Brabham Alfa Red

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PJE
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Brabham Alfa Red

Post by PJE »

Getting Zero Paints into the USA has become a bit of a challenge, so I’m looking for a alternative for Brabham Alfa Red. How different is it from Italian Red? Suggestions on what I could use?

Paul Erlendson
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Re: Brabham Alfa Red

Post by JamesB »

Paul, all contemporary images seem to suggest they looked 99% like the Ferraris... so Italian red looks good.

https://s.cdnmpro.com/674711093/content/nou/imola.png
A BT46 fan car? :wink:
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Re: Brabham Alfa Red

Post by Hugeprong »

I was told definitively at the IPMS show a few years ago that back in the day Brabham used VW Mars Red for their Alfa chassis.

I used it for my BT46 and I think it looks pretty good!
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Re: Brabham Alfa Red

Post by Icon_Modeler »

Have you tried Upscale Hobbies, They just opened a retail location to compliment their online store.
I've had good luck with them or there is always Spot Model in Spain which I have never had any trouble getting Zero from.
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Re: Brabham Alfa Red

Post by 43rdMichael »

Tameo recommend RAL 3003 for the BT 48

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Re: Brabham Alfa Red

Post by Rich.H »

I love these colour debates! So let me tell you this story. A good friend and fellow modeller, John, [Hi John] was at a test day at Brands Hatch back in 1978. He watched John Watson barrelling round in a BT46 [excellent]. Later he was walking down the pit lane [you could do that back in the day!] and saw a mechanic touching up a BT46 front wing with a spray can.
"Excuse me" said John "what colour is that?" "Its red mate" replied the mechanic [he he!] "Yes, but what red?" The mechanic looked down at the can and said "Rover Flame Red" before continuing with his task. I've used this colour ever since...I posted photos of the MFH Fan Car sprayed with this colour on F1M. I told Steve Hemming [aka Hiroboy] this story but he hasn't changed his Zero Brabham Alfa Red though and it is SO wrong. So is VW Mars Red and Italian Red, though this IS closer. Rover paints are now harder to get because they are old colours. And they must be hard to get in the U.S. But that IS the colour you need to match.
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Re: Brabham Alfa Red

Post by Orso »

I made a search for that paint. I found nine different colour codes for rover flame red. They have used the same name for different reds through the years according to some posts on forums so which colour was used back then?
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Re: Brabham Alfa Red

Post by BMW »

Rich.H wrote: Fri Jan 21, 2022 6:24 am I love these colour debates! So let me tell you this story. A good friend and fellow modeller, John, [Hi John] was at a test day at Brands Hatch back in 1978. He watched John Watson barrelling round in a BT46 [excellent]. Later he was walking down the pit lane [you could do that back in the day!] and saw a mechanic touching up a BT46 front wing with a spray can.
"Excuse me" said John "what colour is that?" "Its red mate" replied the mechanic [he he!] "Yes, but what red?" The mechanic looked down at the can and said "Rover Flame Red" before continuing with his task. I've used this colour ever since...I posted photos of the MFH Fan Car sprayed with this colour on F1M. I told Steve Hemming [aka Hiroboy] this story but he hasn't changed his Zero Brabham Alfa Red though and it is SO wrong. So is VW Mars Red and Italian Red, though this IS closer. Rover paints are now harder to get because they are old colours. And they must be hard to get in the U.S. But that IS the colour you need to match.
Sorry to rain on your anecdote, but that would be a mechanic touching up a wing. That might not be the paint that was officially applied in the factory... :(
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Re: Brabham Alfa Red

Post by JamesB »

Well, but being a factory mechanic, and given it was purpose acquired equipment, it looks logical it was the same color they used for the whole car. I´ll add an argument favoring this. Ecclestone was so many times referred at as being obsessively touchy about aesthetic and in particular color detail of cars. There was even a quote "not sure if the radiator works well but be sure these blue pinstripes are immaculate" IIRC, that was referred by G. Murray himself.
Anyway, a typical italian red, as after all it was there for Martini (at a given moment) and then for Alfa, will do.

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Re: Brabham Alfa Red

Post by randman »

MCW Finishes (Ohio) sells "Alfa Romeo Red". I have a bottle but have yet to get around to my BT46B kit. I have used their paints on other non-F1 kits though.
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