1973 Roadster tank graphics

This thread is because I want my Norton to look as it did when it rolled off the assemmbly line.

I bought it in 1975 and the previous owner had gone touring on it so had taken it back to his dealership to have an Interstate Tank and Seat fitted which it had when I bought it. Where the roadster tank went, I know not, but it did not come with the bike. The bike was manufactured in 1972, a 750, with the lockheed disc as an optional extra and was first registered in 1973. Engine and frame number 2005xx

I have just purchased a 'Made in India' steel roadster tank which is pretty good and I went to a specialist in painting classic motorcycle tanks. He said there were a number of designs depending on the batch. There was a solid line in a D around the Norton on each side of the tank, there were two lines from the bottom around the Norton, one fatter than the other, and then tapered out and there was the same twin limes around the Norton that came all the way back to the seat and then went across the back of the tank infront of the seat where they joined as one continuous line.

Hmm ! but what was on that original tank that I have never seen ? :?:

Have had a '73 850 since new. I'm thinking that the two line configuration was exclusive to the 850's (?). Not that it matters.....

Engie said:

I have just purchased a 'Made in India' steel roadster tank which is pretty good and I went to a specialist in painting classic motorcycle tanks. He said there were a number of designs depending on the batch. There was a solid line in a D around the Norton on each side of the tank, there were two lines from the bottom around the Norton, one fatter than the other, and then tapered out and there was the same twin limes around the Norton that came all the way back to the seat and then went across the back of the tank infront of the seat where they joined as one continuous line.

Click to expand...

I think your painter is a little confused?

The gold 'D' on a black tank would be correct for a 1971-'73 Roadster, and the '72-'73 750 Interstate black or blue tanks would have a single thick stripe (gold on black and silver on blue) which followed the tank contour, the red Interstate tank had no stripe. Other 750 Roadster tank colour options had no pinstripes, Only the 850 models introduced in 1973 had double stripe designs althought it's not uncommon to see 750 models with 850 style pinstripes these days. :roll:


http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Broch ... ochure.pdf
http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/A_Lin ... ndo-Ad.pdf
http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/A_Lin ... ate-Ad.pdf

The Roadster colour options for 1972 were:

Fireflake Royal Blue
Solid Canary Yellow
Solid Signal Red
Black with Gold lining
Solid Signal Orange
Fireflake Golden Bronze
Fireflake Roman Purple

As L.A.B. says, as it's a 750, unless you're painting it Velocette colours then there is no lining needed !

Wow ! thanks LAB, I can now get it correct. And thanks 850cmndo, the interstate tank fitted to my bike in 1975 when I bought my bike had two parallel pinstripe lines so it was an 850 tank that the dealer had fitted, or perhaps if you walked into a Norton dealer in 1974 and asked for an interstate tank then it was twin pinstripes that you got whether it was for a 750 or 850.

Hmmm but the pinstriping on the blue roadster in this thread :-

norton-graphics-t11067.html


when converted to gold on black, methinks looks the best. :wink:

Engie said:

Hmmm but the pinstriping on the blue roadster in this thread :-

norton-graphics-t11067.html


when converted to gold on black, methinks looks the best. :wink:

Click to expand...

It's your bike-so it's up to you, just make sure the painter knows exactly which side cover is left and which is right if you get him to do the pinstripes on the panels, because painters have been known to get them mixed up-so they've painted the single stripe down the rear edge of the panel instead of the front. :roll:

http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Broch ... chures.htm
http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/A_Link/Norton_A.htm

Engie said:

This thread is because I want my Norton to look as it did when it rolled off the assembly line.

Click to expand...

If you are going to paint it with twin pinstripes, then just to repeat that this is an 850 pattern, not at all like a 750 "when it rolled off the assembly line".

Hopethishelps.

Thanks