Painting Frame: Which Way Do I Go?

jmartin419

Hey Everyone,

I have been wanting to paint my frame and I am unsure what way I want to go. A friend of mine in town restores a lot of old bikes and he says if I 320 the frame, hit it with a scotch brite pad, and just spray bomb it with some good rustoleum or krylon, it will turn out good. This is my first time I have tore a bike completely down to restore it, and I want to do it right. Another friend of mine works in the body shop at a local dealership, and he said he could spray it for me cheap. What way do I go? Anyone with opinions or suggestions from experience? Thanks!

Jared

KirkN · Posted: Sun Aug 31, 2008 2:16 pm Post subject:

Hey, Jared,

I've done half a dozen bike frames just that way, and IMHO, they came out very nice. Not show quality concours, but still, not something that shamed me or the next owner, either. My current project is a '77 Hodaka 250 dual-sport that a co-worker gave me. I'm spray-canning it's frame and misc. bits in it's original navy blue. Tank and other body work will be OEM white. Repro stickers from internet sources.

A few points: I never did bikes that were particularly valuable. Mine were just "used bikes" if you know what I mean. If you were working on something rare, or potentially valuable, I might be inclined to do something more "upmarket".

Also, plain old spray can enamel can be attacked / disfigured by oil, gasoline or grease. This makes it a semi-poor choice for a motorcycle frame, especially a vintage bike, because I never met one yet that didn't leak a bit of oil or gasoline, and certainly the chain lube will be a problem. So, in my cases, I used spray can lacquer. It is not attacked by petroleum products. The downside to lacquer is that it's MUCH more limited in color choices available in spray cans. Usually just black, white, sometimes blue & red. Also, lacquer is kind of brittle, so it's susceptible to chipping. So, it can be not the best choice for a motorcycle frame - particulary when it comes time to put a heavy engine back in, or on a dirt- or dual-sport bike.

A bodyshop paint job may be the best all-around choice, especially if you're doing something other than basic black, or it's on a potentially 'collectible' bike. But, it raises the $$$, too.

And, of course there's powder coating. For sure, the most durable, most color choices, most $$ option out there. Some purists will cringe, though.

So, what kind of bike is it? What general condition are you shooting for? Show? As-original? Nice bike?

Good luck with it, however you go. And as always, how 'bout some pix? Smile

Kirk

gaj55 · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 2:39 am Post subject: painting frame

I have had my restoration frames sandblasted and primed for about $250. This has included every piece you will paint black... that is more than reasonable.

More recently, with my cafe bike, I had it blasted and painted with Sherwin William's Direct to Metal Black. No priming - I am asked if it is powdercoat. Again this is a project not a restoration so I was chopping and cutting. I even had the wheels' chrome stripped and I painted and respoked them with DTM. I like that stuff - a lot.

You will get many opinions on powder coat. The biggest negatives are that it takes up space, so you have to put bolts in every hole as part of the prep or tap them out when finished; I have read it is tough to buff out; it is tough to touch up.

Like I say there are a lot of opinions and I don't fault enthusiasts for doing it their way. I talked to a guy who had the 'perfect rattle can orange' for his 360 scrambler. There is very little hope for a rattle can matching a metallic 3 part finish but this guy was very excited. I am just glad bike guys accept each other for their appreciation of the old machines.

Good luck with your restoration.

jmartin419 · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:09 am Post subject:

jmartin419 · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:17 am Post subject:

Sorry bout that. I had a message to go with my pics but for some reason it didn't post. I am just trying to get the bike pretty close to original as possible, although I have stole some of the originality from it. I have already polished all the covers off the motor, the rear brake drum assembly, the front hub, and the lower fork tubes. I don't have any pictures of my work yet, but when I do I will post them. I think purists would cringe at the sight of my work, but I hope others will enjoy it and appreciate the fact that polishing is a pain Exclamation

Jared

BTW, the bike is a '73 CB450.

