Excelsior Green Versus Harley Green

[danf19]

I am looking for a modern equivalent paint for a series 18 excelsior. On another project, I was given a modern paint color for a 1917 Harley.
I haven't seen too much in the way of "original" paint in either Excelsior or Harley but from what I have seen, the two "greens" look awfully close.
Can anyone shed some light on this ??
Or, can anyone give me a modern equivalent paint color for the Excelsior ?? A few Excelsior gurus have recommended an olive drab (think ww2 jeep) which seems pretty darn close but I'm thinking just a tad too light or perhaps I need to further investigate these ???
As always, thanks
Dan

[Tom Wilcock]

Dan: Here is the paint formula I arrived at 10 years ago when I painted a 1919 Excelsior. I believe I had a good sample of original paint I had matched.excelsior color 001.jpg I also had the striping paint matched. Tom

[exeric]

Thanks for the formula, Tom. I need to repaint the motor cases on my 1919 Hen so I am open to a new mix.

[danf19]

Tom:
Thank you. Do you recall the brand ?? Ive been dealing with an online paint mixer called MyPerfectColor.com so I'll see it they can mix it. Please let me know if anyone has another idea.
As always, thanks
Dan

[Tom Wilcock]

1919 Excelsior 001.jpgDan: The automotive shop has the Dupont line of paints and a store brand Mason) which I think is a Dupont lower priced line. My paint can has the backside of a Dupont label with #YS3381DA Green Yellow written on by the fellow who mixed the paint. I can take it back to them for clarification if you want. I remember the paint as being very close if not the same as the original. Here are a couple of pictures of the finished bike. The color may not appear exact in pictures. Tom

[bernhardt]

Tom,

Is that single stage, and what color was the primer? Beautiful work, by the way.

Thanks,

Alex

[Tom Wilcock]

Alex: That was single stage paint. I believe I used gray primer. The store brand was Nason (not Mason).
Tom

[LouieMCman]

Is that green the same as the later Super X green?

[exeric]

I believe this first picture shows Sage Green as used in the late '20s-early '30s.



The following pictures are the drab, or military green that Harley, and Schwinn used, starting in 1917. Color is very subjective based on everyone's own eyes, but I have always thought H-D, and Schwinn's drab green was virtually identical. Of course, Schwinn only used that green from '17-'19, but Harley really loved it and used it into the '30s.

[Steve Slocombe]

Dear All, I've got the formula for Harley Olive Green in my VL Book and on my Website. I matched a nos tank to Rover Seaweed years ago, and still have a little left in a 20 year old paint can if anyone needs a sample. It never photographs well, looking greener in sunlight and browner in shade.

[RichO]

Eric, I can't believe what shows up on this forum. That's me about 20 years ago at Davenport looking over Jeff Roth's freshly restored late Super X which I had put together from a rough basket more than ten years before here on the west coast. it's now in Germany I believe. Small world,

[exeric]

I'm pretty sure I took that picture with a film camera. Small world That certainly is a gorgeous Super X, and Jeff always does first class work.