IIa colours

oxford chris · Nov 14, 2014

I've just bought a 1975 850 Mk IIA does anyone know what colours this was available in.
It's been re-sprayed in blue but needs to be professionally re done and I want to make sure the colour I choose was actually available for this model.
Thanks,
Chris

L.A.B. · Nov 14, 2014

2A Roadster, Interstate, Hi-Rider?

Fast Eddie · Nov 14, 2014

Chris, if its a Roadster, do the decent thing and paint it in the red,white,blue (so called) JPS colours, this may or may not be correct, but its cool!

Is the 'Oxford' in your name related to where you're based? And If so, is it Oxford Emgland?

OldBalz · Nov 14, 2014

Fast Eddie said:
Chris, if its a Roadster, do the decent thing and paint it in the red,white,blue (so called) JPS colours, this may or may not be correct, but its cool!

Well. I don't believe that everyone here may agree with your mandate.....I for one do not. I'm not going to criticise someones choice of color for a MK II. There are a lot of hues that go nicely on a Commando and it also depends on whether the OP wants to stay with "correct" color schemes for that year or try something different.....

concours · Nov 14, 2014

OldBalz said:
Fast Eddie said:

Chris, if its a Roadster, do the decent thing and paint it in the red,white,blue (so called) JPS colours, this may or may not be correct, but its cool!

Click to expand...

Well. I don't believe that everyone here may agree with your mandate.....I for one do not. I'm not going to criticise someones choice of color for a MK II. There are a lot of hues that go nicely on a Commando and it also depends on whether the OP wants to stay with "correct" color schemes for that year or try something different.....

I think that was the OP's question.

Welcome Chris :mrgreen:

Fast Eddie · Nov 14, 2014

concours said:
OldBalz said:

Fast Eddie said:

Chris, if its a Roadster, do the decent thing and paint it in the red,white,blue (so called) JPS colours, this may or may not be correct, but its cool!

Click to expand...

Well. I don't believe that everyone here may agree with your mandate.....I for one do not. I'm not going to criticise someones choice of color for a MK II. There are a lot of hues that go nicely on a Commando and it also depends on whether the OP wants to stay with "correct" color schemes for that year or try something different.....

Click to expand...

I think that was the OP's question.

Welcome Chris :mrgreen:

I'm sure LAB will give a precise answer soon.
I must say though, I thought it was fairly obvious that my answer was a tad tongue in cheek!?
But as we're all so serious all of a sudden...
According to Roy Bacon (Norton Twins, 1981), the red,white,blue was available in 1975 and was "a style as first seen in 1974".
So it is definitely a 'period scheme' but I'll let LAB tell us whether it was only mk3s or also on mk2a's.
Of course, if Chris has an Interstate, we're still not answering his question !!

L.A.B. · Nov 14, 2014

Fast Eddie said:
According to Roy Bacon (Norton Twins, 1981), the red,white,blue was available in 1975 and was "a style as first seen in 1974".
So it is definitely a 'period scheme but I'll let LAB tell us whether it was only mk3s or also on mk2a's.'

The scheme known as either "White", "Blue stripe, or "White with Blue stripe" is featured in the '74 brochure and listed (as White) in the 2/2A parts supplement, and although a popular scheme we've seen too many examples of 850 2/2A models with this colour scheme for them all to be fakes.
As far as we know there is no evidence that the factory ever referred to this scheme as "John Player" or "JPN".

http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Broch ... ochure.pdf

john-player-colours-t7017.html

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19679/lot/275/

Fast Eddie · Nov 15, 2014

L.A.B. said:
Fast Eddie said:

According to Roy Bacon (Norton Twins, 1981), the red,white,blue was available in 1975 and was "a style as first seen in 1974".
So it is definitely a 'period scheme but I'll let LAB tell us whether it was only mk3s or also on mk2a's.'

Click to expand...

The scheme known as either "White", "Blue stripe, or "White with Blue stripe" is featured in the '74 brochure and listed (as White) in the 2/2A parts supplement, and although a popular scheme we've seen too many examples of 850 2/2A models with this colour scheme for them all to be fakes.
As far as we know there is no evidence that the factory ever referred to this scheme as "John Player" or "JPN".

http://www.classicbike.biz/Norton/Broch ... ochure.pdf

john-player-colours-t7017.html

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/19679/lot/275/

Splendid, so it would be a 'correct' choice !!

Re the name LAB, Norman White told me that at the factory the scheme was known as the 'Jubilee' paint scheme.

Rohan · Nov 15, 2014

Fast Eddie said:
Re the name LAB, Norman White told me that at the factory the scheme was known as the 'Jubilee' paint scheme.

Enquiring minds are struggling to connect it to any Jubilee event in 1974 though ??

trident sam · Nov 15, 2014

Rohan said:
Fast Eddie said:

Re the name LAB, Norman White told me that at the factory the scheme was known as the 'Jubilee' paint scheme.

Click to expand...

Enquiring minds are struggling to connect it to any Jubilee event in 1974 though ??

