Ford Escort Rs1600 Mk1 1973 Timo Makinen - Blue

Rally Blue: seventies rally blue

Timo Mäkinen, the flying Finn, was one of the stars of the Ford Escort Mk1 era, and in 1973 he took an Escort RS1600 to victory on events such as the RAC Rally. This blue is matched to the RS1600 he drove that year, and relates to Ford's classic Olympic Blue. The boxy Mk1 Escort, with its wide arches, spotlights and mud flaps, is a favourite subject for rally modelers. Use Rally Blue for 1:24 and 1:43 Escort Mk1 builds and for other 1970s rally and saloon cars that need a clean, mid-dark blue.

The problem with livery colours

A livery colour only looks right next to the other colours of the scheme. Too yellow or too blue and the whole car looks off, especially once the decals go on. Spray the lightest colour first, mask, then work towards the darker ones.

How to apply

1. Shake the bottle for at least 60 seconds.
2. Prime with a grey primer and let it dry fully.
3. Airbrush straight from the bottle, no thinning needed. Use a 0.2–0.4 mm nozzle at around 20 PSI (1.4 bar) and apply light, cross-hatched coats, letting each one flash off before the next.
4. Let the paint cure overnight before masking or clear-coating.
5. Seal with a water-based clear coat: gloss for a factory shine, or satin or matte for work vehicles and interiors.
6. Clean the airbrush with water before the paint dries.

Why modelers choose Koloi Aqua

• Ready to spray: no guessing thinning ratios, the same result from every bottle
• Cleans up with water, so there are no strong solvent fumes at the bench
• Fine pigment grind for 1:8 to 1:72 scales, so panel lines and detail stay crisp
• One system: primer, colour and clear designed to work together

Shelf life

Estimated shelf life of more than 12 months when stored tightly closed between +10 °C and +28 °C, away from frost and direct sunlight. Shake well before use; if the paint has thickened or separated and does not remix, do not use it.

💡 Need a colour we don’t list? Our colour lab matches RAL, RLM and OEM paint codes on request.

The on-screen image is indicative: the final tone depends on the primer, the number of coats and the clear coat. Keep out of reach of children. Safety Data Sheet available on request.

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