Re: Norton frame colours

Marcus

Assume you are in the UK.

Have a look here.

PAINTS

http://www.nortonownersclub.org/support/technical-support-general/norton-colours-and-paints

SPEEDO

Speedo repairs at

A Pople c/o A&E Coachworks Unit 12-13 The Vehicle Centre, Ash, Aldershot GU12 6BE Tel 01252 329826 / 07824884434.

www.speedorepairs.co.uk

a.pople@btconnect.com

or

Philip Woods 35 STANLEY ROAD WICK LITTLEHAMPTON W SUSSEX BN17 6JE 01903 724509 / 07917423971

brawnywoo19@btinternet.com

or

PETER BOND 31 AVINGTON GROVE LONDON SE20 8RY 02082899031

www.guagerepairs.com (or shuld that be 'gaugerepairs' not sure?) email is peter.bond1@ntlworld.com

Previously wrote:

Marcus

Assume you are in the UK.

Have a look here.

PAINTS

http://www.nortonownersclub.org/support/technical-support-general/norton-colours-and-paints

SPEEDO

Speedo repairs at

A Pople c/o A&E Coachworks Unit 12-13 The Vehicle Centre, Ash, Aldershot GU12 6BE Tel 01252 329826 / 07824884434.

www.speedorepairs.co.uk

a.pople@btconnect.com

or

Philip Woods 35 STANLEY ROAD WICK LITTLEHAMPTON W SUSSEX BN17 6JE 01903 724509 / 07917423971

brawnywoo19@btinternet.com

or

PETER BOND 31 AVINGTON GROVE LONDON SE20 8RY 02082899031

www.guagerepairs.com (or shuld that be 'gaugerepairs' not sure?) email is peter.bond1@ntlworld.com

Hello a Very inportant Note The Polychromatic Grey that as been noted in this list is for machine built after 1955 , as the Polychromatic grey changed for that year and Machines built before this date have a Diffrent Polychromatic Grey Colour Its The gold In the mix of the early paints was removed too make it cheaper ? yes they had a Gold mixed in the paint to get a gold sheen look in the paint work but it was not gold as the BSA was , But a sliver and gold grey sheen in the paint mix . the early Inters Featherbed model have the same Colour? I have some of this paint I will try a get a look alike in airosol so ever one who needs to touch up there machines can ? Also Polychromatic Blue is now Lotus A68 Pacific Blue Metallic .there is a Airosol too,By Carplan number YAD018 -MET.Blue 40 you need to laquer after painting also you have to spary a gold base metallic on first it changes Colour when you put the top coat on that the blue metallic But only do this in very light coats . and try not to do it all in one go ? if you try too put too much paint on it will run ? and watch your tempreature you must have over 60F before spray-ing and please ware the right safety gear and mask ? tryed and tested By me ? Anna J Dixon .It all works ?

The other thing to remember (and I DO keep wittering on about it when people get it wrong!) is that "Polychromatic" was a painting system whereby a metallic basecoat (normally silver) was applied, then over-painted with a tinted, semi-translucent topcoat.

People often refer to "varnish" or "lacqueur" but in realitythat normally means clear or tinted paint. In the 1940s and 1950s there were effectively no coloured metallic paints, apart from silver with its suspended flakes of aluminium. At that time they didn't mix metallic paint with a coloured base. As far as I can glean, the first items to recieve "polychromatic" finishes in the UK were pushbikes. I had a Raleigh in red in 1957. Anna reckons that some Nortons use a gold metallic base, but there is some disagreement in this club about that. In any case, it means you can only get an approximation of the old finish by using a modern, coloured metallic paint with a clearcoat on top. The reverse of the original treatment.

All metallic finishes MUST have a clear topcoat to prevent oxidisation of the metal flakes. This has always been the case. If you see a restored bike with a semi-matt metallic finish (I've seen lots of Tr**mphs like it) it will almost certainly be because they haven't finished the paintwork! They need to put at LEAST two clearcoats on top! It SOOoo annoys me when I see it! If I see any NOC owner with one like that at a show I WILL tell them!!

Cheers, Lionel

Previously wrote:

The other thing to remember (and I DO keep wittering on about it when people get it wrong!) is that "Polychromatic" was a painting system whereby a metallic basecoat (normally silver) was applied, then over-painted with a tinted, semi-translucent topcoat.

