New Finish

[CDNRatMan]

  Well enjoy the ride, if it stops raining I might head out for a run to the falls.......short hop and just get some feeling back in my legs......

[Troll]

Going on a group ABATE ride today. The old Girl had to look her best...

[49Reo]

Really spruces it up. Looks good.

[Drift1]

Another fantastic job , Troll . This crazy weather has turned out to be sort of a positive note for you , being you've been putting this job off  I'm sure the old gal appreciates the make up 

[bikerbob5864]

Lookin good!..........Yea the weather sucks here too........rain and snow this AM! I can relate to the no shop thing. I have to work under the carport of my trailer. Used to work in a 3 stall, heated whole 9yards shop......lift and all. Fell on some hard times a few years back....... and then some medical expenses........bye-bye 401K.......
Oh well, now I'm real live trailer trash.........Me and Mama laugh about it all the time!!!!!
What else can you do?    Life is a box of chocolates!!! Kept my Bikes though......and my guns.......

Bob

[racinfan101]

That came out really nice!!

[Drifter1500]

Looks really good, big improvement. I can't get over how much my 2000 year engine looks from the later models.

[greenbarn]

Looks pretty nice, there.  Definitely cleaned 'er up!

[pcarrell]

Looks great man!  I've been putting that same job off.  Now I'm going to have to do something about it!

[Troll]

Thanks... the garage is a plus, but where I lived before, I had a dedicated work shop with heat, cable tv, Surround sound, and internet. I have to share this one with cars. Built in 1959, the only thing modern is the new door I put in....and NO HEAT!!!!!!!

[nhtrikes]

Wow, that was quite a difference. Very noticeable and it came out great. Engine looks new. I hope I can find this string in a few years when mine is gonna need it! Great job!  Oh, and I like your garage, very jealous! All I have is a shed, gets a little tight in there sometime. 

[Troll]

Thanks. It came out pretty good.

[CDNRatMan]

     Awesome looking job you are an artist with the machine......really like it.....

[Troll]

Now, the after pictures:

[Troll]

    Ok, so I mentioned I was going to refinish the black and aluminum on my 1500. I've been putting it off since I bought it. No matter what you do, a finish will age, and in the case of satin black, it turns kind of a charcoal grey. I didn't like it too much, but even if it was clean, it looked bad. The last week has been Ratman weather, and there is supposed to be a big ride on Sunday. The forecast calls for sun and 60, so, I figured it would be a good time to do the job, so long delayed. It's a simple, if time consuming job. First things first...clean engine. Gunk and a hose...follow the instructions on the can!
Second, remove everything that's in your way, or you don't want painted! 3rd. A can of non-chlorinated brake cleaner. This stuff dries without ANY left over film, and washes metal parts seriously clean! I chose Krylon satin black with the primer built in. Since I'm not stripping the engine down to bare metal....Spray down the engine with the brake cleaner and let it dry...make sure you have adequate ventilation...MASK OFF THE CHROME!!! cover everything else up. It was 40 deg. in the garage when I painted, so it took over night for the paint to dry. Today, I went out and checked the work. I had a run in the left side cover, so I sanded that out....and learned something in the process...The cover is NOT chrome steel and plastic, it's ALL STEEL!.. They part they painted a funny, non-matching color is steel, too! I tried a couple of different things on the fin edges. Sand paper, a file, and finally discovered that a clean rag with acetone on it takes the paint right off the edges of the fins with no effort...Before and after pictures...subtle difference, what do you think? Now it it will just stop being winter, I REALLY want to get it outside!!!!!