Paint colour

[ratman]

thanks, guys.
I'm really curious about the history of my car!

[Sy V]

Here you go:

"Thank you for your email regarding Elan M100 SCC100ZT1RHF26036 and its original specification. I have just had a look in the build book and it does not give a huge amount of detail and I certainly would not like to say if this was the only M100 built in this colour, although like you I would think there certainly weren't too many.

As you are probably aware many of the M100 vin plates generally did not included the paint code and I constantly have customers calling me to confirm the colour which is no problem. This particular car mentions in the build sheet that the paint was going to be confirmed at a later date then just purely lists 'Special Blue' with no further details of colour code, I can only assume the code B48 is what it was originally painted in.

The car was built for the Italian markets and supplied to a dealer called Autexpo, the car was signed off our production line on 30.09.94 with engine number 0192323, interior trim was full Magnolia Leather.

This is all the information I have on this Elan but I hope its is of some interest."

Yours sincerely

Chris Brown
Technical Services/Company Archivist

[ratman]

maybe Sy or someone can give you the email for the Lotus contact. I doubt they would but it won't hurt to ask.

You have the VIN on stickers in 10 or so other places on the car so it's not like it's fake--but I'm sure it's just something that you "want to make right".

They do!! you have to go to a dealer and then they write a special form that they will need to send to Lotus.
This for (only ) 34 pounds.

[Enright]

This relates to a conversation Jimp357 and I had with John Hostler when we visited the factory last year.

At the time a thread was started about getting the build instructions and comments (and I'm sure they were a lot less than £34), but it's since disappeared.

I wonder if someone approached the administrators for the thread to be removed? If not, could the thread be re-located and a link posted?

[Gazza]

Brian & Cate

You have a twin!

#664 Pearl White, today with my own eyes.

Gary

[ratman]

Gazza,
is possible to make a mailing list with all the S2 owners interested on have the database always updated? or is better to put it online, in the lec website? thanks, F.

[ratman]

Here you go:

"Thank you for your email regarding Elan M100 SCC100ZT1RHF26036 and its original specification......As you are probably aware many of the M100 vin plates generally did not included the paint code and I constantly have customers calling me to confirm the colour which is no problem. This particular car mentions in the build sheet that the paint was going to be confirmed at a later date then just purely lists 'Special Blue' with no further details of colour code, I can only assume the code B48 is what it was originally painted in......
Yours sincerely
Chris Brown
Technical Services/Company Archivist

Ciao Simon,

As far as I wanted to match your hardtop with my car, I went to the painter thinking that the B48 was the right painting. Unfortunately it was not. It is clearer...
The car has been re sprayed (but with the same color it was when new) before I bought it, but it was severals year ago and I really don't know who is able to help me, so I'm asking you again help.
Itried to get in touch with Mr Brown but the email cbrown [at] lotuscars [dot] co [dot] uk is not working.

thank you and ciao, Federico

Could you give me his address, please???

[Gazza]

Federico

How would you described your colour?

Mine is B42 and is a Dark Blue with a purple tint in the sunlight.

Cheers, Gazza

[ratman]

Federico

How would you described your colour?

Mine is B42 and is a Dark Blue with a purple tint in the sunlight.

Cheers, Gazza

I think that the photo attached is better than every description!

[tigerdog]

Great colour! But I've never seen another Lotus quite this shade. If it helps, here's a link to a table that covers many Lotus paint codes. Unfortunately, there are no pictures to help identify yours.

[tigerdog]

Sometimes it's best to look in your own back yard: http://wikilec.9600.org/index.php/Paint_Colour_Codes Isn't that your car, pictured under "Mauritius Blue Metallic" ???

[speed-demon]

If you re-read above, he reckons Mauritus Blue is not a match...
The fact that the car has been re-sprayed leads to a few questions. Ratman, perhaps your best bet would be to track down the owner who had the car re-sprayed.

[ratman]

The car has been respraied

If you re-read above, he reckons Mauritus Blue is not a match...
The fact that the car has been re-sprayed leads to a few questions. Ratman, perhaps your best bet would be to track down the owner who had the car re-sprayed.

the car has been re sprayed but the colour should be as the original.
When I look onto the internal side of the door I can see that the colour is the same! The problem is that the colour on the label is Mauritius Blue (B48), used for the Esprit but not for the Elan, but it seems that Lotus has on their record a not better specified "special blue". So it is possible that the colour on the label is not correct since the production of the car. I need a picture of an Esprit in B48 colour!!!

[speed-demon]

A good paint shop should be able to match anyway without a code shouldn't they, or is that not correct?

[ratman]

A good paint shop should be able to match anyway without a code shouldn't they, or is that not correct?

yes,
you're right. I've not been lucky. As far as I live near Parma I had to find here a painter. My usual painter is in Perugia, where I came from, 400km from here. As far as the local painter made a mistake, I'm trying to help him only in order to have my hardtop painted in the right colour. In any case I think that it should be useful to know what bloody colour my car is.

[GeoffSmith]

Midnight blue according to an MG site!

[Gazza]

Federico

My sticker says B42 which Lotus say is Metallic Midnight Blue. My service/logbook has written in it "Italian Blue"

Gazza

[Grayone]

Such a colour can only be dreamed of...

Mine is peeling calypso Red!!!!

[tigerdog]

If you re-read above, he reckons Mauritus Blue is not a match.

DOH!

So that leaves our wiki inaccurate and they mystery unsolved. The expanded code list linked above mentions "B44 Night Blue Metallic". This could be a typo (Night v Light) or it could be a color somewhere between the Midnight Blue and the Mauritius Blue. This being Lotus, I suppose it's possible the bloke who painted the car at the factory might a) be traceable using available data and b) might remember what it was he mixed up at the time.

I'm fresh out of ideas - finding the original dealer or owner might be the best way to solve your paint mystery. Otherwise, find a painter with a really good eye for color-matching... maybe at the shop that resprayed the car. Good luck!

[Gazza]

Federico

Why don't you get them to mix up a tester of B42 Midnight Blue. My car looks very similar to yours in the sunshine and it would rule the colour out.

Also i had the lower part of the front bumper done and the colour didn't match at all, but if you turned it upside down it was perfect. Apparently all to do with the way it was sprayed, something to do with the flip of the metallic paint. It was redone and is now perfect.

How far out was your first try?

Gazza