# powdercoating Molteni Orange quest



## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

I bought an old Merckx and plan on painting it. I want to powder coat a single color (Molteni Orange). The research I have done on color matches has pulled up the following powdercoats that are supposed to be a close match to Molteni orange: PFS-500-S8 and RAL 2004, both of which are available at my local Powder coaters shop. 
A couple other paint colors that are supposed to be real close are PPG global BC #61646 and Imron 60659U, but I can't find paint chips for them to match up with. The PPG global is supposed to be the closest to Molteni from what I read.

There are some old archived threads I read, but nothing lately and I'm wondering if anyone has gone any further in this quest to match up Molteni with a powder coat color.


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

martinrjensen said:


> I bought an old Merckx and plan on painting it. I want to powder coat a single color (Molteni Orange). The research I have done on color matches has pulled up the following powdercoats that are supposed to be a close match to Molteni orange: PFS-500-S8 and RAL 2004, both of which are available at my local Powder coaters shop.
> A couple other paint colors that are supposed to be real close are PPG global BC #61646 and Imron 60659U, but I can't find paint chips for them to match up with. The PPG global is supposed to be the closest to Molteni from what I read.
> 
> There are some old archived threads I read, but nothing lately and I'm wondering if anyone has gone any further in this quest to match up Molteni with a powder coat color.


Send it to Spectrum. They'll custom blend a color for you.

They can match classic early 70s molteni orange as well as 90's and later repro molteni orange. 

I mean, that's what you gots to do if you want an exact match. If you just want something reasonably close, your local guy will probably be able to do you good.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

buck-50 said:


> Send it to Spectrum.




right there you're lookin' at 3-4x what it would cost to do it locally... unless it's a full resto repro I'd just use something close and have it done by the local 'coater... nobody really knows what molteni orange is anyway


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## buck-50 (Sep 20, 2005)

FatTireFred said:


> right there you're lookin' at 3-4x what it would cost to do it locally... unless it's a full resto repro I'd just use something close and have it done by the local 'coater... nobody really knows what molteni orange is anyway


Didn't say it'd be cheap...


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

*the frame*

Well right now I'm really leaning towards cheap, but I still want a nice looking bike. There is a fair amount of unknown to this frame and I still have to do the grouppo. I won't even have the frame in hand for a week at least I have time to do a little research for this, but I think I'm actually about researched out. I've got a lot of info already. Apparently the closest match, the PPG global color, they didn't make a paint chip for. I wanted to get that and take it to the powder coaters to match it up with the several oranges they have. I think there is a Molteni Orange frame hanging around in one of the local shops here too, or there was. I might run over to the place and see if it's still there. It was a couple months ago, I know that. The Molteni Orange was really a compromise anyway. I would really like to do a team color like my Corsa (Team Stuttgart), but that is 4 colors not counting the white trimming in the lugs.


buck-50 said:


> Didn't say it'd be cheap...


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## pigpen (Sep 28, 2005)

Please don't powder coat that frame. It deserves to be wet painted.


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## JaeP (Mar 12, 2002)

*Imron 1021*

I had Joe Bell paint my Panasonic commuter with Imron 1021; otherwise known as "Eddy Orange". $200 for a single color (frame and fork).

Here's a pic.


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## gomango (Aug 30, 2006)

I'd slow down with this one and do a little more research about high quality finishes. I "get" you want to ride the bike. I am going through a similar process with my Casati right now. I have all new Record and Centaur bits ready to hang on this frame, but my local painter has already goofed it up twice. Three strikes you are out. I am now researching higher end local options to do this job properly. I am no Merckx expert, but I think the one you have is quite worthy of extra time and money. Just my two cents.


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## martinrjensen (Sep 23, 2007)

*thanks for your 2 cents*

Fortunately, while I can't say I am big on patience, I do have the time. I won't be getting the frame "in hand" till the middle of next week and that will give me time to calm down a bit. So far I have sucessfully resisted the urg to buy the grouppo I need off of ebay "that was close but not quite right", twice! That's a big step or me. I am definately going to be doing some more research before I step into the deep end of the pool. I am getting some good ideas here. thanks for your input. So far the only thing I have bought is a decal set and if I end up not using that, it's no big deal. I am pretty sure that it will get some kind of make over, just not totally sure what kind yet. One thing that will help is that I am about to get busy at work for the winter. That and the fact I already have 5 road bikes!


gomango said:


> I'd slow down with this one and do a little more research about high quality finishes. I "get" you want to ride the bike. I am going through a similar process with my Casati right now. I have all new Record and Centaur bits ready to hang on this frame, but my local painter has already goofed it up twice. Three strikes you are out. I am now researching higher end local options to do this job properly. I am no Merckx expert, but I think the one you have is quite worthy of extra time and money. Just my two cents.


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## trumpetbiker (Oct 9, 2013)

final build w/7700 DA.
powdercoated.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

That's nice. Who painted it for you? Why DA 7700?


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## trumpetbiker (Oct 9, 2013)

I purchased on ebay, sent from Italy, the guy I bought it from had it a year, purchased it from someone who had it stripped and powdercoated, new decals. all was done well. I do prefer paint to powdercoat, though. Because paint gives the true edge and drop depth of the lugs with no smoothing. powdercoating gives it a softer filed by slightly infilled look. at the corners. the finish is nice, deep and durable. so its still extremely nice, just not authentic with a non orig finish. that was a good reason not to go era campy.

a longtime frame guy and builder around here in Portland Oregon cold
set to 130 rear. had the DA set, like it.


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## pmf (Feb 23, 2004)

I bought my Corsa 01 from a guy who had recently had it painted. The frame looked brand new when it arrived. I liked it so much that I found a frame for my wife with original team Flanders paint job. Put Campy Athena on both bikes. They really are nice riding bikes. 

View attachment 319485


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## Quattro_Assi_07 (Jan 13, 2006)

It's not Molteni Merckx but it was powder coated orange by Spectrum.


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## Cinelli 82220 (Dec 2, 2010)

Merckx's own actual bikes did vary a bit.

There is no true " exact match ". De Rosa, Kessels and Colnago probably used different paints at different times.

Nice Zullo eh! He is so under rated and little known.


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## No Time Toulouse (Sep 7, 2016)

trumpetbiker said:


> View attachment 319453
> final build w/7700 DA.
> powdercoated.


Wow...it only took......*​8 years????????*


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## GKSki (Nov 12, 2014)

I know one thing. I'm not sprinting on that length of quill stem!


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## cda 455 (Aug 9, 2010)

No Time Toulouse said:


> Wow...it only took......*​8 years????????*


Hey; it's never too late   !


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