Painting and Body work. DIY

[Ghost-Flame]

Hi Girls, I'm sitting here looking at my budget and more than half of my $5000 budget is for painting and powder coating. It was making me sick.
Last night I dreamed I did all the paint and body work myself. I woke up saying hey I have a compressor, I can build a make shift paint booth, I can buy wet sand paper, rust remover, filler, paint, clear coat, a few buffing heads for my drill. I can buy a gun. I can do all that I need on this bike for $200.
I painted a couple cars when I was a teenager. They came out okay, not great but okay.

Today with you tube and on line boards I can do this. So guess what? Ghost-Flame is a "Painter". LOL!

Now I can afford that $900, 4 into one exhaust I have my eye on!

Don't try to talk me out of it... any advice will be appreciated.

Here's a list of parts that need to be done: Gas Tank (how do I fill the big holes where the emblem is?), 1 chopped fender, Wheels, Valve cover, clutch cover primary cover, head and block(these I can do by shielding with tin foil, my buddy has done this many times with nice results), frame, center stand, side stand, battery box, front caliper, rear seat cowl, I will polish the carbs myself. I think I'm going to relocate the battery into the cowl.
Here's one vid and there are a ton more.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xG4ex1Q4Xak

[slownugly007]

YEAAAAA BOY!!! Do it and dont think twice about it....yea its easier to have someone else do it, but when you do it yourself and you can say you did it theres nothing like it and youll appreciate it sooooo much more! The great thing about bikes is that the pieces are small so if you mess up do it again, no big deal. Plus you learn tons when you just give it a shot....so Im with you 750% <---see what I did there!?

As for the emblem holes, I just finished my tank and I filled my emblem holes. I received the info from Piute, Tools and Shiny and took the area down to bare metal in the crevices where the emblem goes and put jb weld in the void. Lay the tank on its side cuz that stuff likes to flow, let it sit for a bit til it hardens enough to touch and do the other side. Be sure to only use enough to fill the voids and dont worry about it being perfect, this stuffs just a pain to sand. So just get it full enough where you can fill the rest in with filler. Worked like a charm for me and I didnt have to worry about warping the tank by welding. Hope that helped man, good luck!!!

[Piute]

   The Vid was good...................BUT


     You wont to use a heavy grit paper to scuff the glass(fiberglass part) 1st find the end of the crack and drill a small hole there(at end) this will stop the crack .ruff up a Lil , Wax N wax paper is yo friend,nothing will stick to it,use a small sheet 6-8" off roll to mix yo res. N  hardner,very lil amount lay yo fiber on top the mix (witch is on wax paper ?) the fiber will look clear when soked enoughNow flip the whole thing over onto the crack smooth out with yo fingers easy now,REMEMBER gravity part best be horizontil ,FOR now till you get used to it. Bigger area bigger wax paper ,I save sheets from bigg stickers that I find riding my bycycle.

    Painting is an art practice as stated parts are small and can be redone Brother N I work his car N his wifeslosts more on
            http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001369256217&ref=ts                               
                                            Please hit like button  on sight

[shinyribs]

You're dag-gone right you can do it!!!

As far as the filling the emblems the guys are right.The BONDO brand filler so many people make jokes about is actually not all that bad.If you are new to bodywork,or just not real confident,it sands super easy. It may not be the strongest filler out there,but it is very easy to work with.Sand with a minimum of 80 grit where you want to use filler for maximum adhesion,but I use 40 grit myself. Finish sanding with a minimum if 320-400 grit before you lay your paint is a good rule of thumb,but its best to check the manufacturers spec of whose paint you are using.Sometimes they require different things.

But in all honesty,paint is cheap.Sand it,shoot it and if you dont like it just grind it off and try again.I am confident you can pull it off.You already decided you could and that is the most important part!


Ghost-flame,where are you located? I have a buddy that powder coats. I bet he could coat your whole bike for under $300.Probably well under that to be honest. He even has some high temp powders that are made for exhaust systems. We have a set of zoomies he coated that are on a blown gas engine that produces 1200+ egt's and they still look good. If you are anywhere near the SW Virginia are we can save you some coin. I'd hate to see you drop a couple grand on coatings and paint.

[ydelacosta]

I am with all these guys... Look at some of my posts. I just refurbished my tank. It is a lot of work (I used spray paint, but used about 10 coats) It came out great! I painted matte black, but after the applying the clear coat it was too shiny. I used 1200 grit wet paper to take it off and did 3 layers. I  had to Kreem the tank I got.... My advise do this BEFORE paint... The feeling of completing the project myself, priceless.... I will get photos up soon...Putting tank back on moto tomorrow.

[Piute]

                    Compound N wax is work but helps flatten paint (fo pro look)
   I wax about a(meaning 1) coat a month on my finished product,these bikes / cars are out in the sun /    
                    weather alway so indoor furniture polishes can stay in doors Ya-no

                  Gave this C B to sis another great stk. paint done gone but wht. looked great fo her

                              next episode how to reupholster your seat in denim MY WAY

[slownugly007]

Piute, Ive always wondered about that? If you paint something with matte clear coat can you wet sand and buff it like gloss clear coat? or is there another process for matte?

