Duo Blue & Trim Colors

Regarding the string about XK120 trim, I have a question about John
Elmgreen's comments about the various shades of blue.  I was under the
impression that "Duo Blue" meant a two-tone upholstery, with the seat
cushions a light blue and the rest of the trim and seat borders a darker
blue.  Is that correct?  My car was listed as originally having "Duo Blue"
interior, but I have found vestiges only of the darker blue. - Carl Hanson,
1951 XK120 FHC

Duro Blue is actually dk blue (navy) and light blue (actually the light
blue is more of a blue gray or gray than blue) My Alloy XK 120 is Duo blue
and I have restored it in the correct colours. BAS or British Auto will be
able to help you with the correct samples. - David Pritchard

there was possibly two variations of the two tone blue I normally associate
duo blue as Carl notes (above). But I believe you could also get light blue
piped with dk blue a colour scheme quite popular on the MK V and available
on the xk120 ? - regards Terry McGrath

I have not got to the bottom of Duo Blue and even plain old Blue. I thought
I had a photo of a Duo Blue 120 OTS (early) with a very pale colour then a
mid blue, but my records show that those colours were not original on that
car (I am wondering about my records for this car now actually). But I can
say to Zoran that a couple of 140s I have come across in photos, books etc
recently including Jack Stamp's DHC had dark blue seats, about the same as
the Navy Blue you sent. AND: I have just come across my April 1955 leather
samples again: There are 6 colours, only one of which is Blue, and it is
most like the French Blue sample you sent me, Zoran. It is a very grey
blue, nowhere near Navy, and not the soft powdery colour of the Light Blue
either.  So - where does that leave you?! I cannot tell you whether the
Blue changed from the 120 to the 140. Why would it have? But why wouldn't
it have???? If I ever get my originality book done, I would love to have a
set
of samples of leather and colours per original colour cards included with
every copy!  That's an ambition for you. I would welcome all samples of
original materials to be sent to me - as large as possible - including
leather, Rexine, other vinyl, Hardura, carpets, hood and tonneau etc
materials, headlining.  Anyone out there help me with more of these,
please?  Address is 3rd floor, 75 Castlereagh Street, Sydney NSW 2000,
Australia. Thanks! Terry McGrath - do you have a set of leather samples? -
Regards, John Elmgreen

John: A friend of ours has an original 120 (670275 --I THINK... but will
verify) that has the original Dou Blue interior, I wll try to get to him
soon and report back. - "Midget" Susan

Dear Midget Susan, Zoran, and Carl: Re the Duo Blue, and the Blue, I have
dug a little deeper. On the Colour Guide that Jaguar put out for the XK120,
undated, I have found the
following: 1. Birch Grey for a DHC (like Zoran's) could have Red, Grey or
PALE BLUE interior (with a French Grey or Black top). Therefore NOT Dark
Blue. 2. Some other models had the interior described simply as "Blue". 3.
Split up of all listed XK120 cars with standard blue interiors was as
follows: (a) Light Blue - FHC in Pastel Blue (body colour). (b) Pale Blue -
DHC in in Pastel Blue; OTS or DHC in Lavender Grey; DHC in Birch Grey; DHC
in Cream. (c) Blue - any 120 in Mediterranean Blue or Pacific Blue or Pearl
Grey; 4. Do not ask what the diff was between Light Blue and Pale Blue and
Blue!!!!! There were however 2 lightish blues in the samples Zoran sent me,
one described as French Blue (matches the Jaguar 140 leather sample) and
the other as Pale Blue. Was Light Blue therefore French Blue? (PS, while
you are answering that one, what is the meaning of life?). I also assume
(from Light and Pale) that (simple) Blue meant Dark (say Navy) Blue. Jeez,
Zoran, are you glad you asked? If it were my car, Birch Grey 120 DHC, I
would feel most confident about the French Blue sample you sent me being
the most likely to be right.  But I couldn't really be sure without seeing
say a couple of undoubtedly original cars that should have had blue
interiors the same as yours. Duo Blue is described on this card as "Light
and Dark Blue two-tone interior" (120 OTS with Pastel Blue body only car
with this trim as a standard item). On a quick look at my records, I have
listed other body colours with Duo Blue however, such as Silver, Pastel
Green, Birch Grey. But most of the cars with Duo Blue were Silver or Pastel
Blue and the others were exceptional. Also note that the card I have which
is obviously post April 53 did not list Silver at all as a 120 body colour,
so it had apparently been dropped by then tho' popular early on the OTS
cars. Finally, the Salesman's Data Book for the Mk VII and XK120 Models
lists a "Pale Blue" interior with a Birch Grey car. It does not list any
other sort of Blue for any 120, nor does it list Duo Blue. It also has the
DHC so again is a latish publication (DHC announced April 53). And last: my
1957 colour cards list blues for the 150 in either "Light Blue" or "Dark
Blue", usually for Grey colours. - Regards, John Elmgreen

John:  Re your request for samples,  I am sending you a snippet of the
(darker)blue of my "Duo Blue" interior from a piece of the vinyl turned
under so it never was exposed to light.  The headliner was dark blue also!
What I am lacking is a sample of the lighter blue.  I guess I will trust
Bassett's or British Auto to come up with the right shade! - Carl Hanson,
1951 XK120 FHC originally pastel blue exterior, duo blue interior.

