What color's are they? - * worlds fastest indian *

I've been racking my brain trying to find the colours used on Burt Munro's bike....does anyone know where the colours originate (ie on what car/bike originally) from............. (other than a spray can )

To jog ya memory.....

Cheers, and thanks in advance,

Drewfus

 

Red, it's off a red car...

 

that was a good movie. Made me want to get and old indian and then I looked at the prices

 

I think it might be 'Indian Red', the colour they left the factory with. I'm reading 'One Good Run' at the moment, but I'm not up to the bit where he streamlines the bike yet. He's just got to the point where he's playing with overhead cams etc.

 

there's an old color pic of the bike in the latest Hot Rod mag, I expect the colors are way off....but you might take a look at it anyways. I cropped the rest of the pic

 

if you really wanna know...the guy who restored the bike as seen today is a motorcycle restorer whos shop is in central california. his nameis steve hunsinger...im sure i spelled that wrong, but itll get you close! hope this helps.

 

I saw the bike Steve restored when he and the owner came East for the Hershey meet years ago. It was a nice bright shade of red, but I think the actual shade was darker when Burt raced it.

 

Here are some close up shot's that I took of the restored bike inside under the lights. You can see the red but not really the true color.

Enjoy,

CBB

 

The obvoius guess would be Indian Red, as the bikes.

With that said I beleive that the biggest discussion topic at Indian meets is which bike had the correct Indian Red...

 

Man,

That maroon (red?) and black colour scheme would look soooooo good on my rod. Killer movie, would have love to have met the man in real life.

Danny

 

I helped him push the bike back on his trailer at axles motorcycle show in Riverside. The thing was amazing! I think Burt munroe probably would have said it is "red and black"

 

I would guess that it was some old red paint that he got cheap (or free) and brushed on. Maybe it's telephone booth red

 

I was thinking the same thing - probably whatever was at hand. Maybe roof paint red. Lots of roofs in NZ were corrugated iron and painted red - I cant remember in the movie (assuming movie is correct) but what color was his shed (er house)?

 

Just finished reading it myself. About to start again. SUPERB read!
The paint Burt (Bert/Herbert) used was just some old tin laying around on the farm. Wouldn't have wasted money on it - or put it on very thick...

 

Au Naturel: Cinder Block Grey

 

I'm with you Simon, he was very unlikley to have paid for it and I bet it never went near a spray gun..... reminds me of some folk I ran into when I was playing around in my house truck, their truck was built using road markers for framing (back when they were timber) and they had phone box doors for doors through out, I figure they were on a similar budget and equally inventive

 

The replicas for the show were created by Britten Motorcycle Company here in New Zealand. If you visit their site you may be able to email them and find out the facts you need. www.britten.co.nz

 

I photographed the restored original at Bonneville in 1988 or 89. It seems more orange than red, and the pictures I dug up still are more orange. I was very surprised to see the bike red in the movie. Yes, the book is wonderful.

 

I fear that the original colour arrangement would have been whatever was cheapest.......but having said that, I'm keen to find out what the colors used on the one in the movie was, so I'll try and chase up a few of the suggestions...

Cheers,

Drewfus

 

i took these at the Legend of the Motorcycle Concours d'Elegance...hope it helps

 

'37, I should have guessed you'd be all over this thread. Dean Hensley, guy in wheelchair, owned it when it was at Hershey. He has since died. Is Dean Tom Hensley's brother from LSR?? I think he is. If so, he could tell what color was used also. I think Indian Red is much darker, almost maroon, then Burt's bike. I'll be wearing my official Burt Munro T-shirt at Hershey, hope I don't need a sweat shirt or rain coat over it.

 

Great movie and a great true story.

I want to see some pics of that number 4 in the background though.

 

I'm sure that restoration is WAY nicer than it ever was 'back in the day'.

Very, very, very nice looking piece of machinery though.

Since no-one else has asked... Why, Drewfus?

 

I'm reading that at the moment to Brootal. Its a great read.

 

Then Lets do it boy!
I agree...would look killer on your AV8...maroon red with black scallops.......mmmmm.

Drewfus...what's the plan?

Maiki

 

Mental games on another A.....

Cheers,

Drewfus

 

For an A, I think that painting the body a suede maroon with black firewall and blackwalls or pinner whites. would be way cool

 

'try this site

http://www.indianmotorbikes.com/features/munro/munro.htm

 

I've got it. It was Carnation red. His friend Ashley had just painted his car Carnation red. Page 214 in One good run.

"By crickey, I could never find it in any of the charts and there it is. Indian red!"
Ashley told him it was actually Carnation Red, but burt was having none of it. "Carnation Red? So that's what they call Indian Red."

 

Royal Blue was dropped as an optional colour in 1912 and "Indian Red" became the standard colour - apparently. Indian Motorcycles were owned by DuPont in the 30's so maybe the shade you're after is one of their colours. The "Carnation Red" was probably Burt's interpretation of one of the original colours.

hope this helps

Bob