SSD colour

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sjkiwi
Cucciolo - the Lil Pup
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:26 pm
Location: Perth Western Australia

SSD colour

Post by sjkiwi »

As I am currently restoring a 1980 SSD which is black and gold in the SSD style I am told that a few of these came out of Italy in this colour.
As all the books state and most people believe, the SSD was meant to only come out in the blue, but I spotted a magazine cover from an old
Motorcycle Classics [april 98] with a picture of a black and gold SSD. What are the chances of a few slipping through in the black and gold
colour in SSD style.As I am trying to keep this bike as it came out of the factory I dont want to paint it SSD Blue if it was originally
Black and Gold, any thoughts anyone. I,m still undecided what colour to finish it in as I like both
Resto is slowly coming along, got the engine back fully rebuilt last week so this has spurred me to get cracking .
Fibreglass repairs on the whaletail and sidecovers are coming along nicely.
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Craig in France
Paso 906
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Location: Montpellier, France

Re: SSD colour

Post by Craig in France »

Seeing as it's a 1980 bike, my suspicion is that it was blue - but that's only a suspicion ;) ... Here's why:

Most of the SSDs produced seem to have been made in 3 distinct batches, the last batch being assembled at the end of 1980. (In fact, most 1980 registered bikes seem to have actually been built at the end of 1979). If you send me your frame and engine numbers I should be able to confiirm this.
It's therefore unlikely that a special paint job would have been part of this method of 'batch production'.

However, it is true that after the SSD was withdrawn from other markets, Frasers continued to order bikes for Australia - 126 according to Ian Fallloon. And it is possible that some of these bikes might have got special paint jobs - that certainly happened with SDs at the end of their run.

Dunno if this helps - or not! :roll:

Ciao

Craig
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BevHevSteve
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Re: SSD colour

Post by BevHevSteve »

i have made up at least 2 sticker sets for customers, with the blue stickers being gold, to be applied on a black painted SSD through the years..... I know I didn't invent that thought.............................. `-*
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sjkiwi
Cucciolo - the Lil Pup
Posts: 17
Joined: Wed Apr 10, 2013 4:26 pm
Location: Perth Western Australia

Re: SSD colour

Post by sjkiwi »

Thanks for the reply, looked at the magazine ad again ,it has non original mirrors and blinkers so could have been changed by the
owner with paintwork. Craig, am working away from home till next week so dont have the numbers with me, will PM them to you when I,m
home.
enforcer
Mariana
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Re: SSD colour

Post by enforcer »

I often wonder if the SSD did come to Australia in a black and gold configuration i have seen a few around that look period but who know may be frasers back in the day repainted and sold them off.
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