paint samples arrived!

[LittleAl]

well received my original color samples today. Got samples of the original Forrest Green, Pepper Red, Glacier Blue and Daytona Ivory.

man that is one UGLY green. Forest green, who they kidding, it's sorta a bright lime green. Damn glad I saw an actual sample in person!

I think I want to do the bike in original (or very close) colors and color combination's. I'm leaning towards the ivory for the tanks and either the red or blue for the fenders. anyone have any opinions? especially if you've seen any of these combo's in person.

Now I just need to decide on the color/scheme, find a painter and come up with the cash. Other then that I'm all settled, lol

[john HD]

al,

so what is your opinion on pepper red?

i always thought it looked like chevy engine orange!

here is mine... and a faded original.

john

pan background2.jpg

[LittleAl]

John,

I like the red for sure. It's so hard to tell on a damn computer about color. In your pictures the actual sample when held up to my computer screen, is very close to the color of your truck. The original looks very orange/red. your bike looks a little more towards fire engine from the sample

I'm glad I got the samples in my hands. like many people, i have a serious love hate relationship with computers & the internet, lol

so do you love the red, hate it, or live with it?

[john HD]

al,

that is not my truck. mine is blue.

i like the pepper red, even if it is more of an orange color. it certainly stands out in traffic! the only time i have run across a similar bike was a bone stock 54 driven by the second owner. it was at at sturgis years ago.

you can always take a photo of your paint chips in direct sunlight and display them on your monitor and adjust from there.

john

[Kurt]

Did someone just get pissed off at the second bike and beat the hell out of it with a ball bat or what?

None of that damage makes sense......look at the muffler. Looks like a Honda after a Harley rally........$1.00 for three hits....

[LittleAl]

here are the actual smaples I received for comparison on your OWN screen, lol

no matter what they look like on my computer, I have them in hand. It's a real toss up at the moment on the red or the blue. gonna put the ivory on the tanks for sure. Well, probably. humm, definitely a possibility, lol

geez, if only i had TWO '54's i was getting painted...

[john HD]

al,

here are some more examples of mid 50's colors. a 54 that i think is forest green and two different atomic blue and one pepper red and black 57. they may give you an idea how your monitor is working. i also included a hollywood green one.

kurt,

that bashed and abused '55 is/was owned by a fellow wisconsinite. it is one of a matched pair that were rescued from a garbage dump in the middle east. believe it or not it runs!

john

[joe]

I love the green bikes! Wasn't that beat to death 55 one of the two that were resuced from a dump in the Middle East by a contractor working over there? Last I knew the bikes were on display at a HD dealership. See link

http://www.bikernet.com/news/PageViewer.asp?PageID=85

[LittleAl]

thanks for all the pics John.

The green, in and variation, is out for me.

leaning towards pepper red or glacier blue.

the paint is the last thing for me, I have everything else paid for, so I have as much time to decide as it will take me to save the $1000 + for the paint job. Tomorrow is tax day and I pay every year so it might take a few weeks! I'm still hoping to take her on my first ride on may 15th.

[55PAN]

Little Al, I know this is the opposite of what you were thinking, but I thought you might want to check it out.

Bruce

[kevsett]

Don't want to hijack but did anybody else notice the groovy tailpipe?

[LittleAl]

thanks for the picture Bruce! nice to actually see a two tone.

I sorta wish I had some more time but my drop dead date is to have the bike ready for a very big run my club puts on June 7th. If I had more time I'd wait until after Rhinebeck to see what I can see there in person

[VPH-D]

Pepper Red is a very orange red. John HD's bike picture is an accurate example of the color. I had my wife's 57 painted reverse Pepper Red and Black, and it is an eye popper in the sun.
VPH-D

[john HD]

al and everybody,

correct me if i am wrong but it thought i read somewhere that two tone (tanks one color and fenders another) were special order items for the motor maids club.

anyone back me up on this?

perhaps we need to consult with chris haynes...

john

[LittleAl]

wow, I get to correct someone and actually be right. this has only happened like 2 other times in my life, LOL

according to Palmer, silver or white were police only colors for '54 FL's. Daytona Ivory was an available color on "private" (non-police) models. There was also a special color combo for Motor Maids, Cadillac Gray tanks with Azure Blue fenders . Also available for '54 private bikes, anniversary yellow, black, forest green, glacier blue and pepper red. All "two tone" combos were not mixed colors on single sheetmetal. Two Tones were both fenders one color and the tanks another color.

I've checked this out pretty good, through Palmer and other sources (at the very least the September, 1953 Enthusiast that announced the 1954 models) and come up with the same info every time.

According to Lonnie at Antique Cycle they own the original color formulas from HD, at least that's what he claimed. Anyway, he told me that the formula for Fiesta Red and Pepper Red are identical so to avoid confusion they (AC) added the Fiesta into the Pepper Red name. He also says the Fiesta (name change only according to him) came out in the mid 60's sometime but the color is exactly the same, Pepper Red, Fiesta Red or Pepper (Fiesta) Red. all variations of a name for the exact same formula/color.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it! lol