1974 Commando Paint - Blue

Dave Swanson · Jan 18, 2020

I am trying to find out what a genuine blue Commando color looks like. I don't believe it should have the large metal flake job that the fiberglass tank Commandos had.

My bike was delivered as a blue bike, but was painted black by the prior owner (I am the third owner).

I have the original tax book stating it was a blue bike. It was purchased by a GI while stationed in England. He purchased it at Elite Motors and I have every shred of paperwork that came with the bike.

Although the bike looks good in black I want to bring it back to it's original color and need help finding a good supplier of the blue, or a reference to the paint code. One of the reasons I don't feel bad having it re-painted is that my tank re-paint was not that well done.

Any help would be appreciated.

maylar · Jan 18, 2020

There have been discussions about that before... here's one

https://www.accessnorton.com/Norton...mando-factory-paint-sticker-color-list.20319/

Dave Swanson · Jan 18, 2020

Thanks much Dave.

Torontonian · Jan 18, 2020

Pacific Blue rocks.

Scout63 · Jan 18, 2020

1972 original tank and side cover. Sort of a flat not so dark blue.

I found it hard to duplicate the fiberglass color on a steel tank.

Time Warp · Jan 18, 2020

This thread was devoted to fire flake blue.

http://www.britbike.com/forums/ubbthreads.php/topics/726619/850-fireflake-blue

Would you be able to tell what the month/year date is on your steering head tag please.

Your number is very close to my 311032 bike (Dec73 tag)
Is it odd that the registration date on the papers is June 1974 (but the receipt is the month before, pay and wait ?) so the tag date might be interesting.
They also used the stamped number in the frame (beside the riveted plate) as the chassis number (mine being 105226)

Torontonian · Jan 18, 2020

My wife says it's plain Blue. Nothing exciting about it .
She is a painter so she likes colours that are exciting. Well you asked.

Danno · Jan 19, 2020

Can't remember ever seeing that dark blue on a Roadster. Not sure if they were still using flake, but I recall seeing metal-tanked Roadsters in the same shade as the Fireflake Royal Blue only with metallic (fine) sparklies. Here's mine;

Perhaps half a shade lighter than original.

maylar · Jan 19, 2020

there is a picture of a blue roadster on the 1973 Superplus poster. I have one on my wall, this is as best my camera will do...

joe czech · Jan 19, 2020

Danno said:
Can't remember ever seeing that dark blue on a Roadster. Not sure if they were still using flake, but I recall seeing metal-tanked Roadsters in the same shade as the Fireflake Royal Blue only with metallic (fine) sparklies. Here's mine;

Perhaps half a shade lighter than original.

had a friend stop by the house Friday - he has an original paint, 73 roadster in that blue metal flake. the flake is large as in the above photo.

oldbeezer · Jan 19, 2020

I bought a '74 (ser # 316xxx) that I believe had the original blue paint. It is pretty rough so I don't know if it will help but here it is:

ILLF8ED · Jan 19, 2020

Google search for 1974 blue Norton Commando. This year the blue was lighter than previous and metallic, not metal flake.

B+Bogus · Jan 19, 2020

AFAIK The Roadsters were Fireflake Royal Blue, Interstates were Pacific Blue - lots of prior discussions as posted above - I believe it would have left the factory looking a lot like this?

IMG_0376 by Andy Mortimer, on Flickr

Danno · Jan 19, 2020

illf8ed said:
Google search for 1974 blue Norton Commando. This year the blue was lighter than previous and metallic, not metal flake.

That's what I was referring to. Pretty much the same color only powdered metal rather than chips.

Danno · Jan 19, 2020

B+Bogus said:
AFAIK The Roadsters were Fireflake Royal Blue, Interstates were Pacific Blue - lots of prior discussions as posted above - I believe it would have left the factory looking a lot like this?

IMG_0376 by Andy Mortimer, on Flickr

Pretty sure that's a repaint. Not sure at all about the shade of blue compared to original. Joe, maybe you can get some pics up of your buddy's bike to compare?

Danno · Jan 19, 2020

joe czech said:
had a friend stop by the house Friday - he has an original paint, 73 roadster in that blue metal flake. the flake is large as in the above photo.

750 or 850? Pretty sure all '73's were steel tanked.

B+Bogus · Jan 25, 2020

Danno said:
Pretty sure that's a repaint. Not sure at all about the shade of blue compared to original. Joe, maybe you can get some pics up of your buddy's bike to compare?

Yes it's a repaint which I did. There's an old thread where it was photographed with a chip from an original alongside. I wouldn't presume to claim it was the right colour if it wasn't.

Compared to an earlier original NOS original sidepanel...

IMG_1288 by Andy Mortimer, on Flickr

Onder · Jan 25, 2020

It has been said before that all colours were a bit variable depending on who mixed the paint and who shot it. A photo is really tough as both film
and digi show colours differently as does each camera or brand. What light you see the colour in matters too.

Danno · Jan 25, 2020

B+Bogus said:
Yes it's a repaint which I did. There's an old thread where it was photographed with a chip from an original alongside. I wouldn't presume to claim it was the right colour if it wasn't.

Compared to an earlier original NOS original sidepanel...

IMG_1288 by Andy Mortimer, on Flickr

Nice work. Yours is closer to the original Fireflake Royal Blue color than mine.

maylar · Jan 25, 2020

Onder said:
A photo is really tough as both film
and digi show colours differently as does each camera or brand. What light you see the colour in matters too.

Yup. This is purple. Cannon S30 camera thinks otherwise...

1974 Commando Paint - Blue

Dave Swanson

maylar

Dave Swanson

Torontonian

Scout63

Time Warp

.......back to the 70's.

Torontonian

Danno

maylar

joe czech

oldbeezer

ILLF8ED

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