Paint colour

[Neil]

Can anyone tell me how I can find out/confirm what colour a BSA was when it left the factory please.  Thanks very much

[Rupert]

The BSA factory despatch books will usually give the general colour of the machine in question, e.g. Red, blue or black, sometimes with a bit more detail about the specific shade.
Once you know the general colour the parts book for that model and year will give the exact shades and BSA code numbers of the colour options which would have been used eg Royal Red or Nutley Blue.

[Derek996]

Can anyone tell me how I can find out/confirm what colour a BSA was when it left the factory please.  Thanks very much

What model and year is your bike?

[Spaceman]

I normally use the RS Paints web site to find the colour schemes for a particular BSA model and year although this will not tell you which colour scheme a particular bike left the factory. RS Paints have colour samples for most of the BSA bikes and can therefore provide exact paint matches.

[Geoff Leake]

Hi, I too am keen to know the original colour of the B33 I'm about to restore; and I have the original matching numbers. Does anybody know how I can gain access to the BSA factory despatch books?

[JulianS]

If the bike is 1947 with XB31 prefix frame and XB33 prefix engine then the despatch book does not show colour as there was not a choice, they were all the same - basic black mudguards oil tank and frame with matt silver and chrome petrol tank and wheels.

Below from the 1947 catalogue.

If it is a late 1947 for 1948 season with YB31 prefix frame and YB33 prefix engine then there was an option of Devon Red for the tank and wheels instead of matt silver. If it was Devon red the record simply shows "DR" no other details.

Note that Devon Red is not the same colour as BSA maroon.

[Geoff Leake]

To Julian S.

Hi Julian, my bike is a 1947 with XB31 frame prefix and engine prefix of XB33. In which case I'd like to be sure I fully understand what you're saying. If they were all the same, you're saying that the colour scheme was: basic black mudguards, oil tank and frame. But do you mean that the petrol tank and the wheels were both matt silver and chrome, or just the tank matt silver and chrome with the wheels being all chrome? I'm just looking for clarification, so I apologise if I'm confusing you! Having said all that, as I'm sure you know, all sorts of different variations and colours for tanks, plus wheels and mudguards with stripes etc etc. that have been carried out by restorers in recent years. Apart from the anal types who often don't even own bikes, does it matter much or is it just a matter of personal choice? Thanks.

[idie]

The wheels would be chrome with a central silver band. Chrome and silver tank. Black mudguards and frame  tool box and oil tank.

[JulianS]

I think the wheel rims had matt silver centres lined black on chrome.

If you have Roy Bacons BSA singles restoration guide there are just a very few partial contemporary photos of the XB bikes in which you can get some idea of the lines on wheels and tank.

I always think that whatever an owner decides to do with their bike, including the finish is a matter of choice and often a matter of practicality.

The main thing is to be happy with your bike

I dont suppose., unless an owner has a photo of a bike as it was wheeled out of the factroy, that it is possible to be completely certain what its exact original finish was.

[Geoff Leake]

Thanks Idie and JulianS.

I do have a copy of Roy Bacon's book, so I'll study it. Having said that, your guidance is very much appreciated and between you, you've told me all I need to know. Cheers guys.

[mashermick]

My 54 b31 is maroon and difficult to match,visiting  my powdercoaters we matched a colour to the inside of the toolbox, bright and clean inside ,the colour is RAL 3007 ,as good a match as any I've seen.bought a rattle can an sprayed the toolbox  perfect match .hope this helps someone