Introduction of colours other than silver and orange

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frankdamp

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I've had a couple of PM's with Tom Steels and questions he's raised have perked up my interest.

At the 1967 Motorcycle Show our two Commandos on the stande (which I think were the firts two off the Plumstead production line) were the silver cycle parts with the orange seat covers and those damn silly green spherical "New Norton Badges". Can anyone tell me when alternative colors became available, particularly the British Racing Green version?

After the Commando went into production at Plumstead, my focus was shifted to the moto-cross team bikes and the derivative AJS Stormer, so my knowledge of Commando differences between model years is sketchy at best. I left the UK for a Boeing job around Easter of 1968.
 
From http://nortoncommando.tradesman4u.com.au/techo.htm

1969 British Racing Green Fireflake Red Grenadier Red QuickSilver MetalFlake
Sapphire Blue
1970 British Racing Green Canary Yellow Fireflake Bronze Fireflake Emerald
Fireflake Purple Fireflake Royal Blue Fireflake Silver Livery Black
Signal Red
1971 British Racing Green Fireflake Golden Bronze Fireflake Royal Blue
Livery Black Roman Purple Signal Orange Signal Red
Tangerine
1972 Blue Canary Yellow Livery Black Metalflake Blue
Red Tangerine White
1973 Candy Apple Red Livery Black
1974 Candy Apple Red Livery Black Pacific Blue Tangerine
White
1975 Candy Apple Red Livery Black Manx Silver White with Blue stripes
 
Roy Bacon "Norton Twin Resto" book says 1968 models (all Fastbacks of course) were green with that silver Norton Villiers tankbadge and on the tailpiece.
Black cylinders and silver sidecovers.

Andover Norton recently noted that they recreated some orange seats.
And there was a thread here recently where a number of US/Canadian owners had taken delivery of early Fastbacks with Silver frames and orange seats.
But no-one could show a pic of them as delivered ?

Reg has missed a few colours, for 1973 especially.
Bacon lists quite a range of colours across different models.

The 1969 range also included some Burgundy Red and Silver 2 tone bikes (Fastbacks).
Someone here a while back had a Green and Silver 2 tone 69 Fastback, and there seem to be several only examples of this scheme about.
 
I've seem photos of a round badge Fastback tank in silver & candy red, and the NOC website has a green Fastback with round badges as well.
http://www.nortonownersclub.org/models/commando
This doesn't mean the green bike definitely came out of the factory in '68 like that, not am I 100% sure that the round badges were '68 only - just assumed it's the case.
I read that the 2-tone silver/red paintjob was introduced as a result of poor initial sales in the US - possibly mid-run in 68?

I've seen late fastbacks in Fireflake blue, and Fireflake green - my favourite!

I've seen colour charts for '71 posted here before, but does anyone have one for '72?

I think I've found a source for the Golden Bronze (my previous one was too orange), and am planning a Roadster paint set for my '72 Combat. If it isn't 'correct' for that year I'll just have to live with the shame :wink:
 
My impression at the time was that the "fireflake" colors were primarily intended for the US market models, though they were probably offered for the UK and other export markets. I'm not sure how many bikes were custom orders from the eventual first owner, compared to the number that were block orders from dealers.
 
I think my 2 fav colours are the deep red is and silver ones that was offered as an option in 69 those look awesome like the one andover have and the early silver ones with the orange seat hadn't seen those till Frank mentioned them the other day got to love green to just look so right fastbacks in those colours in fact in any colour :)
 
frankdamp said:
My impression at the time was that the "fireflake" colors were primarily intended for the US market models.....
Click to expand...
Does this mean that Americans smoked more dope than the Brits? Per capita of course.

Dave
 
DogT said:
frankdamp said:
My impression at the time was that the "fireflake" colors were primarily intended for the US market models.....
Click to expand...
Does this mean that Americans smoked more dope than the Brits? Per capita of course.

Dave
Click to expand...