People often refer to "varnish" or "lacqueur" but in realitythat normally means clear or tinted paint. In the 1940s and 1950s there were effectively no coloured metallic paints, apart from silver with its suspended flakes of aluminium. At that time they didn't mix metallic paint with a coloured base. As far as I can glean, the first items to recieve "polychromatic" finishes in the UK were pushbikes. I had a Raleigh in red in 1957. Anna reckons that some Nortons use a gold metallic base, but there is some disagreement in this club about that. In any case, it means you can only get an approximation of the old finish by using a modern, coloured metallic paint with a clearcoat on top. The reverse of the original treatment.

All metallic finishes MUST have a clear topcoat to prevent oxidisation of the metal flakes. This has always been the case. If you see a restored bike with a semi-matt metallic finish (I've seen lots of Tr**mphs like it) it will almost certainly be because they haven't finished the paintwork! They need to put at LEAST two clearcoats on top! It SOOoo annoys me when I see it! If I see any NOC owner with one like that at a show I WILL tell them!!

Cheers, Lionel

Hello Lional No dis-reaspect to you but have these in the Club tryed doing there own paint work . and try-ed mixing paint to get a colour . for this how paint is done this not all about buying a tin of paint and expecting it to be the right colour or shade .becuse it will not be . I can go and get airosols all the same colour and spray them one agains another and there be a difference in the shade . if you look on the web in Hugs paints or nu-again paint on ebay . and read what is said about the paint . that the shades of paint cannot be granteed . so before knocking me .I think you shoud try and mix your own paint up first . I am only writing down watt works for me after all the time I have been paint spraying . at least I have got the colour and shade right for my Norton manxman . and I have seen the work of so called professionals and they have the colour wrong and the shade and way over lacquered the colour was way too dark and well over lacquered this kills the light on the metallic particals .Or i have forgotten you guys do not do paint work you take it too the paint shop and have somone else do it for you .and then tell every one that you have done the paint work you self . or do you all like having a Go at me because . I happen to be female ?

Hey Marcus, if your bike really looks as good, as in the photo', just ride it, it looks great! Too many people "nit pick" over minor details. Customising is a matter of personal taste. I've heard people "knock" a bike for having the "wrong" handlebars. I preferred Vincent bars back in the 50's, and, anyone who could afford them fitted alloy rims. There is no vehicle, yet made, that cannot be improved to suit the owner's taste.

I worked for Colmore Depot in Loughborough as a mechanic (I would be called a technician today amongst other things) when we had new two Dommies delivered, one a 99 and the other an 88, both ostensibly in the same colour as per the brochure and order book, can't recall exactly the name but they were different in hue altogether. We queried this with Bracebridge St and were told, 'it all depends on the mix, all paints even same colours differ and are batch coded.' Sure enough different colour batches.

I also remember Fiat once had 5 shades of a metallic blue and seven diferent mixes on each one, nightmare!

My Inter built November 1957 was 'Polychromatic' Grey and I have colour photos of it from then, during restoration 'we' used VW Silver Fox which 'appears' to be ok, but again one Silver Fox mix may differ from another. I agree with John don't let others draw you by silly comments and nit picking, 'thats the wrong nut' or 'that's the wrong bolt' are such examples. (B******s I say!!) Get it as near correct if you can BUT don't let anyone tell you your colour shade is wrong. As long as its apparently near shade wise you should not let it worry you unduly and you should not let any 'alleged purist' tell you it's wrong either. Just quote the Bracebridge Street edict as above. We did. I still do.

And I'm not afraid to say I had a professional paint spayer do it, 'horses for courses' Don't mess the ship up for a 'hapeth of tar'.

One more speedo repair contact. So as to complete the 'Others are available'; is Gaggs of Nottingham Tel 0115 9786288.

Anna, I have no idea why you are accusing me of "having a go at you" I think you need to read my posting properly. You are far too sensitive and quick to accuse people of "having a go" at you because you're a woman! I actually have great respect for your knowledge and have mentioned it in other postings.

Most of what I said was purely factual aboutPolychromatic finishes in particular and metallic finishes in general. I only mentioned your claim about the use of a gold basecoat because it has been questioned by another club member, so I wasn't able to state that it was DEFINITELY used as well as silver basecoat.

I never claimed anything about mixing or matchingcolours other than the fact that no-one will ever get an exact match with any kind of paint on any article.I have preserved "gunmetal" samples from my 1955 Dommie 88 but there's no need for me to try and get a colour match as I don't have a bike that colour! If you have a sample you are better off going to your local paint suppliers and getting them to mix - they can normally do it in any type of automotive paint. It's the sensible way! I have seen some horrendous attempts at the two poly greys on bikes at shows! Some have a positively PINK hue!

