1968 Commando Green

Hi everyone hope we are all keeping well

Just getting ready to paint my steel tank I got for my 1968 Commando, Was wondering if anyone has a good paint code that matches the original gel coat colour? Not sure if mines been painted to light or not originally so going to get some spray out's and compare to my tail unit.

I'd heard Forrest green mentioned but wasn't sure if that was the 69 Colour or not.

Thanks in advance,

norton_rider said:

Hi everyone hope we are all keeping well

Just getting ready to paint my steel tank I got for my 1968 Commando, Was wondering if anyone has a good paint code that matches the original gel coat colour? Not sure if mines been painted to light or not originally so going to get some spray out's and compare to my tail unit.

I'd heard Forrest green mentioned but wasn't sure if that was the 69 Colour or not.

Thanks in advance,

Click to expand...

Hi
Sorry I can't help with your paint colour
But I was wondering what steel tank you bought?
I'm assuming a fastback? Made in India?

Yep I got it years ago the roundel shape is wrong unfortunately not concaved in the recess the top profile of the tank is right and the front studs are a bit to short. Overall not bad though I'll take some pics over the weekend, need to pressure test it as well somehow.

baz said:

Hi
Sorry I can't help with your paint colour
But I was wondering what steel tank you bought?
I'm assuming a fastback? Made in India?

Click to expand...

I have a New Zealand NOC newsletter from a few years ago and they state that Forrest Green = Rover Cameron Green B266. Hope this helps.
They have a number of other colour equivilents for other models as well.
Brett

norton_rider said:

Yep I got it years ago the roundel shape is wrong unfortunately not concaved in the recess the top profile of the tank is right and the front studs are a bit to short. Overall not bad though I'll take some pics over the weekend, need to pressure test it as well somehow.

Click to expand...

When you pressure test it don't go above 4 psi
I once put 18psi in a BSA A10 tank that I'd just put a new bottom in
It spread outwards and creased the top of the tank
When I test these days I block the filler cap
Usually with cling film or a sandwich bag over the filler neck then close the cap
I fit the taps , keep one tap closed and fit a pipe to the other one
Then with the tap open I blow the tank up with my mouth and turn the tap off
Then I push it down in tank of water looking for any bubbles
Then if everything is ok you open the tap and hear the air rush out
I have used this method many times

baz said:

When you pressure test it don't go above 4 psi
I once put 18psi in a BSA A10 tank that I'd just put a new bottom in
It spread outwards and creased the top of the tank
When I test these days I block the filler cap
Usually with cling film or a sandwich bag over the filler neck then close the cap
I fit the taps , keep one tap closed and fit a pipe to the other one
Then with the tap open I blow the tank up with my mouth and turn the tap off
Then I push it down in tank of water looking for any bubbles
Then if everything is ok you open the tap and hear the air rush out
I have used this method many times

Click to expand...

My method is a little different and last time clearly showed a leak.

Bonneville tank "tested" by my old painter before painting. Beautiful new paint job. Didn't use it right away. Had some surface rust inside from sitting around plus some dust. Washed it out well in the kitchen sink, set it on the counter with the petcocks over the sink, closed the petcocks and filled it to the brim with EvapoRust. Then I went to do other things. When I went back into the kitchen, there was EvapoRust EVERYWHERE! Cleaned up, packed the tank for shipping, and sent it off to my current painter to be fixed and repainted!

Even at my old age, I'm still learning - trusting people to do what you pay them for is a bad idea

I think I like your way of detecting leaks better!

what you must do is paint the tail fairing atthe same time- a painted and an impregnated surface willnot match evenif same color for the light reflects differently... nb it is forest green

baz said:

When you pressure test it don't go above 4 psi
I once put 18psi in a BSA A10 tank that I'd just put a new bottom in
It spread outwards and creased the top of the tank

Click to expand...

Don't remind me.
The whats up with that stud spacing thread.
I had been tempted to make some form of turnbuckle tool but that might have made things worse or cracked the paint.

Thanks everyone massive help as always, was always thinking it was a bit to light colour wise.

That absolutely sucks Marsh an Baz couldn't think of anything worse.

Has anyone got any in period pics of 68s in green always been curious about that as I've hardly seen any or any pics of original unfinished parts (know it's hard to judge on pics but be cool to see)

Ordering some Cameron Green in the morning to do some spray outs

Caveat: I've never painted a plain green Norton...
However, as it's a gelcoat colour, I'd suggest it will be a RAL colour, either 6001 Emerald Green or 6002 Leaf Green.
I have the RAL 6002 Leaf Green for a Ducati 750 F1, so if you Google it should be easy to visualise.
I'd say it looks good, but without a sample of the fibreglass I can't possibly comment further!