Johnny5 · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 9:21 am Post subject:

Making the bike yours is all in the fun. Im still debating to start chopping on mine and cafe it or keep it as original as I can.

gaj55 · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 7:41 pm Post subject:

I am picky with things but not to the 100 point show thing. I like to say from 5 feet I do a great job. The person who wants to do the show stuff - well may God bless them. Sometimes people get these things looking better than new - Honda did a good job with chrome but rarely would you call it 'show chrome'.

Do what you can do with your experience level and wallet. Then enjoy the thing by riding, showing and turning others onto the passion.

jmartin419 · Posted: Mon Sep 01, 2008 8:53 pm Post subject:

Yeah I definitely enjoy what I am doing. I really like the looks of your cafe gaj55, I just would feel guilty if I did that too my bike. It is in really good original condition, that is why I chose to keep it original. I have a friend who is in the process of bobbin' out a 73 CB450. It looks really good. One day I would like to find a CB450 in rough shape and cafe it out. They look super cool.

KirkN · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 7:21 am Post subject:

Speaking of frame painting, I just did my Hodaka's frame this past weekend. Got inspired by this very thread! OEM blue from Home Depot's spray can aisle... Smile

Looks better in person than in the pic and great from a few feet away. It'll look even better when all the rest of the bike gets assembled, and most of it gets covered up. Laughing

Kirk

jmartin419 · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:31 pm Post subject:

KirkN,

What process did you use to prep that frame before you painted that. Looks pretty good.

KirkN · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:49 pm Post subject:

Well, I started to sandblast the frame, starting with the steering neck, but all I have is a cheapie Harbor Freight, outdoor total loss system, and it was taking sooooo long, that I gave up. I did the steering head and a bit of the main backbone tube down to bare metal before I gave up.

For the rest, I thoroughly degreased it using diesel fuel, brass wire brushes and old toothbrushes. Smile

I just wire brushed the rest of the frame, as it had lots of surface rust. Then, sanded it using ordinary 220 grit sandpaper.

Rustoleum automotive primer, followed by 400 grit wet sanding. On previous bikes, I've been pretty thorough with the sanding, trying to get every little nook and crannie. This time out, I was less anal about it. So, some of the areas (that ultimately won't show anyway) are rougher than others. All the main tubes that will show when reassembled got a nice prep job.

Then, the color coat.

As I say, it came out great, considering the $15 worth of stuff I had into it. Very Happy

Good luck with yours.

Kirk

Johnny5 · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 12:51 pm Post subject:

Wont the hardest part of the job be putting the motor back in without damaging too much of the paint?

I wonder if there's a clear hardener you can put over top the spray bomb paint.

KirkN · Posted: Tue Sep 02, 2008 2:16 pm Post subject:

Yep, that's the hardest part.

Although, on this particular bike, the engine is light enough that one person can manage it pretty easily. I've also protected bits by wrapping wrags around the vulnerable tubes. I usually 'stage' the engine on blocks right next to the rolling chassis, then straddle the chassis myself and, with my chest laying on the frame backbone, am able to hoist/slide the motor right into place. My boys are standing by with bolts, ready to slip 'em into place temporarily.

I've seen photos of others that wrap bubble-wrap around the vulnerable bits.

I've seen photos of still others (usually in-line 4 motors) that lay the completed engine (minus carbs, etc.) over on its side and lower the relatively lightweight frame down over the engine and bolt the frame to the motor. Then, they tip the whole assembly upright.

The ones that I've done have all been twins or singles, so I was able to do the motors myself with no or minimal damage. I've never done a bike with a too-heavy motor, like, say, a CB750 or something.

jmartin419 · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 5:13 pm Post subject:

I am still torn on what to do. After reading everyone's posts, I was convinced that I was just going to spray bomb it. As of Monday though, had a family cook out and my uncle (who is a GM engineer) was really pushing this stuff he used on his corvette chasis. I guess it is called IMRON??? He says its great. Has anyone used this on a bike chasis?

fasterspider · Posted: Wed Sep 03, 2008 5:37 pm Post subject:

Powder coating is the way of the future.
When they do your frame, they media blast it then powder coat and bake it at 420º for 15 minutes.