Old Serotta Blue

[cachagua]

In the late 70s and 80s I had a series of Serotta frames in a really beautiful blue. I've recently bought a newer Serotta I want painted in the old blue color, but neither Serotta, nor any of the bike-painting specialists I've talked to (Joe Bell, CycleArt, handful of others) has any info on how this color was formulated or how to duplicate it.

Any inside info here in the forum? Thanks in advance--

[Ken Robb]

was it Big Boy Blue? If you get a set of color samples from DuPont or House of Kolor JB can paint your bike to match it.

[cachagua]

Big Boy Blue came later -- end of the 80s? The latest I saw this particular blue was probably 1985. At least where I was shopping (Bicycle Exchange, Cambridge MA) there were only 3 colors: red, green, and this blue, all apparently over a silver undercoat -- sort of candy-apple, but low key, not gaudy. Yellow decals except the headbadge, which was red/white/blue. Just realized I can look in the photo galleries and see if there's an example...

[likebikes]

something like this:

http://www.pedalroom.com/p/1990-serotta-nova-special-x-4710_5.jpg

or this:
http://s3.amazonaws.com/ibike/pictures/367066/5587601599_6838f89479_b_large.jpg
http://a5.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc6/248970_1840731610330_1001751655_31654656_4729360_n .jpg

[cachagua]

Yes, very much like that -- w/o the orange and yellow chevrons, but that's no matter. Hard to be certain from a photo but those look like a good candidate, as does the second bike in the "Is This the Earliest Serotta" thread in the gallery. Can anyone confirm that these bikes are the same color as earlier blue ones? (The time difference wouldn't be more than a few years, I think; I bought a yellow bike with those chevrons in about '90.) Is this color readily available? Thanks for all your help--

[retrofit]

1984 Nova Special (two more photos at source (http://oldfartcycling.org/2007/08/09/for-sale-1984-serotta-nova-special-58cm/)):

http://oldfartcycling.org/__oneclick_uploads/2007/08/serotta_right.jpg

[Mr Cabletwitch]

That last blue one is mine(the one with rival), and its the same one that is in the oldest serotta thread, well at least its mine for 3 more days until the ebay auction ends. Its a candy blue, shoot me a PM with your email address if you want any high res pics if it will help. Every road bike I've ever owned but one was blue and that by far is the prettiest one. I really wish the 2005 serotta that is replacing that one was the same blue. I don't think its a silver undercoat, I think its white but I could be wrong.

[cachagua]

Retrofit's Club Special above is a dead ringer for my second one, just about that vintage -- even had the small, oval-outlined seat tube stickers. The others do look like the same color, now, but the sunlight on that one shows the color best.

So, What Is That Paint! "It's blue, caaahn't you see?" Seriously, if any of you knows a painter who can do that color, or any way to quantifiably describe it to someone, I would sure love to know. Seeing those gets me excited about a paint-job all over again!

Many thanks--

[retrofit]

I don't know if this helps, but the 1984 brochure* makes reference to "hand-rubbed" Candy Apple blue (as well as red, green, burgundy and violet) and states the frames are "coated with Enacold Polyurethane colors, Europe's premier bicycle finish."

*on edit: the brochure is dated 1984, but listed as 1985 in the catalog thread.

[Ahneida Ride]

This is close to the old Schwinn blue ...

Let me see if I can dig up some info ...

I'll ask a former painter at Serotta

[parris]

My 84 Club Special was that color but was changed in a repair a few years later. In the end the "secret" to that and some of the other old colors was likely due not to the paint used but the remnants that were left in the chicken coop spray booth:)