Topic: Determining Paint color

[Kcinnick]

Is there any part of the VIN or anyplace on the bike that would tell me the paint color code.

I believe the paint to be original on my 73/74 CB750.

I thought it was briar brown metallic when I believed I had a 74 but it looks like I have a 73 and I think the color might be Maxim Brown Metallic.  I do have the gold/white/black trim on the tank and it looks to be original.  I don't need to paint the tank, it is 95% or better, I need to paint replacement side covers.

My bike is titled as a 1974 model, but I found the original registration in the seat that states clearly it is a 1973 model.  My next challenge is getting the original 40 year old registration out without damaging it... 

[Stev-o]

No, the VIN does not have a paint code.  However the VIN will tell you if it is indeed a '73. 

[ekpent]

Here in Michigan the bikes were titled the year they were sold not the year they were made.

[Jim Harris]

I have good news and bad news. The good news is that you don't need to paint the tank. The bad news is that you dont need to paint the tank. We have tried re-painting just the side covers on several bikes that had good tanks, but it has never resulted in a good match. The paint on the tanks fade over the years and we have never been able to get a good match. It always looks like the side covers are a diffferent color. My suggestion is to have both the tank and side covers re-painted.

[DH]

A K3 (73) will have a narrow white stripe as the outermost border of the tank decal.
A K4 (74) tank decal has a narrow black border. But of course, that will only identify the tank, and not the year of the bike if the tank has been swapped.

[Kcinnick]

I am painting a different set of covers, so if they don't match, I will just rock the cracked cover.  Seems like everyone cracked their left cover... The bike will be a rider, so I am making sure Mechanical is sound, but not flipping out about every little cosmetic issue.  I that it shows some age.

I don't think the tank is faded very much, it was stored inside, in AC for all but 2 months of its life.  I will check into if it was a 73 or 74.  The title says 74 and the original registration says 73. 

[Kevin D]

Have you ever looked here? Lots of good Honda info, to go along with what you already have here.

http://www.motorera.com/honda/

My 71 garnet brown faded badly to an ugly green. I'm pretty sure the new paint won't do that.

[Kcinnick]

I was playing with my Suzuki today, I will verify tomorrow but I think the bike is a 73 regardless what the title says, and Maxim Brown Metallic looks to be the color thanks to the motorera site.  I believe it is the original paint, mostly due to the original trim still being on the tank.

[Stev-o]

I was playing with my Suzuki today...

Suzuki?

[PeWe]

Suzuki... sounds like a Japanese girlfriend

[Menno]

Check out my site... Maybe you can find some inspiration there. It is an ongoing project and clearly not finished jet but I have done quite a few colours already: http://www.tanklackieren.de/Honda-colours/