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Paint colour on 1997 Defender


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Morning 

I am having a right nightmare with painting these doors! After the saga of the clear coat reacting with the colour and having to repaint it seems the colour is wrong!
I was led to believe that the colour was Epsom green but it is a lot lighter.
I had a tin of Galway green which I painted the side frame with a few years ago and it seems a closer match but again I was led to believe that colour was not available on the 1997 model year.
Please see picture.
Does anyone know the correct colour?

I would welcome your thoughts

Mike Derrick 
Sent from my iPhone

FC726AAF-2CDC-4B2D-A288-E2DD1360E01B.jpeg

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Very difficult to get anywhere near a colour match with an old panel,  especially metalic. Colour changes over time with exposure to UV light, there are variations in how the paint is mixed (not unusual for the mixer to get it wrong), the size of metalic flake used, the colour & shade of primer will affect the hue, so will the number & depth of coats and with metalic paint the angle the paint is sprayed at (flat v vertical).

It does look like Epsom Green but difficult to see from that one pic.  

Assuming you're using proper paint rather than a spray can, you need a good grey primer, three coats of epsom base and as soon as it has flashed off, two coats clearcoat.  

Your best bet is to get the colour matched if your paint supplier has a spectrometer

Edited by Eightpot
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Gents

Thanks for the suggestions.

in the sunlight it looks a lot worse but given the state of the original door I can’t really complain 013840A2-7406-438F-A0CC-8323FC4C233F.thumb.jpeg.27d15fe2c5abcfe2abf9aec04e647f96.jpeg

I am indeed painting with rattle cans Eightpot and was lying the doors flat. You got me! I found an old tin of Galway Green and did a corner of the door and it is a much better match considering the 23 year old paint. I had a look on the Rimmer Brothers web site and the Galway is listed in the section for older vehicles so looks like I was given duff info in the first place. Western I had not considered Tonga green. Was that a common colour?C7E4DD39-9FC0-4CC8-9D9D-B4E731AF9D4E.thumb.jpeg.03e2010f39769f39b7176c8c3f844e71.jpeg

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Is there a paint code on the can? Should be LRC961.  Even for a can that's not even close to Epsom Green.

Did you have the can mixed by a paint shop? If so take it back and show them the door, they should mix you another can. Also you need to use grey primer, not white or yellow.

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Loads of green colours been used over the years, these might help you.

I can tell you that it is not: Willow, Eastnor, Coniston, Giverney or Trident.

Initially there were only 2 metallic colours available on Defenders and only on 110 CSW at that. So it might be County green, which was a very dark green, the only other option available at the time was a very dark metallic red

https://www.defender-landrover.co.uk/p/paint-codes.html

https://rimmerbros.com/images/Land_Rover_Paint_Charts/LR_Paint_Key_Defender83.pdf

 

Edited by neil110
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23 hours ago, Eightpot said:

Is there a paint code on the can? Should be LRC961.  Even for a can that's not even close to Epsom Green.

Did you have the can mixed by a paint shop? If so take it back and show them the door, they should mix you another can. Also you need to use grey primer, not white or yellow.

Eightpot

it was mixed by a paint shop unfortunately not close to me so even with the current circumstances not practical to visit. I have however cut a panel out of the old door to send to him! I did use a grey primer under the green. The door as supplied came in a black primer. I can confirm the number as being LRC 961

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  • 4 weeks later...

Judging by the rear tub and side panels, I’d be extremely surprised if it isn’t Epsom.  But there do seem to be different shades of Epsom green - my 95 RRC has a slightly lighter and yellower tone, even in the bits that don’t get sunlight, than what comes out of a can, and is less blue toned than Epsom Defenders it has been parked next to (no, it’s not Ardennes green, which is much lighter and beiger).

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Thank you for all the replies.

I have nailed the vehicle colour as Epsom Green. Would you believe the local motor factor had two tins of said colour on the shelf, and as the triangular panel behind the door had terminal rot I tried a quick and dirty patch test. The result is well within 20 odd years of sunlight fading the original. I am still in contact with Paintman who has been really helpful. He has sent out another batch of paint with a black undercoat this time, so will try that on the doors when I get home and report back.

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