[Healeys] Fw: AH factory paint process?

[Rich C]

As we understand it the bodies were assembled, fitted and painted at the 
Jensen works. We know
 from a number of period photos showing the Hundred body shells being fitted
 up prior to paint, that most of the panels were simply in a poor cheap
 primer at that point. This would indicate that the individual panels were
 not prepainted at all prior to assembly of the body shell. This is also in
 evidence each time we have the opportunity to dismantle an original car. 
All
 the inner surfaces tend to fade away from the spraying that could reach
 inside the assembled shells, to areas that simply faded from colour to
 primer. (i.e paint coverage near an open wheel arch that fades to no paint
 further in). In addition when dismantling an original car, there is no 
paint
 colour beneath mounting flanges, hinges, etc.
 Thinking about this one step further, the body fasteners that were open and
 easy to reach with the spraying equipment, received the body colour as 
well.
 There was a significant change to painting methods that were highlighted in
 a British trade paper dated early 1957, showing a then new "state of the
 art" painting line and facility at Jensens that seemed to be in full use by
 early 1956. The body shells coming down the line in the feature photos were
 BN2's, with some of them showing duotone paint schemes.
 Interestingly this coincides with my Hundred Registry records that show
 about every 5th car or so coming through with duotone paintwork beginning 
in
 early 1956.
 Rich Chrysler

> From: "S and T Miller" >
>> Exactly how were the cars painted at the factory? <snip>