Vintage '70's paint job repair?

[scott s]

I recently picked up this cool CB550 tank with a vintage (I think) '70's style paint job. I knew there were a couple of minor scuffs on it, but that's OK. There is one spot on the front lip that worries me a little bit.
It looks like the paint cracked a little and feels a tiny bit loose. I'm 99.99% sure it's NOT a leaking seam or anything; the tank is super clean inside.

I talked to a guy near me that does this style of paint jobs and he says that if it IS truly vintage, then old and new paint materials might not play well together.
I only want to stop this damage in its tracks and keep it from getting worse. The tank is not super high gloss like it's clear coated, so my guess is that the paint is truly old.

What can I do with this tiny little area (between a thumbnail and a postage stamp size, or smaller) to simply protect it and keep it from flaking off?




The area in question:

 

[Jimbonaut]

How about a thin layer of clear silicon?

 

[Brodie]

Why not look up what was used for paint repairs back when it was painted.

Maybe fiberglass resin to fill the voids and stop it cracking. Rather than repair you could preserve.

 

[scott s]

Maybe fiberglass resin to fill the voids and stop it cracking. Rather than repair you could preserve.

That's exactly what I hope to do.

 

[trek97]

Ask Irk.

 

[scott s]

Just sent him a PM.

 

[irk miller]

The chip is a tough one. You can use any number of household effects to remove the rust from the paint, but if that cracked chip is separating from the metal, you need something to bond it or it's just going to chip off again later. No-blush epoxy resin should do a good job of re-adhering the chips and filling the cracks, and they have good moisture resistance to keep the water out later. Consider carefully pulling up the large pieces that are cracked, get some epoxy underneath, then paint over and let cure. After cure, sand everything to a level surface, but don't get into the paint, then clear coat then entire tank. If there is enough clear coat on the tank to do a nice high grit wet sand, I would before clear.

 

[scott s]

I was told that if the paint is old then it might have a reaction to modern products. True?

I was asking a guy about painting some side covers in a similar style to match the tank and he's the one who told me that.
I'd love to just preserve the tank and protect it. And get some side covers done in a similar style.

 

[irk miller]

The no-blush epoxies are pretty inert, and I 2k cleared right over my 1973 XL250 tank on my chopper with no issues. Polyester or Vinylester resin has MEKP and other stuff that I'm sure will not play nice. I'm not enough of an expert to argue with a paint guy, though.

 

[Ride]

Check any materials on an inconspicuous area. Any clear coat that seems questionable you might be able to spray at a little more distance so that it goes on a bit more dry/flashed and thinner coats as opposed to the solvents sitting too heavily on the paint.

 

[scott s]

Dang, do they not sell the no blush epoxy in anything less than a gallon? I only need a thimble full, if that.

What do you think about the super glue suggestion? That was suggested on another forum, too.

 

[irk miller]

Check out G/Flex epoxy from West Systems. I've used it on top of and below paint. I've done plastic repair with it, as well as stopping a leaking tank. It's pretty amazing stuff.