I bought a black 1978 XS650E from the widow of a late forum member (
@robinc) but the fuel tank was rusty and the side covers were rough as well, so I thought I would re-paint it in the stock green colour. Try as I might, I could not find any colour code or formulation for the stock Yamaha "
Spruce Metallic Green" colour - although as has been said, it sure looks like a typical
British Racing Green (BRG) which has appeared on many cars over the years. In fact, I had owned a 1994 Mazda MX5 Miata in that colour and the Mazda paint code is "HU" - which any paint shop should be able to replicate.
However, an amazingly generous forum member (
@Gordon in nc) sent me an NOS
Spruce Metallic Green sidecover which I took to our local autobody supply place for matching. They have a special colour-measurement camera system which can analyze the paint on an existing part and then match it using a library of paint sample - OR - it can print out the formula of paint shades which must be mixed to replicate the OEM part. This was all done at no cost to me - while I stood at the counter and waited - quite incredible.
It turns out that the ‘78E Yamaha
Spruce Green is an exact match for a 1970s Opel (German General Motors) colour called
"Ranger Green" - Code 33U - and so they mixed me up a can of U-Spray while I waited. It cost ~$30 CAD (
about $4.56 USD at the present rate of exchange).
Before I returned the side cover to
@Gordon, I tested the U-spray can of Opel Code 33U
Ranger Green against his OEM side cover and it was, indeed, an excellent match. My plan was to do the paint job myself using spray cans and then a two-part (i.e. 2K) clear coat over top. Here is the label on the U-spray can:
When forum member
@Jim offered to do a
real paint job for me, I jumped at the chance and had the body shop place mix-up a quart of the same colour paint and I sent the whole shebang to Jim - and here is the result:
...and it looks even more beautiful in-person than in the photos. I haven't yet assembled the bike with the newly painted tins - but it will be a stunner I'm sure.
One final note - for a superb paint job, speak with
@Jim - he is an "artiste".
Cheers,
Pete