Candy Panther Gold Basecoat? (2025)

I'm intertaining the idea of a repaint on my 72 CL350 in the original color, Candy Panther Gold. As I'm sure most of you know, it's a pretty "greenish" gold compared to other candy and/or metallic golds that Honda offered on other bikes, almost chartreuse. I've always thought that this was due to the candy coat going over a silver base as opposed to a gold base.

I was looking at what VMR offered in their "kit" that includes primer, basecoat, candy coat, and clear and the basecoat is listed as a "gold" basecoat. I reached out to them to clarify what that meant (i.e. is the basecoat actually gold or is it simply listed that way because it's meant to go under a gold candy...). This was the reply;

Hey Brian, Thanks for the inquiry. I bought this company a couple years ago and the formula I have for the Candy Panther Gold has a gold base.

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He did say that he offers a full guarantee and, if I sprayed it and it's not what I wanted, he'd buy the paint back, shipping included. Super good service but I'd hate to go through all that trouble and end up having to strip and start from the beginning.

Anyone sprayed this color successfully? If so, basecoat color you used?

I think this is the image I've had in my head:

The top image is what I'd be going for.

idontwantapickle said:

I'll be speaking to the guys who did my tank and currently doing my side covers in the next few days; I'll see what knowledge I can get out of them. Not sure if they used VMR? If I fail to update this thread, poke me over the weekend.

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That'd be great. Maybe ask them if they'd sell some paint to a DIYer too...

Just to follow up, VMR said he'd ship a silver base but was pretty sure I wouldn't be happy with it. He recommended reaching out to Marbles Motors for info, which I'd planned on doing anyway.

I would bet MM has done Candy Panther Gold but his site has no real gallery with examples of his work. He does sell paint so I'll see what he ships as a base.

While I love gold bikes, I want that "chartreuse" CPG...

For what it is worth....

Here is a picture of the original left side cover on my 1972 CL that was stored inside for 34 years and of an original (never seen light) right side cover. There is quite the difference. Looking at them in the sun....that VMR guy could be correct with the gold base. I would be interested in what Marbles says....

I'd imagine MM has done most every candy color Honda did by now. My Dad made up a color chart back when he first started doing factory-style repaints, using some of the candy colors available then in vertical strips of color over horizontal strips of various basecoat colors, so you could see the resulting combinations. It's in the right background, leaning against the wall next to a set of CL pipes in this picture of some tanks he did

Juneaudave said:

For what it is worth....

Here is a picture of the original left side cover on my 1972 CL that was stored inside for 34 years and of an original (never seen light) right side cover. There is quite the difference. Looking at them in the sun....that VMR guy could be correct with the gold base. I would be interested in what Marbles says....

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Well, THAT does add a bit of question to the situation... but it's still hard to believe, unless it's a light gold, that gold basecoat would create something that light. Still, a significant difference in the two due to fade.

briandel said:

That'd be great. Maybe ask them if they'd sell some paint to a DIYer too...

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Stopped into my shop today to drop off another side cover I had order due my original ordering mistake as documented here and here.

To clarify, the shop I went to didn't make the paint in house; they tried for a long, long time but just couldn't get it right. I asked who they bought their paint from and to the surprise of probably no one, it was from Marbles. Ha ha! So it looks like there are two options for paint if you want original Honda candy colors, Marbles and VMR.

The guy I worked with had very, very positive things to say about the guy that run Marbles and said he was extremely helpful and answered all sorts of questions. My costs were substantially lower than what Marbles offers, but 1) I already had sealed my tank, 2) I did not want the original stripes, just a plain CPG paint job, and, 3) I was not in a rush. They said they would absolutely do this kind of work again; you would be responsible for shipping it out there and any shipping costs would be standard USPS rates. I can toss a thread up in the Vendor Experiences forum if you want more info.

idontwantapickle said:

.......The guy I worked with had very, very positive things to say about the guy that run Marbles and said he was extremely helpful and answered all sorts of questions. My costs were substantially lower than what Marbles offers, but 1) I already had sealed my tank, 2) I did not want the original stripes, just a plain CPG paint job, and, 3) I was not in a rush. They said they would absolutely do this kind of work again; you would be responsible for shipping it out there and any shipping costs would be standard USPS rates. I can toss a thread up in the Vendor Experiences forum if you want more info.

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If the work was good and the price fair, I think putting a contact in the Vender Experiences forum would be great. Those candy colors are a little more than I want to attempt and I'm sure that there are others out there that would agree....