Fireflake blue again

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Nortons Fireflake Blue is a very different color to the AJS Candy Blue bikes of just a few years previously.
The AJS is a deeper blue, and more obviously a translucent blue (over a basecoat silver.)

The plot thickens... ??

Fireflake blue again
 
Ron L said:
Here is some interesting info on laying down metalflake:
http://www.hotrod.com/techarticles/body/hrdp_1007_how_to_spray_mix_metalflake/
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That is of course the modern system of spraying metalflake paint. And how it would be done today.
It was discussed, in a previous thread, that it doesn't appear a clear was used in Nortons Fireflake colors.

When I sprayed a metalflake paint, quite some years back now, the silver flake was mixed in with the blue, and was sprayed over a blue basecoat.
This is how Nortons would have done it ? Obviously, the shades selected considerably change the final product.

Fireflake blue again
 
Ron L said:
I ran across this on eBay.
Fireflake blue again

It is flat blue on the underside (basecoat) but the chipped area shows a silver flake with some of the blue showing through. Then a candy blue (translucent) topcoat over the silver flake.
Click to expand...

That is basically what I found when I stripped my avatar bike, as reported in an earlier thread. It explains why one day the blue may have been a little lighter than on another. The guy in charge of spraying the metal flake would put a little more on. Or the guy who mixed the candy blue would put a little more in. An infinite number of possible combinations. I don't think there is much mystery to it.

Russ
 
BillT said:
Ron L said:
All 1973 models had silver barrels. 750 and 850 alike.
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According to the '73 brochure, the 750 had black barrels
http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Brochures/1970/1973NortonLineUp.pdf

I've seen wrong stuff in brochures before, but the pics in this one are definitely short-stroke 750s (850-style through bolts)
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I certainly remember the '73 models having silver barrels.

The short-stroke 750 competition engines may have had black barrels as shown in the '73 850 brochure, but, as yet, there's little or no evidence to suggest that any short-stroke road models ever existed in any great numbers-if at all, so they are not 'typical' for that year.

The majority of '73 750 models did have silver barrels, however there may have been the odd exception.

Page from a 1973 750 brochure:
Fireflake blue again
 
rvich said:
That is basically what I found when I stripped my avatar bike, as reported in an earlier thread. It explains why one day the blue may have been a little lighter than on another. The guy in charge of spraying the metal flake would put a little more on. Or the guy who mixed the candy blue would put a little more in. An infinite number of possible combinations. I don't think there is much mystery to it.

Russ
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The mystery is that there is still no firm paint codes to mix up and paint a fireflake blue Norton. ?

If you own a triumph, paint in cans is waiting at your dealer.
If you own a kawasaki, all the info is there to do it right.
If you own a Honda, candy paints are available
If you own a fireflake blue Norton, there is NOTHING* to help you.

And not even any agreement here on how it was done, let alone paint codes....

P.S. LAB, you leading this thread off track with silver cylinders. ??!
Good correction though....

PPS *Apologies to Brent, looks like, in the right part of the world, he does a mean fireflake blue.
 
The customer picked up his 850 today, so while it was outside and the sun was shining I snapped one last picture. He said when he gets it all finished he will ride it down so I can check out the tank too.

Fireflake blue again
 
I think thats definately incorrect , as it has 105 flakes per Sq. in rather than 103 flakes per Sq. in . :wink: :p . How many coats of clear ? getts the depth .
 
72westie said:
The customer picked up his 850 today, so while it was outside and the sun was shining I snapped one last picture. He said when he gets it all finished he will ride it down so I can check out the tank too.
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Any chance of getting a pic on the inside of a sidecover - for the shade of the basecoat used (assuming it is still unflaked).
The shade of the basecoat greatly affects the final color.
The battery side sidecover comes off with just a turn of the dzus fastener. (and whatever a clever rider then uses to lock it there)

Maybe we should ask Matt what he does with those 2 flakes per sq in he's been squirrelling away all these years ?
May explain a lot....
 
Thats my sidecover !

Was not quite impressed with the color match it gave.

While I obtained it as a 'NOS' , I rather suspect it has been refinished at some point in its life.
The box it came in was marked as "Blue Steel", which is spelled quite differently to Fireflake Blue.
And it has quite a heavy coat of orange-peel effect (and slight yellowish) clear coat on it.
The clearcoat is also quite tough and hard - epoxy ? - which is probably good. But modern....

But maybe thats as good as it gets for matching fireflake blue these days ??
 
Well....

I can assure you this was a Factory Fiberglass Fireflake Blue that came off a 1973 850 Commando.
I can also assure you that is a silver pinstripe, photos sometimes have a funny effect.
I have had this and the original tank on the shelf for years.
The Tank is on ebay now if anyone is interested in giving it a once over.

Thanks,
Mike
 
The bike left about ten minutes after that picture was taking. He did the tank had some thick paint on it. When he brings it by this summer, I will snag a picture of the inside of the cover and the tank too
 
I can assure you this was a Factory Fiberglass Fireflake Blue that came off a 1973 850 Commando.
Click to expand...

Sorry, but factory fiberglass on a '73 850??? :shock:

When I bought my '73 750 (new in May 1973), all the sidecovers I saw were steel. I recall one dealer making a big pitch that they no longer had fiberglass tanks and sidecovers. And in May '73 the 850's were not in dealer showrooms in my area, so by the time they arrived I would expect all the leftover fiberglass covers in the factory would gone.

I'm not saying your cover was not a factory cover, but it is doubtful a '73 850 came from the showroom wearing it. Also a number of reproduction sidecovers have been made in fiberglass over the years, so.......just sayin' :?
 
It was purchased by my Uncle new, whom I purchased it from years ago. I pulled them off the bike
and replaced with steel in the 80's. This cover was the Original to the bike.

Mike
 
The matching tank you have on ebay has blue paint in the filler area, and the big Norton decal that was only on Interstates, so the tank has been refinished at some point in time ?, thats not how they came ex-factory for Roadsters in 1973.... ??
 
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