What Specs for Roman Purple Colour?

Lorenzo · Mar 8, 2014

I am wondering in what years the roman purple colour was produced for the roadsters and what are the styles/colours of decals it used to have on it..

I have seen the roman purple both with the plain golden decals and with the golden/black striped decals, but I am not sure if both were original..

unfortunately I could not find any original brochure documenting the roman purple colour..

Thanks for helping!

Matt Spencer · Mar 9, 2014

Theres no Green ones Either ;

Try Search on Google , theres a few here ( A. N. ) the resprayed one might know the colour .

Matt Spencer · Mar 9, 2014

new-1970-750-roadster-t9976-60.html

pictures-your-norton-commandos-t6210-405.html

Purple FIREFLAKE , we're told .

Remembering Metalic Paint , and METAL FLAKE PAINT are not the same thing at all , though similar .

http://www.ebay.com/itm/norton-commando ... 7675.l2557

:cry: :x :shock: :mrgreen:

Matt Spencer · Mar 9, 2014

rubbed back a f Glass fireflake / Blue tank , in a past life . it had FLAKES of Silver in it , :wink: Metal flake Blue .

Phycedelic Man .

Farr outt .

B+Bogus · Mar 9, 2014

Quite so - sand down any metalflake and you get silver, as that's the underlying colour of the flakes.
The reason it's a royal pain in the **** to do the job - break through to the flakes and start again :roll:

79x100 · Mar 9, 2014

The parts list for 1970 includes the Fireflake Roman Purple fuel tank and panels and only shows two types of decal - 062021 - Decal "Norton" Gold/Black Edge and 062022 - Decal "Norton" All Black.

The 1972 (including Combat) list shows :- 062021 - Decal "Norton" Gold/Black Edge - 062022 Decal "Norton" All Black and 063179 - Decal "Norton" Silver/Black Edge.

Both these books include the Roman Purple option.

I don't have a book for 1971. If the lists are to be believed therefore, the black edged variation is correct.

Good Luck with the paint job. A real 'Spirit of the Seventies' colour scheme.

L.A.B. · Mar 9, 2014

79x100 said:
I don't have a book for 1971.

http://www.bigdcycle.com/book%20project ... index.html

http://www.bigdcycle.com/books.html

79x100 · Mar 9, 2014

Thanks L.A.B. The implication then is that the first appearance of the single colour gold decals was in the 1973 750 / 850 joint parts list ?

Lorenzo · Mar 9, 2014

what do you think is the last year the roman purple was produced/available?
1971? 1972? 1973?

I guess according the year the style of the decals changed?

79x100 · Mar 9, 2014

It wasn't listed for 1973 so presumably it wasn't the intention to offer any after 1972. The 750 Roadster options for 1973 were Black, Yellow and Fireflake Blue.

Lorenzo · Mar 9, 2014

Thank you..
do you think the very last ones offered in 1972 would have a plain golden decal with no outline?

79x100 said:
It wasn't listed for 1973 so presumably it wasn't the intention to offer any after 1972. The 750 Roadster options for 1973 were Black, Yellow and Fireflake Blue.

ILLF8ED · Mar 9, 2014

The original gold decal for '72 had a black surround. At least that's how the two I've owned came.

PeterJoe · Mar 10, 2014

The green Norton in the sales brochure that Matt posted has a weird looking exhaust system. I don't think that the exhaust pipe sweeps up and covers the brake pedal pivot on the real motorcycle. At least it doesn't on my bike. I am thinking there is a bit of airbrush artistry going on there. Makes you wonder what else has been airbrushed on this photograph. I don't think that these sales brochures are to be 100% trusted as far as originality is concerned.

Reggie · Mar 10, 2014

I took a close up photo of a "roman purple" at the 2012 international rally.

Reggie · Mar 10, 2014

Here's a picture of the bike. It belonged to an English woman if I recall correctly.

The woman with her back to you is my wife and not the owner of the bike.

B+Bogus · Mar 11, 2014

Reggie said:
I took a close up photo of a "roman purple" at the 2012 international rally.

Looks like someone was being a bit miserly with the flakes - there's more basecoat than flake showing

OK for a custom car, I suppose.

Having looked at a few original fireflake bits (but not purple, yet), the base colour isn't visible under the flakes, which were put on to give full coverage. They were of a finer grain than those available today, so easier to get full coverage, and it still produces that 'Space Cadet' glow

Strawberry Fields, etc.....

Rohan · Mar 11, 2014

The Norton Colour Charts make it look like the flake was of a reasonable size ?
And fairly dense !!
Note the ruler for a scale there.

It was suggested here previously that the flakes may actually have been coloured.
Rather than silver flakes, with a coloured transparent topcoat (??).
(There may be differences between fiberglass and painted versions here ?)

B+Bogus · Mar 11, 2014

Rohan said:
The Norton Colour Charts make it look like the flake was of a reasonable size ?
And fairly dense !!
Note the ruler for a scale there.

It was suggested here previously that the flakes may actually have been coloured.
Rather than silver flakes, with a coloured transparent topcoat (??).
(There may be differences between fiberglass and painted versions here ?)

The blue flakes I use are 1/64", and *possibly* a shade larger than the originals. When you see proper blingy large flakes in the flesh you'll notice the difference immediately!
Some of the flakes could well be bigger than the others, but the Golden Bronze and Royal Blue I've seen on NOS panels is 1/64" or smaller

The panels on the left are both original NOS - never been on a bike - note the slightly pebbly finish due to the underlying flakes. The one on the right is off my 850.

From my own observations I'd agree that the flakes on your chart are all self-coloured - but the flakes are still aluminium underneath, hence why they need to be well buried under clearcoat before attacking with the polishing mop.
The silver flake was embedded in the gelcoat, and the red flake (e.g. early 2-tone Fastback) was candy red over silver - photos of faded-out barn finds would confirm this. I suspect, but can't be certain that the 'R' and 'S' metalflake reds would have been done the same way.
Sanding down silver flakes is fine as long as they're clearcoated afterwards.

Wish I had that colour swatch! :mrgreen:

Lorenzo · Mar 11, 2014

.. still wondering what kind of decals were on the latest roman purple tanks in '72..

B+Bogus · Mar 11, 2014

Lorenzo said:
.. still wondering what kind of decals were on the latest roman purple tanks in '72..

Can't be certain on what's 'correct', but I would favour 2-colour, i.e. gold with black lining - seems to be consistent for other metalflake bikes.

IMHO 2-colour looks better, and if we seem to go a little off-topic, it's because we like doing it :mrgreen:

What Specs for Roman Purple Colour?

Lorenzo

Matt Spencer

Matt Spencer

Matt Spencer

B+Bogus

79x100

L.A.B.

Moderator

79x100

Lorenzo

79x100

Lorenzo

ILLF8ED

PeterJoe

Reggie

Reggie

B+Bogus

Rohan

B+Bogus

Lorenzo

B+Bogus

Similar threads