Coach line on a smoke grey 1968 Traveller

[MGFmad]

I am getting to the stage where I will be re-painting the Traveller very soon, in its original smoke grey colour.

At the moment there is no coach line painted on the bonnet trim strip and matching door moulding but its has a partial (bad!) respray so this may have been hidden.

Did the car originally come with a coachline and if so, what colour should it be.

Thanks

[LouiseM]

It should have a blue coachline.

[rob1954]

Same question but for a 1954 saloon in Clarendon Grey??

[PSL184]

Rob
Coachlines were not factory fit until Series 3 ie 948cc Sep 56. It would have been a RED coachline from that point on for a Clarendon grey car.

[rob.hardy1]

mines a 67 and the line is dark blue

[jaekl]

The coachline on Series III usually matched the interior color. See 'The Original Morris Minor' book it has the most complete/accurate listings for colours etc.

[PSL184]

Just to clarify as we have 2 questions running in this post now.... A 67 car would be a Series 5 and clarendon grey was not an option. A blue pin stripe would have gone with a Smoke Grey car..... as per the original post and answer.....

[MGFmad]

Thanks for the answers on the smoke grey colour. So its a dark blue coach line I will go for

[PSL184]

Thanks for the answers on the smoke grey colour. So its a dark blue coach line I will go for

Correct

[alanworland]

Coachlines not started till Sept '56? My MM had aq line, creamish I think from new!

[PSL184]

Coachlines not started till Sept '56? My MM had aq line, creamish I think from new!

There is some debate about this - I was hoping for some more input. Factory records of coachlines do not exist prior to Series 3 so its possible they were dealer fitted or specified as options. Or just basic factory fitment but without it been recorded anywhere....

[mike.perry]

There is considerable discussion on coach lines, their width etc. in Jon Pressnell's new book "Morris Minor". They were certainly painted on the cars in the factory. I have just had a respray on my '52 Empire Green MM. I had the coach lines in gold, not original I know but it looks great.

[Judge]

I personally feel that the 'wide' lines shown in many publicity photographs were never used on production cars. However this is only my opinion. My own Series MM (registered January 1950) certainly does not have these.

[mike.perry]

I mentioned that theory to Jon Pressnell and he disagreed with me. Maybe he has done the research.

[PSL184]

My Uncle and Grandfather (both now sadly deceased) used to work in the motor industry at Morris, Jaguar, Daimler and Triumph. I know from them both that most dealers used to have someone come in to paint coachlines on customers cars if they were requested but not factory applied. This, I guess, would lead to a variety of different widths, styles and colours.... I think its a minefield that would take a hell of a lot of research and sorting to get anywhere near to been correct.....

[Judge]

I mentioned that theory to Jon Pressnell and he disagreed with me. Maybe he has done the research.

I too discussed it with Jon earlier this year.

[Judge]

My Uncle and Grandfather (both now sadly deceased) used to work in the motor industry at Morris, Jaguar, Daimler and Triumph. I know from them both that most dealers used to have someone come in to paint coachlines on customers cars if they were requested but not factory applied. This, I guess, would lead to a variety of different widths, styles and colours.... I think its a minefield that would take a hell of a lot of research and sorting to get anywhere near to been correct.....

Find me an original factory finished car with a full width coachline as shown in some publicity photographs, and I would naturally have to accept that this was correct. However earlier this year, as stated above, when Jon Pressnell called me to ask my opinion, we discussed the issue in depth, and I still feel that this was not the case.