Polychromatic/Shell blue.

[JohnnyT]

I have a Triumph Tigress scooter. Im told its  blue colour is either polychromatic blue,Im not sure of this as a spray can I bought is way too dark ( this is for sale btw)or shell blue. It seems to be the pale metallic blue of the Triumph bikes. A search for polychromatic gave pictures of the paler colour,anyone shed any light on this thanks.

[R]

I have a Triumph Tigress scooter. Im told its  blue colour is either polychromatic blue,Im not sure of this as a spray can I bought is way too dark ( this is for sale btw)or shell blue.

Something like this one ?


Polychromatic blue comes in about as many shades as every other color does, even 'white' has about 60 million+++ shades. ?
Good paint shops usually have someone who can match colors by eye, a declining skill these days perhaps ?
Do you have a good sample to get a match from ?

[JohnnyT]

Thats it R I have a nissan blue thats close but wanted to clear up my confusion.RS paint sell a shell blue but its on earlier bikes than th 59 scooter.Did shades change over the years?

[mini-me]

If I remember right these  polychromatic paints were applied over a  metallic silver base coat?

in the 1960s I bought such a thing for my Crusader sport from Enfield, it came in two separate tins the silver and an almost transparent red top coat.

Sprayed it on  with a flit gun, quite a good job it was.

[R]

A silver base coat with a transparent color top coat is generally called a candy apple.
Folks these days will tell you thats how they were done, but the poly blues and greens I've seen
and sprayed were a single coat enamel, with powdered aluminium/glass in it.
(an early version of 'metallic' paint, but so fine you can't see the individual particles)

The 'poly' refers to that it looks different in different lights, and even what angle the sun is shining on it.
Yes the colors can vary, can by can even ?, and when I was looking for the pic above there were a variety of shades to choose from.
Triumph look to have quite a darker blue version in later years, and also just a solid color light blue.
So finding a good match for it may take some hunting around - or someone who can match paint by eye.

[mini-me]

After searching the very dark recesses of my memory the paint from Enfield, which was common to all the range, was called  poly-chromatic Burgundy.

A lovely rich colour it was. 

I am beginning to recall all sorts of odd things from the 1950/60s, bu still can't remember where I left my slippers this morning.

tempus fuccus.


That scooter blue looks original,same colour as  the 3TA.

Candy apple was an American term back in the 1960s, no custom junk/go faster flames here at that time. mostly just brushing Belco.

[R]

Indeed, Enfields were one of the earlier users of polychromatic paints amongst motorcycle makers,
they had a polychromatic green tank prewar, and it was described as such in the brochure,
and a range of such greys and reds and greens and blues through the late 40s and then 1950s.
Sunbeam had a poly grey on some of those big 2 cyl ohc gentlemans tourers in the late 1940s.
Triumph had their 'silver sheen'  for 1950, and then various blues and greys, and it spread like wildfire after that.
Bicycle makers were huge users too, once they cottoned on to it.

Candy apple was an American term back in the 1960s, no custom junk/go faster flames here at that time. mostly just brushing Belco.

Maybe, but AMC/Norton did some of their compy bikes in Candy Red in the 1960s, and the wording in the brochure was exactly that.
And there were also blues and greens too.  Aimed at the US market obviously, you couldn't even buy them in Britain ?
Then the japanese makers got hold of it....
Cheers.

[R]

You could always ask RS if the paint they supply is a match for that color ?
I've seen it mentioned though that they are somewhat expensive for what you get.
A local supplier could be better ?

And some Triumph dealers (for older bikes) used to be able to supply Amaranth Red in cans ready mixed,
maybe that blue similarly ?

[R]

Its also worth commenting that lots of things used poly blue, over quite some years.



Also beats me why everyone else seems more organised than motorcycle enthusiasts,
when did you last see something as clearcut as this...
And note the changes of color along the way.

[JohnnyT]

Have tried RS the thunderbird poly blue,but too dark.Going to car paint factor tomorrow.