Frequently Asked Questions

1. General

1.1 Contact

Before contacting us, please check that your question is not already answered in this FAQ. We're certainly happy to answer questions if they are not already covered: please email contact@minicolours.co.uk

1.2 Attachments

Unless you are submitting an image for the site, please do not attach files, including pictures, to your emails to the site. If submitting an image, please try to keep the size reasonable - .jpg is much better than .bmp; there is little point in sending an image over 1024x768 pixels, as they will all be resized to around 640x480 in any case.

1.3 Can I link your site?

You certainly can! Use the HTML snippet from the 'about' page to include our banner on your page. Alternatively, just make a text link. We would prefer if you would only link the main site: http://www.minicolours.co.uk since the structure below this may change at any time.

1.4 Will you link my site?

If you provide a sample photograph, your site will be linked from the image. If you provide significant help, even without an image, then your link will appear on the acknowledgements page.

2. Colours and identification

2.1 Can you identify the colour of my car?

Unfortunately, the time and work it takes to maintain the site means that we can't directly identify cars for you. Please have a look through the pages to see if you can find your own colour. Also - if you know the model and year, have a look at Theo van den Bogaard's Mini Colour Schemes site. Here you can find colours of paint and interiors, based on VIN number, year (1959-2000) and model.

2.2 My VIN number shows this colour... what does it look like?

This is now supported by this site. Use the colour index to find the family, then search for your colour. Alternativly, type the VIN colour code into the search box.

2.3 What interior goes with this colour?

See answer 2.1

2.4 My car is painted in a colour which doesn't appear on your site

If the colour was a genuine factory colour which we have overlooked, please do submit it, using the contact address in answer 1.1. If it is a custom colour that was not sprayed as standard by Austin/Morris/Rover et al, then please don't submit it - this isn't a site for every possible colour in the world!

If you think it's worth making a site of common custom colours, we may consider it. Contact us to register your interest; and we'll see how much demand there is.

3. Images

3.1 Can I use images from the site?

All images on the site are copyrighted to their original supplier. Please do not link pictures from this site elsewhere without first contacting the copyright owner. We can attempt to make contact on your behalf if you can't find out how through the links; but can't promise anything.

3.2 How do I submit a picture?

Check answer 1.2, then browse to the colour you wish to submit and click the 'no image' box. This should result in your mail program writing an email for you to fill in the blanks.

If the automatic method doesn't work, simply send an email to submit@minicolours.co.uk, attaching a picture of your car, and including the name you would like to be credited for the photo, and optionally, your website for us to link to.

3.3 What makes a good/bad submission?

A good submission is well lit with the correct colour balance (indoor photos can sometimes show up yellow), and a large block of the colour visible. Best angles tend to be with a lot of the side showing, or a rear corner.

Bad photos are poorly lit, have a bad colour balance, or show a part of the car with little relevant paint. If you have bonnet stripes or a different coloured roof, then try to reduce the amount of the space they take up in the shot. Head-on shots tend to be poor because of the amount of grille, lights and windscreen showing - there's little paint from the front view. Engine-bay shots are next to useless.

However, that said, a bad image is better than no image, so please submit the best you have - but expect them to be replaced if they don't show the paint to its best.

3.4 What do you do with my submission?

We will electronically remove the number from the registration plate, crop and resize the picture to fit the format, and possibly adjust colour, contrast or brightness slightly to give a better impression of the colour with respect to the other images on the site. We will watermark the image with the site address. You supply the text for your photo credit, and the site which is linked by the credit - no other information about you will appear on the site.

We may also use the image in banners or other graphics related to the site.

3.5 I have a better picture of a colour you already feature

If you have a significantly better picture of a certain colour than the example on the site, then please contact us and detail why you think it's better. We'll get in touch if we'd like to see it.

4. Vehicles

4.1 What vehicles are covered by the guide?

Any non-BMW Mini or Mini-derived vehicle is welcome but only if painted in an original factory colour. It doesn't have to still be in its original paint - just an original colour.

Key words for vehicles included in the scope include Austin Seven, Austin Se7en, Morris Mini Minor, BMC Mini, British Leyland Mini, Mini Clubman, Mini Moke, Riley Elf, Wolseley Hornet, 1275GT, Mini Cooper, Rover Mini.

While we're sure they deserve a site of their own, the new BMW-derived minis do not belong here. That is; MINI One, MINI Cooper, MINI Cooper S.