Ecurie Bertelli, the pre-war Aston Martin specialist, and HMG Paints, the UK’s leading independent paint manufacturer, have combined their market leading knowledge for a one-of-a-kind project conserving a 1934 Aston Martin MKII.
The 1934 Aston Martin MKII chassis number 402 has had quite the 12 months, which saw it being found in a barn to winning the Octane magazine Car of the Year Award. After 50 years of being stored in a barn the 402 now affectionately known as the “barnfind” is believed to be one of the most original Aston Martins in the world. Uniquely, owner Tom Wood, didn’t want the car to be restored but conserved, and entrusted the team at Ecurie Bertelli to lead the project who then called upon HMG’s unique skills.
“This is a remarkably rare opportunity, there are probably no pre-war Aston Martins in this condition, very original yet still in good enough condition to be preserved” commented Robert Blakemore of Ecurie Bertelli. “We’re thankful to HMG for helping us on this project and developing a product and showing us the techniques required to stabilise and conserve this amazing vehicle’s paint work.”
The team at HMG Paints developed a special stabilising and sealing solution that allowed the Ecurie Bertelli team to seal the worn paint work and prevent further degradation. This unique approach allows 402 to ensure its vintage charm and character will remain for years to come with its original paint work.
John Falder, Chairman of HMG Paints and Vintage Aston Martin enthusiast was delighted HMG could assist in the project. “Project 402 is really exciting, discovering all the finer nuances of the paintwork has been an enthralling process. We were excited to delve into our historic formulation books to faithfully recreate the resin systems and colours used when it was built.”
Steve Kennedy of HMG Paints utilised his years of colour matching experience to faithfully match and recreate the Le Mans Green colour for use behind both rear wheels where the paint was entirely missing. Steve and his Advanced Colour Design Centre team are no stranger to developing new colours and recreating classic colours. The team have previously worked on a number of projects including the restoration of Emerson Fittipaldi’s iconic 1970 Team Lotus Chassis number 5, and also developing the colours for the Aston Martin Racing 2020, 24 Hours of Le Mans winning cars.
Once the colour was created the paint was handed over to Glenn Reid, HMGs in house Classic Car expert, who worked with Simon Boreham and Callum Staff from Ecurie Bertelli to apply the coating and create a seamless blend between the new and old paintwork.
After applying the new paint, the team set about applying the uniquely formulated stabilising solution. The solution utilised a thermoplastic resin combined with stabilising lacquer to produce the ultra-thin protective coating. The product allows Tom to drive 402 without any worry of further paint degradation, the first test of which was an 800-mile round trip to Le Mans Classic.
You can see a video of the work undertaken by HMG Paints and Ecurie Bertelli on the HMG Paints YouTube channel https://youtu.be/FzzDZkcHvPA . The video showcases the initial inspection of the car and colour identification, to the application of the specially matched paint and application of the stabilising and sealing solution, all of which took place at Riverside Works, the home of HMG Paints.
To find out more about the full range of products and services, you can call HMG on 0161 205 7631 or find your local distributor and download technical data sheets via the HMG website: www.hmgpaint.com or contact via sales@hmgpaint.com or +44 (0) 161 205 7631.
Ecurie Bertelli is the pre-eminent global sales and service specialist for pre-war Aston-Martin motor cars, www.ecuriebertelli.com. With more than 40 years' experience they are experts in pre-war Aston-Martin motor car sales, care, repair, restoration, conservation and the leading supplier of pre-war Aston-Martin racing and event support worldwide. With peerless, authentic, technical expertise garnered over decades, EB is the acknowledged global specialist for discerning Aston-Martin owners.
If you require further information on the press release, please contact:
Stephen Dyson
HMG Paints Communications
marketing@hmgpaint.com
0161 205 7631
If you require further information on Ecurie Bertelli or the Aston Martin 402 Project, please contact:
Robert Blakemore
Ecurie Bertelli Managing Director
+44 (0) 1234 240024
robert@ecuriebertelli.com
Or
Carrie Russell
Ignition Collective
carrie@ignitioncollective.com
+44 (0) 1295 768 122
HMG Paints Ltd is the UK’s leading independent Paint Manufacturer and a proud, family-owned business situated in Manchester. Working alongside new and long-term customers, HMG strive to create the best tailored coatings solutions to meet their customer’s needs. With over 90 years’ experience in developing innovative coatings, HMG’s portfolio of wet paint and aerosols cover virtually every type of surface imaginable across a whole host of industries including industrial, commercial vehicle, decorative, automotive, protective coatings, defence, toll manufacturing, wood finish and arts & craft. HMG have a drive to set the standards for the industry not just meet them.
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