[Healeys] BJ8 at RM Hershey auction

[BJ8Healeys]

Earl, as to the official nomenclature for the color of the Metallic Golden Beige cars:  I have copies of certificates for 89 of them.  Eighty-seven give the color name as "Metallic Golden Beige".  One gives it as "Golden Beige", and one (yours) gives it as "Beige" with the notation after that "Probably Golden Beige Metallic".

 

My conclusion would be that the official name as documented in the majority of cases is "Metallic Golden Beige", with Golden Beige Metallic being not recorded in the build records but as "Beige" was interpreted by the BMIHT staffer who produced your certificate.

 

The Metallic Golden Beige Registry does still exist with John Heffron.  It is not an officially-recognized AHCA registry and therefore not listed in Healey Marque magazine.  I believe John documents only cars for which the owner has contributed information to him.  The BJ8 Registry goal is to document ALL BJ8s whether or not any owner can be identified.  To accomplish this goal, I have had invaluable help from a friend in England who has researched for me in the BMIHT archives for more than 15 years.  The BJ8 Registry has ALL of the 553 original Metallic Golden Beige cars included, so any cars John has in his register are incorporated in the BJ8s.  I do not know if John tries to record any details beyond the VIN, as does the BJ8 Registry.

 

Steve Byers

HBJ8L/36666

BJ8 Registry

AHCA Delegate at Large

Havelock, NC  

 

 

From: Healeys [mailto:healeys-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of Earl Kagna
Sent: Tuesday, October 16, 2018 11:40 AM
To: Deejay2650; Healey List
Subject: Re: [Healeys] BJ8 at RM Hershey auction

 

You are correct. As the owner (for 38 years) of an original Golden Beige Metallic (not MGB) late BJ8 (# 42845), I have done a bit of research over the years. From memory, approximately 550 late BJ8’s were produced, all in 1967.  Approx. 50 of these were trimmed in red, the rest Black. Indeed, an original red trimmed car is very rare.

 

It is known that the factory did have problems with the paint – many cars had to be repainted – both at the factory and the dealerships. A lot had the colour changed at the same time.  Metallic paint technology (without clearcoat) was not what it is today.  An original GBM BJ8 would look almost completely silver in certain light because of the very fine aluminum flake in the paint. Today’s paint technology is far superior resulting in truly beautiful GBM paint jobs on restored BJ8’s – these cars look far better than anything from the factory in 1967.

 

The colour has become quite popular on restored Healey’s because of the auctions over that last few years, especially Barret – Jackson, who had a couple of restorers doing them up for them because they sold very well.  The colour has been called sandy beige, champagne, elc. etc. but what they have been trying to emulate is the original Golden Beige Metallic.  If the colour is on any Healey other than a very late BJ8, it is not original to that car, as in the Hershey example.  I have seen the colour on almost every model of Healey over the years,  no reason why not, it’s a nice colour!

 

At one point, there was a register of original Golden Beige Metallic cars, but I haven’t heard much about it in recent years.  If memory serves, I believe that register has now been  incorporated into Steve Beyer’ overall BJ8 register.

 

Comments Steve?

 

Earl Kagna
Victoria, B.C. Canada
BJ8, BT7 tri-carb

 

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