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The black paint, on the valve cover especially, is starting to look a little ratty. I will admit to being a bit anal about originality, so I would like to use something that is close to what it looked like new. There are likely products that are more durable after 36 years, and that's fine, if I can get the same look. If you have tried this, I would appreciate your opinions, positive or negative. A valve adjustment check is on the books, so I would like to do the painting while it is off. The lower part of the head still looks pretty good when it's detailed. Thanks!
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You're saying it's an 80 SG. If so, then as you can see with this image:
The heads and valve cover were not painted in 80. In '81 they were...the valve cover and the lower portion of the jugs, but not the upper head.
Now, the 80 Midnight special...known as the 80 LH was all blacked out.
So...if it is an 80 SG, then it was painted by a PO, and so the color question is a bit moot.
Just get some Duplicolor high temp engine paint at your local auto parts store, you don't need the extra high 1200 degree temp paint, just the ~500 degree stuff, and have at it!
And since you're going to be painting it, then you will want to lightly sand the external surface to help the paint adhere better. After you sand it a bit let it sit for 24 hours or so to allow the aluminum to naturally seal the metal pores with naturally occurring Aluminum Oxide that develops with just exposure to atmosphere when the bare aluminum metal is exposed, the fresh raw surface layer from sanding/cutting.
T.C.T. C. Gresham
81SH "Godzilla" . . .1179cc super-rat.
79SF "The Teacher" . . .basket case!
History shows again and again,
How nature points out the folly of men! -
I like the black valve cover look and have done it to all the bikes I put together.
I found the truck bed liner that you get in the rattle cans is really durable in that application.Greg
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
80 SG Ol' Okie;79 engine & carbs w/pods, 45 pilots, 140 mains, Custom Mac 4 into 2 exhaust, ACCT,XS850 final drive,110/90/19 front tire,TKat fork brace, XS750 140 MPH speedometer, Vetter IV fairing, aftermarket hard bags and trunk, LG high back seat, XJ rear shocks.
The list changes.
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paint
TC,
That thought was swimming around in my head after I posted it. I will try to get a pic when I get back in town. Too many projects may be catching up with me!
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Suit yourself.........just suggesting what worked well for me on several....
Greg
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
80 SG Ol' Okie;79 engine & carbs w/pods, 45 pilots, 140 mains, Custom Mac 4 into 2 exhaust, ACCT,XS850 final drive,110/90/19 front tire,TKat fork brace, XS750 140 MPH speedometer, Vetter IV fairing, aftermarket hard bags and trunk, LG high back seat, XJ rear shocks.
The list changes.Comment
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Painting
Very nice Greg! Did you just sand or polish it off the flat areas? It really gives it a nice contrast.Comment
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Scraped them with a putty knife while it was still tacky then polished with a fine 3M surface prep disc and small angle die grinder after it dried.Greg
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
80 SG Ol' Okie;79 engine & carbs w/pods, 45 pilots, 140 mains, Custom Mac 4 into 2 exhaust, ACCT,XS850 final drive,110/90/19 front tire,TKat fork brace, XS750 140 MPH speedometer, Vetter IV fairing, aftermarket hard bags and trunk, LG high back seat, XJ rear shocks.
The list changes.Comment
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Multi tasking......
OK, I goofed. Looked at the wrong page in my notes! The engine paint question is in reference to an 81 SH! TC, do you want to nuke this thread, and let me start over?
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Hey,
No problem, it got Greg to post an image of his, but he didn't say what paint he used!?
Here's a shot of it with the OEM type piston/jugs black paint and valve cover when I did my custom repaint around 2008.
[IMG][/IMG]
Here's a shot from my recent rebuild thread showing some accent paint I put on mine instead of sanding down to bare metal!
T.C.T. C. Gresham
81SH "Godzilla" . . .1179cc super-rat.
79SF "The Teacher" . . .basket case!
History shows again and again,
How nature points out the folly of men!Comment
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Paint
TC, I ignored Greg's "suit yourself" comment, since he is at least as obnoxious in person, as he is on the site!
(Sorry Greg, you deserved that! 
) In his defense, he did mention, "the truck bed liner that you get in the rattle cans".
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Well.......all I gotta' say is you don't know Greg very well at allOriginally posted by 2manybikes View PostTC, I ignored Greg's "suit yourself" comment, since he is at least as obnoxious in person, as he is on the site! (Sorry Greg, you deserved that! ) In his defense, he did mention, "the truck bed liner that you get in the rattle cans".
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81H Venturer1100 "The Bentley" (on steroids) 97 Yamaha YZ250(age reducer) 92 Honda ST1100 "Twisty"(touring rocket) Age is relative to the number of seconds counted 'airing' out an 85ft. table-top.Comment
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Hmmmm..........no problem. I won't bother you with my suggestions anymore.Originally posted by 2manybikes View PostTC, I ignored Greg's "suit yourself" comment, since he is at least as obnoxious in person, as he is on the site! (Sorry Greg, you deserved that! ) In his defense, he did mention, "the truck bed liner that you get in the rattle cans".
You can choose from one of the many others. 
Last edited by BA80; 11-29-2016, 06:19 AM.Greg
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
80 SG Ol' Okie;79 engine & carbs w/pods, 45 pilots, 140 mains, Custom Mac 4 into 2 exhaust, ACCT,XS850 final drive,110/90/19 front tire,TKat fork brace, XS750 140 MPH speedometer, Vetter IV fairing, aftermarket hard bags and trunk, LG high back seat, XJ rear shocks.
The list changes.Comment
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Paint
I have seen a few different versions of the bed liner. Some is just sort of rubbery, and some seems like it almost has small grains of sand in it. Cant tell from your pic what the actual surface is like. Also, did you do any surface prep?Comment
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What I used was the hard stuff, get it at Wally world. Prep was a simple clean and wipe down with acetone. that stuff sticks to most anything.Greg
Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein
80 SG Ol' Okie;79 engine & carbs w/pods, 45 pilots, 140 mains, Custom Mac 4 into 2 exhaust, ACCT,XS850 final drive,110/90/19 front tire,TKat fork brace, XS750 140 MPH speedometer, Vetter IV fairing, aftermarket hard bags and trunk, LG high back seat, XJ rear shocks.
The list changes.Comment
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TC, your wife must be very understanding to allow that in her dining room!Originally posted by TopCatGr58 View Post BTW, we have chairs just like yours.
Skids (Sid Hansen)
Down to one 1978 E. Stock air box with K&N filter, 81H pipes and carbs, 8500 feet elevation.Comment
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