I also mentioned nothing about comparing "professionals" with "amateurs". I sprayed my first car over 50 years ago so I do know a bit about it. Cars are a bit larger and more difficult to spray than bikes!

I agree with you that some people may get a poor match by using too much, or the wrong type of clearcoat. As all metallic finishes must have it you won't have any difficulty finding a supply for any project.

Regarding Ian's posting - I agree that "near enough is good enough" for most projects unless you are going for Concours - then it's not!

Cheers, Lionel

Previously wrote:

Anna, I have no idea why you are accusing me of "having a go at you" I think you need to read my posting properly. You are far too sensitive and quick to accuse people of "having a go" at you because you're a woman! I actually have great respect for your knowledge and have mentioned it in other postings.

Most of what I said was purely factual aboutPolychromatic finishes in particular and metallic finishes in general. I only mentioned your claim about the use of a gold basecoat because it has been questioned by another club member, so I wasn't able to state that it was DEFINITELY used as well as silver basecoat.

I never claimed anything about mixing or matchingcolours other than the fact that no-one will ever get an exact match with any kind of paint on any article.I have preserved "gunmetal" samples from my 1955 Dommie 88 but there's no need for me to try and get a colour match as I don't have a bike that colour! If you have a sample you are better off going to your local paint suppliers and getting them to mix - they can normally do it in any type of automotive paint. It's the sensible way! I have seen some horrendous attempts at the two poly greys on bikes at shows! Some have a positively PINK hue!

I also mentioned nothing about comparing "professionals" with "amateurs". I sprayed my first car over 50 years ago so I do know a bit about it. Cars are a bit larger and more difficult to spray than bikes!

I agree with you that some people may get a poor match by using too much, or the wrong type of clearcoat. As all metallic finishes must have it you won't have any difficulty finding a supply for any project.

Regarding Ian's posting - I agree that "near enough is good enough" for most projects unless you are going for Concours - then it's not!

Cheers, Lionel

Hello lionel I am sorry I know you was not having a go at me , But as anyone tryed mixing paint . well I have and theres at lest 5 colours that goes in to one mix to get a shade . somtimes I use airosols and I have found that if you do you primare and let it dry then use three tin of airosol all diffrent coluors like metallic silver and then gold and blue on top when its still tacky they mix on the frame and you can see them mixing you sould try it on a bit of metal sheet and see for self , the word polychromatic means more than one colour, they were first metallic flip colours, of ther day like now you can walk by a car and see three or four colours in the cars paint work . well thats what the old 1950s polychromatic was trying to do but they did not quiet get there . if anyone wants too know more on paint work then give Nu-again of Bedford a ring on 01234.355990 .there adress is..1.Brace Street Bedford Bedfordshire Mk40 1HB . and you can buy you sparying equiment there too! ,hope this helps as They will help you if they can > your's Anna J Dixon

Just to add my humble thoughts, Having painted for more years than I care to say, temperature & humidity have nearly as much to do with your final color as the paint itself. That is why I now have my stuff done professionally. I am lucky enough to have a friend in thebusiness who is extremely picky about his work, but just as important he has a dust free paint booth with temperature & humidity control. He paints mostly vintage motorcycles from the 1900's to the 1950's, but also does some modern bike painting for a local new bike dealer. Painting can be very satisfying to say "I did it myself", and as anybody who has painted well can tell you, the prep work takes a lot more time than the painting (if its done right). I have "been there, done that" and now days I enjoy the mechanical stuff better than the painting, and frankly, I have not see anyone's work that is better than my friends work, and its certainly better than mine, so I let him do it. We all have to look at our projects and decide if we want to learn how to do a certain task & take great pride in knowing we did it ourself, or do we want to have a trustedprofessional do the work for us that is perhaps better set up for the job, and sometimes cheaper than doing it yourself (particularly if you need to go out ad buy a lot of expensive tools).Painting your own bike can be very satisfying if it comes out well, but if you dont want to invest in an air compressor, paint guns, hoses, an oil & waterseparatorfor the compressor, air lines, etc. etc, you may find it is cheaper to have it done by aprofessional. I am sure that there are people on this forum that couldrecommendsomeone in your area.But as Anna said, practice on something other than your bike first & be sure you have plenty of good lighting!!

Good Luck!