A10 polychromatic beige paint

[BSA_54A10]

   You will never replicate the true factory colour, in fact the colour shade in production was rumoured to change by the day as successive differing batches were added to the paint storage vessels. Polycolours of this early type were in the hands of the sprayers, and because the final shade depended on the opacity of the top coat, two different sprayers would produce two different shades, depending on how heavy they were laying it on.

 
 Swarfy.

Only know 1 person who has owned an A10 from new.
Of the first batch of 20 that came into Burlings & Simmons showroom Ken told me there was only 2 bikes that were the same colour from the front to the rear.
One was in their window and the other Ken rode out the door after the tried to fob him off with a brand new bike that had 4 different shades of "Golden Beige".
The only 2 parts that were the same exact colour were the front & back guards but they were different to all of the other painted parts.

[Sluggo]

Just my 2 centavo here, But its pointless to try and replicate the factory original finish.  First of all we are talking paint products that are no longer in production, and very outdated ones at that. I cant speak for the rest of the world, But here in the MAGA USA, In many jurisdictions, Using old lacquer products will get you a sizable fine and selling those paint products is very illegal.  EPA-Environmental Protection Agency, DEQ- Dept of Environmental Quality as well as regional agencies investigate and prosecute.

Not to mention those old products are very polluting, they are also substandard to whats availible today.  I used to shoot old paint products like Lacquers and catalyzed Enamels.  They were very tempermental. Poor adhesion, Humidity, temp and air pressure all could result in Varying finish color, texture and quality.  Never mind the batch variables.   Not to mention not very durable, quick fading from UV rays, Poor resistance to fuels, oils and chemicals like brake fluids if juice brakes.

Very labor intensive as well.

My procedure is color match with a modern paint to a comparable color. (Be sure to check under different lighting)  Color match by chemistry and a skilled paint tech. ( I used to do collision repairs and paid for pro color matches by a technician that resembles a mad scientist in a lab.).  Or approximate a color that pleases you and purists and rivet counters be damned.

For example, My wifes 2004 Toyota Corolla SL is a pretty decent, although muted gold-beige color that I think is pretty decent match.

But,, Just had this conversation with several others on the topic of Matchless/Norton Candy apple reds.  (I have a Matchless G80CS, And several N15Cs & G15CS that all use this color, Painted a few BSAs- Unit A65 and B44 a darker Brandywine version.

I am a big fan of the US paint companies products called House of Kolor, Formerly owned by John Kosmoski.

They have a wide range of products, But if you want a color that has extreme depth and pizazz to it..The I recommend House of Kolor.  (I use a Valspar Poly clear thats extremely durable, incredible deep wet look to it)  HOK was bought out and is under Valspar now... but its a quality paint.

They make a base coat in colors,, but the true deep and rich stuff uses a tintable primer, and what color you pick can affect the final colors,, then a base coat,, often Gold, silver or select from the chart. Pick big flake/sparkle or small-fine flake then follow with the semi translucent color tint coat, Whether Candy Apple red,, Gold, Green, Blue or whatever you choose.

See: https://www.houseofkolor.com/homepage/
https://www.houseofkolor.com/kolors/?ref=topnav

All the technical instruction you could ever hope for,, I have taken seminars and classes from the master himself.

https://www.houseofkolor.com/how-to/?ref=topnav

[KiwiGF]

This is almost as “controversial” as an oil thread  I just sold an A10 nacelle to a guy in Alaska, he particularly wanted it because it was a NOS part in beige, so he could match the rest of his bike too it. So he’s made a pretty good attempt to match the original colour, at some cost, and I suppose he’s got a good story to tell about he went about it.

I would describe the colour as more beige than golden, most restored A10’s I’ve seen in beige are much brighter and more “yellow” (or gold) than the original colour.

I painted my bike black as I don’t particularly like the original beige colour and don’t see the point in painting it a “nicer” beige when I prefer many other colours I left the underneath of a fork yoke with the original beige paint though, should a future owner want to revert it to its ex factory colour.

[Sluggo]

Personally< I think the Beige Gold color really stands out, Its an odd choice for a color IMHO, but in a sea of modern motorcycles at an event it really stands out, Especially with a blood red pinstripe job.  However,, I have seen some plunger bikes painted Black with Red accents and they were very striking as well.  One of them the rims were black as well with the matching red accents painted on the wheel centers and lined with gold pinstripes.

