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Does anyone happen to know the Pantone (or possibly the RGB value) for the lovely yellow the factory gave to the late widecase Desmos?
It's impossible to match it accurately from photos, simply because every photo is taken in different light, and every print or computer monitor is inevitably out of whack from the actual colour.
Since Ducati also painted the first 750 Sport models in the same yellow, and they had valve-spring rather than Desmo heads, I hope nobody will mind me painting my late Mk3 (modified a bit) in the same tasteful colour!
Fingers crossed, and happy Christmas to all.
Peter.

Hi,

The colour that I found was the closest match was Ford Signal Orange.


Cheers,

Colin

My first 250 desmo which had all its original colour panels was a source of agony for me as each painted part was a slightly different shade of yellow/orange. in the end I just lived with it and it became a conversation piece......moving forward my current 250 desmo I had repainted using the most likely correct colour from underneath the petrol tank which my paint man matched for me as a unique colour. I agree with Colin I had decided that Ford signal orange was pretty close and certainly could be 'tinted' to get it right.......however I think many on here would agree that even when new from the factory not all these bikes came with 'exactly' the same shade of yellow/orange. I have on one occasion seen an unrestored 750 sport sat beside a original pair of desmo singles and they were not all exactly the same colour.
Cheers,
George

its was a combination of pigment in the gel coat for the fiberglass parts and the painted fuel tank

that is why the colors dont mach up

Eldert

I used the following. I think it's a good match and others have used the same: Glasurit CE-SY070.01

RAL 1028 is a very good match and what I had my '74 450 Desmo painted with. You can see some decent images of the finished job in the gallery at https://katskustomz.co.uk/gallery

FYI - Kat is very good and reasonably priced if anybody needs paint done.

Ian

Thank you all so much for wise advice and experience.

You will see the problem well illustrated by this screenshot:

That's two very different Ford Signal Orange samples from the same supplier.... And I do think they're really too dark an orange for Ducati, to be honest.

RAL 1028 certainly looks nearer:

I shall go to a good local paint shop - when I find one - and take a Pantone chart with me, and see what they suggest. Given the variation that emerged from the factory, I shan't worry too much.

There's a lot of possibilities...



Happy Christmas again!

Peter.

Aye Peter,

As suggested by other posters, gel coat, cellulose paint colours varied on individual machines and I believe that in the Ducati Owners Club GB, someone had come up with over 50 different shades of "Desmo Yellow"!

So, using your "Paint screenshot 3 Pantone colour chart" and to my eye. If I may be so bold? Pantone Yellow C, Pantone 108 C, or Pantone 115 C, would tick the box.

Other coloures on the chart either look like a canary's a*se, or something you'd stick on a caramelised confection!

Do not forget that the primer, undercoat, base coat, number of coats of colour and the depth of ethanol resistant, two pack lacquer (essential INMHO) applied to the bodywork will affect the finished colour. At least your colour should be consistent across the body parts?

All the best and have a good Xmas, New Year.

Good health, Bill

Ral 1028 looks about right to me, certainly 'right enough' the Ford colour was I know a bit too orange straight out of the tin but would do ok with a lighter yellow tint, some totally original 'yellow' desmo's are quite 'orange'. I don't think its that important now 50 years on..... just paint it whatever shade pleases you.
Happy Christmas,
Cheers,
George

Thanks, everybody.
Since my working life was hands-on in film and television, I probably fuss too much about what the jargon of my strange trade calls "colour grading".
I shall settle on something near the colour I remember of my first Ducati, a 1974 450 Desmo, which I tearfully parted with in 1976 because I couldn't afford the HP (that dates me) on a student grant (which also dates me).
I wonder, is RDV89N still out there?
Eventually you'll see how the Mk3 "350 Sport" turns out.
Compliments of the season,
Peter.