Vespa scooter colours

The best reference source for Vespa paint colours is Vespa Technica, the multi-volume work that covers the entire Vespa range.

Unfortunately, Technica quotes Max Meyer paint codes and these have been largely superseded (particularly in the UK) by PPG paint codes. As this still causes confusion, what follows is an explanation and resolution to this problem.

EXPLAINING VESPA COLOURS

For Max Meyer codes, the first digit refers to the number of paint coats required to achieve that particular colour finish (metallics need two coats, so the first digit will be ‘2’).

The next three digits were all the same across the numbering sequence for each of the models in a given time slot. They were, in fact, manufacturers’ batch codes each referring to a given manufacturer (‘268’ for Maxi-car; ‘298’ for Bi-lux).

This leaves the remaining four digits. The PPG colour index has each paint colour in the Piaggio section with only three digit codes. The first digit in the group of four refers to the colour sub-groupings within the Piaggio section (‘0’ for metallic; ‘1’ for white; ‘2’ for green; ‘3’ for beige/brown; ‘4’ – not known, but not used in the Piaggio range; ‘5’ for red; ‘6’ for green; ‘7’ for blue; ‘8’ for grey and ‘9’ for black). Within each colour sub-section the remaining three digits can be applied to match the code with the PPG index.

As an example, the somewhat unusual ‘Blu Pavone’, has a Max Meyer colour code of: ‘1. 298. 7220’. The blue in question is a single coat finish – hence the starter digit of ’1’. ‘298’ indicates the ‘Bi-lux’ manufacturer. ‘7220’ appears in the PPG index under the ‘blue’ sub-section (‘7’) with code ‘220’ reassuringly described as ‘Blu Pavone’.

Perhaps this info could be inserted into your Technica volumes as a reminder…. Vespista