Best luck so far trying to match Birch grey is from AutoColor their code D3104. Anybody with experience here?
Hi,
No experience, yet. But I have been collecting references and information for 15 years. My MKV DHC #647194 was originally Birch Grey and I would like to return the car to it’s original look in every way.
I did get an original paint sample plate, but the paint shop has managed to somehow displace it. I hope they find it.
Cheers,
Pekka T.
Fin.
If you remind me, I would be glad to send the card I just ordered once I an done.
I have a 1956 xk140mc dhc in Birch Grey. It is definitely a metallic color and different than the sample or that used on 120’s. Much close to Silver Birch used on later cars.
Hi,
That would be great. But wait, where did you say you ordered one?
I tried for years to order samples from the Autocolorlibrary in the USA who had cross referenced the original Domolac/Zofelac samples, no luck! Then I was told they no longer do it, and that some of the pigments used, were NLA, again.
The original paints back then were not metallic, except for all models between 1949-1952:
Pastel Green (Metallic)
Pastel Blue (Metallic)
plus
Gunmetal (Saloons only (and MKIV & MKV DHC)
Bronze, XK’s only
Silver, XK’s only
And the rare MK VII & XK 120 paint “Twilight Blue” (Metallic)
All other paints were solid colour cellulose paints. And after the new paint system was introduced in 1952 all paints, also Pastel Blue and Pastel Green were non-metallic, solid colours all the way until the E-type was introduced with new synthetic metallic paints. AFAIK only very few special orders may have had something else, it’s all well documented in the factory material, brochures, colour charts, service bulletins and salesman’s handbook etc.
Birch Grey was never metallic from the factory, especially not in the 1950’s.
Cheers,
Pekka T.
Fin.
I ordered it from Autocolor, about $40, they shipped it out in a day, I should receive soon.
Will the real Birch Grey stand up?
The spray card I got from Autocolor seems to be darker with some green in it when compared to the chip included in Urs’ book, and from review of other photos of Birch Grey cars. Any thoughts as to which one is the better reproduction?
The paint on the chip in the photo I provided above was supposedly mixed from the formula in Urs’ book.
I am with Mike on this, albeit cannot comment on how accurate or otherwise Urs’ formula is, nor how accurately Autocolor Library were able to match Urs’ formula.
When Urs’ was preparing this book I cautioned him regarding showing ‘original colours’ being a most incredibly difficult subject to get right - for MANY reasons.
The bottom line is that the ‘as-printed’ colours shown in his book are not accurate at all, just a printers ink on paper approximation at best, to give a general guide - so they are NOT accurate colours at all.
Urs’ quoted formulas are the best colour match he was able to do in Switzerland, using the then German brand paints on hand, as accurately as the technology of that paint brand could offer using their own paint formulation. I think Urs used a mix of matching the colours out of period paint-colour-chip books and his access to some amazingly original XKs, two of which were indeed BIRCH GREY - a Feb 1951 OTS (so will be earlier Cellulose Enamel paint) and an April 1954 DHC (so with the later Synthetic Enamel).
How well Autocar Library has been able to cross-reference, and accurately match a German paint formula with presumably an American paint formula I cannot say, albeit will undoubtedly be something LESS than 100%, but you hope not to far out. Indeed exact paint-colour-shade is only one of the parameters of getting an accurate-colour match, with underlying primer colour, spray technique and gloss-levels also having a major impact on the visual end result.
Thus the row of BRG XKS, all a different shade of Green, and the row of Carmine Red XKs, all a different shade of Red. With Birch Grey you are less likely to be parked in a row with others, so minor variations will not be apparent - certainly way beyond the skills of most Concours Judges.
My suggestion.
Your best bet of getting a good/accurate result is to go with the Autocar Library paint-formula to get your paint mixed up. but spend a lot of effort finding a competent painter who is both able, and willing to apply the paint properly - and if you want something that looks authentic, walk away from any painter that insists on applying clear over solid colour.
Otherwise, do whatever you personally want.
Roger
Well personally, if I were to do a color change it would be to silver with red interior. However vain my goal has been “as born” or as near as I can reasonably get. Accordingly the interior is 90% manufactured in biscuit and red, so my only other valid option is black. I do like black, but feel that lighter colors show off the curves and shadows better. My preference therefor is as close to the real birch grey I can get. My hesitation is the inaccurate representation in the various cars photographed, the paint color reproduced in Urs’ book, and the card from auto color. No two seem to match well.
Does anyone know the color of the grey car on the cover of Paul Skilleters book?
Hi,
Which book? (I can look)
Here’s a period photo of a Birch Grey 1952 XK120.
http://www.xkdata.com/gallery/zoom/?id=105867
The paint looks rather dark, which is partly explained by the northern winter outdoor lighting and snow white surroundings. But the contrast wth the original French Grey hood is obvious. AFAIK also the hooding material is since a long time NLA. I am trying to find both before I dare to take off the body on our MKV DHC for a bare metal respray.
I have seen a Jaguar event (in Germany) with at least five different Birch Greys on XK’s. Obviosly the look of the original cellulose paint polished can never be matched with any base-over-clear paint like Permachron, it would have to be a single solid colour with not too many thick coats. A collection of colour neutral grey cards will help in comparing the contrasts or how dark some paint appears in different lighting. (Standard material for classic photography) but getting the colour hue right is more difficult. More than 1/3 of the population do not see the green pigments the way the rest of us do.
It will be a challenge and you also need a painter who has the eye for this. If they say that a computer can match any colour you know they are lying.
Cheers,
Pekka T. - 647194
Fin.
Randy probably means Skilleter’s “The Jaguar XKs” published in 1981, with a grey 120 OTS wearing UK registration LRW 130 on the cover.
It looks pretty close to the car in Urs Schmid vol 2 pg 176 which he identifies as Birch Grey 120 DHC 678303.
I tried the TCPGlobal Autocolorlibrary website because I am looking for Gunmetal, and here is what came up for Jaguar 1948-52 colors.
It appears to be a photograph of a page out of some old color chart book.
http://www.autocolorlibrary.com/ aclchip.aspx?image=1949-Jaguar-pg01.jpg
For some reason copying and pasting the link above only works if I put a space between com/ and aclchip.
I found original color inside the wheel rims, which my local paint shop mixer expert was able to match.
Sure glad I didn’t see that page before painting mine Pastel Green Metallic.
It looks like s*** in that photo!
If you stop by Jim & Gary’s place they did a gunmetal on Gary’s car with tan/pigskin.
Looked great. Maybe he’s willing to share that color sample.
Doesn’t help with birch grey though
Today I compared my gunmetal gas tank door and side vent door with Gary’s gunmetal bonnet and it is such a good match that I couldn’t see any difference. I am satisfied. Thanks for the tip, Dan. Missed you at the show Sunday.
Thanks to all for your help and advice. The spray card from Autocolor appeared to have too much green in it. The color that resulted from the Glasurit formula looked closest, but seemed darker than most othor photos of Birch Grey cars. Inspection of the steel wheels was a great idea but did not produce conclusive results. So it seems to me that whatever color grey i choose, it will be a color change. That, plus pressure from friends and relatives has convinced me to go black. As long as I am changing the car, I will also attempt the wire wheel conversion. Does anyone know how to attach the 1/2 round molding to the wheel arch?