Thanks Bogus lots more research needed that's interesting on the ral colours.

The only mention I can find in any books is in the Commando one which mentions a sobre dark green for the 68'

norton_rider said:

Thanks Bogus lots more research needed that's interesting on the ral colours.

The only mention I can find in any books is in the Commando one which mentions a sobre dark green for the 68'

Click to expand...

Matching bike colours to car colours is a fool's errand in my humble opinion.
The marketing department can come up with a name, but it's meaningless, especially with fibreglass colours which are limited to available gelcoat colours.
I believe the gelcoat colours were originally to British Standard 381C - Brunswick Green BS226 looks to be the likely candidate - I've also seen it referenced as British Racing Green.
RAL colours are far more common now and more easily recognised by paint suppliers.

Do you have a sample of original fibreglass? Any competent paintshop would quickly get to the right shade, and some will make up an aerosol can if you don't have the facilities for spraying.

I am with @B+Bogus on the Gel coats, late 60's to early 70's it would have been a BS 381C colour used. Today UK Gel coats are mainly RAL numbers, a German standard.

The Rover Cameron Green comes from the NOC but for the ES2 and Model 50


Forest Green ES2 and Model 50 Rover Cameron Green B266 or Vauxhall Laurel 4635

So someone looks to have just carried it across to the Commando

Thanks guys really appreciate it on the original Norton parts lists it was just listed as green got a look at one today thanks to Ashley at Andover who shared it with me
I didn't think about that with the GelCoat's that's a really good point.

I do like the look of the Brunswick colours I'll grab a tin of the mid n deep this week or go an get a look at a colour guide if possible

The BS colours will narrow it down a bit I'll have to do some more reading up on GelCoat as I'm not overly familiar with it

Pictures for those that asked about the Indian tank I got the badge holes are recessed which is a real shame as it stares you in the face but not curved front studs are a bit to short but will do the profile of the top of the tank is nice though, seat, fuel cap and, petrol taps all fit with no messing so thats good.

Guess it's the case of making the best of whats available

Got some great info today regarding colour from Gaz at Norvil was sorting a few bits out for the flat tanker and he called his supplier for me who currently makes 68 tail units the same one that made them for Norton the guys now in his 90s but confirmed that they have only used the one shade n it's British Racing Green.

Know there's a fair few versions of BRG so probably gonna try dark Brunswick Green for now which looks similar ish and then when I'm in the position buy one of the tail units from Norvil. Great bit of info though which ties in with what my dads eldest bro said last night who had a 68 New when they very first came out.

N I saw a 71 Norton colour guide that mentioned BRG although it as very low res on here.

I reckon who ever sprayed mine at some point used the light Brunswick green which is totally wrong.

I did see an old mix from Google but obviously don't know how accurate it is

Imperial Chemical Industries, Belco Car Finishes, Colour Mixing Book 1953, as used on Jowett Cars 1948-1953

• British Racing Green, Code 284-8120: Light Brunswick Green 71%, Middle Brunswick Green 19%, White 7%, Black 3%.
• Connaught Green, Code 284 - 97: Deep Brunswick Green 40%, Light Brunswick green 32%, Black 28%, Yellow Oxide Trace%.

Is a great reference picture part way down on the news page on the Norvil site obviously this depends very much on monitor calibration room light etc light when photographed *switches print brain off* but is handy as a guide.

Page 99

Thanks Lab that's interesting I keep hoping I'll come across a colour pic of the press bike as that was a green one.

Even the gel coat colours did not always match frombatch to batch.. you might if you arelucky find a brg longdistance tank... these defintely were sprayed by the factory .perhaps someone has one and will take a flake off for you toget it analysed and a batch ofpaint made up.... my avon fairing was orig red and ihad alot of grief getting a paint to match the tank... a body paint shop did the honours but whenthe bike was rear ended i found i couldnot get a gel coated fastback to match the gelcoated tank. You might get info from the successors to Avon... who used to supply a brg gel coat that matched the norton originals.

Thanks Mike that's really interesting yep I guess there's gonna be a little bit of leeway a bit like the WD bikes quite a few shades of SCC2 when all the bikes are parked together dependant on batch of paint etc, I'm gonna redo my tail at the same time I do the tank so it's all done under the same conditions wont be perfect as I haven't got a spray booth I'd love to have a go in one, one day. I'll do some digging do you know what the company are called that replaced Avon for the fairings?

Only problem with existing paint is UV damage etc. Gonna try get some paint samples from HMG this week.

Just reading this really good article