Carl,  Thanks for sending the sample.  What part of the car did it come
from?  And Blue headlining?  Is there any reason to think that that was
originally fitted to the car?  What sort of material is it?  As you would
have read, the 140 sample leather in light blue I have from 1955 is very
like the current French Blue (opne of two light blues supplied as samples
to Zoran M by Aldridge in UK).  By the way, to all FHC and DHC owners, do
any of you have original headlinings in any colour other than light grey or
a kind of pale fawn
colour (taupe)?  would appreciate all reports of all original headlinings
fitted, i.e. colour, and original colour of car and interior (to check the
combinations that were used). - Regards, John Elmgreen

Dear XK lovers,



I got my JDHT certificate in the mail yesterday morning. What a surprise
!Though this is vital and accurate information it still lacks the personal
touch like information on options etc...Maybey this was all the factory
produced as "administrative documentation" on a car in the production line
? Who knows more about the production proces at Jaguar's in the 50's ?

Here is all the information coming from the production sheet:

MODEL : Jaguar XK 120 3 1/2 Litre FHC LHD; CHASSIS No: 680147; Engine No: W
6204-8; GEARBOX No: JL 13354; BODY No: J 2156; EXTERIOR COLOUR: Twilight
Blue (!); TRIM COLOUR: Blue; FIRST DEALER: Hornburg Sunset Boulevard
Hollywood; DATE OF MANUFACTURE: 7 October 1952; DATE OF DESPATCH: 21
October 1952 Apart from the gearbox ,everything on my car matches the
production sheet ! (the gearbox will be changed next week by a "SH"
Moss-box,an earlier type :three bearings, short transmission shaft). The
car has been sold through "Hornburg", Hollywood .This means that the first
owner - I don't know his name yet as I am still waiting for the secound
owner,Mr Toftnielsen from Palo Alto to answer my letter - is most certainly
his neighbour, also from Palo Alto ! I am also sure now that the original
colour is the colour which I can still find on the inside of the doors,
bootlid and on many other places, like the inside of the front wing
"ventilation panels". This means that my car has only been roughly
resprayed once on the outside, and most probably has never been taken apart
.this "twilight blue" doesn't at all look like any other colour I've seen
before and is slightly darker and "deeper" than "light metallic blue",
which is often found on '60's US imported MG's, Jag's and on Corvettes...
Any comment on this ? Has anyone ever heard of "twilight blue" for a 120
anno 1952 ? I cannot find this colour in any catalogue .Was it a special
order by the customer ? Who has an early XK 120 with the same colour specs
? Please let me know.If this colour is somewhat of a rarity, should I then
restore the car up to original specification, or just do what I like to do
? I know this is an old discussion, but I would like to hear some
opinions... Does anybody have any iny information on the "Hornburg
dealership" ? History, nrs. and types of cars sold ? Is there a reference
list of cars which were delivered through this dealer? By the way, I am
still tracing down original "tan" FHC leather door covers (with map
pockets, of course),and 120 FHC interior lights. Any for sale ? As the
"BORG WARNER XK 140" transmission is going to be replaced next week, and
this transmission is in perfect condition it will be for sale from that
moment on. Any OFFERS ? - regards, Johan Van Puyvelde

John, Pale brown and by now probaly not close to "new" color. When I remove
it I will try to find a fresh snippet for you. Regards - Klaus Nielsen,
140FHC

Johan: To date I have not been able to track down your elusive Mr.
Toftneilsen. Hornburg Jaguar is still here and happily selling Jaguars. -
Bruce Baysinger

Coincidentally, in response to information just received from Philip
Porter, I am in the process of revisiting all my paint colors research.
Philip has just discovered in researching factory records that Jaguar did
indeed build about 20 to 30 LHD OTS's in late 1952, just prior to the
introduction of the new paint type and new color range, painted in
"Twilight Blue". Johan's FHC, being verified as also being "Twilight Blue",
at body # J2156 is consistent with Philips discovery, as new paint type was
introduced for FHC's from body # J2223. An interesting "new' discovery.
Johan, please, is there any possible way I can get a bit of original
"Twilight Blue" paint sample? to fill in an obvious gap in my otherwise
comprehensive XK paint color samples/ records. - Roger Payne

