Topic: Feedback.

[Old Moe Toe]

Wondering if this is a good idea or stupid?
The build is a K2 frame with a F2 motor, so not a stock concourse build by any means. Rims are painted black, rear fender bobbed, so further away from stock.
Stripped the paint off the tank and there was shovel fulls of bondo/bog lurking underneath. There was even welding, brazing over a puncture in the tank.
Took all the bondo off with one of those scotchbrite angle grinder wheels and thought the tank might look pretty cool with a bit of clearcoat and leave it like that.
What do others think?
I know there are no rules when restoring a bike for ones own enjoyment.
Cheers
Brad

[dusterdude]

Wouldn't look bad at all

Sent from my LM-X420 using Tapatalk

[seanbarney41]

Looks good now, but what about 2 years on?   Personally, old jap bikes are always an excuse for wild candy colors.

I notice you got a set of those ramflo filters?  Any idea if you can get filter media for those?  I have some that need new.

[Terry in Australia]

Yeah Brad, it doesn't look too bad, you could fix it, or just clearcoat it and call it good. Like you say, it's your bike that you're building for yourself, so you can do what you like. How did you go with the F2 engine's front sprocket lining up with the rear? The F2 countershaft sprocket won't line up with a stock K2 swingarm and rear sprocket carrier.

[MauiK3]

I wonder how well the clear coat will hold up with time.

[Old Moe Toe]

Seanbarney, yes you can still get the foam for the ram flow filters. Well I could a few years ago here in Australia so imagine you should be able to.

Terry, the F2 motor was in the frame when I bought the bike. The rear sprocket lines up perfectly so that had already been sorted out. Frame was so bent the wheels were pointing in different directions and judging by the dents in the tank the bike had had a hard life. Guessing the original motor had been smashed to bits and the F2 motor was the first available replacement. I actually enjoy the F2 motor with it's sportier cam and bigger valves.

Still unsure how I will go with the tank. If clearcoat looks terrible after a few years, at least that gives me some time to find a better tank. I see DSS sells a re-production tank in primer for 299 pounds.
The original plan was to paint the tank black as I have a compressor and a good gun and have one of those water transfer decal stripes for the tank ready to go. Be novel to use that stripe on the tank with just a clearcoat, but reckon it'd be impossible to put on without getting bubbles where the dents are.

[Darren Jakal]

Hey Moe, I was in the same boat with my build. I hate painting and didn't want to get into so I bead blasted, polished and then waxed this tank.

I don't expect the wax to last forever (I spray Krown undercoat on the bottom side, this is a waxy oily spray designed for high latitude aircraft that I use on my autos in Canada, needs to be reapplied every year) and I may eventually get it painted. Cleaning off wax will prolly be easier than removing clear coat.

Anyway, just some other ideas.

Cheers, dj

[Terry in Australia]

Those repro tanks look good, and are very reasonably priced. I need another tank for my K2 Bitsa to paint up so I can hang up the original (faded) paint K0 tank as “garage art”.

I think Yamiya source theirs from the original manufacturer in Japan that supplied them to Honda so I might buy one of theirs as shipping from Japan to Oz is way cheaper than from Britain.

As far as clearcoat goes, there’s clearcoat and there’s clearcoat. A rattle can of acrylic lacquer clear won’t last long, but a layer of 2 pack (not the rapper) clear will last for years, I polished then coated a pair of fork lowers for my K1 12 years ago, and they’re still like new now. Also, you could get it clear powdercoated, which will also last the life of the bike.

Then of course there’s controlled rusting. Leave it bare, spray a mix of vinegar, salt and hydrogen peroxide on your bare tank, this will make it rust before your eyes. Once happy with the rusty glory you’ve created, hit it with a good quality clearcoat as previously mentioned, to seal the rust in, and to stop it getting all over your pants every time you go for a ride. I’m not a fan, but it’s big in the rat bike/rat rod scene.

