COLORS details 1974 850 Norton Commando

searunner · Jul 26, 2014

I am just at the begin of the restoration, to original conditions - painted cherry (or apple) candy red
BUT with GOLD stripes and decals-
My Norton's Italian friends advised me that only the 73-750 machines have this livery-
and the 74-850 have only SILVER stripes and decals
- is it correct ?? Waiting a confirmation,
otherwise I must paint it - Black with gold stripes and decals (I like the gold finish) this hind of livery are very usual on Italian 850 NC -
cherry candy red are very unusual
https://picasaweb.google.com/1127708198 ... JSzwZr4Iw#

Seat GOLD MOD
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Q ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/d ... directlink

OldBalz · Jul 26, 2014

The stripe/Norton logo on my 1973 850 Mk1 original tank and sidecovers were silver with the candy-apple red paint job from the factory. I don't believe that they used gold stipes and lettering on that paint color on that year model with that candy red.
But i could be wrong. The paint scheme in my avatar is my bike with the original paint.

PeterJoe · Jul 26, 2014

If you like the gold lettering, you might consider painting your motorcycle in the so called 'John Player Norton' colors (white with red and blue stripes). There is no gold pin striping but the lettering is gold. Those colors would be correct for a 1974 Commando. So if you are looking for something a little different, this might be for you.

OldBalz · Jul 26, 2014

I forgot to to add on my previous post that If you like candy red w/ gold stripes and logo then do it! It is a beautiful combo just maybe not an original scheme. It also depends on how important it is to you to be authentic. I've seen a lot of gorgeous Nortons that weren't 100% authentic. Some folks are hung up on concours condition bikes but a bike can be a canvas to your mind's eye.

CanukNortonNut · Jul 26, 2014

OldBalz said:
I forgot to to add on my previous post that If you like candy red w/ gold stripes and logo then do it! It is a beautiful combo just maybe not an original scheme. It also depends on how important it is to you to be authentic. I've seen a lot of gorgeous Nortons that weren't 100% authentic. Some folks are hung up on concours condition bikes but a bike can be a canvas to your mind's eye.

+1
If you are not hung up on Concours correct, then go do it.
Most concours bikes are never ridden except at the events. The rest of the ride is on a trailer. Nice to see for history sake and to show for correct data gathering baseline. Ride it like you stole it. :wink:
Regards,
Thomas
CNN

searunner · Jul 27, 2014

I stand up for cherry red and Golden - BUT- FMI (Italian Authority)- examination are very stern on extetical requirements
so probably I must fall back to BLACK and Golden

Commando Cam · Jul 27, 2014

My memory from back in the day (in the US) is that all the red 850's (73,74, and 75's) all had silver logo and pen stripes I remember them in the dealer showrooms. But, it's your bike. Do what you want. Most people that see your bike on the streets today won't even know what it it, let alone if the highlight colors are correct.

gortnipper · Jul 28, 2014

searunner said:
I am just at the begin of the restoration, to original conditions - painted cherry (or apple) candy red
BUT with GOLD stripes and decals-
My Norton's Italian friends advised me that only the 73-750 machines have this livery-
and the 74-850 have only SILVER stripes and decals
- is it correct ?? Waiting a confirmation,
otherwise I must paint it - Black with gold stripes and decals (I like the gold finish) this hind of livery are very usual on Italian 850 NC -
cherry candy red are very unusual
https://picasaweb.google.com/1127708198 ... JSzwZr4Iw#

Seat GOLD MOD
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/Q ... directlink
https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/d ... directlink

Both my 850s were/are black/gold. If I do a paint job again (which I may as I have interstate tank with roadster side panels) on a roadster tank, it would be candy apple/silver. It looks so cool.

Rohan · Jul 28, 2014

searunner said:
I stand up for cherry red and Golden - BUT- FMI (Italian Authority)- examination are very stern on extetical requirements
so probably I must fall back to BLACK and Golden

If Norton owners are not still entirely certain exactly was original, how on earth could the (Italian Authority) know for sure ???

