Different kind of colour question

B+Bogus · Dec 3, 2009

Hi all,

I'll be dusting off the spray gun this weekend (the 'most improved' competition has got me all motivated

), and I'm a little bit in two minds as to what colour to do the bike.

I'd already settled on metalflake blue - before I saw the charity bike - and that pretty well sealed the deal, as the Colonials would say.
However, I finally got hold of a sidepanel yesterday, and it's got me thinking all over again.

The bike was originally candy apple red - as unearthed in this photo

The 'new' sidepanel looks like a NOS in candy red, but there's a little bit of corrosion coming through the paint, so it'll need a respray whatever (sorry - no photo).

The question is; metalflake blue, or candy red?

MarshalNorton · Dec 3, 2009

Is it 750 or 850? Blue for 750 red for 850 there its settled

Marshal

Jeandr · Dec 3, 2009

Metalflake blue of course

Jean

Seeley920 · Dec 3, 2009

definitely metalflake!! I've been trying to get someone to spray a fairing and seat metalflake green for 2 years now....so if you know someone in the UK who can do a good job, let me know!!

rbt11548 · Dec 3, 2009

B+Bogus said:
Hi all,

I'll be dusting off the spray gun this weekend (the 'most improved' competition has got me all motivated ), and I'm a little bit in two minds as to what colour to do the bike.

I'd already settled on metalflake blue - before I saw the charity bike - and that pretty well sealed the deal, as the Colonials would say.

Hi B+Bogus, Like the Blue very much.....were you able to get the Blue metal flake in the UK?
Cheers
Robert

Ron L · Dec 3, 2009

were you able to get the Blue metal flake in the UK

Flakes should be available from your auto paint jobber. Added to a translucent (candy) color gives the effect. At PPG they are sold as Ditzler Big Flakes as part of our Vibrance custom refinish paints, but are also compatible with other lines such as our Deltron.

I'm sure that Valspar (House of Color), DuPont, BASF (R-M and Glasurit), and Sikkens have similar products. Your local paint distributor is your friend!

swooshdave · Dec 3, 2009

Get both. Red Metalflake! :mrgreen:

B+Bogus · Dec 3, 2009

rbt11548 said:
Hi B+Bogus, Like the Blue very much.....were you able to get the Blue metal flake in the UK?
Cheers
Robert

Yup - they're the ones in the jar

I've got a goodly amount of HS lacquer and some silver base, so I should be all set.
I've done a couple of candy apple paintjobs in my previous life, but I haven't done a flake before, so I'm quite looking forwards to it (provided I can get a big enough nozzle on the gun, that is...)

Here's my last woeful effort....

Chris · Dec 3, 2009

Hi John

Pete the paint in Burgess Hill. Diamond geezer, blunt forthright & very quick! Does all of the Goldies for Len Haggis & also did crash repair work for the wholesale arm of a modern scooter importer. Metalflake pearl etc. Think he dropped that because it bored him!
Hows it going? race bike sorted? What are you doing next season? Nockhill? I am looking to do the Bob Mac as well ,plus Lucy Lervis a 2 day classic Beezumph type event in France.
Working on the Seeley MK2 & looking to try & get the Yamsel Daytona project started.
Take care
all the best Chris

pelican · Dec 3, 2009

I'm with swoosh... try candy red flake

debby · Dec 3, 2009

My personal choice would be the blue metalflake, but you can't go wrong either way!

Debby
ps - red metalflake would look great too.

79x100 · Dec 3, 2009

My feeling is that Candy red rather suits the 850 Roadster better (if you're using the standard double lines on tank and panels).

Somehow the unlined metalflake blue on the 750s looks typically early '70s and captures the era but doesn't work as well with double silver lines under a grey northern european sky.

I don't know if I'd use candy red over metalflake on a lined 850 either but it certainly looks good over a really coarse silver metallic.

Coco · Dec 3, 2009

debby said:
My personal choice would be the blue metalflake, but you can't go wrong either way!

Debby
ps - red metalflake would look great too.

Blue metalflake vote here too. Who cares if it isn't an accurate colour for an 850. Paint it how you want it, not how we want it.

Did I tell you yet that I think it should be blue flake? :mrgreen:

79x100 has a good point about the pinstriping. It may get lost in a sea of glitter.

norbsa48503 · Dec 3, 2009

The Charity bike is "House of Colors" flake is over black base this was matched to a stock 850 from 1974 the under side of a side cover un-faded.

This is mine and how I wanted it to be done on the charity bike but lost the debate. As seen in the 1973 PDF.

It is bought from a paint supplier flake over medium blue. Somewhere around 30 coats of clear used to bury the flake.Once you start the clear you don't stop. Start on an early morning.

B+Bogus · Dec 4, 2009

Thanks for all the replies!

I was all-set to go with the blue flake, but the purist in me was getting twitchy about a non-standard finish. However, this isn't a Ducati, so the blue wins!

Norbsa, was the flake suspended in clear or candy blue? - however it was done, it looks great. I just hope I can get mine looking half as good!

Reggie · Dec 4, 2009

I'd go for a "proper" candy apple red, which came a very close second choice to what I chose for my Commando which is black.

I did have a 1972 metal flake blue on my original Commando, and personally prefer back or red, as I find them more classy!

A friend of mine has had his 850 MK3 painted in metal flake blue, and has had a "reduced or shrunk Norton logo put on the tank which looks quite nice on the Roadster tank. See the link below for a pic;

http://www.yorkshirenortonownersclub.or ... lewood.jpg

But as Debby says, you wont go wrong with either colour as long as it's a quality job.I'

Ron L · Dec 4, 2009

Norbsa48503,
That looks like a very close match!
Here's my original, never re-painted tank from my '73.
Even the decal is the original.

I have seen very few this color, but several '74 850's that are a bigger flake. However, I'm not sure any of them were original paint.

DogT · Dec 4, 2009

I would opt for fireflake blue. Here is a small detail of the side cover on my 69 with the original blue around the hole that was covered by the gasket, some black paint and above that the sanded f/g coating. The color seemed to be a base coat of silver/blue flakes, another coat of black flakes with the clear gel coat on top of that. The clear coat gloss does not show in the picture.

Here is also a pic of what I am going to use for the tank and covers. It is called MetalSpecks by Duplicolor in a spray can.

But use what you want, it is your bike.

Dave
69S

Cookie · Dec 5, 2009

I had one bike in candy red and another in metal flake blue. Either can look great.

maylar · Dec 6, 2009

Heavy metalflake definitely says "750" to me. Candy colors are more subtle with the metalics in the underlying ground coat. My MKII was candy red laquer from the factory and I've repainted it twice over the years. Last one was silver ground coat under R-M Carizzma candy red. I like it a lot.

Different kind of colour question

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