[Piute]

   Srg.ya have to leave it alone,will turn to gloss,experimented on my own stuff ,using flat blk ,shooting satin clear over top ,hit with compound and wax looked like high gloss ,is this what you wonted to know,
   But makes for a great Ghost flame
 using gloss next to flat ,don't tell nobody my Ghost secret

 You can see it well but had to get light (bright)just right (florescent helps)same rustoleum brand cans NO CLEAR,Just lightly buff N (3) wax coats ,Gas has not affected this YET

[slownugly007]

yes sir thanks! Wasnt sure how guys got their satin rides to look so good with out wet sanding and buffing...I guess theyre just good! haha

[Ghost-Flame]

I'm about 20 miles north of Philadelphia, PA. I would be surprised if anyone could do this for $300. I got one quote from a local coater, the frame alone was $500 let alone all the little parts and then another body guy that would paint the tank. The tank alone was $800. I was up around $2500.

I decided I don't want powder coat and I do want to paint it myself. I would like to get your guys contact info just in case... you can always ship to distant locations.

[Ghost-Flame]

I did the tank already with POR-15. Came out great.

I've pretty much decided on a color.

This will be the color of the frame, tank, fenders, wheels http://www.tcpglobal.com/restorationshop/rsp2508.aspx

This will be the color of the trim pieces http://www.tcpglobal.com/restorationshop/rsp1112.aspx

Here's an alternate blue that I like also http://www.tcpglobal.com/restorationshop/rsp1508.aspx

[Piute]

                                           Ya-no all Ford wht's turn to mud .



                              He will do the best job you can ever get,
                                                                     Are you just looking at straight paint (1 color

                                                            even H.D.'s

  let me no before you call and give him my best deal fo pro-fection

[Ghost-Flame]

Piute, Thanks for the info. Ford paint turns to mud? Is it the color or the source of paint that discolors? I had a white taurus for 8 years and I didn't notice any change. What do you suggest?

Thanks for the painter. I am pscyched to do this myself. What the heck if I can't get it right I can always strip it and start over. Or if the economy turns around and I'm so busy selling real estate that there's no time , I'll send it out. Bur, I want to do this job before 2023.LOL.

I'm painting every thing except: handle bars, mirrors, turn signals,.... the tires and seat LOL.

What color would you paint the engine, Anyone can chime in. I was gonna do the block and head white or silver. The valve covers and the side covers the same blue as the body. white racing stripe on the tank and seat cowl. I have old Shelby on my mind. I want a circle of white on both sides of the tank with blue "88" inside. I may change my mind 10 times before I get to it.

What color should the wheels be? Blue, White, Black, Blue and white trim, White and blue  trim or silver like in the car on the left above? I'm also thinking white stitched seat.

[Piute]

   I see your bike and is butte ,great idea's the touch off wht. adds class and just the small touches on upholstery N such add style,I'm using orange like your wht,orange piping N stitch,
Love the Cobra concept,you'll need a silver metalic base the size flake will make or break the blu,nothing bigg of course ,And I couldn't give ya # size off the top my emtie head You can call  " Mike " my bro. Say " Joey ,Piute said you'd help me out in flakes " Then he will know it's truely from me.Like we enjoy talking bikes ,him N his flake's.
  Use the posted bikes he did to give colors and sizes.Like me he can picture your finished bike in color.Taught the man all I could The flake he learned himself just there to back him and push him to do profection or nothing, "ART "

        P.P.G. makes paint roller pens ,there like a fatt marker ,plan to stripe my wheels org.

[mikefootusa]

Ghost-Flame...I like the Viper Blue much better.  My first chopper was very similar to that shade of blue...with silver, blue and purple metalflake shot over it...miss that bike!  Have pics in a box somewhere in the garage...but who knows when that might ever see the light of day...lol

[Ghost-Flame]

Thanks Piute and Mike.
I'm bookmarking this thread in my paint and body file.
This forum is so great to get talking with like minded gear head Motorcycle guys... I actually like working on them as much as riding them.

I am getting down to the last 3 items of disassemble: the rear wheel/drive train, and the engine. then I begin the total restoration.

Yesterday while I was working on the bike. I took the right exhaust off and got to feel the weight of the frame and engine as it started for the floor. It's heavier than I thought, I could barely slow it down. It missed my '04 VTX1800 Baby, by 2 inches. I would have been pissed.

I'm thinking about starting with the engine and carbs first. I really want to get prepping for paint.  but the mechanical stuff comes first.

Does anyone know of a good vintage shop within 100 miles of Philadelphia, Pa, I want to get some local connections. Can be any brand of bike. Peace!!

[LukeM]

Hopefully, right in your back yard.  One of my customers/colleagues went there this weekend.  He came away impressed with his shop.  

Give it a look.

Liberty Vintage

Luke M

[Ghost-Flame]

LukeM wrote

Hopefully, right in your back yard.  One of my customers/colleagues went there this weekend.  He came away impressed with his shop.  

Give it a look.

Liberty Vintage

Luke M

Hey Thanks, You made my day. Its less than 40 minutes from my house. I'm going to email him right now and see if I can come see him.