Colour Codes

As Ray says in his book, although the actual paint codes used are presented here, care must still be taken to ensure you get the correct colour for your restoration. A number of the early colours will be particularly difficult to get exactly right as the base colours and tinters have been discontinued. It is also important that you refer to both the paint code and the name when talking to paint suppliers as a number of colour names used by British Leyland vehicles, including the Minor, were re-used on later Rover vehicles. Flame Red for instance was used on commercial Minors between 1970 and 1973, and was later re-introduced by the Rover Group in a slightly different shade of red. 

Series MM

Colour	Introduced	Discontinued	BMC Code	ICI Code
Platinum Grey	Sep 1948 (501)	Sep 1950 (63326)	N/A *3	0123
Romain Green	Oct 1948 (510)	Sep 1950 (63489)	N/A	0095
Black 1	Oct 1948 (528)	- *2	BLK *1	N/A
Maroon 'A'	Dec 1948 (949)	Jun 1950 (49717)	RD8	2473
Mist Green	Sep 1950 (63542)	Jun 1952 (151267)	N/A	2383
Gascoyne Grey	Sep 1950 (63617)	Jul 1952 (153743)	N/A	2783
Thames Blue	Sep 1950 (63706)	May 1952 (147638)	N/A	2382
Clarendon Grey	Jun 1952 (149038)		- GR6	2508
Empire Green	Jul 1952 (151845)		- GN22	2509
Birch Grey	Jul 1952 (154129)		- GR3	2758
Maroon	Feb 1953 (177640)		- RD8	2473
*1 Black continued in use on saloon and convertibles until 1970 *2 A dash denotes that the colour continued in usenon 803cc Series II models. *3 N/A = not available
Cars were finished in cellulose paints prior to 2117 (RHD) and 5855 (LHD) on two-door saloons and 3871 (RHD) and 6255 (LHD) on tourers. Cars after this were finished in either synthetic or Synobel paint.

Series II

Colour	Introduced	Discontinued	BMC Code	ICI Code	Notes
Maroon	-	Feb 1953 (184201)	RD8	2473	Used on approx 400 cars
Black	-	-	BLK	N/A	Used throughout
Clarendon Grey	-	-	GR6	2508	Used throughout
Empire Green	-	Apr 1956 (426894)			Saloon/convertible
		Sep 1956 (448714)	GN22	2509	Traveller
Birch Grey	-	Oct 1954 (289575)
	May 1956 (430282)	-	GR3	2758	Resumed use for saloon/convertible
Smoke Blue	Oct 1954 (290385)	Feb 1955 (316731)			Saloon/convertible
	Oct 1954 (289798)	Feb 1955 (313418)	N/A	3306	Traveller
Sandy Beige	Feb 1955 (319579)	May 1956 (433334)			Saloon/convertible
	Feb 1955 (313543)	Sep 1956 (448560)	BE15	6187	Traveller
Dark Beige	May 1956 (430352)	-	GN12	5107	Saloon/convertible
Sage Green	May 1956 (427459)	-	GN5	3116	Saloon/convertible
A dash denotes that the colour continued in use from Series MM models and/or onwards to 948cc Minor 1000

948cc Minor 1000 (Series III) 

