#37 Karrier Bantam 2 Ton Question

[GHOSTHUNTER]

Pale colours are difficult to lay onto darker base surfaces so did they have a problem with a single coat still allowing the bare metal so show through making the model look somewhat washed out.

Did they then use a yellow as an undercoat (not a good idea if that yellow is NOT designed for use as undercoat material) and applied the proper yellow as a top coat thinking this would be OK as they are toys anyway!!

A most interesting topic.

Ghosthunter.

[Tinman]

Lead was added to paint to help light colors (like whites and yellows for example). The lead resolved all of the problems that we have today with paints thinning out over high spots and not covering well in one coat.

It's possible Lesney put Zinc Chromate primer on the models first to prevent a lead reaction with the zinc castings. Although this would have been an added expense, it sure looks like additional coats of paint were applied, one of them could have been a primer. 

[MatchboxFreak]

Lead was added to paint .

I thought I remembered reading that Lesney did not use lead based paints.
Or was that a marketing line they used after they switched away from earlier lead based paints?

[Tinman]

Lead was added to paint .

I thought I remembered reading that Lesney did not use lead based paints.
Or was that a marketing line they used after they switched away from earlier lead based paints?

There was a lot of lead in the paint of the 1950's models. It wasn't until the 60's that they "got the lead out."

[Tinman]

This is not a repaint, nor has it been painted twice, I have been informed by a very reliable collector who has some paper work,that some models were sent out to another company that painted (sprayed) them with enamel paint..That is why the paint on this model and DiecastJunkie looks so thick..

Please tell more!
Why was enamel paint used? Was this some kind of experiment? Was it only trialled on the 37a? Are there actually two coats or does it merely look like that?

Lesney outsourced the painting of the castings in the early days. All of their paints where oil based enamel followed by alkyd based enamel during the regular wheel years. What I don't know is the date when they stopped outsourcing the painting and began to do it in house. Talking about the body castings (not trim).

[yellowfoden]

Hi Joe,

We know that the 22a Cresta was in production 1956 to 1958. The white enamel on this body was out-sourced and so too was the masking for the two tone coat.( Maroon and Red). It was during the life of this model that the removal of lead caused problems with a crisp mask finish. The model with lead content could not be exported to Australia and it had to be removed.
The outsourcing of body casting painting happened up to when the public float happened (September 1960).
I have recorded many a detail by hand in my pre pc record book and 1959-1960 is noted as Lesney testing in house body painting and oven drying.

Bert

[MatchboxFreak]

Thank you Joe and Bert for the paint materials and process info.
The members of VBD are such a great resource of knowledge and you guys are major contributors. Thank you

[kerbside]

Well-Well, I was correct, thank you Bert for the information, about having the models painted at another factory.

George T.