Topic: Bare metal or paint

[Hot500]

Im looking for some opinions on what are the best motor finishes. A clean bead blasted finish always looks good, but how easy is it to keep this way ?  I dont really want to go with black paint for the barrels, but would consider a silver paint if it wont end up looking like a cheap and nasty second rate job. Is there such a product, and does it give a natural looking finish. What are the pros and cons. I'm only looking at blasting or paint for the rough cast parts that cant be polished. Thanks.

[SOHC Digger]

Aluminum looks beautiful when it has been freshly blasted, but the downside is that it doesn't stay that way.  It corrodes quickly and will look like trash before too long.  If you want a natural look, go with aluminum color paint.  I have had good luck just using duplicolor aluminum from Advance Auto.

[xedge4lifex]

Aluminum looks beautiful when it has been freshly blasted, but the downside is that it doesn't stay that way.  It corrodes quickly and will look like trash before too long.  If you want a natural look, go with aluminum color paint.  I have had good luck just using duplicolor aluminum from Advance Auto.

+1

i love the way soda or fine bead blasted cases look, and digger is right it will oxidize if it gets exposed to water/steam or left under a tarp. id recommend blasting the cases, and getting some high temp aluminum color and high temp clear rattle can and testing it on a piece of cardboard. see if you like the color from the can better than the engines finish. then id say take your time and clear the engine with either choice so it has a bit more protection.

here is a pic of my girlfriends 75 cb125 engine, i hand sanded and polished with rough steel wool, then shot with my airbrush. i didnt clearcoat it because i like how this finish stands.



i did take all the chrome off of my left side exhaust because there was more rust than chrome, polished with a burned out flap disc, and shot it with high temp clear. nice from afar but far from nice, still need to be replated, but check the resilience of that 3 dollar rattle can clear.



good luck bud

[faux fiddy]

Dang, digger, I've been thinking that teehan's sign looked familiar. My uncle lives at 177th place just off of Harlem.

I went to the close of that place with the horeseshoe shaped bar around the corner 10 years ago. Is it holstein's now?

[Hot500]

I like the idea of clear coating the fresh bead blast. This would be my choice provided it stays clear and wont yellow off after 12 months. Is there a VHT clear on the market ?

[xedge4lifex]

I like the idea of clear coating the fresh bead blast. This would be my choice provided it stays clear and wont yellow off after 12 months. Is there a VHT clear on the market ?

i think i used rusto brand high temp, says its good up to 2000.

[greenjeans]

VHT does come in a clear, but it has a weird tint to it.   You might try it on something first

[CU2151]

I like the idea of clear coating the fresh bead blast. This would be my choice provided it stays clear and wont yellow off after 12 months. Is there a VHT clear on the market ?

i think i used rusto brand high temp, says its good up to 2000.

How's that holding up?  How long ago did you spray it and any sign of yellowing?  

[bird]

Hey mate, I note you're in Brissy. You can get clear powdercoating done over the alloy. Talk to Robert at Lewis and Sons Powder Coating at Morningside. He ever has a show bike there, an old 175 Honda,
with the finish applied. Looks great. Good luck.

[swellguy]

i love the way soda or fine bead blasted cases look, and digger is right it will oxidize if it gets exposed to water/steam or left under a tarp. id recommend blasting the cases, and getting some high temp aluminum color and high temp clear rattle can and testing it on a piece of cardboard. see if you like the color from the can better than the engines finish. then id say take your time and clear the engine with either choice so it has a bit more protection

If you've got your motor in pieces and it's ready for media blasting, I'd seriously consider a variety of silver/matte silver/gray colors of powdercoating. In many cases it's a one coat process and they'll blast it as part of the prep work for you job. Most shops have a number of samples on hand and it's pretty bulletproof.

[SOHC Digger]

Dang, digger, I've been thinking that teehan's sign looked familiar. My uncle lives at 177th place just off of Harlem.

I went to the close of that place with the horeseshoe shaped bar around the corner 10 years ago. Is it holstein's now?

I've never been in Holstein's.  I was supposed to meet a buddy there once and there was a freakin one dollar cover charge.  No band, no drink special, no good reason, but they had a cover charge.  The only money I had was 4 quarters (I wasn't planning on drinking that night) and they wouldn't even let me pay the cover charge in change.  F*ck that place.

[xedge4lifex]

I like the idea of clear coating the fresh bead blast. This would be my choice provided it stays clear and wont yellow off after 12 months. Is there a VHT clear on the market ?

i think i used rusto brand high temp, says its good up to 2000.

How's that holding up?  How long ago did you spray it and any sign of yellowing?  

no yellowing, but the front of muffler where it meets the headpipe blued then discolored into a dark blue brown poo color, i nipped it the first time with a flap disc and it shined right back up, i recoated. a month later same thing. however my exhaust is waaay hotter than they engine will ever get. but if you got some rusty pipes, an afternoon with a flapdisc and some attention to detail can produce some awesome results.