Roger & Johan:  Here are some notes about Twlight Blue:

XK120 Steel RHD OTS:

Colour                          1950    1951    1952    1953    1954
Cream                           Apr     x       x       x       x
Black                           Apr     x               x       x
Silver                          Apr     x
Red                             May     x               x       x
Birch Grey                      May     x       x
Pastel Blue                     Jun     x       x       x
Pastel Green                    Jun     x
Bronze                          Jul     x
Lavender Grey                   Aug
Suede Green                     Aug     x       x       x
Battleship Grey                 Jul
British Racing Green            May     x

Apparently special colours:
Glasso Black                    Oct
Twilight Blue                   Sep     x                       2x

The special colours noted above were for single cars only, except for
Twilight Blue which was the colour of 660912 and 660999 both sent new to
Cycle & Carriage Co, Malaysia. The above dates are the production months in
which the colours appeared.

Note from Dick Cavicke a while back: 672593, W 5497-8, Body F4595, Gearbox
JL11860
Dick Cavicke, 21 May 1996:  A friend and former San Diego Jaguar Club
member (CC on this message) has decided to part with his long-owned and
recently restored 1952 XK120 OTS. The restoration was done to a high level
of authenticity. Body color Twilight Blue (unique, factory documented);
Interior Light Blue/ Dark blue "Duotone Blue"; Date of Manufacture 18 July
52  Main Distributor: Max Hoffman, NY; Orig. Owner: Ward Beecher 8/23/52;
Second & Current owner: John M. Stewart 6/30/63; Restored Oct 1992
(completed)

Hi Orlando @ all -- posting this to saloons because someone may have better
info than I do -- the following colours were available on your '54 Mk VII
(source:  Nigel Thorley, JAGUAR MK VII TO 420G, THE COMPLETE COMPANION) --
Suede green:  suede green int.; Ivory:  red or pale blue int.; Birch grey:
red, grey, or pale blue int.; Battleship grey:  red, grey, or biscuit int.;
Lavender grey:  red, suede green, or pale blue int.; Gunmetal:  red, grey,
or pale blue int., Black:  red, tan, grey, or biscuit int.; Pastel green:
Suede green or grey int.; Pastel blue:  pale blue int.; Dove grey:  tan or
biscuit int.; Twilight blue:  blue int. Also -- Jaguar would paint any car
to any colour on order, for a few extra pounds -- if you're planning to
show the car, you'd need factory documentation by chassis # if the colour
is anything else. To find the original colour:  it's in the boot in front
of the lid (crawl in and look up), and on the insides of the doors (remove
an upholstery panel). YES, original colour does matter in terms of value.
Neither red nor maroon is on the above list, so it's been resprayed at
least once.  If you don't have factory documentation for any other colour,
I recommend staying with the list. I hope this helps -- take care -- Larry
Martz

Despite all the above info, I would still like Roger & Johan really like to
know what it looks like and how to get a sample. - Regards, John Elmgreen

John Elmgreen:  You were surprised by the blue headliner color on my car --
so was I. A PO had spray-painted it black (!), but the tucked-under edges
were untouched. I am sure the blue headliner was the original fitment. I
snipped off a piece of the un-sprayed edge and will send it to you. The
color is almost identical to the dark blue vinyl covering of the "J-shaped"
piece including the interior lights (I tried to look up the nomenclature
for interior pieces, but could not find it in the FHC Spare Parts
Catalogue). The whole interior, excepting the seat panels, was the same
shade of blue. As I told you before, this early FHC was full of surprises!
Rubber shims, Mark V - type sidelights,  now unusual headliner! - Carl
Hanson, 1951 XK120 FHC

Jan: You asked about Hornburg dealership. They are one of the first
importers of Jaguars in the US on the West Coast. Hornburg Jaguar, 9176 W.
Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles (Santa Monica, actually), California,
Telephone no. 310-274-5133. I called them because my car originally came
from them and I wanted to know if they had records on the first owner.
Unfortunately they said they have destroyed all early records  so they
could not help me. Sounded surprised that I was even interested in old
Jaguars -- I guess they are too busy selling the successful new ones! -
Carl Hanson, 1951 XK120 FHC

