14 replies to this topic

[Cluaran]

Good morning,

I hope all are good and your minis are firing on cylinders.

I always search the forum before I post a question. I got hits for the question I am going to ask, but unfortunately I have had no joy, resolving my issue.

The paint code on my VIN is the duo paint code RWU this splits out to Flame red and diamond white.

On the Somerford mini shop website it says the following::

Note: some Minis carried a paint code of RWU or RDV. RWU was a ‘Duo Colour’ code indicating a finish of Flame Red with a White Diamond.

The code for flame red from this duo code is COF.

I bought rattle cans 1k & 2k COF from multiple suppliers, also bought tins of COF, HVLP guns and 100l SGS compressor.

The colour is not even close to the colour. I bought rattle cans of all the Rover Flame red. I done spray outs on primed 6 inch steel squares. None of them are even close to the existing colour.

Stupidly I rubbed down and primed the bonnet and roof. Prior to confirming the colour was correct. I am trying to delete the white roof so the mini is all flame red.

I'm worried now that I have a grey primer roof and a bonnet a different colour.

I took the boot lid to a local paint supplier. He had wee booklets with loads of different red paint swatches. He was unable to match the paint. I asked him about Spectrometery. He says this doesn't give a good match. Which I don't understand? Is this true? I thought with mode4n technology, this would be my next best option.

Could anyone advise if imports paints are different due to country laws and regulations?

Has anyone got the same model and year import with the duo paint code RWU, that has successfully match the paint.

Is there anyone in the Glasgow area that could recommend anywhere that they would recommend that can match paint? That does spectrometery?

Any help would be gratefully appreciated, as this has been getting me down. The amount of money I have spent, I'd probably have been cheaper paying someone that knows what they are doing!

I was also trying to clarify if a Cooper white roof should only be white on the actual roof or if the raised gutter should also be white?

Under the bonnet where paint has worn away, I can see gold/bronze primer. Does the colour of the primer have a significant difference to the finished colour?

Did Rover use a gold/bronze primer?

If anyone would be good enough to help me, I would be very grateful.

How much money (ball park) would it cost to get a mini resprayed in 2025, has anyone had a paint job recently. Can you get a respray with out a full strip down?

Thanks very much in advance for any help.

Hope all enjoy the rest of there weekend!

Kindest Regards

Cluaran

[Midas Mk1]

Being the youngest Mini is 25, there’s a high chance that the basecoat isn’t that of the factory.

You really need to get an existing panel scanned, this process takes an image of three points for data, then searches the database and gives you 3 matches in the closest order first.

Primer affects the base colour too, although once you’ve matched the existing base coat this colour code will tell you what colour primer to use.

Any good bodyshop or paint supplier has the scanner, I was lucky to use one a good few times over the years in my last job.

[Cluaran]

This is a picture of the bonnet and wing. Top is the factory paint, bottom is 2k COF from rattle can, the type with the pin on bottom to activate.

https://freeimage.host/i/3WH3T2s

Thanks

cluaran

[nicklouse]

As said take it to a paint shop for scanning.

[sonscar]

When you rubbed it down to bare metal did you see rings of previous repaints?On my racing green when I rubbed the roof down there was the green under the white.The gold primer sounds like isolater primer which used to be the choice when painting over unknown quality substrate.I am sure that you know red is very prone to colour change with age.Steve..

[cooperd70]

I have a 1990 Flame Red limited edition which is original and the white roof paint includes the inside of the gutter all the way around. The underside of the gutter is Flame Red and then it has the black plastic trim fitted over it. I would think that would be unchanged on a 1994 mini.

[Midas Mk1]

Even if it is the original paint, 30 years of UV on red (the worst colour) you will get fade, it’ll be different front to back on the car too, from experience.

You will need to get it scanned to match where it’s at now. That’s the only way other than repainting the full car in the shade you desire.

[Cluaran]

Thanks very much to all that kindly took the time to reply. It is very much appreciated. I took the boot lid to a local auto paint shop.

The guy took it out in to the street with a deck of red paint swatches in a wee book. He was unable to match it. He said bring it back on a sunny day.

I asked him about Spectrometery, he advised of a place in Paisley that do it but said its not accurate. I don't understand this, with today's technology, I thought this would be more accurate than some guy eye balling. He seemed to think it was factory paint.

Anyone got an experience of spectrometer?

Did Rover use a gold/bronze primer I'm 90s exports? Does the colour of the primer make a significant difference to the final colour?

Thanks again to all that have responded. Very much appreciated.

Does anyone know if the Mini Clan on West Coast still exists? I looking for a club on West coast?

Have a good Monday.

Cheers

Cluaran

[Cluaran]

Good morning Folks,

Hope all are enjoying a Monday without having to dial into work. I dropped the boot lid off at a local body shop. The guy Kieran, had cracking Italian job and centre binnacle tattoos. Which was a good sign.

He just called me. Said the polished up a section and put the spectroscopy on it and got a Nissan paint code! I will post the code, after I pick up the boot lid.

