Rare as hen's teeth, "Fireflake Golden Bronze" ?

nortriubuell · Jul 14, 2012

I've ALWAYS luved this Norton OEM color ... but have probly' only seen 4-5 total ... in 30 years of owning/riding/admiring Nortons. BTW, the first I saw was a stock 1974 850 Roadster owned by Ben Marquez (circa 1982, San Diego Norton club member) Ya still out thar' Ben ??? Anyway, when I saw this steel tank and sidecover set on fleabay, I jumped !!! It had no pinstripe or lettering, just the "metalic/metalflake/sparkle orange" ... of which IMHO is a fairly close match of Norton OEM "Fireflake Golden Bronze". The pinstripe and lettering were painted by Brent Budgor, who I think did a FANTASTIC job. ( further testimony is on another post about the "vintage vendor's" work.) I hope to have my 850 motor mounted soon, so that the engine size will actually match the sidecover logo. :shock:

ALL comments and opinions are much invited !!! And sure also would like to know how many other Commandos out there are in this color. I only saw ONE, at the 2011 Empire rally in New York.

Rare as hen's teeth, "Fireflake Golden Bronze" ?

jrh2020 · Jul 14, 2012

Looks pretty close per my recollection of my high school buddy's bike in about 1975.
Although I don't trust my memory much from that time, being the '70's.

Jim H.

batrider · Jul 14, 2012

Really? Looks pretty red to me. Maybe the picture is just off.

nortriubuell · Jul 14, 2012

batrider said:
Really? Looks pretty red to me. Maybe the picture is just off.

Blimey, batrider is right ... it does look kinda RED in the pictures, UGH.

So, I changed two pics on the original post out for two others. I'll have to get some good "in the sunlight" pictures instead. It is orange, although I would say that OEM "Fireflake Golden Bronze" that I now remember; had a bit more "yellowish tint" in it. batrider has a very sharp eye for color !!!

I sure invite others to post pictures of ACTUAL OEM "FIREFLAKE GOLDEN BRONZE" for comparisons. Any out there ???

Hobot · Jul 14, 2012

B+Bogus · Jul 15, 2012

Great looking bike, and a very pretty paintjob

I'm working on one right now - I've matched the flake to an original NOS sidepanel and it's not far off, although I wouldn't attempt a blend-in repair with it!

As with other flake finishes, the colour can seem way different depending on camera settings and light conditions.

This is where I was up to by yesterday lunchtime.

And this is where it is right now - ready for final lacquer coat

travelerjerry · Jul 15, 2012

Here is OEM Fireflake Bronze.

Hobot · Jul 15, 2012

Gosh I like the 60's early 70's flash backs. Here's some material to complete the effect...

Matt Spencer · Jul 15, 2012

Pye Korry , phychodalic man , Farr Out . 8) Er . phycadelic ,whowever you pronounce it .

Hobot · Jul 15, 2012

In the Hendrix Beatles and Moody Blues Era, Miami Fla may of been one of the first places the space man made his rounds on metal flaked bikes to get everyone hi as a kite.

CanukNortonNut · Jul 15, 2012

hobot said:

Quote
Now look at hobot's IMG and notice the lettering on the side covers are dead straight. Now that is righteous! Too bad there are too many painters that use the top of the cover to get the wrong angle. :cry:
CNN

Hobot · Jul 15, 2012

J.A.W. · Jul 15, 2012

Ah, the spirit of `69..
www.youtube.com/watch?v=O_UCks8O0FA

B+Bogus · Jul 16, 2012

CanukNortonNut said:
Quote
Now look at hobot's IMG and notice the lettering on the side covers are dead straight. Now that is righteous! Too bad there are too many painters that use the top of the cover to get the wrong angle. :cry:
CNN

Not so!

Well, not all that often, anyway :wink:
On bikes fitted with the Hamcan oil tank the sidepanels are bigger than the later style and the lettering does follow the 'bottom line', so to speak.
On later bikes the lettering follows the top line, which is less accented - Different panels, different styles.

Er... don't know how to say this, but I'm a bit nervous about any aspect of a Norton being, ahem... righteous.
A jolly Good Show would surely be more appropriate, or on this subject, perhaps 'far out'... but righteous?

Hmmmm!

speirmoor · Jul 16, 2012

This was the one from the INOA rally last year

Hobot · Jul 16, 2012

Delicious metal flakes to view. Informative on the variation of decal and side covers. B+ the pale ivory frame is killer diller! It may take a lot of attention to keep it nice for viewing.

Matt Spencer · Jul 18, 2012

Should come up ?

B+Bogus · Jul 19, 2012

hobot said:
Delicious metal flakes to view. Informative on the variation of decal and side covers. B+ the pale ivory frame is killer diller! It may take a lot of attention to keep it nice for viewing.

The frame is actually still in epoxy etch primer finish - still awaiting topcoat. It'll be the inevitable black: 'so practical' as Versace would say.
I had such a skinful of red-framed RD 350LCs back in the 80s that I could never consider anything else as a frame colour - except nickel plate, perhaps.

J.A.W. · Jul 19, 2012

Hey Andy, did you know that Commando designer Bob Trigg styled the RDLC as well..

nortriubuell · Jul 23, 2012

speirmoor said:
This was the one from the INOA rally last year

Yup. THAT is the ONLY ONE I saw (in this color) at the 2011 Empire Rally as well. I took some pictures too but have somehow misplaced them. Thanks for
posting speirmoor !!!!

Rare as hen's teeth, "Fireflake Golden Bronze" ?

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