Perhaps it was just cheaper and they could still afford to buy the bike... as long as it was still... uh... hang on... no, I've forgotten, man. Wow, see how bright that is?!
 
frankdamp said:
My impression at the time was that the "fireflake" colors were primarily intended for the US market models.....
Click to expand...

I've told the story here before that I went to the Norton Villiers warehouse in Moxam Rd Sydney Australia circa 1973,
looking for Norton Dommie parts, for an old Model 7 (500cc twin).

They had a lineup of Commandos being assembled - tanks and sidecovers only though when I looked closely.
I asked what was happening, I thought the bikes arrived crated and mostly assembled.
They said - their words - "the tanks and sidecovers have just been repainted into the more popular colours".
The tanks and sidecovers visible were black&gold and candy apple red.

I later found out that the painters were the Keed brothers - in Sylvania was it ?
And the paint used was Dulux Acran - a very hard 2 pack of the era.
The Keed brothers later quipped that they'd painted more Commandos than the factory ever did.
And they did better paint...

(So who did the factory use to do the painting and pinstriping ??)

Oh and when I asked about dommie spare parts, they said "whats a dommie ?".
End of conversation...
 
[quotehttp://www.nortonownersclub.org/models/commando][/quote]
I was confused by this site saying the 750 "S" model has a crashbar ring around a smaller fashioned headlight....I have an original "S" and the headlight is the same size as all the other commandos. it just has a halo around it.
Didn't mean to hi-jack thread but I couldn't find that site awhile back and nobody knew what I was referring to. Now I will be able to sleep. Thanks!
 
Rohan said:
Roy Bacon "Norton Twin Resto" book says 1968 models (all Fastbacks of course) were green with that silver Norton Villiers tankbadge and on the tailpiece.
Black cylinders and silver sidecovers.

Andover Norton recently noted that they recreated some orange seats.
And there was a thread here recently where a number of US/Canadian owners had taken delivery of early Fastbacks with Silver frames and orange seats.
But no-one could show a pic of them as delivered ?

Reg has missed a few colours, for 1973 especially.
Bacon lists quite a range of colours across different models.

The 1969 range also included some Burgundy Red and Silver 2 tone bikes (Fastbacks).
Someone here a while back had a Green and Silver 2 tone 69 Fastback, and there seem to be several only examples of this scheme about.
Click to expand...

Also missing for 1972….BRG Fastback.
My combat was just that.
 
B+Bogus said:
I've seem photos of a round badge Fastback tank in silver & candy red, and the NOC website has a green Fastback with round badges as well.
http://www.nortonownersclub.org/models/commando
This doesn't mean the green bike definitely came out of the factory in '68 like that, not am I 100% sure that the round badges were '68 only - just assumed it's the case.
I read that the 2-tone silver/red paintjob was introduced as a result of poor initial sales in the US - possibly mid-run in 68?

I've seen late fastbacks in Fireflake blue, and Fireflake green - my favourite!

I've seen colour charts for '71 posted here before, but does anyone have one for '72?

I think I've found a source for the Golden Bronze (my previous one was too orange), and am planning a Roadster paint set for my '72 Combat. If it isn't 'correct' for that year I'll just have to live with the shame :wink:
Click to expand...
 
Love that colourway! :)

So how did they do the commandos on the production line? Build them all then stamp and plop the bodywork on when they got the order?
 
Tom Steele said:
Love that colourway! :)

So how did they do the commandos on the production line? Build them all then stamp and plop the bodywork on when they got the order?
Click to expand...

That is a very good question. Perhaps Frank might remember.
I would think your guess would be close. At Les Emery's Fair Spares
back in 1981, he still had original tanks in their boxes from
Norton. I bought a BRG Fastback tank and brought it home to Australia.
 
"Real" British Racing Green is very dark, almost black. That "candy-apple" metal-flake green is so pale as to be more "apple green". ( I could think of more obnoxious comparisons!). The bike that Tom Steele has shown photos of is close to BRG, but I think "Forest green" is probably a more accurate definition.

