Anodized Red "Porkchop"/Side Plate and Valve Cover Paint Color - Prismatic Powders Anodized Red

[al_roethlisberger]

This topic has been raised numerous times over the now two decades of this forum's existence, and there have been a handful of examples where owners have tracked down a paint or powder-coating color that approximates the OEM "anodized" red finish on some of the V11 Sport/Lemans models "porkchop" (sideplate) and valve covers.

 

Since neither the porkchops nor the valve covers were actually anodized, it proved difficult to find a finish that would replicate the OEM faux anodized appearance.  And unfortunately the finish on the "porkchops" didn't prove very durable, and the finish on the valve covers often faded as well.  So the search for an appropriate finish started almost immediately.

 

And BTW, I was told by an anodizing shop that one can't just get those parts anodized due to the type of casting... at least not the valve covers.

 

Well, I recently obtained a powder coating sample from Prismatic Powders, called unsurprisingly "Anodized Red", that looks remarkably close to the original OEM finish before it faded and cracked:

 

https://www.prismaticpowders.com/shop/powder-coating-colors/PPB-5936/anodized-red

ANODIZED RED

(Item: PPB-5936)

 

I haven't applied this finish to a part yet, but the sample looks very good.

 

So if you are looking for a finish to repair or replicate the OEM V11 "anodized" red color, this might be an option to consider.

[LaGrasta]

This is very useful to know (anodized red). If one is trying to match Legnano Green, here is data I collected for it (from others research), as I have a 2010 V7 in this color.

 

Greenie Paint Code 

Using all of my super Spidey senses, including deductive skills worthy of Sherlock Holmes' smarter older brother, I present to the Moto Guzzi community the paint code for the weird greenish gold color found on the V7 Café known alternately as "Legnano Green" or "Solaris Yellow": (drum roll please) Nissan paint code ER4.

Long story short, I had a warranty repair done to my gas tank due to the bike being delivered with the right side horn rotated up so high that, thanks to normal engine vibrations, some paint got rubbed off. Thinking ahead, I asked the dealer to provide a bottle of touch-up paint and the paint code for future reference. The paint code from Moto Guzzi was unobtainium, so the dealer, Steel Horse Classics, used a professional auto body shop who matched the paint perfectly. When it was all done I got a small bottle of paint with ER4 written on it.

My first search for ER4 turned up somthing like 1996 Nissan Gold. Since I don't know anything at all about automotive paint codes, my first reaction was "what? - nah! - must be some mistake". I have since learned that ER4 was likely never used on any US market Nissan car and is listed at various web sites only under the years 1996, 95-97, and 98-99 (for the Nissan Micra). The color description on these sites is listed as any one of the following: Gold, Gold Pearl, Yellow, Yellow Olive, Yellow Olive Effect, and finally my favorite, Sumatra Yellow Metallic. Solaris Yellow or Legnano Green is never mentioned anywhere.

I found a US based outfit (automotivetouchup.com) that would supply a touch up bottle of ER4 and I did a comparision with the bottle I received from the dealer. I have concluded that they are one and the same color. The bottle I received from automotivetouchup.com was way to thinned out for proper use as a touch-up paint, so I had to apply multiple coats to get proper color density. I think that due to all the color elements in this paint, use for touch-ups will probably always be less than satisfactory unless it is professionally sprayed on. Anyway, just my small contribution to the Guzzi pool of knowledge and the three or four people out there who may find this information useful! 

[audiomick]

49 minutes ago, LaGrasta said:

...for the Nissan Micra...

Yes, I reckon I can remeber seeing Micras here (Germany) in a colour that might have been that one.