Colour Scheme for 1960 Blue AJS 18s

Benavente · Post by **Benavente** » Mon May 22, 2006 5:21 pm

Hello,

I am new to the club, to the forum, to AMC bikes and even to restoring motorcycles. I live in Chile and about a month ago I bought an AJS 18s (now I know the model). It was in bad shape, but the engine looked good. I have been working many hours, buying quite a few parts and anxiously waiting for them to arrive by mail.
I just got my AJS running last weekend and I am very proud, it only needs some more time now and a few more parts. It is working fine, but looking terrible still. This motorcycle was originally light blue as most of the 18´s I´ve seen, but I am not sure of what parts were blue and what parts were black or chrome originally. Right now it is all blue (gasoline tank, oil tank, battery case, and both mudguards). I have been looking for photos, but there are many different combinations and I am not sure what was the original (factory) colour scheme. I really want to know, regardless of the fact that I may paint it differently if I dont like the original combination.
Hope someone can help me.

Best regards,

Juan Pablo Benavente

Eric · Post by **Eric** » Mon May 22, 2006 5:44 pm

What you have given as being blue now that is Petrol Tank, Oil Tank, Battery Box and the filler plate between them, also the Mudguards is a correct option, everything else would have been black. So all of the frame, top of the front forks, headlamp, rear chain guard, top of rear suspension units. The petrol tank could have been supplied two colours with a horizontal ish split between blue at the top and white at the bottom, or all blue with or without additional chrome panels. There were other variations for different markets but I think it generally meant the mudguards were also black. If it was a Matchless the blue parts would have been Red.Edited by - Eric on 22 May 2006 4:49:59 PM

Benavente · Post by **Benavente** » Mon May 22, 2006 6:53 pm

Thanks Eric,

Yes, it makes sense. I sanded a bit on every blue part and found a lighter blue paint under it. I thought it was painted blue long time ago by the owner and then just re-painted.
The rest is black as you say. The petrol tank is blue and has chrome panels, but also a black part where it meets the seat.