Painting an old BMC. What make of paint, and what colour ?

[wrisberg]

Hello mates.

 

Now the time has come to paint my engine,.

 

Heat resistant paint, i presume. Hammerrite I have acces to, is that OK ?

 

Also, when it comes to choosing a colour, my head starts to limbo..

 

I am thinking, Green, Red, Silver, Yellow, or white ?!?!? I cant really decide. Any pros and cons I should be considering ?

 

I am thinking most on the green and yello . . I think . . . Or the red.... Hmmm :-)

 

This is the paint I have acces to. http://www.hammerite.com/

 

 

Thanks alot mates. Hoping to get the engine finish soon, and the boat back to my harbour.

 

/ Jonas

[RLWP]

Hammerite is fine, colour is up to you

 

I use Craftmaster engine enamels

 

Richard

[Ray T]

Here you go:

 

http://mk1-performance-conversions.co.uk/technical_engine_colour.htm

 

Quote:

 

"I can now confirm with 100% certainty that the most commonly used colour on BMC engines was British Standard Middle Bronze Green (BS 223). Some engines were painted in a darker green that I strongly believe to be Dark Bronze Green."

Edited August 21, 2015 by Ray T

[Tony Brooks]

NO, that is for vehicles as far as I know. The official BMC marinisations were painted a metallic like light blue. Otherwise choose the colour you like.There were so many marinisers in the end that almost any colour would do. However we painted the ones we did for the hire fleet Blakes (now Hemple) dark green engine paint.

 

A lighter colour makes oil, fuel, and coolant leaks easier to spot but also looks dirty far more readily.

[Ray T]

Ooooh that's told me, smacked botty and I must write 100 times "I do not know my engine colours."

[bizzard]

Old genuine BMC reconditioned engines were painted gold, 'Gold Seal' they called them it was an orrible colour.

[Tony Brooks]

Ooooh that's told me, smacked botty and I must write 100 times "I do not know my engine colours."

 

Not really, the site seems to be more related to vehicle performance.

 

I am also struggling to match "Austin" engine green with the colour shown that was more of a light bronze green. That is in BMCs time.

[RLWP]

Some MGs had red engines

 

Last BMC I did was dark blue, similar to the original marinisers colour

 

Richard

[andyb116]

Richard, some useless information, chrome bumper MG's had red engines, rubber bumper MG's had black engines, had to research it when I was rebuilding them.

[RLWP]

Richard, some useless information, chrome bumper MG's had red engines, rubber bumper MG's had black engines, had to research it when I was rebuilding them.

And older MGs, I believe, but never Spridgets

 

Except I painted mine red, because I like it

 

Richard

[springy]

Mine's Black, to be fair it was (mostly) a pale blue when I got it, but poorly done, and as

its a 1976 engine, genuine ex sherpa van and actually has a "Leyland" roundel cast in

the side rather than BMC, I decided on black (smooth hammerite), with the roundel

picked out in white.

 

springy

[Chalky]

Richard, some useless information, chrome bumper MG's had red engines, rubber bumper MG's had black engines, had to research it when I was rebuilding them.

 

I've got a red engine in my rubber bumper MG. Then again its a Leyland ST engine rather than a standard one.

 

When I painted it I used engine paint from the local accessory shop. It's only lasted 20 years so far.

[wrisberg]

Mine's Black, to be fair it was (mostly) a pale blue when I got it, but poorly done, and as

its a 1976 engine, genuine ex sherpa van and actually has a "Leyland" roundel cast in

the side rather than BMC, I decided on black (smooth hammerite), with the roundel

picked out in white.

 

springy

Can you take a picture of it? Black, that would be great also I think.

 

Thanks for all of you reply's, I am gonna go with the hamerite then, I have acces to white, silver, red ( Brown'ish ) and black... White would like fantastic . . ! atleast till I get it started :-)

 

Silver or black I think then . . . .My old engine was silver. . it looked okay actually.

[pete.i]

Just paint it in a colour that isn't going to show the inevitable oil and grease build up too quickly. Mine got painted in something dark that I picked up from Halfords. It was a heat resistant paint.

[David Schweizer]

This is our engine painted with blue Masons paint.

 

Edited August 23, 2015 by David Schweizer

[Darren72]

Mines in a maroon

[wrisberg]

thanks for all your reply' s, and thanks for the photo. Nice colour!

 

I think I am settled for a dark, green colour. For now, atleast.

 

please upload photos of your bad ass engines guys! - Inspiration always helps :-)

 

 

/Jonas

[RLWP]

What do you fancy?

 

Moss Green:

 

 

Mid Brunswick Green:

 

 

Grey:

 

 

Oxford Blue:

 

 

Or even...:

 

 

The blue one is a BMC 1500, and is similar to the marinisers colour

 

Richard

[wrisberg]

Done.

[wrisberg]

I ended up painting it green. I got access to some really good and strong paint. Compared to the colours before the paintings, this is awesome. But bad weather made the process, a little difficult. Not a perfect job, but fairly decent. Now for fitting new hoses and accessories, then install in boat. I am back from USA late September, so I am hoping for a full month in the water, before going up for winter.

[RLWP]

Green is a nice, honest sort of colour.

 

Velvet drive gearbox

 

Richard

[wrisberg]

Homemade flange between engine housing and gearbox.

[wrisberg]

Still not in the boat. . .

[FadeToScarlet]

They come in colours other than oily black? I'm astonished....

[wrisberg]

First run of the new engine.

 

Sounds great. 70 psi pressure.

 

Have had alot of unexpected work on this engine. Nearly changed everything on the outside, But now its sweet.

 

New hoses, new wiring, then we are off! - When there is water instead of ice of course 8-)

 

 

 

Video of the first startup: http://www.baadgalleri.dk/video/diverse-baad/3071-foerste_opstart_af_thornycroft_108r

Edited January 21, 2016 by wrisberg