650SS tank paint - BMW Titan Silver or Ford Silver Fox?

Hi Tom,

Ford Silver Fox is as near to original as possible. I have a ''66 650SS.Post your e-mail address and I will send you a selection of photographs of my recently restored bike. Regards, Paul.

I too have used Ford Silver Fox, 'cos that's wot Halfords had in stock. It does look the part. My bike is now really rather scruffy so no point in posting reference pictures of it.

To be realistic, there are probably not many (or ANY?) original bikes with original, unfaded paintwork so you needn't worry too much about a so-called "exact match". Those of you who are guitarists might know about the endless quest, amongst fans of The Shadows,for matching the 'correct' colour for Hank Marvin's original (c1959) Stratocaster. (It was pink, not red!! ) As his original guitar has been refinished in different colours over many years, it can't be used to judge other colours against. The same goes for almost any painted article.

The point is that there is unlikely to be anyone, even at Concours judging, who is qualified to say whether your chosen paint colour is "correct" or not. Ford Silver Fox iseems to bethe generally accepted equivalent but I can say that I have seen "gunmetal" Dommies in rainbow shades of grey at shows! No consensus there! Some had a decidedly pink hue!

I think pre-1960 Nortons, at least, were painted before British Standards for colours existed so they probably used their own formulae.

My own 1959 Dommie's original silver tank still has it's original colour under the home sprayed one I used in 1965 so I will try to uncover it one day and get a match - which will of course be exact - NOT!!!

Cheers, Lionel

PS. Sorry for the speeling miskate and the unnecessary apostrophe!

And funnily enough its the colour ive been advised to use on the silver painted parts for my 1950s BMW bike!

To be realistic, there are probably not many (or ANY?) original bikes with original, unfaded paintwork so you needn't worry too much about a so-called "exact match". Those of you who are guitarists might know about the endless quest, amongst fans of The Shadows,for matching the 'correct' colour for Hank Marvin's original (c1959) Stratocaster. (It was pink, not red!! ) As his original guitar has been refinished in different colours over many years, it can't be used to judge other colours against. The same goes for almost any painted article.

The point is that there is unlikely to be anyone, even at Concours judging, who is qualified to say whether your chosen paint colour is "correct" or not. Ford Silver Fox iseems to bethe generally accepted equivalent but I can say that I have seen "gunmetal" Dommies in rainbow shades of grey at shows! No consensus there! Some had a decidedly pink hue!

I think pre-1960 Nortons, at least, were painted before British Standards for colours existed so they probably used their own formulae.

My own 1959 Dommie's original silver tank still has it's original colour under the home sprayed one I used in 1965 so I will try to uncover it one day and get a match - which will of course be exact - NOT!!!

Cheers, Lionel

Hey everyone buying some paint later to get it done whats everyone reckon is the best match for a 1966 650ss seen a few people mention both colours.

anyone got any pictures?

Thanks,

Tom

If you use authentic 'Silver Fox' then you'll have to glue a vinyl 'roof' on top after a couple of years - think back to all those Mk2 Cortinas with the top layer peeling off almost before they left the forecourt.

If you use authentic 'Silver Fox' then you'll have to glue a vinyl 'roof' on top after a couple of years - think back to all those Mk2 Cortinas with the top layer peeling off almost before they left the forecourt.