its amazing what you can do with some elbow grease and careful work. I started with a '77 cb750 that had been sitting in a backyard for 14 years (but had under 10k miles). Did a frame-up restore/customization that ended up taking 1.5 years, and started running low on funds by the end (victim of the recent times...). I hand dented knee dents in the tank myself (took emblems off and filled), had a custom steel seat/tail done by Benji, and fabbed my own left side cover from sheet metal and help from local welding shop. By paint time (last job) I was low on funds and decided to do it myself.
Talk to any body/paint shop and you will hear that prep is 90% of the job. I agree, but you can do it yourself on the cheap. I made an ad-hoc spray booth in my garage (sheet plastic stapled up) and used rattle cans from local pro paint store. Dark grey primer, metallic charcoal "touch-up", and key is 2k clearcoat (this is resistant to gas). This is a catalyzed clearcoat that you activate before use (24 hr use time). The spray pattern is really good as well. Ended up using 4 cans of the clear, which is $20 a can (2 each of other), as well as assortment of sand paper, polishing compounds etc. Also got some vinyl decals to add - japanese kanji (honda on sides of tank where badges would go), 750 for left side cover, as well as some tribal designs for top of tank and tail (I know, maybe out of date but I like them and they compliment the kanji). Put them on the color before the clear, so they are on to stay.
Here are a few pics from my iphone- plan to take/post more with better camera. Its not perfect, but pretty good. Had to fix a couple of runs and other errors. A lot depends on if you want to keep stock, or customize. Probably have about $200 total into the paint/prep for materials, and maybe 40-50 hours effort (much less for a pro). Now I understand why the pros charge what they do.
