A Sea of Paint - some technical Qs, and space for opinions.

[Skye Stage 1]

I think I mentioned in my original introduction post that I was planning to paint my Landy; originally I was going to do it in standard series Landrover marine blue. I was having a look at paint in my local DIY place the other day (I was actually looking for primer - work has been progressing, and I shall post some pics when I can), and in their meagre selection of metal paints they had a paint, the colour of which was 'Land Rover Green'. I have no certain idea which green they mean (though I'm guessing it's that darkish green one often sees on early nineties), but I'm now faced with a dilemma:

i - green would be good because the inside of the doors and inner wings are green, so the painting process wouldn't look like a cheap blowover;

ii - although I quite like the green, I would prefer blue, but I can't find it in the shop. I know John Craddock's have it - but could they post it?

iii - should I, in fact, go for Massai red, or Java green; that is, a slightly more outlandish BL colour?

Thoughts welcome, and some pictures to help me make up my mind would be very helpful.

Thanks.

[Huzey]

Hi Wilf
I have just ordered 3 litres of marine blue from paddocks, and it came through the post no trouble. I have used some of it as well, and it goes on a treat once the thinner/paint ratio is sorted!
I would think the land rover green you mentioned will be bronze green. This is quite readily available in lots of paint manufacturers ranges like tractol, new holland and I think vapormatic as well. Any agricultural engineers or agricultural merchant should do it, or they should be able to get it for you. I know the new holland range does marine blue as well, and if memory serves, tractol do as well, (though having said that, I haven't seen the tractol range lately.)
Hope this helps,
Regards Huzey.

[Larry]

To back up Huzey, I ordered my paint from Paddocks by post/courier. Good price I thought (although don't know if you get hit with higher delivery charges up there). They had a good range of Landy colours:

Paddock Paint Series Range

This is quite useful too Painting Landrovers

and this is very useful: Paint chart

[Skye Stage 1]

Thanks for your help, Huzey and Larry.

Huzey - what were the paint/thinner ratios you used? Any hints or tips you could pass on?

Bronze green sounds right - I had forgotten the name, but now you say it that seems familiar. I'll ask at the shop if they can get Marine blue, although if Paddocks can send it no trouble, that might be more sensible.

Thanks for all the links, Larry - very useful. Postage should be reasonably cheap now, as the bridge tolls have been completely removed, which always used to be the reason given for the higher costs. Now, most of the couriers don't charge any extra, and if they do, I politely explain the situation, and it's funny how often the surcharge is reduced...

Thanks again both for all your help.

[Huzey]

Wilf
Are you spraying or brush painting/rollering your landy? If you are brush painting I would say just a drop of thinners to get it to flow nicely from the brush. Spraying, I would say you would need 10% thinners to thin it enough to flow without it being to thin to have more runs than the london marathon. Best thing is to experiment and give it a go. I did, and got a good shine on the door tops I just sprayed.
Huzey

[Skye Stage 1]

Actually, I'm going to be using a paint pad. I came across this device when I was doing some house painting - it's a sort of foam material on a backing about 8" by 5"; the advantage over brushes is obviously that one doesn't leave brush marks, nor those sort of 'Aero' bubbles one tends to get when using a roller. I'll let you know how I get on with it. Just enough to get it flowing nicely, then? Seems sensible. As you say, within reason, if I experiment I can't really go too badly wrong.