Has anyone else ever came across this?

I’d probably have been cheaper putting it back not a body shop. So far I have bought every flame red Rover flame red I could find in rattle cans, 2 HVLP guns, 100 l SPS compressor and all accessories. A great example of “all the gear and no idea!”.

I really appreciate everyone’s time; that replied to my post.

The mini doesn’t look like it has been resprayed. Does anyone know a lot about what the export process was when Rover minis were build for the Japanese market in the 1990s? Were they completely built and painted before they were shipped?


What colour was the factory primer? The primer on mine looks like it is a gold/bronze colour. On preparing for paint when I was rubbing down the roof, the white paint was thick, I hit red, the gold and then steel.

It doesn’t look like it’s been repainted, but I am not sure how to check for sure. There’s no difference in colour on the shut jams, boot floor or under carpets.

I will confirm the code and post pics of the Nissan spray out card and code. Incase it is of any help to anyone else.

Hope all enjoy bank holiday!

Cheers

Cluaran

[nicklouse]

Totally not surprised. 

they were just standard production cars that had bits added that were needed to meet the regs and often tarted up by the dealers/owners.

[Cluaran]

Hi Rick & everyone

Have you heard or seen this issue with flame red. The Nissan paint is close,but no cigar!

You got any ideas, getting me down. Took me over 30 years to get my mini and feel like I have wasted it.

What kind of money is involved in a respray. This is my first car project at 50. So I am learning as I go.

Anyone got any idea how much it would cost to get the roof sprayed?

Any help advice would be really appreciated.


Many thank

clue

[Cluaran]

 Alright Folks,

 

Hope all are enjoying the sun shiiine in sunny Scotland or where every you are!

 

As @nickloose said "As said take it to a paint shop for scanning."

 

I picked up the boot lid from the coachworks and the closest match the got from the spectrometry scan was:

 

Duralite - Nissan Bursting Red AX6

 

Has anyone else had this issue with flame red - COF and a panel scanned.

 

Can anyone kindly advise of a paint supplier that des Duralite paint?

 

Thanks to all that have assisted so far it is much appreciated.

 

Cheers

 

Cluaran

 

A wee gag:   

 

 

Why did Trump get absolutely soaked when he was travelling down the river?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Fake canoes

 

 

[Blumeanie]

I believe that we all suffer from concerns with our minis... I don't believe it is a 'good' kind of stress either! This is because they are not 'any car' to us...

I do not have much insight on Japanese market minis - but generally, I can offer the following:

Your mini is some 30 years old. - even the best Red auto paint is prone to fading. I had a red car a long time ago. I repainted it due to fade. A few years later, I could see the paint already had suffered some fade.

If it is the original factory paint, the difference may be in the fading over time which now closely matches (maybe coincidentally?) that Nissan paint colour.

When doing a full re-spray, the outcome will always be best with a full tear-down. You can always tell when something has not been removed prior to paint in a re-sprayed car. Even if great care is taken. AND If great care is not taken, then it is a disaster.

Unless the color match is great, you'll see color differences in different areas as well. Especially in areas exposed, vs those not exposed to the sun. (- Will you paint the original shade of red, or match the paint in the the current -and now faded- version of shade of red?)

In the case of a mini, with a full teardown, you will be able to address any areas that may need attention and protect it for the long term. - Of course this means $$$.
 

[bluedragon]

There are some aspects of color-matching automotive paint that aren't widely known.

 

Colorimetry can return the red-green-blue values needed to match a color, but automotive paint can't be tinted with pure RGB values. 

 

Automotive tinting comes from various substances either occurring in nature or synthetically made, but there is not an infinite number of tinting compounds nor is there a way to create them synthetically from a set of base toners that a body shop or paint facility can mix. Toners and tints can't be created physically like a slider on a PC paint app!

 

Some paint systems have more or different toners available than others. So some paint lines might be able to match a paint where others cannot.

 

But with many paint systems of the 50's, 60's 70's, and even 80's and 90's gone, some of the toners and tints went with them. Existing paint lines cannot always match the older ones because the tinters and toners are different.

 

The only real way to match any paint that I know of is for a custom painter to mix various paints by eye. What can't be matched by predetermined or formulaic base toner mixes can be done by expert painters mixing various shades of finished paints, plus tints and toners - the more skilled and experienced, the faster they can come to a match.

 

Colorimetry can accurately determine the shade, but unless the paint line has a formula that comes very close to the colorimetry results, then an expert paint mixer has to step in and figure out how to match it. Finding a paint shop that will do this is the tricky part.

 

 

Dave

[Cluaran]

The saga continues. The Nissan paint is closest yet but no cigar, Blumeanie , I agree what you. I’m 52 and wanted a mini as long as I can remember. This is my first project. I know there is nothing special about a 1990’s Japanese Import. Not like a mk 1 Austin Cooper 1071 - my dream mini.

Unfortunately I couldn’t afford a respray at the moment.

I appreciate everyone that has replied!

Cheers