I'd left for the US before anything other than silver with an orange seat was being offered, and I had other things on my mind than Nortons for the first couple of years we were here. I did meet up with the Motocross team when they came over to the US for a race meeting in the northern part of Washington State. It was maybe the early summer of 1969. Peter Inchley, Malcolm Davis and several of the support team were in the Seattle area for about a week.
 
frankdamp said:
"Real" British Racing Green is very dark, almost black..
Click to expand...

That depends on who you are talking to about representing Britain in racing a green car.

Napiers were quite some decades ahead of anyone else ??
Circa 1907 and SF Edge.

Introduction of colours other than silver and orange
 
frankdamp said:
"Real" British Racing Green is very dark, almost black. That "candy-apple" metal-flake green is so pale as to be more "apple green". ( I could think of more obnoxious comparisons!). The bike that Tom Steele has shown photos of is close to BRG, but I think "Forest green" is probably a more accurate definition.

I'd left for the US before anything other than silver with an orange seat was being offered, and I had other things on my mind than Nortons for the first couple of years we were here. I did meet up with the Motocross team when they came over to the US for a race meeting in the northern part of Washington State. It was maybe the early summer of 1969. Peter Inchley, Malcolm Davis and several of the support team were in the Seattle area for about a week.
Click to expand...

Your description of "real" BRG is what I ventured to offer in here. But I was shouted down and abused, threatened and tormented ceaselessly. BUT, I (and it seems you too Frank) am wrong. L.A.B. put an end to my appalling lack of knowledge on the subject. The man is nothing short of brutal. :)

I will change my signature to keep pete.v smiling.
 
Rohan said:
frankdamp said:
My impression at the time was that the "fireflake" colors were primarily intended for the US market models.....
Click to expand...

I've told the story here before that I went to the Norton Villiers warehouse in Moxam Rd Sydney Australia circa 1973,
looking for Norton Dommie parts, for an old Model 7 (500cc twin).

They had a lineup of Commandos being assembled - tanks and sidecovers only though when I looked closely.
I asked what was happening, I thought the bikes arrived crated and mostly assembled.
They said - their words - "the tanks and sidecovers have just been repainted into the more popular colours".
The tanks and sidecovers visible were black&gold and candy apple red.

I later found out that the painters were the Keed brothers - in Sylvania was it ?
And the paint used was Dulux Acran - a very hard 2 pack of the era.
The Keed brothers later quipped that they'd painted more Commandos than the factory ever did.
And they did better paint...

(So who did the factory use to do the painting and pinstriping ??)

Oh and when I asked about dommie spare parts, they said "whats a dommie ?".
End of conversation...
Click to expand...

Rohan
I was a 25 Moxon Rd Punchbowl Sydney customer too, in early 73. I think I saw you there, abusing the staff
for knowing nothing about Dominators.

Alan Keed (Keid?) pained my last Roadster for me in 93. He told me Norton BRG was not BRG.
But we already have thread going on about that.

Can't remember the Pommie's name who headed up Moxon Rd. Nice quiet guy.
And the mechanic I met many years later.

Phil
 
How did you have any dealings with them - they were a wholesaler ?
Eades or Ryans sold stuff cheaper.

We diverge from colours though...
 
Rohan said:
How did you have any dealings with them - they were a wholesaler ?
Eades or Ryans sold stuff cheaper.

We diverge from colours though...
Click to expand...

I bought my BRG Fastback from the Norton Villiers shop in Wentworth St City. Moxon St Punchbowl was headquarters and first service was done there. Also took the bike there to replace BRG tail piece when the first went colour spacko, as previously described.! Also took engine in pieces there after main bearing disintergration. I started the work then heard Norton were accepting responsibility for combat disaster so took all to Moxon St and dumped it unceremoniously on their floor. Bike plus engine in pieces. It was a shit of a place to get to from the Northern Beaches but that was where you went.
 
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