The great MKII paint code debate!

I've been in touch with a couple members about this but let me throw it out there:

I am hoping to re-paint my MKII and visited the fellow who did such a perfect job with my Z1R parts today.

He no longer paints (health reasons) but works in a shop doing frame repairs etc. and he claims to have a brilliant young painter there.

He said the problem is finding the paint here in Canada.

Goody two-shoes / Politically Uber-Correct Canada was the first country to ban acrylic paints. It gives cockroaches cancer or some other stupid reason. We only use water-based paints now and matching an old acrylic to a new water-based is impossible.

The old acrylic paint codes no longer mean anything. And shooting water-based paints is a black art. Blue comes out of the gun yellow and does not to anything resembling blue until it dries and then changes again to the final color once you shoot it with clear. He said it has made the old method of matching paint useless. He also said replicating the old paint colors of say the root beer brown Z1 or the Stardust blue of the KZ650C and Z1R would now require a lifetime of trial and error.

If I can nail down the absolute correct paint codes perhaps I can get the paint imported from the US or somewhere they still make it?

Another option is to find a painter outside of Canada to do the whole thing but that gets very expensive with the job and two way shipping and then the stupid taxes. Tim’s CBX in the US offers that service for Honda CBX owners at a decent price. The 100% nail the gorgeous Candy Ruby Red that the 6 banger came in.

The 1979 MKII came in 2 colors: The red was called Luminous Red and the blue was called Luminous Navy Blue.

I had this paint code given to me and it is apparently for Colorite brand of paint:

Colorite codes for MKII is 3130 for the Red and 2075 is the Blue. A fellow forum buddy said he confirmed this with french speaking guys at Colorite Candada but that leaves a lot of room for (pardon the pun) interpretation.

Can anyone shed some light on this mystery? I would like to re-do my MKII (despite the advice of others) as I would like to make it show bike material.

Or maybe I should just sell it and buy a nice clean ZRX1200 LOL!

Wayne (Lost in the late 70's)

PS: Just added a new bike to my little stable. 1979 Yamaha XS1100E... Bone stock with only 3,346 original miles. Paid in full and arranging shipping from Michigan. Just need the GS1100E to complete my Axis of Evil!

If you can find a reputable bike painter in the US whose shop is close to an interesting vacation spot (and not too far from where you live) you may want to consider riding there, dropping off the bike for a couple days while it is painted, renting a car and doing some sightseeing, then when the bike is done riding it back home. No shipping, taxes, etc. and maybe a cool vacation. Ed

While it is somewhat true that waterborne paints can be troublesome, the matching is not usually a huge problem... Your friend is most likely refering to "stick matching", where you could pull the mixing stick out of the can and compare it to the existing paint with solventborne paints. A dry sprayout card will be the same for water and for solvent of an existing manufacturer's code. Waterborne paint does typically spray out with an off color at first, but will dry to a final match as the water and solvents evaporate.

If you can take a piece of your body work to a shop that has a photospectrometer, the guys there can use it to pull up an existing code in waterbourne that will be a blendable match to what you have. A photospectrometer(some call it a "color camera", or "color eye"),will take three separate pictures of your paint, scan the paint manufacturer's data base for a color that is within the same value, hue, and chroma of what it is trying to match, and suggest the closest possible code. Don't be suprised if you get a Skoda car color from the 80's or something...

Most large collision repair shops have one, and if you are trying to paint it yourself, pull up to the back and ask the painter... You might get it done for free.

Matt.

I have the Luminous Dark Red MKII and tried to have a small fairing painted to match and they were not able to even get close, so buddys at Kawasaki actually got me a pint of stock Kawasaki paint. It didn't match real good either. Probably painters can chime in about the importance of the basecoat color to the final outcome using the correct red. Correct red the way it was applied for me was close enough, but not that close. If I had to rate it on a scale of 1 to 100 on match I'd give it a 80. Bear in mind this was long ago though so maybe technology has made for better ways to make paint match. All I know is the bodyshop that did my fairing vowed to never attempt a motorcycle match again after the work and failure to come up with anything even remotely close to a match despite all the effort and even using factory Kawasaki paint. So I think Colorite code 3130 whatever is not necessarilly going to match factory paint in the least.

If your interested in the luminous blue get a hold OF Greg at Sabatini Autowerks in Rowlett Texas. He can match this paint for you and give you more info on matching other colors. He painted my MK2 and did a perfect job. Perfect as in a perfect match and a flawless paint job.

MK2

I'm gonna chime in. only because I have been doing a little painting recently the louminous colors are a candy I believe and the correct paint code will vary in depth and color from painter to painter.

my limited experience in painting candies has shown me that primer and base as well as air pressure will affect the finished color.

the guys that are doing the resto paint jobs have painted several combinations to come out with the closest match and do it the same way everytime

If your wanting a show restoration paint job you need to bite the bullet and pay the guys who have the experience

If your wanting a really cool Show quality or clean close color then a bodyshop or local painter can do it doesnt matter if its water base or not.

I guess what I am saying is to get the correct color and Hue ship it to the guys and spend the money. if you want a close pretty paint job let the guys close to the house do it.

take it for what its worth just mu .02

Ramtough_63 +1. For example, the original paint job on my KZ650-C1 Metallic Regal Blue consisted of 4 coats: Special Silver Basecoat / Flake Silver Basecoat / Brigade Blue / Clear Topcoat. A paint guy might find something close, but trying to find a single paint that would achieve the identical color and effect would probably be impossible. Ed

Thanks guys! I will follow up those great leads. Maybe I will flip the bike to blue. I think I will post a poll and see what people think.

On the topic of paint. Today I visited a great autobody shop that has worked on my cars for years and took them the front fender of my Z1R. The body parts were all expertly painted about 8 years ago and boxed as my resto project got put on hold. In finishing it I accidently dropped a ratchet wrench on the fender and put a small chip right down the middle. I was so devastated. The paint job was done as close to factory as you can imagine. Perfect match and the the pinstripes which can be a pain were replicated perfectly.

The owner showed the fender to his best painter in the back and he said "No Problem" They have a source for some arcylic paint and he swears he can sand down a small area, fog it in and blend it perfectly, then clear it. He says he is confident it will be undetectable when done.

left it with him... We'll see.

W

While i was at the shop (my exwife's new husbands) i wass watchin the painter mix a clear stuff called color blender he was spottin in a grey metallic. I have seen some of his work and it can happen.

Some of these guys are truly gifted

300 kph,

I have never done a MkII but it probably is a Tri-coat candy color and it will be tough to match with a car color type paint. You just can't get a car color to match a Candy color effect in all lighting conditions. PPG makes waterborn custom effect colors that should get you close.

A silver blue 78 Z1R is a little easier to match because it is just a basecoat clear coat color and the color matching machine can get you close.

There are a couple of people you can try in the Toronto area. BK Custom paint in Brantford Ontario is the recommended painter of Reproduction Decals and has done two paint jobs for me and offers a lifetime finish guarantee if he does all the prep etc. Dave Connery in north Toronto is an airbrush whizz and has done some work for a friend, mostly Z1 related. Both shops have a website if needed.
Good luck. David