Montreal Manchild with an '81 Honda CB750K

I used this stuff from VHT. no primer needed.

59ff108209aec0c00f33569e9da6884d.jpg
 
In other news, gonna sell my V Star 1100 and went to look at a '94 Harley sportster 883 this afternoon. The thing sounded like a beast and I might just make it mine.
 
Wife and I are at the Bike & Tattoo show in Montreal this weekend, this beauty is in the booth next door -



Built in '77 and not touched since, Kawasaki 900 engine and the only pink king and queen seat I can ever see myself rocking


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Cleaning up the forks while I'm waiting for my frame to come back from paint, here's a before and after -



Really happy with how they're cleaning up (80 grit, 180 then 400) - are they gonna need hitting with clear?

Thinking yes, hoping not. Either way it's all good - I have some 2K clear which hopefully will do the job.


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The factory clear coats them. But as you see, they corrode under the clear. It is possible to have a very long lasting result but you have to passivate the parts before you paint them. Unhappily this requires some rather dreadfully unfriendly materials (chromic acid and cyanide) to do properly so probably you won't be doing this. The problem is that it is not possible paint aluminum alloys before the surface starts to react with the oxygen in the air. Your parts may look beautiful and flawless, but the reaction has started on a tiny scale. Cover it with clear, and it is simply a matter of time before the result will be visible exactly like your "before" pic. The corrosion you see is not a result of the clear coat being breached, it started before the clear was put on. For that reason I paint aluminum with paint you can't see through. The corrosion still occurs, but it takes a really long time to start actually being a problem because you can't see it until it blisters out from under the paint. Depending on the alloy, you could also clear anodize a part, but likely your fork legs will look dull and dark (possibly VERY dark!) because of the alloys typically used for castings. I suggest one of three solutions which is what I do. 1) simply paint the parts with opaque paint. 2) scotchbrite the surface and simply re scotchbrite as regular maintenance. 3) polish the parts, and re polish as regular maintenance. Generally I polish if I don't want paint. Polishing creates the smoothest surface and is the most resistant to corrosion if the surface is bare, and it is pretty easy to spruce up by hand polishing once or twice a year.
 
Alodine 1001 is a conversion coating used to passivate aluminum for paint. Where some Alodine is yellow, 1001 is clear so it makes it good for clear coating while also preparing a better bonding surface. There's also some more recent stuff called Alumetron, which is a chemical and mechanical bonded coating used on boats that will take care of them for years. The company guarantees it will fight and prevent corrosion on boat hulls for 5 years. You can also anodize them to prevent corrosion. As far as opaque paints, you should be doing a zinc-chromate primer before paint on aluminum.
 
Great info, thanks guys. I was wondering how the oxidization happened without any visible breach in the factory clear, now I know. Given what you've both said, think I might leave them as is, and give them a scotchbrite every year or so (or when required). I kinda like the matt aluminium look (it'll fit in with the rest of the bike once it's all put back together again), but I'll also look into Alumetron.

Thanks again (thumbs up)
 
Went with the VHT epoxy on the rims, turned out pretty good -



Damn can stated playing up towards the end so got a bit uneven and spluttery but hey. Think today might finally be the day I clear the tank and other assorted parts. Wish me luck


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Give the hoops 2 weeks before you put the spokes in and tires on and they shouldn't chip easily. It takes min 14 days for the epoxy to fully cure and be tough.
 
Thanks man, good to know. I missed a bit too on the inside of one of the rims - according to the can I have to wait a week before I can hit it again with another coat. I was thinking of giving them a couple of coats of 2K clear too for good measure - how long should I wait after the epoxy to clear coat?

Went up to look at the CB360 the other day - not in terrible shape but bad enough that I'll think I'll make it someone else's project. Did buy a '99 Sportster 1200 over the weekend and selling my V Star - dig how the sportster sits and will be moving the forward controls back to mid. Enough of the laz-y-boy riding and absorbing potholes with my lower spine.

How's your foot mate? Hope things are on the up and up
 
I've never cleared over the epoxy but wait 2 weeks at least as it off gases a while. also follow the can on the 7 days or you will have a mess on the re-coat. I've done it too soon and had weird reactions and had to strip and start over, never fun. Foot is good again thanks. I hate forward controls too, can't stand that riding position at all for very long. I don't know how my buddies ride that way when we go out for a few hours let alone a full day of riding. Going home at lunch to grab the CX and ride back, then take the long way home tonight, we have sun and 15 C today, then rain for 2 weeks straight so ride today or forget it for 2 weeks.
 
I hear you. Have to say I kinda liked them on the V Star but after a season of riding that way (first time I've owned a cruiser so it was a new riding style for me) I realize I prefer my feet under the rest my body rather than stuck way out in front. To each their own, but this Sportster is getting tucked in.

Enjoy the ride mate and glad to hear the foot is on the mend. April sucked here, next 2 weeks look shit too. Rubber on the road bro, shiny side up =)

Good call on the epoxy and clear - I'll try and be patient
 
Got the tank and a few other pieces clear coated today -



Glad that tank is finally done. Hope the clear works out - went for a satin finish so will see how the brushed steel looks under it once it's dry. Hope to f*<£ it doesn't rust underneath, time will undoubtedly tell


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Nice job. If you cleaned it to an inch of it's life and never touched it again with bare hands you should be OK. did you warm it up good to get any moisture of the surface? that would be the only iffy part, if where you had it stored was heated and dry you should be fine also.
 
Thanks gents, the tank was no cake walk that's for sure. It had been a while since I sanded it and a few rust spots had shown up, so I gave the whole tank another sand to give it as much chance as possible. Then tried cleaning it with acetone which left these dark streaks - fail - so moved on to MEK which cleaned better but still left streaks, managed to buff most of them out with a clean cloth.

Wore gloves the whole time, heated the tank up next to the shop fan, gave it a final wipe down and the hit the thing with the clear. Smoked a cigar, drank a beer, basked in the feeling of knowing I gave that tank my all.

Jonesing to get my frame back from powder coat (they've had it over three weeks dammit) then can slowly start getting this rubber on the road
 
Clear coat came out great on the tank, mocking up how it's gonna come together -



I can most certainly dig it


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