Atari 400/800 paint colour.

[Gunstar]

From my personal experience, I find that looking at the interior side of the plastic case will generally reveal the original color, or as close as is possible, where the least amount of light or heat damage tends to occur to discolor the case, and that is how I judge UV/retro-bright jobs and what I use to match the color to a paint. But I just trust my own artist eye's judgement and don't bother with "scientific" techniques to try and solve "true color."

Edited August 28, 2019 by Gunstar

[Mr Robot]

NT

[jamm]

On 8/24/2019 at 5:22 PM, DrVenkman said:

Unless Curt ever unveils the engineering design specs for the original 1979 case plastics (preferably with a Pantone number) we'll never objectively know what color they were originally with 100% certainty, and all the capitalized assertions and opinions passed off as Truth!™ won't change that. 

 

Sorry to resurrect this, but I was just wondering if the original design Pantone numbers were ever made available.  Who is this mysterious "Curt", and how do we get him to spill the details??

 

[_The Doctor__]

On 1/31/2020 at 11:29 AM, jamm said:

 

Sorry to resurrect this, but I was just wondering if the original design Pantone numbers were ever made available.  Who is this mysterious "Curt", and how do we get him to spill the details??

 

Curt V is with the great maker of all things, he more than likely would have dug up the information for you if he had the a)time , b)if not found in the piles of paper and stuff with access to his packs on the washing machine drives, c) got the information from his massive network of friends.

 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/24lkoij26o

 

consider helping some of the best people on the planet out.

[Gunstar]

On 8/24/2019 at 2:30 PM, Faicuai said:

 

 

...the final fish / materials of the outer shell of these machines should NEVER. EVER be painted.

 

 

Yeah, I realize this post was made well over a year ago, but I must have missed it then, and since this thread was just resurrected I needed to tell my opinion/perspective on the matter.

 

While I'd rather try sun-brightening a case first, there are instances where paint may be required to really make it look right, like when repairing broken cases and cracks and other repairs are obvious, as well as when doing new I/O ports, like my transplanting the PBI part of a 600Xl (that was really almost beyond recovery so I save it by using it for salvage on other Atari's) PCB and case on my 1200XL. But then, if you are already modifying the case, then it's original value or resale value are out the window anyway. And THAT is the only reason I see in your having this opinion, but if one intends to keep their machine "forever" or likes to do mods anyway, then "NEVER, EVER" is "Never Say Never."

Edited January 23, 2021 by Gunstar

[SviRu]

Was 800 and 400 the same color?

[SlagOMatic]

1 hour ago, SviRu said:

Was 800 and 400 the same color?

Yes.

[SviRu]

19 hours ago, SlagOMatic said:

Yes.

Found a photo of broken 400. It seems they were almost grey... warm gray.

 

[SlagOMatic]

15 minutes ago, SviRu said:

Found a photo of broken 400. It seems they were almost grey... warm gray.

If you were to similarly damage the case on an 800 and compare the color therein, you'd see they match.

[SviRu]

1 hour ago, SlagOMatic said:

If you were to similarly damage the case on an 800 and compare the color therein, you'd see they match.

here you go.

[SlagOMatic]

1 hour ago, SviRu said:

here you go.

Just so I'm clear on your intent: Are you trying to prove or disprove the fact that the color of the plastics used in the 400 and 800 are the same by having me examine two pictures of two different machines while simultaneously accounting for age, environmental effects, stress discoloration, general dirtiness, and differences in lighting?

 

Your original question was whether or not the 400 and 800 were the same color. The answer is yes. So I'm not sure what your goal is here.

[_The Doctor__]

The colors are the same, the exception to the rule picture is showing plastic flex stress as opposed to a clean snap off break. That type of damage makes plastics look white or grey as it stretches. I can assure you every attempt was made to ensure the colors were close across the line at time of manufacture.

[SviRu]

6 hours ago, SlagOMatic said:

Just so I'm clear on your intent: Are you trying to prove or disprove the fact that the color of the plastics used in the 400 and 800 are the same by having me examine two pictures of two different machines while simultaneously accounting for age, environmental effects, stress discoloration, general dirtiness, and differences in lighting?

 

Your original question was whether or not the 400 and 800 were the same color. The answer is yes. So I'm not sure what your goal is here.

You asked for a picture  I agree they are the same... or should be the same at least.