side cover restoration

[pbaker27]

So i found a left side cover for my xj11 at a motorcycle junkyard, just a litte rough. Is there any way to restore it? Some of the paint on the center part where the color is, is chipped and the aluminum is not the prettyiest. Also I was able to order the rubber grommits for it from bikebandit.com for decent prices.

[tcoop]

I take the clips off the back and separate the plastic piece from the aluminum. I polish the aluminum and paint the plastic. The emblem is attached with double sided tape, it can be removed with dental floss cleaned up, painted if needed and reattached

[pbaker27]

Don't have an emblem on it, so don't have to worry about taking that off/putting it back on. Any advice on what to clean the aluminum up with? Also for the plastic, no access to an airbrush gun, what are the thoughts on spray can?

[tcoop]

When new the side covers has a clear coat over the aluminum. I use aome paint romover to get the remaining off. Then sand with 320, 400, 600, 800 the use mothers to polish. The higher the grit of sanding the shinnier they will come out.

Rattle can on the plastic works fine. Unless you have aleak gas wont get on it to damage the paint. At the body shop they had a spray that preped the plastic to allow the paint to stick.

This is a picture of my wifes XJ. The side covers are polished but sanded only to 600 grit then used Mothers aluminum polish. (I don't like them to be too shinny) The grab rails have not been polished yet. The tank and the plastic are a rattle can off the shelf from O'Rylies.

[pbaker27]

Thanks! Now I just need to decide if I want to make the tank match or try to find a maroon that would work. The tank is very faded in places.