White roof Curiosity ....

[cucinadio]

Can some one give me the history of why the defenders have white roofs.... just a curiosity thing ...

cheers

[87County]

I don't know -

but I've assumed that it is a similar reason to that behind painting airliners that way - (similar elegant high-speed mode of transport I expect) :angel:

I do know, however, that it makes repainting them simpler after someone has walked on them :)

[tangus89]

i always thought it was to try and keep them cooler

[85 county]

white paint is cheaper, no tint?????????????????

[cucinadio]

white paint is cheeper, no tint?????????????????


[bighmmm].................................................. :unsure:

[87County]

[bighmmm].................................................. :unsure:

he probably means cheaper :D .......but, would LR cut costs to make a Defer?

[Disco44]

White reflects heat great for our country but then it shows up the dirt and grime more.
That's my 2 cents worth.

[JDNSW]

The only reason that Landrovers have traditionally had white or near white roofs is that it reduces interior temperatures quite markedly. The difference when parked in the sun in summer at the latitude of Sydney I have measured at around 7C in an ordinary car when the roof was repainted from grey to off-white. For a Series/Defender with near vertical glass (and possibly less insulation) the difference would be larger, and the effect would also increase for more vertical sunlight in lower latitudes.

John

[toad]

An observation.
Defenders produced in the UK used to have white roofs. Defenders produced in South Africa had coloured roofs!
Changed 3 or 4 years back when the new paint plant came into use where all body parts are now painted at one time (rather than batches of doors, guards etc) and now they all have coloured roofs; and are all the same colour as opposed to my five different shades of red (plus white roof).

[dullbird]

I was once told (dont know whether it is true) it was so farmers could be spotted on the other side of the hedge....hedges being quite tall in UK and often splitting paddocks:)

[P38ace]

The reason for choice of a light coloured roof may have come about due to heat but was primarily down to cost and efficiency.

The original colour was Limestone. This was used on bodies, roofs, side panels and wheels from the early 60's. Panels being painted before assembly, a standard colour saved the need to hold stock of a range of colours. Ultimately Limestone gave way to lighter shades of white which presumably was a more appropriate match for the wider range of new coloured bodies being introduced.

In Australia, presently only the solid colours still get a white roof and unpainted wheel arches whereas the metallics come with a body colour roof and wheel arches. Given the new paintshop I've no idea why the difference although could still be a cost thing. Personally I think the white roof does a great job of keeping the car cooler and is a must have in Queensland.

[cucinadio]

some interesting resonings...all are credible .... did it come down to certain models or was it just an across the board at a point in time ...because it certainly seems to be a sporadic, one has it and others don't ???...[bighmmm]

[JDNSW]

some interesting resonings...all are credible .... did it come down to certain models or was it just an across the board at a point in time ...because it certainly seems to be a sporadic, one has it and others don't ???...[bighmmm]
I think there have always been a variety of colours produced in Solihull - but through most of the last sixty years, only a few have been imported here except as special orders. For example, almost all Series 2 88s were Olive Green, and 109s grey all with limestone roofs, although other colours were sold in other countries which only appeared here as special orders or private imports. Since then there has been more variety, but still only a few of the colours made.

John

[c.h.i.e.f]

Theres an article explaining what ones came out with what roofs and why but cant remeber where I read it :( I think it was to do with year model , model in general but I think main one was the country from what I remember !

[firsttimedefender]

Less chance of seeing the pigeon poo!

[one_iota]

But more chance of seeing it if they've been eating mulberries! :p;)

[Davie]

Years ago when I was still in Zim. I had a Series2 short wheel base, pale yellow with a white roof, but the roof was double panel, open front and back so the wind passed through and even at a stand was real cool, was this standard? just wondering.

[Disco44]

Years ago when I was still in Zim. I had a Series2 short wheel base, pale yellow with a white roof, but the roof was double panel, open front and back so the wind passed through and even at a stand was real cool, was this standard? just wondering.

They were the tropical roof and were available here too.My series 3 stage 1 3.9D had one and yes they were a much cooler vehicle.

[firsttimedefender]

They were the tropical roof and were available here too.My series 3 stage 1 3.9D had one and yes they were a much cooler vehicle.


Me too but on a series 11A. My first love. Can't recall but I seem to remember some small vents that could open in the main roof to allow air in (whilst under the tropical roof so still weather proof)?

[one_iota]

The tropical roof is a great device...pity they dispensed with it in the County/Defender.

In the pursuit of fuel economy I guess it buggered up the aerodynamics ;)

[Larry]

The tropical roof is a great device...pity they dispensed with it in the County/Defender.

In the pursuit of fuel economy I guess it buggered up the aerodynamics ;)
Aerodynamics, on a Defender??????????????:p:p:p

[landy821]

Series 2,2a and 3 Station wagons sold in Australia all had (I believe) safari ie: double skin roofs, they were more expensive to make and were therefore only fitted to the expensive wagons, Defenders were supposed to have a better roof insulation??? and air-con available and not need the safari roof.

[Lotz-A-Landies]

I love all the rationale and as has been said before - all are possible.

1. Henry Ford said of the Model "T" you can have any colour you want as long as it's Black! (Although he probably spelt it color!)

2. Re Aeroplanes: Don Carry CEO of American Airlines left their aircraft unpainted except for the red and blue lines at window level because it reduced the weight of the aircraft by hundreds of pounds. The weight of the paint adds to the cost of fuel to every flight.

3. While in the UK and other markets Land Rovers were sold in various colours, in Australia it's my guess the reason for the various whites of the roof in almost all models over the years was something between Henry Ford's mass production reasons and cooling effect of whites under the Aussie sun. To test the theory, go into any new car yard on a sunny day and put your hand on the skin of a number of cars including a white one. The metal of the white car is always cooler than any other colour including silver. While they may look cool black cars are not cool on the inside and the air con has to work harder to make you comfortable in a black or dark coloured car.

Just out of interest, didn't the early 110/County still have the tropical roof as an option? I know that fibreglass ones were standard on Perentie hard tops.

[numpty]

The tropical roof is a great device...pity they dispensed with it in the County/Defender.

In the pursuit of fuel economy I guess it buggered up the aerodynamics ;)

It was more to do with asthetics I believe. And Tropical Roof is the correct term. And yes, on Stn Wagons there were 4 opening vents in the main roof.

[Disco44]

Me too but on a series 11A. My first love. Can't recall but I seem to remember some small vents that could open in the main roof to allow air in (whilst under the tropical roof so still weather proof)?

Yep you are right but the down side was they could not be opened fully because of the closeness of the Tropical Roof.But they still worked a treat.