Colours for C8A HUP

[James Baxter]

I'm about to repaint my Chev C8A Heavy Utility, Computor. I would like to make sure that I have the correct colour scheme. Its date of delivery is 6th June 1944. Can anyone advise me what are the colours for:

a. The interior of the rear?
b. The exterior.

I have seen restored vehicles with a white/pale grey colour inside, but I am not clear whether this is correct, and if so, what should it be, white of grey?

Were CMP vehicles that were issued late in the war painted in the Canadian Brown colour, or were they in a shade of Olive green?

Any advice on the correct colour scheme would be most welcome.

Many thanks

Cheers

James

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Based on my February, 1944 HUW, I think you'd be correct in painting the exterior overall Olive Drab. I matched a sample and find it is 'a little greener and darker' than the standard US O.D.

If the interior was not the same as the exterior colour (HUP's were the same paint inside and out), then the interior colour was white, at least based on the HUW example. Is there any nooks and cranies that may still have original paint?

Some aluminium house type wireless bodies (2K1 on Chev 15cwts for example) sported a white upper and pale blue-green lower paint scheme on the inside. I can't say if this was original or post war though.

[James Baxter]

Thanks for your advice. Unfortunately after the war the vehicle was purchased by a garage owner, who cut off much of the rear body to make way for a recovery crane. The present body was fabricated by a subsequent owner, so I have not been able to find any original painwork. My understanding is that the interior of wireless bodied vehicles was white to provide a lighter working environment for the operators, but I am unsure whether this also applied to HUP/HUCs.

I will be guided by you regarding the exterior colour, and perhaps do a bit more rubbing down of the lower parts of the interior to see if I come up with anything. Would you have any sort of colour chip or paint code number I could use for reference for the exterior?

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

I've gone through my material and can't say I've found anything that would conclude 100% what the interior colour of a an HUC was. I can offer the following: HUW's, HUA's and HU-Mach interiors were white. HUP's and HU staff car interiors were the exterior colour. The parts book seems to link HUW's and HUA's as having things in common (wiring, interior lighting) apart from the rest. The only part unique to HUC's seems to be the rear window blackout curtains. Would this have anything to do with the folding tables?

I'd wager that HUC's were white, but note that HUP's were often employed as field offices as well and their interiors were OD/Khaki/brown.

I'd also look to the evidence of other existing HUC's to see what they have used for interior colours, then apply the principle that if the majority are white, then their owners/restorers are basing this on what they've seen. Two-tone or any colour other than white stikes me as applied by post war, second hand users.

Send me a PM with your address and I'll send the colour information I have. It's a code from a local (Sherwin Williams) paint company rather than a formula but I can send a sample that you may be able to match locally.

[cmperry4]

To confirm C8A staff car interior colour: My 45 staff car had much of the original pressed paper liner in it. The interior had been entirely repainted in "aircraft cockpit" light green (or oobleck green as I called it, for the Dr. Seuss aficionados out there.) Areas that I exposed under the lining retainer strips and so on revealed the liner had been in the same flat olive drab (34087) as the exterior, except for the linoleum floor, which was brown/brick red.

[James Baxter]

Many thanks. I think I am coming to the conclusion that the interior cououl was probable the same as exterior, but will continue researching.

[Hanno Spoelstra]

James,

Sorry for the late reply. Bruce is right:

Originally posted by Bruce Parker
Based on my February, 1944 HUW, I think you'd be correct in painting the exterior overall Olive Drab. I matched a sample and find it is 'a little greener and darker' than the standard US O.D.

From April 1944 all Commonwealth vehicles were to be painted in the new basic colour Standard Camouflage Colour (S.C.C.) 15 Olive Drab. Note this is not the same as the U.S. Olive Drab! As noted earlier, the best available source on British colours are the reference works published by Mike Starmer. In British AFV Camouflage 1939/1945 he describes S.C.C. 15 as "Fresh olive drab, a very dark drab inclined towards green.
Unlike the US colour which it resembles when new, this fades green."

Hope this helps,
Hanno

[cletrac (RIP)]

I have a 43 HUP Computer body and it's that khaki colour inside and out. So is the remains of my 43 HUP personnel body.

[James Baxter]

David, Hanno, very meny thanks for your advice/guidance. I will see if I can get some paint made up based on the SCC 15 description and Humbrol colour mixes. Thanks again.

James

[Nick Coaker]

Hi James,
There is an ebay store called something like fascinating finishes, they can email you a complete list of all the colours they can make up for you. Paint comes out very matt, as well. 2.5 litre tin costs less than £35, and free postage. I find them to be pretty good.
Nick

[James Baxter]

Hi Nick,

Many thanks for the suggestion. I have checked their website, and emailed them for details of their military paints. Apparently the factory is on holliday at present, but will see what response I get. Will let you know.

Thanks again

James