Kz1100D Spectre Engine Case Colour?

Getting ready to redo the cases on my spectre, found a guy local who can and will for a resonable price, clean and powdercoatthem, so far so good:)
Now stuck, the cases are so faded and flakey that I can't tell what the original colour should be:(
Inside the ignition cover is a bronze/gold colour and is almost as bright as the forks. but not sure:S
Anyone got any idea as to the original colour, tried Kawasaki who put me onto a place in the USA but they have no records fro the engine colour.
Any suggestions???????

Oh Oh no takers on this one:unsure: Ok am open to suggestions of colours that members think will suit a Spectre, My thoughts are to go a real GOLD colour with the matching Black on the barrelsB)
Other suggestions? polite of course :lol: :lol: :lol:

Post edited by: KZ_Rage, at: 2006/05/16 11:52

Mikeo...I think I have some colored pictures at home of the 750N model (same colors as the 1100)...let me look and I post after I get home from work today.

Thanks Guys, any suggestions and help appreciated, am trying to keep her as stock as possible, with maybe a little bit of artistic licence (to hide some of the crud i can't shift!)
Over here the 1100 spectre is a rare model, in fact Foele Zed is the only owner to surface in the UK for quite a while. that's the main reason for trying to keep her stock. It would be great to have a good example over here.
But stumped on the engine case colour, with no example to compare with:(
Pictures of good example spectres with the gold colour engine cases would be a great help. Will try and post a picture of what I have at the moment. Have only found an ad from 1982 of the 1100 but it was a download and the colour does not show.
Cheers for the input, keep it coming,

And here's the problem:blush: :sick:

mikeo wrote:

And here's the problem:blush: :sick:

You are correct...pretty ratty. But, the good news is that the paint color on your cases/valve covers has not faded. Compare it to that on your mags and if it is a close match, then you can duplicate that color to keep it original. Be advised that the forks and rear shock covers are a darker version of gold...if you are looking to restore, then don't use the upper rear shocks or forks as a color guide for the cases. These observations are from the cover of the KZ750N KHI shop manual (which had the same color scheme as the 1100). The bad news is that the manuals do not make any mention of paint codes/names.

many thanks for the info, my mags don't seem to be very close in colour but are lighter than the forks, so looks like I'll go for a similar colour to the mags. I have found an original case for sale at Klasmo but at nearly $300 I'll give it a miss and just use the picture as a guide.
What do you think?????????????

Well, I really am getting older (maybe wiser, but certainly more accepting). Back in 1982, I remember being in a Kawasaki dealership in Bryan, Texas looking at a brand new KZ1100D1 and a KZ1100B2 sitting side-by-side. While I lusted after the B model, the dealership owner, who I knew fairly well, was standing next to me and he stated that the Spectre was the most beautiful bike he had seen. I, respectfully, disagreed. Fast forward 24 years...if I were to own a Spectre, I'd keep it in original colors (anything other than those, and you just have another KZ). I'd love to have a Spectre today, but I don't think I'd spend US$300.00 on an engine cover :ohmy:

Many thanks Mcdroid, If I'd been in Texas in the showroom with you the salesman would have had a grest commission day:laugh: You the B2 and me the D1:laugh:
Agree about the price of the case from Klasmo, also getting wise in my "mature" of mind days, £300 :pinch:
Still thats supply and demand I suppose.
Well off to the workshop to try and get as close to a nice gold colour as possible, Yep I want my spectre to be a spectre and stand out from the English Z1100's that's why I bought her;)
Will keep you posted with progress and the search for original info and other bits, could be useful for other members at some time.
Cheers

Mikeo,

I've got an '83 Spectre in fairly decent shape I could send photos if you'd like. Cases are gold, cyl barrels flat black, tank gloss black.

msomero64

Beats what I've got. One of the prior owners hit the wheels with a can of flat black paint and the engine case with some aluminum colored paint. I've been buying some parts off EvilBay just to get a clue as to what color they were originally supposed to be! :dry: