What colour? - opinions!

[dasadrew]

My life long companion is a '76 RS2000 which left the factory in Signal Orange. A previous owner painted it white. The condition when I bought it was almost ready for scrapping but I decided to restore it and make it Signal Yellow with BVR. Engine bay was done a few years back and looked neat but is rusting at the edges again. I'm about half way through the interior now and am having second thoughts about Signal Yellow.

I'd have to redo the engine bay but, with hindsight, that's less work than covering over all traces of orange in every corner of the rest of the car.

The originality gene draws me back to orange although the dog will never be concours. Orange seems pretty rare - anyone got any pics of Signal Orange cars?

Any opinions on originality vs. taste? What do Orange RS's look like in the flesh?

[Frosticles]

Put it back to Signal Orange. (Superb Colour) I used to have a Venetian Red RS2000 a few years ago and changed the colour to black........BIG MISTAKE. Although after restoration the car was in excellent condition it took me ages to find a buyer due to the colour change. The car will also be worth more if it is still it's original colour as well. If you want to see a car in Signal Orange then I suggest you have a look at WiggyRS's car which, IMO is superb. CheeRS, Kev.

[Banishit]

Hope Wiggy Does not mind he sent this to me when doing his sig

[Joe]

Signal Orange

The first MK2 RS2000 I can ever remember seing was Signal Orange. I was set in the back of my Dads car way back in the early 80's. We were at traffic lights when this amazing bright orange car pulled up next to us.

Go for the Signal Orange you know it makes sense.

CheeRS,

Joe.

[GAZ W]

seen wiggys car in the flesh, and believe me that is one stunning car and colour , if i were you i would deffo put it back to orange this is one of the best colours a mk2 rs2000 came in.

[Chesney]

Wiggrs car is the same colour as mine and that's signal amber. i thought signal orange was a different colour! please correct me if i'm wrong..

[Banishit]

indeed this is the orange me thinks my fault personally I would either but Java Greens my fav

[Banishit]

no one got a Java Green one then ?

[wiggyrs]

Mine is signal amber,and that signal orange looks the dogs :colors:

[dasadrew]

Thanks for all the moral support - it's confirmed what I thought but didn't have the guts to admit! Signal Orange it will be!

Now that the wife has left, it's great to know I can get second opinions from you guys. (She left because I apparently spent too much time restoring the RS. Flipping heck - it's been in the garage for 15 years now and I've only managed to find time for the engine bay and rear wheel arches, I mean WHAT IS THE DEFINITION OF TOO MUCH TIME?)

To make it a decision of no return, I've just taken the spot weld remover and angle grinder to the cowl grill panel (under the windscreen) which I removed and restored 15 years ago.

F**king hell! If rust is patented then I know who's the patent holder! Anyway, after I sort out that cowl area with some home made panels (again!) the rest is plain sailing..........

[Banishit]

get some piccies up

[dasadrew]

I'm right confused now! The car is a '76 German one and the only bits left showing orange are interior bits which are not totally representative of a topcoat. The orange seems to be between Signal Amber and Signal Orange of the previous pics. I think Signal Amber as such never existed in Germany. The paint mix database for Ford Europe shows a different mixture for:
- Signal Orange/Signal Orange 76
- Signal Orange 77
- Signal Orange 78
- Signal Orange 79 -80

so probably one of those mixtures became the UK Signal Amber?

I broke an RS once which was a nice flame red type of colour but only Venetian Red existed in Germany so it seems like Ford had a policy of keeping the colour names and just updating the colour mix!

I'll put some pics up on another thread.

By the way, in Germany I've had two cars which had 'golden' RS 4-spoke wheels. Original RS, and they seemed to be plated like a cadmium plate giving a gold tint. As these were on two completely different cars it must have been some factory option? Anyone met these in UK?

[dougster]

i,ve got a java green one, the only reason for not scrapping it and doing a resto was because of the colour(beleive it is rare).

anyway pictures will eventually find there way on to this site.

was hoping to have car ready this summer but new baby due in may has put it on hold.

[morcheen]

java green

i know of a java green car its been sitting in the blokes front garden for at least 10 years and he wont sell it! must try again you never know your luck,terracotta is a great colour too,

[dasadrew]

Here is the orange story. The local paint mixer's catalogue identifies four unique, different paint mixes as follows:

Name: Signal Orange / Signal Orange 76
Codes: 1006; HN; HNP; L
Year used:1976

Name: Signal Orange / Signal Orange 77
Codes: 1064; H; HP; HPP; XSC1064
Year used:1976 - 1977

Name: Signal Orange, Amber / Signalorange 78
Codes: 0; 1253; JP; JPP; XSC1253
Year used:1978 - 1978

Name: Signal, Tangent Orange / Signalorange 79
Codes: 0; 1260; KN; KN/KNP; KNP; O; XSC1260; XSC1260A
Year used:1979 - 1980

Interesting is that this changed nearly every year during RS production! Mine is a late '76 "H" which seems to mean model year '77 and the designation Signal Orange 77. Looking at the pics and my car in the flesh it seems to be about the same colour as Wiggy's "Amber". The really vivid Signal Orange cars were probably late model 'Signal Orange 79'.