Colour Help: 1977 KZ656-B1 Super Candy Red?

After a few years of wrenching the Bike runs really, really well.

Now I am turning my attention to its appearance. Please read on patiently as I do get to the point eventually which is, I need help from those who have already done this themselves.

What has been done to the bike?
- New Tank Bag and Saddlebags (nylon).
- New Saddleman Seat Cover.
- New '70's style cushioned Hand Grips installed.
- New Chromed Gauge Tops added
- -(IMHO, it's too bright in full sun light conditions).
- New Lighter Throttle Return Spring installed(1/3 OEM).
- New Lenses installed for Break Light and Signal Lights.
- New Light Bulbs installed in all sockets.
- New Control Cables installed.
- New Tachometer Cable installed.
- New Tachometer Oil Seal installed (engine side).
- New Master Cylinder Dust Boot installed.
- New Fork Dust Covers installed.
- New Progressive Spring springs for front end.
- New Progressive Spring 13 inch shocks for rear end.
- New Clutch Plates installed.
- New Roller Bearing Clutch Rod Pusher added.
- OEM Right Switch Gear cleaned, repaired and lubricated.
- OEM Left Switch Gear cleaned, repaired and lubricated.
- OEM Connectors cleaned and non-conductive grease.
- New Relay added for Coil Re-powering (WG) modification.
- New Relay added for Hi/Lo Headlight control.
- New Relay added for Starter/Headlight Off feature.
- New Voltage Rectifier.
- New H4 Head Light added.
- OEM Voltage Regulator adjusted and tested.
- New Battery.
- New Battery Tender Jr. wiring added to bike harness.
- OEM Positive Battery Lead Lugs cleaned and soldered.
- OEM Negative Battery Lead Lugs cleaned and soldered.
- New Terminal Panel added to test Alt Phases & Rect out.
- New 5 Circuit Blade Fuse Box with Alarm LED's.
- New Ignition Switch.
- New Dyna S DS2-2 Electronic Ignition.
- New Dyna Green DC1-1 3 Ohm Coils.
- New Dyna High Voltage Ignition Wires.
- New NGK Stark Plugs installed.
- New Oil Filter Bolt installed.
- New Oil Filter Cover O-ring installed.
- New Stainless Allen Head Bolt Kit installed.
- Carbs cleaned and stock rebuild kits installed.
- New Carb Holders installed with Stainless Allen Bolts.
- New Carb/Airbox Hoses installed.
- New Pingel Petcock installed.
- New Inline Fuel Filter added.
- New hoses (all) installed.
- Engine Compression tested and in pressure & balance.
- Carb Fuel Service Level adjusted and checked with tool.
- Carbs Sync'd with Vacuum Gauges set.
- Carb A/F Ratio not set with new Gunson Colortune yet.
- New KZ650-B1 1977 Red Decal Set.
- New Helmut Hook Stickers.

What is the objective?
- To repaint the body parts this season and hopefully before the Mid-Ohio Vintage Motor Cycle event.
- Chrome upgrade will be pushed back to a later season.
- To keep the bike as OEM stock as possible including colour scheme.

What I've prepared?
- I've ordered the strip kit from my buddies at Z1 Enterprises.
- I've started removing the red enamel paint added by the PO.
- I've decided to keep and refurbish the existing badges.

What I've learned?
- Paint no longer available from Kawasaki.
- Paint Codes are available but not the all important Colour Codes.
- Paint Colours and Application are:
' Coat Description Part Number
- - 1st Special Silver Basecoat UC-16-102
- - 2nd Super Red Candy KC-16-202
- - Top Clear CL-16-800

What I need to lean?
- What paint others have used to duplicate/reproduce this colour scheme:
' Coat Description Part Number Brand
- - 1st ? ? ?
- - 2nd ? ? ?
- - Top ? ? ?

Where am I now?
- Looking here for help.

Well, if you have read this far then you're probably the one I need to hear from.
I look forward to reading about your experience with this colour.

Thanks and bring it on ,
Bill

Bill, since you're not building a concourse bike, it looks like you're there. Paints which use a base/color combo are tricky, and red the most technical. I read somewhere that the human eye could discern @60+ shades of red. this added to contours of bits make uniform color well, art. fortunatly unless in competion lapses unless glaring are missed. the only thing I would rec., is when choosing paint, that you select something which is compatible with the latest in fuel resistant clear coat. and that any fillers used are the best avalible and preferably aged. luck g

gane, I hear you... sounds like good common sense advice. Good materials = good results.

I'm also looking for members who have done this themselves and exactly what colours and brands they used.

We'll see who pops up.

Bill

Bill, just on hand experiance, as a cheep old bastard, I've painted all but 1 of my spread, a '71 triumph CSR. Finishes are OK, but blemishes in previous works are all due to body work sometimes requiring 4-5 years to surface. perhaps current fillers are better. regardless, the pleasure you have is today. paint it.. ride it..enjoy G

Dupli-Color it! :woohoo: :laugh: :laugh:

Cheap sounds good to me. And Dupli has a real nice ring to it.

But, I'm still standby in case someone has found a specific paint and tried it on their bike and they like it.

Thanks guys.
Bill

Bill,

You are right there are no paint codes. PPG has a good selection of VibranceII candy colors. I would go with a straight candy (yellow shade) red DMX212 mixed in DBC clear. For the base just use a 1970's silver metalic car color, the new RadianceII bases are way too brilliant. Your PPG store should be able to help you with the final clear selection. It would be good if you had a sample part to work from, or you can wet sand down to the original paint on your parts.

Ralph

Backgrounder... paint shop lost my original Badges. All of them! Had to withhold $200 on total paint job and then ordered reproduction Badges for a Canadian supplier.

The latest...

Good news... got back home and a package had arrived. It contained a new set of badges (see below).



At first look they look pretty good... all shiny and new. As expected and as advertised the hole and or locating/locking pins are about 1/2 mm off from centre-to-centre. So for the side covers this should be easy to fix. I plan to use a very small rat-tail file and elongate the holes left hole and the right hole while leaving the centre hole untouched. This should be easy.

As for the Tank badges the ones I received were fairly flat from having been shipped flat through Canada Post. I will need to get them back to somewhere near their original curve... probably rolling them on something with about a 2 foot diameter... like a garbage can or one of those round Bar-B-Q's (don't tell the wife). When that's done I expect to find, as advertised, that the distance between the two mounting holes is about 1 mm to short. Not sure where to go at that point. But it's great to have these simple cosmetic problems.

Best of success,
Bill