Paint

[Kmccaslan]

Okay guys I need some help with this one. I keep noticing all of the engine components painted black. I need to know how this is possible. Are these people painting every piece separately or what. I am beginning my bobber, as I decided to hop back on and keep riding, for those of you who remeber my little incident and I want the look of the all black engine. Please chime in all that have ideas. I am imagining that it takes more than a can of spray paint?!?!

[CatatonicBug]

Lots of threads on the subject if you search for them. However, it depends on how "professional" of a job you want. You definitely need high-temp paint, and lots of patience.

[Kmccaslan]

does not need to be that professional. I am going to continue with my ratrod/bobber. I do not want to see a bike that looks like it is a $30,000 custom. I want to show off the '79 bobber look. Do you have to disassemble the bike's engine to begin and complete the painting? Are the any parts of the engine that you could "paint shut" like a window?

[gk45241]

engine

There are some pics on my profile as well as around the site. To get a full complete covereage Pipes and engine. you will need about a can and a half of the High temp engine paint etc.

I took several pieces of mine off when i did the painting BUt the job is (in my opinion) subpar. IF the need comes up again I will pull a lot more pieces loose for the painting. Another issue I had is that the paint has to "bake" on. Since when I did mine the bike was not running it sat for probably 3 months of damage"dropped tools, Spilled gas, Carb cleaner" before she wasrunning properly and got the running around the neighborhood baking treatment.

If you look on this site as well as the chopper underground you will see lots of differant ways to apply, and contrast the engine, Keep us posted. I am not only an xs fan, but love the bobber look.

p.s. Ignore the fact thaqt the bike is still dirty as he**.







Gary

[CatatonicBug]

It could technicaly be painted while still in the frame, if you wanted to. If you take the pipes and carbs off, and fill the exhaust and intake holes, you could even paint over the spark plugs, using them to mask the holes, then remove and replace them after painting. The only thing I can think of that could be "painted shut" is the oil filler cap. You do risk cracking or peeling of the paint if you paint over the bolt heads on the various engine covers, and need to remove them later. The middle drive oil fill/drain holes would be subject to that too.

If I were doing it, I would take the engine out of the frame, and take all the covers off, and prime and paint all the pieces individually with automotive engine primer and paint in a LPHV air gun. I like the effect of the naked fin edges, so sanding those off afterward would also be on the list.

[fredintoon]

Slave to fashion

Hi Mac,
anything to an in-frame fizzover with a rattlecan of BBQ paint to a complete teardown & powdercoat will do it.
It depends on how much money and effort you want to put into the job.
I find it amusing that folks today make rigids out of rear-suspended bikes while 50 years ago I sawed the rigid rear frame off a 1937 Velocette to convert it to a swingarm.
In the same vein, I find it amusing that you want to black out an all-aluminum engine while 50 years ago I was painting my engine's black cast-iron head and barrels with aluminum paint so it'd look like an all aluminum racing engine.

[Kmccaslan]

It is crazy to watch different trends come and go. I like the aluminum look as well, but I really want a bobber. I want it to look old school and not like a $30,000 custom that are being pumped out like candy these days. So I honestly can get the engine paint and start spray painting? No need to worry about locking any engine parts up or spraying the throttle shut or anything of this manner? I may do it this weekend.

[fredintoon]

- - - So I honestly can get the engine paint and start spray painting? No need to worry about locking any engine parts up or spraying the throttle shut or anything of this manner? - - -

Hi Mac,
so you are going for the in-frame fizzover? No, that won't lock up any of the engine parts.
But you don't want to paint the carbs because they CAN get their innards clogged with paint so wrap them in a plastic bag or better yet, take 'em off.
As with any paintwork, 90% is in the prep work. Power-wash the motor to remove the worst of the 3 decades of grime that's on it, mask off anything you don't want painted and fizz away.

[TomRodgers]

As Fred stated....degrease the bajeezes out of it...hose it down with a good solvent/cleaner, dry it well...and go at it.

just dealing with PO's work, make sure none of your wiring is close by (even though it can be cleaned up, its a hassle), personally i would remove the carb holders as well, cuz the paint wont stick well to them, and as Bug stated, id put in a set of old plugs(or yours if they need replaced) and go like hell. Rattle cans can do an exxxcelent job if you take your time and let it dry between coats ( just keep dust/dirt from getting on it).... good luck, and post some pics!!!

[barberad]

My .02

Make sure you clean/blow out the fins and around the screw and bolt heads. For some reason these areas like to hold the flaking paint and dirt and always end up looking like crap. If you don't want it painted, mask it off or it will be.
when I painted mine in the frame, it was like 2 hours of masking to twenty minutes of painting.

[Athedra]

I would think a black exhaust enamel would work perfectly. It will have a slight gloss, but will still give you a faded old school look. Those you buy off the shelve in spray cans. They can take the heat and you can spray it anywhere you feel needs a painting or a touch-up

[ManitoulinLad]

Hey Kmccaslan: I did mine in the frame, headers & exhaust too with high temp black gloss from home hardware I live in canada & I used their own brand of paint in a spray can. It lasts about 2yrs if you don't prep anything - than you have to take a steel brush to over it & remove any flakes & redo it. The better way (a body repair friend of mine) told me is to prop the entire area you wanna paint with acetone on a rag - can be bought at hardware & don't even touch anything after you prep & then spray away, this way the paint will last way much longer due to the super clean surface (sticks better). Even the oil from your finger will eventually make the paint peel off. Do lite coats & run the motor between coats to heat it up & make the paint bake in. He told me more than 2 coats & your waisting your time & money as you make the paint too thick & then it could peel off. As stated by other guys above - you spend more time taping everything off that you don't want to paint than the actual painting. the good thing i find is this was to do a touch up you just paint away & don't worry about the overspray as everything is already done in the same stuff. I re-paint my headers everyonce in a while, takes a couple mins & they look new. I never bother to worry about any overspray whenever i do this. One guy said it looks more antique & it does - my son has given me compliements on the black - & hey he's a teenager & doesn't say much. So spray away dude & use the acetone. - Dan

[Kmccaslan]

I am excited...one more question, no problems for you guys who have done it with the bike overheating? I had a friend tell me it ruined his bike becuase it began to overheat after he sprayed it. Any insight you guys can offer will be acknowledged!

[Athedra]

As far as I know, that is the reason why the fins outer lips are not painted. If it does give you overheating problems (Which I doubt) then just throw on a bigger oil cooler.

[DGXSER]

Athedra, most of the US models do not have an oil cooler.

If it helps, the 81 models had the jugs painted from the factory along with the valve cover. As mentioned, the edges of the fins were bare aluminum but I think ti was more for show than heat transfer. Heat transfer is about surface, air flow, and temp difference. Not much area on the edges of the fins to transfer heat so no real gain in it.