I’m several years off this yet, but I find it helps with motivation to keep the final paintjob in sight…
My 140DHC SE was originally Carmen (Carmine?) Red with all black trim and hood. It’s been ‘resprayed’ (if you can call it that) in a sort of metallic maroon and retrimmed in beige check cloth. Both original paint and later maroon have been right royally vetoed by management, and I must admit I agree with her this time. We already have one maroon car (the '68 Mustang fastback’s original code B, Royal Maroon), and the orangey-red does the elegant curves of the XK no favours in both our opinions.
We both like Pearl Grey, so the plan is to match that with dark blue trim and hood. However looking at examples online, there seem to be some cars described as Pearl Grey that look to me like a faintly washed out white, and others that have a definite grey tinge. Were there huge variations in this particular shade, or is it just poor colour matching and/or description? I’d like to get it right for a June '55 car.
A friend of mine has just finished, restoring his 140 DHC. It looks very period in Birch grey with red interior. I think the Pearl grey is a bit to light, as stronger colours suit the XK shape better ? My 120 FHC is BRG and always attracts a crowd as green is such an unusual colour nowadays on a modern car.
It was actually introduced in Jan 1954 and available for the last of the XK120 model, but then called LIGHT GREY, and was supplied by British Domolac (UK Paint company) as their code Q.1129.
By the time the XK140 was introduced in Oct 1954, the same paint was now called PEARL GREY, nothing else changed and still code Q.1129. PEARL GREY is actually a better descriptive name.
From 5 March 1956 PEARL GREY was updated to be Q.1129/1 - so exactly the same shade of colour, but something revised in its chemistry - impossible to tell apart. 9 days later on 14 May 1956, another chemistry revision, same PEARL GREY shade now code Q.1129/2 In Jan 1960, a more significant paint chemistry change, but still an identical PEARL GREY colour shade, now code Q.1129/2 CB.
An exact match of XK140 PEARL GREY has been matched to be GLASURIT FI 684 (I think FI denotes a Fiat colour) with no adjustment.
For fear of misleading - photos and computer screen images should NOT be seen as accurate colour representations, but following photo is of a local friends 1955 XK140 originally built in PEARL GREY, and still has more than three-quarters of its original paint in excellent condition - a few touch ups have been exactly matched by eye to blend in to original paint (note front guard forward of wheel - another touch up required, but now done!). And as far as my eyes can tell, it is an exact match, as you would expect, of the factory colour chip books I have from 1954, 1955, 1956 and 1957.
But like all restorations and repaints, its anyone’s guess how careful people are in accurately colour matching - a ‘faintly washed out white’ sounds like an amateur’s efforts, or no interest in colour matching.
My Pearl Grey (a respray done sometime in the 60’s) has a bit of a bluish tint to it, much like in Roger’s photo. I like it, and I get positive comments whenever out in public. As was mentioned, it is an unusual color these days and people seem to like it . The lighter colors seem to bring out the body lines somewhat more than darker colors.
I agree, that’s one of the reasons we chose it. I am normally an ardent supporter of original colours for restored cars - every other car I have is its original colour - but I personally don’t like bright reds, and especially not ones that are almost orange. Every other car I have has a black interior and it seems a shame to match all that walnut veneer with plain black. I have a friend with a black 140 OTS which looks great, but for some reason I don’t feel the darker colours work too well on a DHC, don’t know why. I’ve spent a lot of time studying a black one and a dark blue one from all angles and it just doesn’t quite do it for me. The lighter colours seem to work better with the curves, I think. Pearl Grey is a nicely period colour, is different from the multitude of OEW cars and has the added bonus over dark colours of being easier to paint!
Hello l am renovating an XK150 originally in Pearl Grey but l cannot find a colour like your photo, l particularly like the subtle blue tint. When l quote the code Q1129 the samples l get are very boring greys.
Any ideas?
