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1968 Fastback colour

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Hi all

New member with question on 1968 colours. I know that " all we're green and silver" but I have seen one that was supposed to be original that is red with white on the sides of the tank. Has anyone got any info if this is original as I have just got one that is blue with the same white panels on the tank. I really like the green but if the blue is original I will keep it. Thanks

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I'm pretty sure these were an after market paint job. When I reconfigured my "Roadster " back into it's original Fastback format I bought a tailpiece from an auto jumble in Ascot. It was metal flake red with a silver panel on the top much like your blue picture. I think a London dealer used to have them repainted, not sure who though.

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Have a look at the Bacon twins restoration book, bergundy and silver is mentioned as a rare option for the year. I have a fastback body in bergundy and fire flake silver and a period US road test showing the same colour scheme. No mention of a blue option though.

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If I had a Commando with those forks on, I suspect that the colour scheme would be the least of my concerns.

I've never seen a blue tank with badge indents so I'd suspect a repaint. I rather like it but I don't think that the original badges would stand out too well on the silver panel.

Careful flatting on the underside ought to show what the original colour was.

Commandos look good in almost any period metalflake.

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Thanks all. Will try and get back to gel coat and see what's going on.

And yes Richard the front fork will be going original soon... As well as the smaller rear rim.

Will keep you updated.

Thanks

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I found this from someone who was there at the time of the Earlscourt Exhibition

'Mouldings were not painted but were self-coloured by pigment in the gel-coat resin. The standard overall livery was now Forest Green (often described as British Racing Green) for the fuel tank and seat tail with silver side panels and a black seat cover, but buyers could still opt for silver bodywork and the orange seat, as seen at the show." The two Commandos exhibited at Earl's Court in 1967 were only pre-production prototype so various changes were made before production began. The 1968 production models generally had black frames (and other parts), however, it's possible that a few could have had silver frames.

 

 


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