XK120 DHC color hunt

I’ve tried before and no luck so I’m going to keep trying until I find the color of the car in the attached picture. There has to be someone who knows someone with a car this color because I see them on the internet but can’t track them down. If anyone knows where I might find an owner with this color, please let me know. Thanks.

Bill,

Might be wrong, but isn’t that Pastel Blue?
The dark Blue interior would make it one of the 176 manufactured XK 120 DHC’s in this (standard listed) combination .

Bob K.

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That’s what I thought when I started this search 6 months ago. The original Pastel Blue (J867 by Pinchon Johnson Co.) is not even close to this color. I had a guy in the Netherlands send me a sample of his ORIGINAL paint from the original can and not it. I’ve had 17 samples mixed by PPG, Glasurint, etc and none come close. The car in the pic was sold to someone in England so it’s gone. If I could find someone with this color I’d pay to have them get it color matched so I can have some made. I have talked to really old Jag restoration guys and engineers with the major paint companies and all say because of the EPA and chemical changes, it’s simply a hit and miss unless a car with the color can be found. Attached is a picture of the original Pastel Blue car. Not even close.


Hi Bill…I assume that you are just looking for the colour of the car in your first post just from what you see on your computer screen…the colour will be different on everyones screen and in different light conditions…so it may not actually be a colour that you want if you were standing next to the car…it is a pastal blue…Steve

I have the original paint sample of Pastel Blue J867. It is NOT the same color. I drove that car. I just wan’t smart enough to buy it and now it’s in England. Looking at the Pastel Blue colors on the computer there are many different shades. It is a matter of mixing paint to get the color. I also found a guy with a Pastel Blue 140 about 100 miles from me and went to see it. Nope. Not even close. It’s not as simple as saying it’s Pastel Blue. It’s the SHADE and that’s what I can’t find.

Hi Bill…possibly one to explore
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Or this…maybee worth getting the glasurite swatches


WOW! I think you may have done it! Taking the info to my painter now to get a sample. Thanks and I’ll let you know. Thank you very much.

Well, another disappointment. The color code - 8541D is only good for a shop that has Those code cards. Mine doesn’t. We call a dupont store and they said they did not have that code. Besides, I don’t want a single stage paint. But the color is really nice. Back to the hunt.

Hi Bill…could you not find a Dupont shop/supplier that could send you a sprayed swatch or sample if you like the colour you could then scan it localy…Steve

And I much prefer a top quality single stage urethane to base/clear - a matter of taste, but the former is much closer in appearance to the original, and much more reparable.

It appears you’re seeking a unique but fairly subtle light blue shade variation. It just might be an impossible quest if the paint job you want to replicate was a one-off. You also have only your memory and a picture to go by. So, it comes down to finding a shade that rings the bell for you. Paint departments in the big box stores, and especially standalone paint shops, feature racks of thousands of samples. I might start a collection of same, shooting a coat of clear over the eggshell samples, to see if something comes close. Then it’s a matter of taking it to a good auto plaint shop for a match.

Good luck in your search.


Here is my version of Pastel blue, with more punch to it.
It was done while the first owner restored it in the 80s. I bought it from the estate of the first owner, after he had passed away. It is listed in several books, with pictures in colour and b/w.
Original dark blue interior, and wood.

Hi Peder…that looks more like Cotswold Blue…A very different colour to what Bill is looking for…Steve

Oh no. I have a Mk9 in its original, Cofswold blue paint. Very different

Just shows the different colour given to a colour name…here is a Cotswold blue E type a 1961-64 colour

Hi Bill,
That nice DHC belongs to Cliff Lewis of Wayland, MA. It has original paint that was restored by a professional paint restorer. He is driving that car to a gathering we are having in Pembroke, MA today and I will point him in your direction. He is a regular poster here.

Tom Brady

Hi Tom…the photo above of the E type is used on the UK E type forum in the “E type paint colours on cars” section in the Knowledge base…to show a representation of each E type colour…Steve

Bill: XK Data just posted a lovely 120 FHC #680906 in Pastel Blue. Supposedly a faithful representation and very similar to the remaining Pastel Blue under the dash of my "53, which was produced two months earlier. I, too, would like the paint code for current formulations of this color.
Bob

Hi Bill,
Yesterday our group in New England had our spring gathering at Steve Turschmann’'s house and Cliff brought his original paint DHC. It is at the end of the 120 lineup closest in view. Cliff is the guy in blue standing with his back to the picture. I have directed him to your posts.

We had (9) 120’s in the line up, what a grouping of colors! We had a great day, temps in the mid 60’s F, perfect XK weather.

Tom Brady

That’s great, Thanks very much Tom. This has been an incredibly difficult task to find that color.