Topic: '73 CB350F touchup Paint

[snarferer]

Got a nice CB350F that is in decent shape, but has some dings in the tank.  Any aftermarket touchup paint places I've used for cars won't go back to 73 and/or won't do motorcycles, anyone have a good place to get touch up paint....that actually matches the paint?

[matt365]

I doubt that after 35 years that the paint won't have faded.  Even if you managed to get the origional paint codes, there is no way it would match.  I'd try and find something close to what it is now, or take it to a body shop and have them match the paint for you.

[mattcb350f]

By the time you fix the dings you're gonna need to paint more of the tank than you think. It's easier IMO just to paint the whole tank than to try and flush in new paint to the old.
Anyway Don, a member here sells some good kits you can buy and have a shop put on for you: http://www.vintagehondapaint.com/Site/vintagehondapaint.com.html

His cost is roughty what the material cost me to buy my own paint 

But if you're set on touch up, take the tank to a shop or supplier and have them match it up as best as possible.

 Cheers, Matt.

[kghost]

Besides its a two part process

[fixahonda]

I don't think that you could use touch up on that tank and have it look any kind of decent. On the green ones at least, there seems to be whatever primer they use, a blue base coat and then the green/pearl topcoat with clear over that.

[okie]

On the red 350F tanks, red Sharpie pens do an amazing job of hiding scratches. 

[snarferer]

Forgot to mention it was green, I want to just prevent potential rust for now without making it look too absurd.  I'm a newish rider and when I get a second bike I'm going to get antique tags and semi-retire the cb350f from daily rider to a just for kicks bike.  Then I will get it all repainted.

[loonymoon]

Yes I have looked into this too, I found someone in Germany who was selling a full spray kit with the correct colour but when I asked him he said there's no candy bacchus olive touch up paints available. On the backs of the side covers on my bike you can see that it's blue with gold flake on top and then I think a clear coat. Quite difficult to get a match to so I gave up!!

[CharlieT]

Was trying to find some touch-up paint for my '84 Interceptor and came across this site:

http://www.cyclecolor.com/

Haven't tried them yet, but will soon. Couldn't find much else when looking for some candy aluetion blue.

[troppo]

Any decent paint shop should be able to match the colour almost exactly with an optical scanner, if your really fussy a bit of research to find out what type of paint used and get that type. If you know the original name and year of the paint, they should have the exact recipe in their code books to mix up the right colour on the spot. Not hard to paint it yourself, terry has a great thread showing what you can do with a spray can and a fuel tank.
Cheers
Troppo

[kghost]

Any decent paint shop should be able to match the colour almost exactly with an optical scanner, if your really fussy a bit of research to find out what type of paint used and get that type. If you know the original name and year of the paint, they should have the exact recipe in their code books to mix up the right colour on the spot. Not hard to paint it yourself, terry has a great thread showing what you can do with a spray can and a fuel tank.
Cheers
Troppo

With respect...

Yes an optical scanner can match the color. What it doesn't do is match the process...

Hence you lose depth.

Modern one step paint just doesn't look right.

Its not a matter of matching the code. It requires the original paint plus the top coat (candy) to get the desired effect.

For example here in the US most paint shops don't even carry the correct metal flake size as everything has gone to micro flake

Mirco flake being easier to spray thru guns, keep in suspension and flows more uniform with regard to surface uniformity and coverage

[troppo]

With respect...

Yes an optical scanner can match the color. What it doesn't do is match the process...

Hence you lose depth.

Modern one step paint just doesn't look right.

Its not a matter of matching the code. It requires the original paint plus the top coat (candy) to get the desired effect.

For example here in the US most paint shops don't even carry the correct metal flake size as everything has gone to micro flake

Mirco flake being easier to spray thru guns, keep in suspension and flows more uniform with regard to surface uniformity and coverage

Yep you are so right, but if he`s only touching up a tank the odds a perfect finish a fairly long, and like i said if he could get the correct colours and paint type as the original it would be a damned good finish, not a museum quality restore granted, but theres not many that could afford that quality of restore, as for the flake if he wants to be "exact" i`m sure you could get the right flake and with a lot of asking and money find someone willing to spray it for him. Lets not degenerate this thread into a flaming war, i was trying to offer him a possible option for his tank paint.
Cheers
Troppo

[kghost]

It really doesn't cost any more to spray it to match exactly....

My point was its pretty damn difficult to FIND a paint store that will have all the correct materials.

Before someone trots down to the paint store and says mix me a match....because it won't match.

Personally unless it were parked next to a perfectly preserved museum example...no one will know if its an exact match anyways....

Long as its close in depth and color...