Radiator panel colour

[Mark Wilson]

Can anyone tell me if I'm correct in painting the radiator support panel black, and the top exposed section with the bonnet release in body colour. That's how it was when I acquired it, but it had been resprayed. Just strikes me as unusual for BL to use two different colours on an item. It's a 71 Traveller.

Also - which items under the bonnet should be gloss black and which satin black?

Mark

[ManyMinors]

As far as I know, the whole panel was sprayed in body colour and then the area which would show through the grille was painted (with a brush) in matt black. This applied to all BMC cars on the production line at the time!
I'm not sure that BMC worried too much about which black was used under the bonnet of a cheap mass-produced car and no primer or undercoats ever seemed to be used! Generally speaking a gloss black seems easier to keep clean than a matt or semi-gloss and I would probably paint everything the same, whatever you choose.

[Mark Wilson]

Many thanks Many Minors, sounds a realistic explanation!