At 07:19 AM 12/14/04 -0600, Lawson, Laurie wrote:
"Have been working on my new dash for the last two days and discovered that the back side was painted a dark brown color, and after removing the vinyl covering that surface was the same color. My old dash was obviously re-painted black so no help there. I need to ask what color the dash should be - if not dark brown will bead blast, prime and paint correctly."

At 03:16 PM 12/14/04 -0500, Jonathan wrote:
"I insisted my dash was also dark brown--or should be, but I let the restorer convince me black was correct and that I was just hallucinating. It is a very dark muddy brown and I'll never be talked out of it again."

At 04:03 PM 12/14/04 -0500, FrankGraham wrote:
"The dark chocolate brown is original factory primer. All steel panels had this applied to them first and all original replacement steel panels were supplied in that primer too. Alloy replacement panels like the doors would have the same dark brown primer on the steel portion but the alloy was bare. While most cars had painted instrument panels the vinyl covered panels from twin cams, coupes and MKIIs that I have seen all were dark brown on the back and also beneath the vinyl."

At 04:56 PM 12/14/04 -0600, Lawson, Laurie wrote:
"The paint doesn't look like primer - it is not dull like a primer - but - it is just a thin coat like a primer - thus the surface rust. Will take a good picture of it before I re-install."

At 10:13 PM 12/14/04 -0500, FrankGraham wrote:
"The primer is a very, very dark brown, almost black and has a semi gloss finish not the powdery finish typical of a modern lacquer primer. Thirty odd years ago I managed to collect a full set of NOS wings, doors, outer sills, boot and bonnet panels from various dealer's parts rooms. Every panel, no matter where it came from, was the same dark brown color except on the alloy surfaces."

MGA Guru here. Apparently steel disk wheels, standard and Twin Cam type, were also painted with dark brown primer, prior to being painted silver. For some CKD cars, as those built in Australia and South Africa, the wheels were painted silver on the outward facing side only, while the inward facing side and the air cavity area were left in the original dark brown primer.