'70 Roadster Fireflake Roman Purple - decal colours

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B+Bogus

B+Bogus

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Looking for some help from the Community!

I'm working on a November '70 Purple Roadster and I'm not sure which decals are correct.
It's a 140XXX VIN, so has the later type oil tank and headlight brackets and the ignition lock on the air filter bracket.
The decals are either black with gold edging, like the first Roadsters - or gold with black edging...

The sales brochures aren't much help

If anyone has any photos of unrestored bikes I'd really like to see them!
 
I'm exactly where you are with my tank & side covers at the spray shop as i type.
I posted the very same question, and for me without doubt I'll be having installed Gold lettering with Black border
I have ordered these & plain black from AN and will offer them up to the tank before there lacquered... just in case i change my mind
 
olympus said:
I'm exactly where you are with my tank & side covers at the spray shop as i type.
I posted the very same question, and for me without doubt I'll be having installed Gold lettering with Black border
I have ordered these & plain black from AN and will offer them up to the tank before there lacquered... just in case i change my mind
Click to expand...
PM replied to :)

I'm edging towards Black tank logos with a gold border based on the limited period photos I've seen.
I'm reasonably confident the side panels are gold with black lettering. This combination certainly existed for the first Roadsters.

For '72 I'm fairly confident everything was gold with black edging - I have a FF Blue Combat identical to the brochure bike as per my recent response to your post, yet I've seen a photo posted here a few years back which shows a '72 with a disc brake and purple tank.
It's a frustratingly blurry shot, but the decal looks like it's black with a gold border. The sidepanel is obscured by the rider.
I found photos of a Combat in a US for sale listing with black decals and a gold outline - no sidepanels on that one either!

1972 Norton Combat Commando for sale on 2040-motos (2040-motos.com)
 
I had a 1970 Roadster that was purple fire flake. The side covers logos were definitely black with gold borders.
 
Here is the look
this tank was done by Brent Budgor
 

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NickZ said:
I had a 1970 Roadster that was purple fire flake. The side covers logos were definitely black with gold borders.
Click to expand...
Did your bike have the slab-sided panels with the ignition lock in the LH Panel?
All the photos I've seen so far of the early ham can oil tank bikes have 'COMMANDO 750' in black-outlined gold, but the 'ROADSTER' in black script with a gold outline, just to add to the confusion.
 
B+Bogus said:
Did your bike have the slab-sided panels with the ignition lock in the LH Panel?
All the photos I've seen so far of the early ham can oil tank bikes have 'COMMANDO 750' in black-outlined gold, but the 'ROADSTER' in black script with a gold outline, just to add to the confusion.
Click to expand...
Yes, it had the earlier side panels with the ignition switch coming thru the left panel. Yours, with a 140XXX VIN, later type oil tank, headlight brackets and the ignition lock on the air filter bracket appears to be what most call a 1971 model even though it may have been built in November 1970. I don't know if they would have changed the trimming of the purple paint scheme as well when they went to the newer version of the Roadster in late 1970 - early 1971.
 
It's been a long time... about 50 years, but I seem to recall the flakes being larger than what I see on those side covers.
 
I thought the flakes were larger as well .
hereare some origional side covers I have in purple
and will show some I have in blue
 

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Do to machining delays I have not got my tank and covers to Brent budget yet.
I thought all along I wanted the purple but now I am leaning towards the fireflake emerald green .
 
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