Is it Royal Fireflake Blue, or Pacific Blue ?

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nortriubuell

nortriubuell

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Finally got off my "duffus" ... to show off the paint job Brent did for me. ( He advertises on ebay, and on this forum as well) He does FANTASTIC work in my IMO !!! These pictures just don't do it justice, as it's even better in person. Though not everyones cup of tea, I ALWAYS liked the "gaudy" metalflake and sparkle factory colors of the early 70's, especially the Nortons of course. I've wanted this color sisnce I saw it on Scott's bike (San Diego Norton club back in 1982) And, I also wanted a "Fireflake Golden Bronze" one, that was the color on Ben's 1974 850; also in the club ... at the same meeting. Anyway, here they are. Comments and opinions on which color it is, are invited.

Is it Royal Fireflake Blue, or Pacific Blue ?


Is it Royal Fireflake Blue, or Pacific Blue ?


Is it Royal Fireflake Blue, or Pacific Blue ?


BTW, I put 850 sidecover stickers on it, as this set will actually go on the 850 I'm currently building. It also allowed me to align them with the top of the Z-plates while mounted on the bike. And I STILL didn't get them exactly the way I wanted them, argh. :oops: "Crooked stickers" detract from an otherwise beautiful bike ... IMO.
 
Is it Royal Fireflake Blue, or Pacific Blue ?


Here is a NOS Fastback tank I have that may be Fireflake Golden Bronze. However, really like the blue.
 
I would not know which color to call it except really beautiful. Brent painted a close friend of mines early 60's Triumph Trophy and it turned out just gorgeous.
 
Is that an 18 in the back? What size will the rear be on the 850? That might lessen the angle of the side panel name.
 
Hey "swooshdave", it is the stock 19" rear rim ... but the bike is on it's centerstand in my extremely bumpy and cratered rear yard. I may post another pic with it level, for your review.

Thanks for the comments thus far, my guess also was "Fireflake Royal Blue" and that's the color I told Brent I wanted. He had just done one for a guy in England and sent me pics of it. Gorgeous IMO. Really, I can just sit there and look at it. (and do) VERY, very happy with his work and I highly recommend him.

And to "travelerjerry" ... I LUV that stock color "Fireflake Golden Bronze" on that gas tank ya posted !!! I'd sure like to have that EXACT color on the next set I have done; by Brent of course. Cheers all.
 
Awesome paint , all stickers- labels were crooked ,and hopefully always will be a tad. Or it wouldnt be British would it ?
 
Thanks for the complement on the paint; done by Brent (vintage-vendor on this forum). I am VERY pleased with his work !!! The Norton logo and pinstripe on the gas tank are PAINTED on too; perfectly placed and level IMO !!! Wish I had as good an eye as his, when I installed the sidecover stickers. :oops: He didn't do the logo or pinstripes on the sidecovers, just painted them ... at my request.
 
Was that colour an export only colour, I don't recall seeing it in the UK back in the day.
Its certainly a gorgeous colour.
Terry
 
Terry, not sure if it was an "export only" color or not. Back in 1982 "Scott" in the "San Diego Norton Club" had a 750 Roadster in this very same "Fireflake Royal Blue" color. 10 years ago, I also had a 1974 Norton 850 colored this, albeit somewhat faded. (It also had factory "crooked mounted" Norton stickers and very faded factory painted pinstripe.) My 1974 Norton Brochure shows a similar color, called "Pacific Blue". However, it doesn't look as "gaudy" IMO as the metalflake in person does; and I just LUV that 70's "gaudy metalflake bling." 8)
 
The two 69 catalogues list three colours, red, green and silver, and another one lists Grenadier Red, Quicksilver and British Racing Green. The 70 catalogue lists 'many colours available at your dealer'. I always called mine 'Fireflake Blue'.

Dave
69S
 
Fireflake Blue and Royal Blue are 2 different colors ?

There was some discussion elsewhere that Royal Blue was the dark blue solid color that the Interstates were done in. And shown on the circa 1974 (was it ?) brochures.

??
 
Here is a picture of the gel coat "Fireflake Blue" from my 69 'S'. It was under the rubber gaskets that held the panels on the frame so it was not faded after 40 years.

Is it Royal Fireflake Blue, or Pacific Blue ?


Most of the colours I see now don't have the black in them, and have gold to boot. Granted, the gel coat was a totally different colour than paint and had depth that paint has a lot of trouble replicating.

Actually I'm satisfied (for the price) with the MetalSpecks Blue from Duplicolour with a good clear coat over it. I'm going to try it with some decals I got from NZ that are supposed to take the 2 pack paint and see how it works. Only thing I don't like is the Gold colour is a computer colour, not metal gold.

Dave
69S
 
Hi Dave,
Regarding clearing over decals, while it is a common practice, it could lead to adhesion issues down the road. Today's urethane clears are designed to go over their respective basecoats. There is a chemical reaction that takes place and the two are now "locaked" together, kind of like paint sex if you will. Did I just say that? . When clearing over decals, there is really nothing for the clear to adhere to. So down the line, this could cause flaking issues. Plus if you get an air bubble in the decal, it will only be enhanced by the clear. That's why I use paint on paint, using the decals as stencils only, gets the look, without the hassles.
Brent
The Vintage Vendor
www.vintage-vendor.com
 
Brent,
Yes, I understand what you are saying and agree. My big issue is I really want to have my 'decals' in 2 colours, black and gold with the gold a metallic. I suppose the only way I am going to get that is to have someone hand paint the gold stripe on the black tank lettering decal or paint, and the black outline on the gold panel letters.

My other problem is I always seem to drag something across the tank, or drop something on it, so it always seems to have some dings in it. That's why I just can't bring myself to pay good money for a paint job, no offense meant, you come well recommended.

Dave
69S
 
Hey Brent,

Thanks for the explanation of the "possible" clearcoat issues; over the "stock" stickers. I never knew that. Perhaps I should have went ahead and had you paint the sidecover logos and stripes as well ? My concern was wanting them aligned to the top of the Z-plates, and not the top edge of the cover itself. How would one do that ... unless the bike is there and the sidecovers mounted ??? Just curious ...

Ya know, I REALLY luv the paint job, and you'll get all my future paint work too, cheers !!!
 
DogT said:
The two 69 catalogues list three colours, red, green and silver, and another one lists Grenadier Red, Quicksilver and British Racing Green. The 70 catalogue lists 'many colours available at your dealer'. I always called mine 'Fireflake Blue'.

Dave
69S
Click to expand...

I agree. The Blue Fireflake on the fiberglass tanks is darker than the painted 850 steel tanks.
 
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