The MM and Early S2 dashboard 'Gold' colour

[1000wannabe]

A search on the forum has shown a few posts about this topic, most from several years ago.
I thought I'd share my work (at work) today as one of the three Minor colours I was working on was the dashboard 'gold', the other two, or at least one of, are Australian colours and the 'gold' maybe impacted by not being from the UK, but, I have had a fully imported MM series car and it was the same as below..

Please be aware, my camera taking the attached picture, and the device you're reading this on WILL impact the colour you see, but you should be able to see the differences and the point of me posting this.

Many posts refer to Ford Harvest Gold being the closest match. Others say by it from Halfords or ESM, neither are an option if you don't live in the UK.

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This photo shows the original 'gold' inside of an undamaged and unfaded glovebox lid.

Harvest Gold is the bottom right sample = totally wrong

Now, to understand, the next two I'll refer to were created by the use of a spectrometer (well 2 different ones)

Bottom left is via a PPG scanner, PPG are a global paint company, many may know their products under brands such as Protec or Paraglaze.
PPG software does not create formulas from what it sees, it just finds the closest known colour.
In this case a GM (Holden) colour, Sand piper beige = totally wrong.

Top right is a colour created by the spectrometer from Valspar paints.
The Valspar spectrometer can create colour formulas from what it sees BUT not for 'effect' colours such as metallic or pearl.
In this case, it was close (even though the gold is very slightly metallic) but the colour is 'dirty'
Top left is the correct match, but ignore the slight blackness on the right side of the sample, this is just a mixing issue and me applying with my now 'James Bond' finger..

I have an aerosol mixed and will clean this up and paint it properly. I also now have the correct formula to recreate this..

[firedrake1942]

Interesting. I believe ESM supply the paint and a lacquer to go over it. This may affect the perception of the gold colour, but it is very close to the original from what I can see. As you say, no use to those outside the UK>

[1000wannabe]

I've never seen an example of the ESM paint, so can't really comment on what it looks like.
However, the use of a top coat lacquer is only for a few reasons.
Either they were only able to reproduce it as a base coat formula, in which case a top coat clear is required to give it gloss or, the lacquer is a more satin finish and is being used to flatten the colour and reduce its shine and improve the 'wear factor's because it's a high touch point surface.

Even polished (standard practice before trying to match) that original colour wasn't a high gloss like modern 2k paints.
I may have to go the same route if it comes out too glossy.

[1000wannabe]

I think it's come out as a very good match..

This is the result..

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PXL_20251207_043208467.jpg (1.33 MiB) Viewed 52724 times

[myoldjalopy]

Good work!

[Scott]

Holden Sandalwood was the closest 'off the shelf' colour I could find when I painted mine in the late '80s. Others have since used it too.