Anyone got the colour choice page that came with the brochure for any of the 850 models, with the little colour swatch patches.

gortnipper · Jul 28, 2014

Here is the chart for 71

what-the-long-range-original-red-colour-t18808.html

Colors for 74 were: Candy Apple Red, Livery Black, Pacific Blue, Tangerine, White

http://nortoncommando.tradesman4u.com.au/techo.htm

Formula for Candy Apple Red is here - http://www.britbike.com/forums/ubbthrea ... ber=465189

gortnipper · Jul 28, 2014

And just found this interesting link for RS Motorbike Paint - http://www.rsbikepaint.com/en-us/colour ... heme=18464

Rohan · Jul 28, 2014

gortnipper said:
Here is the chart for 71

Thats my link !
To one that was on ebay.

It has since been discussed that the chart/colours shown is for 1970,
the 1971 chart is unopened in that view....

Anyone got something similar for the 850 models for 1973, or later ?

htown16 · Jul 28, 2014

http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Broch ... ochure.pdf
Colors shown for 74: Tangerine, Pacific Blue (metallic), Candy Red, Black and White with blue stripe (JPS style).
Looks like for 74 all the colors, except black, used silver lettering and stripes including the white with blue(JPS style). It appears only the black used gold.
73's followed the same scheme
http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Broch ... LineUp.pdf
By the by I'm working on a 74 and its going to be in the Pacific blue. I'm using Duplicolor metal specks blue. It looks to me like the 74 Pacific blue has a smaller metal flake than the earlier Royal blue.

Rohan · Jul 28, 2014

htown16 said:
It looks to me like the 74 Pacific blue has a smaller metal flake than the earlier Royal blue.

Thats why seeing the Norton colour swatches for the 850s would be interesting to see.

htown16 said:
used silver lettering and stripes including the white with blue(JPS style). .

That scheme is generally poorly described.
Its a white tank and sidecovers, with blue and red stripes, and gold logos and decals.
Can even buy them from India, and fairly correctly done.
No connection with me, etc...

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/OTQ1WDE1MDA=/ ... O/$_57.JPG

htown16 · Jul 28, 2014

You are probably right about the gold on the JPS style. It looked silver to me in picture in the brochure but it isn't a very good picture.

B+Bogus · Jul 29, 2014

I can't be 100% sure Pacific blue is the same as Fireflake Royal Blue, but certainly looks very similar.
Way back when I matched a sample from Russ's bike out in Alaska which I presume would have been Pacific blue against my fireflake blue and it matched up very well, allowing for the age of the sample, In which case they are the same colour... I presume

Here it is against a NOS FF blue panel

And against my resprayed FF blue

In the parts book for the '74 MkIIA, Fireflake Royal Blue is listed along with Golden Bronze (a sod of a colour which I've finally nailed!) and Candy Red. AFAIK all had silver pinstripes, and the metalflake ones had black outlines on the graphics. I've also seen the same bikes in JPN colours as well, so the parts book isn't infallible.

Rohan · Jul 29, 2014

B+Bogus said:
so the parts book isn't infallible.

Usually when something like this happens, there will be a later parts book, or an addendum to the parts book,
or a parts book for a different country.

Nice blue(s) shown there...

L.A.B. · Jul 29, 2014

B+Bogus said:
In the parts book for the '74 MkIIA, Fireflake Royal Blue is listed along with Golden Bronze (a sod of a colour which I've finally nailed!) and Candy Red. AFAIK all had silver pinstripes, and the metalflake ones had black outlines on the graphics. I've also seen the same bikes in JPN colours as well, so the parts book isn't infallible.

The Roadster /163 "Dayglow White - blue stripes" colour scheme in the MkII/IIA supplement is the one often referred to as "John Player" or "JPN" although as far as we know, the factory never listed it as such.

COLORS details 1974 850 Norton Commando

searunner

OldBalz

PeterJoe

OldBalz

CanukNortonNut

searunner

Commando Cam

gortnipper

Rohan

gortnipper

gortnipper

Rohan

htown16

Rohan

htown16

B+Bogus

Rohan

L.A.B.

Moderator

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