Colour	Introduced	Discontinued	BMC Code	ICI Code	Notes
Black	-		BL1	N/A	Used throughout 948 production
Dark Green	Sep 1956 (449129)	Feb 1959 (695275)	GN12	5107	Saloons/Convertibles/Travellers, also on 698997 (one-off)
Clarendon Grey	Jan 1959 (694645)		GR6	2508	Also on 695733 (one-off)
Birch Grey	Sep 1956 (449269)	Jan 1959 (694239)	GR3	2758	Saloons/Convertibles/Travellers, also on 699014 (one-off)
Sage Green	Mar 1959 (708537)				Saloons/Convertibles
	Feb 1959 (693808)	Mar 1959 (704301)	GN5	3116	Traveller
Cream	Sep 1956 (449236)	Apr 1958 (608041)	YL5	2450	Not used on Travellers
Torquoise	Oct 1956 (449553)	Jan 1959 (695191)			Also on 698996 (one-off)
			BU6	2618	Not used on Traveller
Pale Ivory	Apr 1958 (608663)	Feb 1959 (695162)	YL1	3487	Not used on Traveller
Frilford Grey	Jan 1959 (692882)	Jul 1960 (847831)	GR5	3167
Pearl Grey	Jan 1959 (692902)	Jul 1960 (847250)	GR10	3299	Not used on Traveller
Clipper Blue	Jan 1959 (693589)	Oct 1961 (934932)			Saloons/Convertibles
	Jan 1959 (693589)	Jul 1960 (846941)	BU14	3300	Traveller
Smoke Grey	Feb 1959 (695314)	-			Saloons/Convertibles
	Jul 1960 (846951)	-	BU15	3301	Traveller
Yukon Grey	Jul 1960 (847937)	Nov 1961 (939211)	GR4	2824	-
Old English White	Jul 1960 (848109)	-	WT3	2397	Blue trim fitted to some early cars
Porcelain Green	Jul 1960 (851256)	Oct 1961 (934714)	GN17	5091	Not used on Traveller
Lilac	Dec 1960 (1000000)	Dec 1960 (1000349)	RD17	3467	Used on Minor Millions only
Dove Grey	Oct 1961 (934892)	-	GR26	3346	Not used on Traveller
Rose Taupe	Oct 1961 (934900)	-	GR27	6185	-
Almond Green	Oct 1961 (935214)	-	GN37	3483	-
Highway Yellow	Oct 1961 (936910)	Jul 1962 (979650)	YL9	3480	Not used on Traveller
Trafalgar Blue	Aug 1962 (981731)	-	BU37	6189	Not used on Traveller until 1098cc
A dash indicates that colour continued on from Series II or into 1098cc period. In cases where a different starting/finishing car number or date has not been quoted for the Traveller, it may be assumed that the introduction or discontinuation of a particular colour occured at the same time as on the saloon and convertible.

1098cc Minor 1000 (Series V) 

Colour	Introduced	Discontinued	BMC Code	ICI Code	Notes
Black	Nov 1970 (1287903)				Saloon
	Jul 1969 (1257121)		BL1	N/A	Traveller
Smoke Grey	Nov 1970 (1288358)				Saloon
	Jul 1969 (1257326)		BU15	3301	Traveller
Old English White	Jan 1968 (1208986)		WT3	2379
Dove Grey	Jan 1968 (1208363)		GR26	3346	Not used on Traveller
Rose Taupe	Dec 1967 (1207908)		GR27	6185
Almond Green	Nov 1970 (1288024)				Saloon
	Jul 1969 (1257418)		GN37	3483	Traveller
Trafalgar Blue	Nov 1970 (1288377)				Saloon
	Nov 1967 (1205081)	Jul 1969 (1257371)	BU37	6189	Traveller
Maroon 'B'	Oct 1967 (1200480)	Jul 1969 (1257425)	RD23	6573	Traveller
Peat Brown	Oct 1967 (1200534)	Nov 1970 (1288376)			Saloon
	Jul 1968 (1227264)		GR30	6198	Traveller
Snowberry White	Oct 1967 (1200773)	Nov 1970 (1288281)			Saloon
		Jul 1969 (1257181)	WT4	3012	Traveller
The chassis numbers for Travellers relate to those assembled at Cowley. Paint codes for Adderley Park assembled Travellers are listed separately.

Adderley Park Travellers and Commercials  

In the period between 1969 and 1971, Travellers and commercial vehicles were also built at the Adderley Park plant in Birmingham and were finished in a different range of colours as shown below. Note that production records from the Adderley plant were destroyed so chassis numbers for the introduction and discontinuation of paint colours are not available.

Thanks again to Ray Newell for doing all the research and allowing me to reprint it here. Be sure to check out his new book 'Morris Minor - The Complete Story'.