[rajclassicbiker]

Thanks for all the information . Especially the fact that the paint was not a consistent colour all over the bike ( mine is'nt ! and part of the reason I am thinking of painting ) . My bike is mostly a mellow beige with some bits which ( like the hubs )are clearly too gold .  The debate in my mind goes on ! Do I stick with beige or go black ( which I also agree looks stunning when done right ).     

[Swarfcut]

Stick with the original colour. Presumably it is described on the V5 as a colour other than black. It is a Golden Flash and in that colour a period piece worth retaining. Plenty of time to consider how or when you go about it, but in the meantime  get it to be a reliable runner, get a bit of enjoyment while there is no restrictions on your use. 

 No one will see the colour variation as you go by and after a while you'll accept it as part of its charm, you could always say it was "colour matched by experts"...from SpeccySavers.

 Keep Spannering.

 Swarfy.

[AdrianJ]

Mine is black and when I wanted to spray various parts I contacted a paint supplier who told me that the correct BSA black is 94 parts black and 6 parts violet and that I wouldn't be able to see the violet component, so I might as well use straight black. I have done and I can't tell the difference even where I ave used it to touch up the existing colour. Though, of course there is no guarantee that this was original anyway.
Adrian

[Simon59]

I've gone from the original black to beige in my restoration. I agree that it's more difficult (and a bit more expensive) but I think it looks great, and its what I wanted.

It's being done in two-pack paint by a local sprayer, based on the colour I bought (Polychromatic Silver Beige Pearl) from RS Bike Paint, over a black undercoat. He's done half my parts to date. Still a long way to go though, but it's comming on well...!

[BSA_54A10]

Thanks for all the information . Especially the fact that the paint was not a consistent colour all over the bike ( mine is'nt ! and part of the reason I am thinking of painting ) . My bike is mostly a mellow beige with some bits which ( like the hubs )are clearly too gold .  The debate in my mind goes on ! Do I stick with beige or go black ( which I also agree looks stunning when done right ).   

Goes like this.
The tanks were made in one of the Reddich factories and painted there.
The oil tanks were made at Small Heath & painted there.
The front & rear guars may have been made in house or bought in from Singer who rolled most of the mudguards.
The tool box was made by BSA but heaven knows which one of the 14 factories made it.
Then they all get joined together to be a motorcycle.

This practice was fine back in the  days of fully virtified enamel which will always be the same colour thus the Maroon parts could have been made at 10 different plants but would all look almost identical as the colour is an oxide and independent of operator variables .
Pigment paint is a different matter.

If you get your hands on original test rides you will see the consistent complaints about poor colour matching of the various parts.
So a bike where every part is a different shade of beige is original.
One where the bike is all the same colour is over restored.

Some where in my some what random filing system is an article about how the Golden Flash got it's name.
Originally it was going to be plain old A 10 the BSA won some Gold medals , think it was using A 7's  so some one in the marketing division decided to capitalize on the publicity and call the bike the Golden Flash.
Then they got a real brain fart and decided to repaint the bikes that were already black, gold.
Thus the 50 to 54 models were beige over high gloss black thus creating one of the earliest "metallic" paint finishes.

Sluggo is quite right it is near impossible to accurately recreate the finish with modern paints and definately not with a single coat other than the isocyanate 2 packs.

[jonny web]

i thought i d stick my oar in here too.
I m building a 51 golden flash and intend to get it as close as i can to original spec. i found some original paint on the front mudguard stay and think i can mix gold and silver hammerite to a fairly close shade, a cheap and easy solution, and when it starts to chip and fade and run with petrol, well so much the better as the engine wont get polished either. What do you think ?

[Greybeard]

Some where in my some what random filing system is an article about how the Golden Flash got it's name.
Originally it was going to be plain old A 10 the BSA won some Gold medals , think it was using A 7's  so some one in the marketing division decided to capitalize on the publicity and call the bike the Golden Flash.

Now, that's interesting. I thought the name came after they painted some gold(en).

[Swarfcut]

The Smoothrite version would be my choice. Seems a very good idea, well worth a try.

Swarfy.

[edboy]

i always use the smoothrite gold on my a10s as i find the original poly gold too drab. cheap and easy to spray or paint on.

[rajclassicbiker]

Many thanks for all the posts - some great ideas and historical facts . I will take my time to decide and in the meantime do some 'crusin' .   

[Butch (cb)]

I can only comment that this stuff isn't worth a damn;

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B004SMP6QE?ref_=pe_3187911_248764861_302_E_DDE_dt_1