known.

 

Steve.

[timbo]

Eau de nil still has its uses though. My Sabre has, as you would expect, the engine and ancillaries in sky/ duck egg blue, but other parts, such as the drivers firewall, are eau de nil. The engine now going in is a recon, but I have repainted all the ancillaries with Marcus Glenns excellent 'light engine blue', and purchased a tin of marine eau de nil to refresh the firewall....