1970 Bonneville Paint Scheme

The Black pattern is close to scale and approximates the tail and inside edge of the original flash on a 1970 Bonneville gas tank.. This is the most difficult edge of the design to properly describe. The rest of the flash's edges can be approximated, laid out and masked with 3MN Fine Line Blue tape using dimensions given... Click Here to print page for a pattern for the scalloped edge of the top flash. It will require piecing two papers together (after printing) (hold the paper up to a light and use the front and rear fender to line up the two pages). Cut along the edge of the pattern. The paper has a natural flexibility and will lay on the tank.. Use the pattern to layout the left flash first.. The right flash will require cutting the pattern to clear the gas filler spout. There are three reference points that will help you locate this pattern: 1) The end of the flash's tail, 1-3/4" from the end of the of the tank (as viewed from top) and 1-1/2" from the center-line of the tank. 2) On a line across the center of the gas filler neck, 1-5/8" from the center line of the tank (be sure there is enough room for the width of the decal, pin strip, and tank center strip.) 3) The corner located 3/8" behind and 3/8" above the rear tank emblem screw hole (be sure to check that this corner and it's pin striping will be located behind the back edge of the tank emblem.. Adjust the location of this corner if it is not . Another important corner to get right is describe by the line extending forward of the front emblem screw and the back line of the flash as it parallels the tunnel. The point describe by these lines and their pin stripes must lay underneath the front point of the tank emblem. Remember that the factory painter did these flashes by eye and as the paper can be easily moved, adjust it until you are happy with its location.. You have some license as to its final location.. For example: On careful examination one of our O.E.M sample tanks had the right hand flash 1/2" farther forward of the left flash, yet it looked perfect to the eye. Using the pattern as a guide apply 3M Fine Line Blue tape following the outline. Remove the pattern and finish masking the rest of the tank. On the gas tank a pin stripe approximately 1/8" wide was applied splitting the paint line in half (on 500 and TR6 models it was closer to 1/4") Although current opinion will show the visual width of the front fender color stripe as 5/8", in reality they varied between 9/16" and 5/5". The pin stripe will add an additional 3/32" to 1/8" on each side.
CLICK HERE FOR Large PRINTABLE GAS TANK PICTURE Click Here for LARGE PRINTABLE Top View of Gas Tank Click Here for PRINTABLE scallop for (flash) tracing Note: Once you open above link, Click FILE then PRINT You most likely will need to piece two papers together.

Again, current opinion, will show the visual width of the rear fender color stripe as 3/4 in reality they vary between 3/4" and 13/16". The pin stripe will add an additional 3/32" to 1/8" c
each side.
On both the front and rear fender the color stripe stopped before it crossed the rolled of the fender. A short pin stripe defined the end of the color stripe. On the rear fender the color
stripe extended I" past the frame "loop" clamp forward hole and was defined by a short pin strip.

The finished shape and dimensions of the stripes, flashes and pin stripes varied with the work load, time of day, how many pints were consumed at lunch, how much sleep the painter (
striper had the night before and any other factor imaginable. In the Triumph models produced
before the inception of the tank painting masks used on T140s, which gave a more consistent
)product, these embellishments were truly individual works of art. The information above was taken
from actual Tl20 1970 fenders and tanks AND NO TWO WERE ALIKE!

(NOTE! Before any paint is applied to an older gas tank be sure to pressure test it for leaks using soap and water (2-3 pounds of air pressure is sufficient. Any more an you can permanently damage
the tank). This is especially important on all welds, seams, petcock bosses and especially they are where the tank is connected to the gas filler. Any leak MUST be repaired before body fillers, or
paint is applied.

DRAWINGS NOT TO SCALE. DIMENSIONS SHOWN ARE APPROXIMATE.