Roypercy

DAMN! That is beautiful. Congratulations! Great work.

youcallmetube

Ikr, I've seen other threads here calling the color silver lilac or rose or champagne, but is there a solid answer to an actual color code that one could use to repaint a bike in this particular so called lilac color? Any labour from back in the days Motobecane spray paint factories?

I'm trying to reach 10 posts to share my Motobecane C5

francophile 

I've heard it called silver lilac, brilliant lilac, powder lilac, but the '75 catalog spec page says "silver lilac" on the 1975 Le Champion so that's what I'm going with.

Vintage bikes generally aren't like cars. There are always exceptions, but you're not going to find paint codes or whatnot online. Even one of the most famous colors, Bianchi's "Celeste Green" has no definitive paint code, and I've seen many a heated argument about what the "right" mixture is to get as close to factory as possible.

PS - champagne is a different color entirely, looks more like a mix of gold and silver.

cb400bill

I've touched base with the owner. He has no paint code information.

youcallmetube

Thanks for your answer, makes it pretty challenging to hit the right tone for fixing paint chips or restoring rusted areas. Been to local paint/lacquer seller and shops, it's even really difficult to find a matching color for the experts.
I'll keep on going with my journey for this then!

Cheers!

youcallmetube

Thank you for asking and the effort!

3alarmer 

..
...link to paint codes for "Evening Orchid." I have a silver one I'm planning on repainting in this color.

3alarmer 

Hproduguidon

[QUOTE=youcallmetube;21317167]Ikr, j'ai vu d'autres fils ici appelant la couleur argent lilas ou rose ou champagne, mais existe-t-il une réponse solide à un code de couleur réel que l'on pourrait utiliser pour repeindre un vélo dans ce soi-disant couleur lilas ? De la main-d'œuvre de l'époque des usines de peinture en aérosol Motobécane ? :RÉ

Je suis en train d'atteindre 10 postes partager ma Motobécane C5 ouce:[/ QUOTE]
your c5 looks like mine?

BikingViking793 

Nice ride!

youcallmetube

[QUOTE=Hproduguidon;22112390]indeed it does, same color same components, did change some for ergonomics tho. Will post a pic as soon as I have 10 posts.

Rage

Turned out great!

youcallmetube

Bumbing this thread with another C5. The color looks slightly more saturated than the OPs one.

Modified it a bit for the use as my one and only road bike right now. Seen 6000kms since I bought it second hand, a fine training machine.

CLB pro brake group, Brooks C13 saddle, 3T Superleggero bars and shorter 3T stem and of course clipless pedals, built the wheel set with pelissier 2000 professional hubs and mavic ma40 rims.

motogeek 

3alarmer posted a picture of a Chevy Corvair in Evening Orchid. That was a common color in 1965,found on Chevrolets, Chevelles, El Caminos, Corvairs and perhaps others. Pontiac also used it at that time and it may have showed up on other GM cars also. Might be a close match.

75lechamp 

Nice! Mine's a '75 too, bought "new-ish" in 1977 from Kent Ericksen in Steamboat, where I lived. At the time, he had a shop in the back of a ski shop, called Sore Saddle Cyclery. He later started Moots. Over the years I have swapped out components, but recently reverted back to mostly stock. I found a pair of black anodized Phillipe bars, couldn't resist putting them on. It's a smooth riding bike!

SurferRosa

Sweeeet d352 bars in black ... which might open up a Pandora's box of adding some Super Record.

I'm not a big fan of purple, but the bar tape looks great.

3alarmer 

.
...it was originally silver, but had some rust and looked a little beat. It has a headbadge, and the fork crown they were using in '73.
I think if I had it to do over again, I'd just go with silver and black graphics, but here is how it turned out, using some layering of the colors available to me without custom mixed paint.


1973 Le Champion repainted in white lilac


A custom can of color coat, mixed to the GM code would have been a lot easier. But the auto paint store closest to me couldn't do it.

This was accomplished with stripping the old paint, priming with self etching primer and then white primer, a color undercoat of metallic silver, "white lilac" acrylic over that, then a very light coat of a pearlescent lacquer to seal that stuff. The final gloss over everything is a standard 2 part urethane clear coat, which is pretty durable. A custom mixed color coat would have been a definite time saver, and probably gotten me closer to the color Motobecane used.

3alarmer 

3alarmer 

...thanks. I will say, having stripped the frame of paint and gotten a chance to inspect the brazing and joinery, this is without a doubt the best constructed 70's French bicycle frame I've encountered. The lines are clean, and the workmanship shows pride of craftsmanship. Whoever built this one knew what he was doing.