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[Travel] Why are so many new cars painted Battleship Grey?



Stat Brother

Stat Brother

Well-known member
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Jul 11, 2003
73,870
West west west Sussex
Brexit?
Woke?
Gammon?

It seems odd to spend thousands on a vehicle that looks like it's been painted by a chimp with a can of Hammerite
 






lawros left foot

lawros left foot

Glory hunting since 1969
Jun 11, 2011
13,736
Worthing
It’s because we don’t build a great number of warships anymore.

As any malelot will tell you, the Royal Navy loves slapping on a few coats of Pussers grey paint on Her Britannic Majesty’s war canoes, even when it’s not needed.

Since the Royal Navy’s sea going fleet is now down to 2 aircraft carriers we can’t afford to send to sea much, a rowing boat, bought second hand from Swanbourne Lake, and a mine hunter based in Bahrain,we have a huge surfeit of grey paint, so, a Tory Minister has sold the excess to various foreign car manufacturers and trousered the proceeds.
Hence, the current amount of grey cars on the road.
 


Brok

Brok

😐
Dec 26, 2011
4,363
lawros left foot said:
It’s because we don’t build a great number of warships anymore.

As any malelot will tell you, the Royal Navy loves slapping on a few coats of Pussers grey paint on Her Britannic Majesty’s war canoes, even when it’s not needed.

Since the Royal Navy’s sea going fleet is now down to 2 aircraft carriers we can’t afford to send to sea much, a rowing boat, bought second hand from Swanbourne Lake, and a mine hunter based in Bahrain,we have a huge surfeit of grey paint, so, a Tory Minister has sold the excess to various foreign car manufacturers and trousered the proceeds.
Hence, the current amount of grey cars on the road.
Click to expand...


Strange fact...
After WW1, all the balance beams on the locks on the Shropshire Union Canal needed painting, and were done with left over battleship grey paint.
A tradition that is still alive today.
 


Cheshire Cat

Cheshire Cat

The most curious thing..
Nov 4, 2006
11,456
Sitting on a bough of a tree a few yards off...
Most new cars seem to be a standard white. The last time I looked at buying a new car, the makers added an extra £700 for a different colour so I suspect many people don't bother.
 




1066familyman

1066familyman

Radio User
Jan 15, 2008
15,185
So that when cyclists plough into them, they too can say... Sorry mate. Didn't see you.

#levelling up
 


Happy Exile

Happy Exile

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Apr 19, 2018
1,877
lawros left foot said:
It’s because we don’t build a great number of warships anymore.

As any malelot will tell you, the Royal Navy loves slapping on a few coats of Pussers grey paint on Her Britannic Majesty’s war canoes, even when it’s not needed.

Since the Royal Navy’s sea going fleet is now down to 2 aircraft carriers we can’t afford to send to sea much, a rowing boat, bought second hand from Swanbourne Lake, and a mine hunter based in Bahrain,we have a huge surfeit of grey paint, so, a Tory Minister has sold the excess to various foreign car manufacturers and trousered the proceeds.
Hence, the current amount of grey cars on the road.
Click to expand...

I like this as an explanation. Reminds me of the origin of Baileys, which far from being a traditional Irish drink was invented in London in the 1970s by a marketing copywriter and a chemist mixing up cream, whisky and chocolate Nesquik in an empty bottle of Schweppes lemonade, taking no more than 45 minutes over devising the original recipe. They ended up in this situation as part of a team that had been tasked with inventing a new drink that would capitalise on a loss-making Irish distillery, an excess of cream at Irish dairies due to the growing popularity of semi-skimmed milk, and the tax breaks in Ireland for making stuff there.
 






Deportivo Seagull

Deportivo Seagull

I should coco
Jul 22, 2003
4,920
Mid Sussex
lawros left foot said:
It’s because we don’t build a great number of warships anymore.

As any malelot will tell you, the Royal Navy loves slapping on a few coats of Pussers grey paint on Her Britannic Majesty’s war canoes, even when it’s not needed.

Since the Royal Navy’s sea going fleet is now down to 2 aircraft carriers we can’t afford to send to sea much, a rowing boat, bought second hand from Swanbourne Lake, and a mine hunter based in Bahrain,we have a huge surfeit of grey paint, so, a Tory Minister has sold the excess to various foreign car manufacturers and trousered the proceeds.
Hence, the current amount of grey cars on the road.
Click to expand...

I’m liking this … expect to see a Pussers arrow tastefully painted on the bonnets.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
 




zefarelly

zefarelly

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Jul 7, 2003
21,860
Sussex, by the sea
early noughties everything was silver, more recently white is popular, red was big in the mid 90's

Its obviously cyclic like fashion.

My Alfa ( sadly now redundant and sold ) was white, as is my 1963 Cortina . . . . I have also seen the return of red interiors to go with it. Fashion gone full cycle.

grey is a dangerous colour on the roads

'anthracite' upvc windows will probably look about as cool as fake wood in 10 years!
 
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schmunk

schmunk

"Members"
Jan 19, 2018
9,537
Mid mid mid Sussex
swindonseagull said:
I would guess if you are buying a new car ( minimum 20k) £700 won’t bother you if you want a specific colour.
£700 over 5 years is £11:60 per month.
Click to expand...

However if you're leasing the car for 3 years, that £700 adds £20/month to your lease cost. Hence there are a lot of white cars on the road.
 




Icy Gull

Icy Gull

Back on the rollercoaster
Jul 5, 2003
72,015
Would NEVER buy a grey car, I didn't much like the silver one I owned either. I did once have a shit brown Alfasud which was even worse than grey, couldn't find one in a different colour as all the others appear to have rusted away.

Current car is Rosso ( well it is Italian)
 


zefarelly

zefarelly

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Jul 7, 2003
21,860
Sussex, by the sea
Icy Gull said:
Would NEVER buy a grey car, I didn't much like the silver one I owned either. I did once have a shit brown Alfasud which was even worse than grey, couldn't find one in a different colour as all the others appear to have rusted away.

Current car is Rosso ( well it is Italian)
Click to expand...

The Sud probably was Rosso when it left Milan :lolol:

I had a silver Legacy for 11 years, a posh van really, only needed washing twice a year.

Black is worst, can't get all the way round without it getting dusty again! Had a midnight blue TVR that was just as bad.
 


Jack Straw

Jack Straw

I look nothing like him!
Jul 7, 2003
6,894
Brighton. NOT KEMPTOWN!
Now you mention it, mine does look a bit battleship greyish, but it's called Solar Silver. Sounds better than battleship grey? :cool:
 








zefarelly

zefarelly

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Jul 7, 2003
21,860
Sussex, by the sea
studio150 said:
Never owned a grey car, and wouldn't want to.

Both household cars are black.
Click to expand...

Do you like cleaning cars? :lolol:

We have,

Rosso,
BRG (metallic)
Sky blue
White

I have a selection of scooters in randonm colours, several designed by Bertone in the mid late 1960's . . . . I have noticed Cotroen and Fiat have pilfered the Lambreta colour chart from this period. Ochre yellow and tuquoise most notably, I'v not seen 'orbit orange' . . .yet . . . .

Bacl on topic, in 1960, the cooking spec lambretta li125 was 2 tone grey. I have one, new from Masons of Worthing/Brighton, and it was painted Blue and white, pretty much from new. And still wears that same paint. Proper colours.
 


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