Probably relates to Queen Victoria as the factory was still using 19 century methods :wink:

Fast Eddie · Nov 15, 2014

Rohan said:
Fast Eddie said:

Re the name LAB, Norman White told me that at the factory the scheme was known as the 'Jubilee' paint scheme.

Click to expand...

Enquiring minds are struggling to connect it to any Jubilee event in 1974 though ??

Good question, I can only guess it was (a somewhat early) reference to Queen Elizibeth's silver jubilee of '77.

Anyone know better ?

oxford chris · Nov 15, 2014

Many thanks all.
I do indeed have the roadster, and was wondering, not what was the best colour for a '75 IIA, but what was the range of colours offered by the factory for that model/year.
I want to make a choice that would be theoretically correct.
Sadly I don't know the original colour, as the bike was exported to U.S.A. new, and only came back to the U.K. in '99 when it had a colour change.
Oh yes, am from Oxford England (not a particularly original or indeed clever choice of name, but needed to think of something quick !)
regards,
Chris.

B+Bogus · Nov 15, 2014

The MkIIA Roadster was available in Candy Apple red, FIreflake Royal Blue, Fireflake Golden Bronze (all with silver pinstripes) and the 'above' colour scheme.
The Interstate was also available in Candy Apple red and Blue (a very deep blue).
The MK1A parts list shows both models available in black, and the Interstate in 'Red' - possibly a plain colour, but I've never seen one. Not 100% sure these colours made it across to the MkIIA, but it's possible.

Here's a few 'I prepared earlier'

L.A.B. · Nov 15, 2014

oxford chris said:
I do indeed have the roadster

According to the 2/2A parts supplement, that narrows it down to:

Fireflake Golden Bronze
Fireflake Royal Blue
Black
Candy Apple Red

All the above with 'double line Silver (Gold on Black) trim'

And, Dayglow White, blue stripes (although the narrow stripe is red, and is what's commonly referred to as the JPN colour scheme).

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

Time Warp · Nov 15, 2014

Fast Eddie · Nov 15, 2014

According to Roy Bacon, '75 options were:
"Black with gold or candy apple red with silver, for both models" The roadster also in r,w,b "as first seen in 74"

If you check your VIN plate on the headstock, it will tell you the month and year of manufacture, it could have been made in 74 and sold in 75. If a 74 model year bike, there were more possibilities.

I'm also in Oxford Chris (hence me asking), be great to meet up and compare bikes / chew the fat / drink beer / etc if you fancy it...

L.A.B. · Nov 15, 2014

Fast Eddie said:
According to Roy Bacon, '75 options were:
"Black with gold or candy apple red with silver, for both models" The roadster also in r,w,b "as first seen in 74"

If you check your VIN plate on the headstock, it will tell you the month and year of manufacture, it could have been made in 74 and sold in 75. If a 74 model year bike, there were more possibilities.

Although a few Mk2As may have been built in early 1975 they can all be regarded as 1974 models. The '1975' model is the Mk3.

Fast Eddie · Nov 15, 2014

L.A.B. said:
Fast Eddie said:

According to Roy Bacon, '75 options were:
"Black with gold or candy apple red with silver, for both models" The roadster also in r,w,b "as first seen in 74"

If you check your VIN plate on the headstock, it will tell you the month and year of manufacture, it could have been made in 74 and sold in 75. If a 74 model year bike, there were more possibilities.

Click to expand...

Although a few Mk2As may have been built in early 1975 they can all be regarded as 1974 models. The '1975' model is the Mk3.

Good point LAB, I suspected so, but wasn't sure.

Roy says that 74 options were:
"Pacific blue with silver, black with gold, candy apple red with gold, tangerine with white, and the r,w,b already discussed)"

L.A.B. · Nov 15, 2014

Fast Eddie said:
Roy says that 74 options were:
"Pacific blue with silver, black with gold, candy apple red with gold, tangerine with white, and the r,w,b already discussed)"

Well I think "Tangerine" was used on Hi-Riders (although the 2/2A supp. says: "Tangerine, no trim").

B+Bogus · Nov 15, 2014

L.A.B. said:
Fast Eddie said:

Roy says that 74 options were:
"Pacific blue with silver, black with gold, candy apple red with gold, tangerine with white, and the r,w,b already discussed)"

Click to expand...

Well I think "Tangerine" was used on Hi-Riders (although the 2/2A supp. says: "Tangerine, no trim").

That would make sense.

Would this be the Pacific Blue?
The photo makes it look quite light, but the colour was pretty dark, where it's the 'in the shade' being pretty representative.
Reminded me of my MkII Escort back when I were a lad

IIa colours

oxford chris

L.A.B.

Moderator

Fast Eddie

OldBalz

concours

Fast Eddie

L.A.B.

Moderator

Fast Eddie

Rohan

trident sam

Fast Eddie

oxford chris

B+Bogus

L.A.B.

Moderator

Time Warp

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

Fast Eddie

L.A.B.

Moderator

Fast Eddie

L.A.B.

Moderator

B+Bogus

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