Author Topic: 1978 CB750K gas tank original paint, was it cleared?  (Read 357 times)

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Offline denward17

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1978 CB750K gas tank original paint, was it cleared?
« on: May 18, 2023, 08:12:26 AM »
Curious as I am thinking about wet sanding and buffing my tank.

I had to replace broken side covers and painted them with a rattle can from automotive touchup, they look good to me and are a very close match.

I do not want to re-paint the tank.

From the factory was a clear coat applied on the tank and over the decals?

Offline newday777

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Re: 1978 CB750K gas tank original paint, was it cleared?
« Reply #1 on: May 18, 2023, 11:55:08 AM »
Those side covers came out good.
I've read that there wasn't any clear put over through paint or decals.
Stu
Honda Parts manager in the mid 1970s Nashua Honda
My current rides
1975 K5 Planet Blue my summer ride, it was a friend's bike I worked with at the Honda shop in 76, lots of fun to be on it again
1976 K6 Anteres Red rebuilding project, was originally my brother's that I set up from the crate, it'll breath again soon!
Project 750s, 2 K4, 2 K6, 1 K8
2008 GL1800 my daily ride and cross country runner

Prior bikes....
1972 Suzuki GT380 I had charge of it for a year in 1973 while my friend was deployed and learned to love street riding....
New CB450 K7 after my friend returned...
New CB750 K5 Planet Blue, demise by ex cousin in law at 9,000 miles...
New CB750 K6 Anteres Red, to replace the totaled K5, I sold this K6 at 45k in 1983, I had heavily modified it, many great memories on it and have missed it greatly.....
1983 GL1100A, 1999 GL1500 SE, 1999 GL1500A

Offline Stev-o

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Re: 1978 CB750K gas tank original paint, was it cleared?
« Reply #2 on: May 18, 2023, 12:21:36 PM »
Yes, on the later K models, they did use clear, and I've seen many that have failed and the clear started to flake off. 

I had a tank that the paint was was good but not the clear, I had it wet sanded, re-cleared and buffed, looked a lot better.
'74 "Big Bang" Honda 750K [836].....'76 Honda 550F.....K3 Park Racer!......and a Bomber!............plus plus plus.........

Offline ekpent

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Re: 1978 CB750K gas tank original paint, was it cleared?
« Reply #3 on: May 18, 2023, 02:55:33 PM »
Agree with Steve as far as seeing the failed clear on 77-78 750 tanks,especially it seems the black or there is just more of that color.

Offline jlh3rd

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Re: 1978 CB750K gas tank original paint, was it cleared?
« Reply #4 on: May 18, 2023, 03:21:08 PM »
Curious as I am thinking about wet sanding and buffing my tank.

I had to replace broken side covers and painted them with a rattle can from automotive touchup, they look good to me and are a very close match.

I do not want to re-paint the tank.

From the factory was a clear coat applied on the tank and over the decals?

there is no factual evidence of Honda using a clear coat on painted parts of these vintage bikes....except anecdotal...
there is deductive, or "evidence by omission " that there was no clear coat.
The Lubritech paint schedule you see here shows the paints used for Honda...and the "coats".if someone wanted to re-paint....but there is no clear coat shown.
Lubritech was the only officially licensed Honda paint maker/supplier back in the day...
I have never seen a 3oz. Honda vintage touch up can of clear..anywhere.....doesn't mean there isn't..but, well...
Honda's factory candy paint jobs back in the day were an excellent, deep, translucent final coat...decal edges appeared to have been done so well , they look overcoated....I think Hondas' decals were also probably excellent quality...compared to today...and not all year tanks were decals....
I don't wax around my unrestored, '75 550F's "supersport" decal because the edge shows signs of lifting. That decal comes on the tank from the factory...no part #. There is no clear coat....( be careful with polish)..
I have seen a 350F's tank that looked like a clear coat was peeling, but it was actually the vinyl clear layer over the tank decal that was peeling.....



« Last Edit: May 18, 2023, 03:25:00 PM by jlh3rd »

Offline denward17

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Re: 1978 CB750K gas tank original paint, was it cleared?
« Reply #5 on: May 22, 2023, 11:23:23 AM »
I lightly wet sanded today with 2000 grit, buffed and polished.

I never did see any red paint come off, so I assume there was a clear coat.

Before and after pics.