1973 850 Mark I Seat Logo Color

I'm getting ready to order a new seat from Old Britts and am a little confused about the Norton logo on the rear. The very faded logo on the original seat, that is currently on the bike appears to be a gold stencil, but the tins are painted candy red with silver Norton logo and pin-striping. The tins were the original paint (they were recently repainted the same color by The Vintage Vendor) and I'm in a slight quandary as to order a new seat with the gold logo or the silver logo. Or is this another Norton factory assembly choice ie; "let's put on whatever the the next seat that is on the conveyor belt" ?

I would presume that a gold seat logo would go on a black bike w/gold stripes and a silver seat logo on a red bike w/silver stripes etc. Does anybody have any knowledge or thoughts on this?

Thanks,

All the drawings we have for seats (we have some, but not all) specify golden Logos, so all seats we now supply- unless a dealer states otherwise, and we specifically get those made for him- are golden logo, chrome trim.

I suspect the "silver logo" seats were gold logoed ones originally where the logo lost the pigment. Plus for many years certain dealers- and seat manufacturers- offered seats with silver logos, so the "original seat with silver logo" could well be a reproduction that was fitted many years ago. I fitted the first replacement seat to my Mk3 in 1979, two years after I bought the bike new, because after about 30.000miles the seat foam was pressed flat and I sat on the seatpan- very uncomfortable.

Joe/Andover Norton

ZFD said:

All the drawings we have for seats (we have some, but not all) specify golden Logos, so all seats we now supply- unless a dealer states otherwise, and we specifically get those made for him- are golden logo, chrome trim.

Joe/Andover Norton

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Joe,

Thanks for that information and coming from you that means a lot to me....

Gold it is then!

Ray

Just out of curiousity, have you managed to source a basket weave seat cover pattern on a new seat ? This was as specified for the 1973 850 models, at least (and 750 models ?) and seems to be rather uncommon these days ?? Cheers.

Rohan said:

Just out of curiousity, have you managed to source a basket weave seat cover pattern on a new seat ? This was as specified for the 1973 850 models, at least (and 750 models ?) and seems to be rather uncommon these days ?? Cheers.

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Old Britts has them http://www.oldbritts.com/ob_start.html Look in catagory 1973-1974 and then in Group Description #26 and the PN# IS 063676.

Also the cover is available from Andover Norton and their distributors #063676/C

Ray

For what do I put the service/part information up on the Andover Norton homepage? Sigh! See http://www.andover-norton.co.uk/SI%20seats.htm
Joe S.

I purchased my 1973 850 Roadster Mk 1 new from a Norton dealer. It was candy apple red with silver trim and a silver Norton logo on the basket weave seat. I still have it and am doing a complete frame up restoration. I found a period correct replacement basket weave seat cover with the silver logo from Steadfast Cycles. Back in the day, the only gold logo I remember seeing was on the black Nortons with gold trim.
Phil

pnlgoforth said:

I purchased my 1973 850 Roadster Mk 1 new from a Norton dealer. It was candy apple red with silver trim and a silver Norton logo on the basket weave seat. I still have it and am doing a complete frame up restoration. I found a period correct replacement basket weave seat cover with the silver logo from Steadfast Cycles. Back in the day, the only gold logo I remember seeing was on the black Nortons with gold trim.
Phil

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My metallic blue '73 750 Roadster came with black trimmed gold tank and side cover decals as well as a gold logo on the seat. The other '73 750 I picked up years ago no longer had the original paint or decals, but did have a gold seat logo. Oddly, I have never seen a metallic blue '73 850 with anything but solid silver decals and a silver seat logo.

I have also found that most basketweave seat covers in dealer's stock have the silver logo. I'd like to find a basketweave Interstate cover with a gold logo for another project. Glad to know that AN is now supplying them.

If the pinstripe and emblems are silver, the seat would be too. That's how my red 74 came from Norton.

The original "Norton" logo on the seat was a brownish yellow color. Not at all metallic. Not likely you will find an aftermarket replacement cover to match. Therefore it's entirely up to you what to use. The '73 seat part was the basket weave pattern on either 750 or 850. The '72 replacement covers were not to my taste as too far from original. Found an original cover in very good condition years ago.

Does anyone know where to get gold paint for the seat logo? I know Colorbond has it but you have to order a minimum of 2 cans and I don't really want to spend $40 for a few squirts.

Try an art and craft store, should have a vinyl compatible paint to suit in just the volume you need