Paint Scheme

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Ron L said:
Here's a cut from the 1972 factory parts book. It covers most of the 750's colors except the green metalflake I have seen in some fiberglass tanks.
It's interesting that there is both 'solid signal orange' for the Roadster and 'Tangerine' for the HiRider (and '71 SS). Also Solid Signal Red for Roadster tank but simply Red for the steel Interstate tank.

View attachment 84692
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Thanks! Can you tell me the part number of that book and if you are sure it is for engine numbers from 200000 on.
 
Paint Scheme


Paint Scheme
 
marshg246 said:
Anyone have a 72 in Orange (not fireflake AKA disco) that can send me a picture. I've seen plain orange which I assume is gelcoat, but I've heard of signal orange and burnt orange and don't know if they were real or someone remembering a different bike.
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I have a tank in orange which is probably the original colour, so PM me if you want a photo.
 
There is an earlier parts book from 72 that includes the combat models. I have it. I will try and find the part number later tonite. The one shown above has 850s so is later.

Edit: part number 06.3402. Can be downloaded from Classic British Spares site. Fireflake Roman Purple is listed. (Royal Purple is oil!)
 
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batrider said:
There is an earlier parts book from 72 that includes the combat models. I have it. I will try and find the part number later tonite. The one shown above has 850s so is later.
Edit: part number 06.3402
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I have it but I don'tt see anything specific to Combat i it.

The only thing I know I'm missing now is something before the 69/70 parts supplement. This has been interesting, especially seeing things like they couldn't make up their mind between Royal and Roman in a few places. Basically, I'm preparing an "authoritative" column, an Also Known as Column, and columns or each model by year (even though Norton didn't really have model years). I'm sure they will be a lot of discussion and I most likely have made mistakes - it ended up being a lot of info and I have even tried to add the side panels yet.

One question I'm trying to figure out is should I present this as one big table, to tie it into my Commando id page separated by years (in other words, click a link to see a year).

Eventually I would like to add a representation of each color but that would take people taking relatively close digital pictures of their attempt at recreating the colors and sending them to me in relatively high resolution.
 
marshg246 said:
One question I'm trying to figure out is should I present this as one big table, to tie it into my Commando id page separated by years (in other words, click a link to see a year).
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I think that would be most useful.
 
marshg246 said:
Thanks! Can you tell me the part number of that book and if you are sure it is for engine numbers from 200000 on.
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It covers steel tanks so it must be after 1971 and it doesn't cover the 850 or the 750 RH5 and RH6 so it must be before 1973. It does not have a publication date, but by deduction it must be from 1972.

Paint Scheme
 
marshg246 said:
I have it but I don'tt see anything specific to Combat i it.
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Check out Group 2 Cylinder, Cylinder Head. It lists black cylinders Combat and silver cylinders Standard. Also separate part numbers for Combat and Standard head.
 
marshg246 said:
Eventually I would like to add a representation of each color but that would take people taking relatively close digital pictures of their attempt at recreating the colors and sending them to me in relatively high resolution.
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That would be a lot of extra work for little benefit. Different monitors show variations in tone and a photocopy of a printed photo will also not be true. i.e. Most photos, printed and digital, of a '59 Bonneville looks like they are Orange and Cream when in reality they are red and gray. I have had Triumph owners ask me why mine is gray rather than white. In addition most original paint jobs have faded from UV exposure.
 
So, Norton and years - what a mess. "72" started at engine 200001 which was later in 71. Dec 9, 1971 they build serial 200623 so I assume the 72's started being built around Oct 71. 063402 shows the 72-style breather so I'm guessing it was released about Oct 71. 065034 covers from serial 212278 on so while I generally consider it to be a 73 parts manual it is hard to tell. It includes 850s and the breather is not the 72-style. The first 850s were built early in 73 (Corrected) (Mar/Apr) - I'm guessing they released 065034 so dealers would have an 850 manual.
 
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marshg246 said:
So, Norton and years - what a mess. "72" started at engine 200001 which was later in 71. Dec 9, 1971 they build serial 200623 so I assume the 72's started being built around Oct 71. 063402 shows the 72-style breather so I'm guessing it was released about Oct 71. 065034 covers from serial 212278 on so while I generally consider it to be a 73 parts manual it is hard to tell. It includes 850s and the breather is not the 72-style. The first 850s were built early in 72 (Mar/Apr) - I'm guessing they released 065034 so dealers would have an 850 manual.
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It was typical that the model year builds began sometime around October of the previous year. I don't know what you mean when you say the 065034 manual does not include the '72 style breather for the 750 crankcase. My copies do.

I believe the first 850's were built in early 1973, not 1972. When I bought my MkV 750 on May 6, 1973 none of the local dealers had received any 850's. Both my MkV 750's were built in November 1972.
 
Ron L said:
It was typical that the model year builds began sometime around October of the previous year. I don't know what you mean when you say the 065034 manual does not include the '72 style breather for the 750 crankcase. My copies do.

I believe the first 850's were built in early 1973, not 1972. When I bought my MkV 750 on May 6, 1973 none of the local dealers had received any 850's. Both my MkV 750's were built in November 1972.
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My '74 MK II was built in Sept 73.
 
Ron L said:
It was typical that the model year builds began sometime around October of the previous year. I don't know what you mean when you say the 065034 manual does not include the '72 style breather for the 750 crankcase. My copies do.

I believe the first 850's were built in early 1973, not 1972. When I bought my MkV 750 on May 6, 1973 none of the local dealers had received any 850's. Both my MkV 750's were built in November 1972.
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Mine don't - too tired to see if missing pages.

Typo corrected - of course it is 73 for the start of 850.
 
marshg246 said:
Yep, see: https://www.gregmarsh.com/MC/Norton/CommandoColors.aspx

I'm sure there are mistakes, missing data, and typos but at least the hard part is done so as people tell me how stupid I am I can make it useful. The CommandoID and Commando Survey pages started off the same and they get LOTs of visitors now and no one has called me stupid over them for a while :)
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You should tie this in another column

Norton Colours and Paints | Norton Owners Club

www.nortonownersclub.org www.nortonownersclub.org
 
gortnipper said:
You should tie this in another column

Norton Colours and Paints | Norton Owners Club

www.nortonownersclub.org www.nortonownersclub.org
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I think Greg's proposal will be more useful - the NOC guide is pretty light on detail for Commandos, and some of the colour matches are a tad suspect - ask me how I know :rolleyes:

on the subject of steel tanks... as I understand it, the '72 models still had fibreglass tanks, and I'm guessing that only the last (Mk5?) 750s had steel tanks - if any at all?
 
Greg.. In your chart there's a typo.. Parts book for 850s and late 750s starts at 212278 not 202278. Maybe I'm not awake yet but what does the F & S mean?
 
batrider said:
Greg.. In your chart there's a typo.. Parts book for 850s and late 750s starts at 212278 not 202278. Maybe I'm not awake yet but what does the F & S mean?
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Thanks - fixed. Not sure why I keep making that mistake :(

I need to add more explanation at the top. F=Fiberglass, S=Steel F&S means in that year they were available both ways.
 
B+Bogus said:
on the subject of steel tanks... as I understand it, the '72 models still had fibreglass tanks, and I'm guessing that only the last (Mk5?) 750s had steel tanks - if any at all?
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Due to you your comment and a couple of others I'm wondering if all tanks were fiberglass from 68 until ? According to the parts manual 063492 there were fiberglass and steel tanks and side covers in late 71 (72 models, I assume).

AFAIK, all 74 and later were steel and I will change the chart once I know that for sure.
 
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