1951 square 4 colours

[MARK.WALSH]

hi everyone out there.
I have recently bought a 1951 square 4. (despatched june) It looks like it has not been on the road since 1964 and has suffered the usual cosmetic attention by the previous owner by painting it dark maroon then later hand painted black.
I have some documentation from the owners club that was written in 1999 and it states the bike should be as the red hunter in colour - bright red and chrome tank. On stripping the tank back I can tell it has never been chromed and the colour befor I hit primer is a kind of claret (I even found the gold pinstripes in areas!!)
My query is - on my reserch a 1951 Ariel should not be chromed due to nickel shortages and the info provided is not correct, but does anyone know the best colour match for the colour I have found.
I also own 2 panthers and one is damask red...it looks remarkably similar ..but the Ariel appears to be slightly brighter on the areas where the colours were protected from sunlight (behind the tank badges and mounting rubbers.)

Apart from that - winter rebuild here i come!!

[nevhunter]

My information is that the 1951 models are not chromed, (though some may have been done individually by the owners.
The "normal" ariel red is probably not right and the claret colour may be the one. I don't think the colour is the same as the 54 and later models either.
Many of the reds done to replicate the "normal" red appear to be too bright and a bit orange. The original red is a very classy colour, when you get it right.
This is only an opinion, and certainly not an expert one. Nev

[brenton.roy]

Hi Mark, sounds like a great buy. Not much repro stuff in 1964!
Following on from Nev's comments, yes, it was likely unchromed. You should be able to find out from the factory records.
If you have bits of paint that have been covered since new, you could get these colour matched at a good auto paint store.
I did this when I found original paint under the badges of a mid 30's Hunter - the red was a lot deeper than later Ariels I have seen. While I haven't done much with the bike, I guess the colour is preserved.
PS, no matter how good the motor looks, take the crankshafts out and clean the oilways. They fill up with gunge and cause major problems.
Brenton

[simon.holyfield]

Hi Mark,

Do let us know what colour match you come up with! I have a '51 SQ4 as well, and I have yet to figure out which red to use...

Of course, if you need help with anything else, just ask.