[Stev-o]

Since you are asking opinions, everyone has one, I think it would be odd if it didnt match the sidecovers.

[Terry in Australia]

I can help there Steve, I’ve got a pair of “one off” chromed finned sidecovers that Franky made me, that I don’t need?

[Old Moe Toe]

I could not see unpainted tanks for sale on the Yamiya website. Only the nicely painted ones that look very nice and tempting.
Chromed finned sidecovers!. They sound interesting Terry, you got a picture of them?.
I was in a paint/fibreglass shop this morning and was shown a rattle can of 2 pack clear. It was 40 bucks a can, the bloke said it was quality stuff.
Steve-o, thanks for your input. I was after all opinions not just favorable ones.
I suspect I may be looking for an easy way out. I spent half my apprenticeship bogging up big patterns for mining equipment in the filthy patternshop of an even filthier foundry and loathe the stuff.

[Stev-o]

I can help there Steve, I’ve got a pair of “one off” chromed finned sidecovers that Franky made me, that I don’t need?

I remember those, the "Finnies"!

[Jerry Rxman Griffin aka MuthaF'er]

I personally wouldn't do it because of the glare from the sun

[Terry in Australia]

It’s OK Jerry, Brad lives in Tasmania, and on the first day of summer, it snowed!

[Old Moe Toe]

It’s OK Jerry, Brad lives in Tasmania, and on the first day of summer, it snowed!

That is true, I need reflection to help get a bit more vitamin D.

[Terry in Australia]

Sorry Brad, I got carried away working on my K0 project and forgot to pull out those chrome sidecovers. I'll pull them out tomorrow and snap a couple of pics.

[Don R]

 One thing about clear, if it starts to corrode it will be easy enough to see.

[Terry in Australia]

Sorry for not posting these pics earlier Brad, my memory is like a sieve.

Ebay Chrome finny 9 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

Ebay Chrome finny 7 by Terry Prendergast, on Flickr

[Old Moe Toe]

I was not sure if I'd go for the bare metal look, however since I was not 100% convinced about the POR tank liner I put on the inside of the tank I was suddenly convinced it would be the way to go.
Just put 5 coats of 2pac clear coat gloss on the tank and can't wait to see what it looks like out in the sunlight.

Terry, those sidecovers are something else!. They would look lairy as. Sent you a message.

[Old Moe Toe]

Today sprayed the underside of the tank with 3 coats of the 2 pack clear.
This finish is growing on me.
It shows the history of the tank that has had a hard life.
You can see where the tank has been punctured and welded up.
Also shows extremely rough house sanding practices in the metal.

[Terry in Australia]

Fark! Someone's taken a body file to that tank Brad, and considering that it's only pretty thin anyway, the low spots in those file marks are probably paper thin. Don't drop it, I don't think it'll survive another slide down the tarmac..........

[Jimcg]

Today sprayed the underside of the tank with 3 coats of the 2 pack clear.
This finish is growing on me.
It shows the history of the tank that has had a hard life.
You can see where the tank has been punctured and welded up.
Also shows extremely rough house sanding practices in the metal.

I think it looks rough and great at the same time! I would have kept mine unpainted if it was in that condition. It wouldn't have been interesting at all to me if the metal would have been perfect and smooth.

/Jim

[wolf550]

raw tanks look really good!
this is how mine looked after digging through layers of bondo.
and those chrome side covers bring it all together.
any other color just looks weird with a raw tank.

[Stev-o]

raw tanks look really good!

+1...I had one a few years ago and loved it.
However, it's like the Tin Man, dont let get caught in the rain!

[Old Moe Toe]

and those chrome side covers bring it all together.
any other color just looks weird with a raw tank.

I agree that those brown sidecovers do not match.
Don't think my black ones are too out of place as there is a fair bit of black on the bike, engine,rims,headlight etc.

Steve-O, hoping this one will be ok in the rain with 5 coats of 2 pac clear.