On my 679187, originally pastel green metallic with suede green leather,
the headliner was originally green, pretty close to the suede green of the
leather. I can still find green in the unexposed areas. Some PO must have
really hated that green, because he dyed the seats and the panel over the
instruments with black, and he dyed or bleached the headliner tan. Then he
must have run out of enthusiasm, because he left the moquette on the parcel
shelf and the seat backs green. Incidentally, I happened to notice that all
my original seat cushion and seat back coverings have a number 1188 written
in crayon on the reverse side of the leather, except one piece which has
number 1191. I think these must be intended body numbers, and this is
significant because my body number is J1187. Makes me wonder if they did a
run of four or five sets of green seats, and then got them mixed up before
they installed them in the cars. - Rob Reilly

Roger and Johan, A friend (John Stewart) here in Southern CA has a
"Twilight Blue" OTS which he has restored to original. He is the second
owner and has had the car since 1963. The car has ...yes, a duotone blue
interior. He did his homework and went to great lengths to do the
restoration properly. At the time, he was advised by "Jaguar" that they
weren't aware of another car with that color. I don't have the chassis
number handy but believe I may have passed it to John Elmgreen some time
back. John Stewart says the build date was July 18, 1952 which puts it in
the time block reported by Porter. I'm sure he'll be willing to assist with
a color sample. His email address is <jstewca@aol.com>. I have encouraged
him to subscribe to the list. - Dick Cavicke, OTS 672776, FHC 680555

I have a jag in Twilight Blue, as verified by the Jag Archives. At the time
they said it was the only one to ever come out of the factory in that
color. It has the duo-color interior.  I KEPT TWO PIECES THAT WERE THE
ORIGINAL COLOR (plus pieces of the original interior). One got painted
over, but the underlying color is still there. The other is still in my
collection. It's the
piece that came from the trunk lid, where it turns the trunk light on. It
was mostly covered  by the trunk liner. My chassis number is 672593, body
F4595. I have owned the car for 35 years, and knew the first owner. I have
his records as well, but no original order or "window sticker." My original
owner's manual got ripped-off, but I had made a photocopy. The only
non-original piece on the car upon going into its restoration was the
left-front fender and the Rayco top. I kept darn near everything that came
off of it, and matched everything to an original, unrestored reference car
sitting next to it, wherever hard documentation could not be found. A color
picture of the car is on one of my pages at: (just click on this link) <A
HREF="http://members.aol.com/jstewca/index.html/DigVis.html">JS Pictures
</A> You'll get my e-mail address of of the top of this epistle. Let me
know if I can help. As a videographer, and 120 owner, I've been collecting
segements and art to do a history of the 120 on video. SpeedVision has done
every other 50's car, BUT the progenitor of them all -- the 120. - JStewCA

Carl (Hanson),  Interesting info re the headlining.  Any other unusual
sightings of apparently original trim, body colours etc?  Also, anyone got
any original examples of Rexine they would be prepared to let me have
offcuts of?  (the thin vinyl type material used on interior trims, boot
lids etc)?  Address is 3rd floor, 75 Castlereagh St, Sydney NSW 2000,
Australia if you can help.  - Regards, John Elmgreen

Dear XK lovers, As soon as the car is back from the workshop, I will try to
find some originally "body colour"-painted parts which I can remove or,
which will have to be dismantled in order to procede with the further
restauration. (Don't forget I am actually driving the car in JDC outings !)
As I still haven't decided in which colour I will have the car resprayed (
original,"rare" twilight blue or something else),futher dismantling of the
car will be for next winter ! - regards, Johan Van Puyvelde

 Further to the discovery of XK120's being originally supplied in "Twilight
Blue", searching through my factory literature the only confirmation of
availability I could find is in the COLOUR SCHEMES listing contained at the
end of the prestige 1951/2 Mark VII Sales Catalogue which includes:-
"Twilight Blue" coachwork with "Blue" interior as Code No."SALOON 26".
Interestingly, I have an XK120 Fixed Head Coupe sales brochure which was
sent with a covering letter to a customer in England from Dealer "Murkett
Brothers of Cambridge" dated 19/6/53 advising "Re your order for a Jaguar
XK120 Fixed Head Coupe placed with us in May 1952.  We have been asked by
the manufacturers to send them the colours you require.  We enclose a list
of colours available, you can also have British Racing Green if you wish".
Included with the letter and sales Brochure is the Colour Schemes listing
page removed from the 1951/52 Mark VII catalogue, with a pen line crossing
out 7 of the 26 colour combinations, including SALOON 26 - Twilight Blue.
Two points to note; in UK at least, there appears to have been a 13 month
waiting list in 1952 for an XK120 fhc, and by June 1953, Twilight Blue was
no longer available.  Price by the way was Pounds1616.2.6 including
purchase tax. - Roger Payne

If you have any questions or comments send e-mail to: ted@jag-lovers.org
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