Paint - The blurg defeated

[Menno]

As a turn round time I try to have everything ready within 6 weeks.
That is because it normally takes about 2 weeks to have the tank (and other steel parts) chemically cleaned.

It might happen however a tank arrives a couple of days after I delivered a bunch of tanks at the cleaners.
Since it is about 40 miles one way I wait for the tanks to be finished before I drive over there again.
And sometimes the cleaners are busy as well.

It is an interesting place; they also clean VW vans (mark 1 and mark 2) for Volkswagen.
They put a whole samba t1 in the bath and see what is left og it when it comes out.
But also oldtimer Porsches and Mercedes etc. Sometimes my son (14) comes along and we wander through the storage trying to figure out
what is what wenn only bare metall is left.

Well when the tank comes back that is when my work starts. Time also depends on the tank itself. Some tanks ar simply easy. Two or three dents, thats it.
But quite often a tank is not so much dented but wavy, if you know what I mean. Tank looks fine but when you follow the line with your hands it has curves where there shouldn't be.
Prep work often takes time. Painting itself not so much although I leave extra drying time inbetween layers.

[MrDavo]

The tanks and body set are in the post to Menno!

I found a suitable plastic box ar Home Bargains, it even has wheels. This is just making sure the tank fit OK, there was plenty of space for the panels headlamp and ears. The box closes with two padlock eyes in opposite corners, so I fastened these with large cable ties. Notice my tank has wrinkles, but not under the filler cap!



Here is the front end coming apart, I had to undo the lower brake hose to drop the forks, otherwise it was straightforward.



Of course the Manchester weather being what is is, it decided now would be a good time to rain... 


 The headlamp ears have rusted inside a bit, but you wouldn't know it from the outside.

I blagged a load of bubble wrap and wrapped everything to be a snug fit, then sorted out delivery via Parcelforce via Parcel Monkey, as recommended on here, it was about £13 with the VAT.

I just followed an eBay link on here to order a bunch of 3.5mm bullet connectors from China, I might as well tidy up the mess that lives inside the headlamp while its away. I'm guessing they should arrive before the paint is ready, but we'll see, the postage is free!

[Bryanj]

You do know you cant use the"normal" el cheapo crimpers on the connectors you ordered. I have had Ripaults/Arkles 3000 ones for years bud i did buy a cheapo set from ebay a few months back if you want me to look up the number. You need jaws that have a Heart shape to fold the ears in on themselves, better detail if you want it later mate

EDIT:-
Link to the sort i bought, specifically to do multi block connectors but will do the loom ones as well

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Multi-Functional-Mini-HS-202B-Crimping-Pliers-Terminals-Wires-Crimpper-Tool-/262371761669?hash=item3d16935e05:g:Oa8AAOSwo4pYlYre

[AshimotoK0]

I bought some of those connectors .. the brass bits are fine .. boots a little on the loose side but cracking deal for the money. I dip them in tinning solution if the originals were tinned (those Chinese ones and the ones from the States are unplated brass). You are right to buy 3.5mm and not 3.9mm  (3.9mm used on early 60's Honda's and some other Jap. brands)

[MrDavo]

They've got to be better than all the nasty red bullet connectors in there at the moment, which have a habit of unplugging themselves at full lock or when the headlamp unit is replaced. I have a fairly decent substantial crimper rather than a cheapo one, which I bought at a Stafford show, not sure what make it is but I'll soon know if it is making a proper crimp when the connectors come, I know what they should be like.

My parcel left the UK at 3am, according to the tracking, once I had dropped it off I realised I'd forgotten to include the paint kit I'd bought on eBay and said I'd include. Trying to send it seperately I realise that may be a blessing - every carrier has a list of prohibited items, they all seem to include paint - if they find it they will destroy your package summarily, which could have included my body kit! I know how good Xray machines are at spotting liquids, as I'm always the one at the airport who forgot about his shower gel or whatever.

I can see that they don't want it escaping mid flight and gumming up the controls of their shiny new aeroplane, making it fall from the sky, the irony is that it arrived from Germany, via DHL and Parcelforce, who now won't carry it back there.

I'm not too fussed, as I'm guessing that the actual paint isn't a large part of the cost anyway, as its all in the preparation.

[MrDavo]

I got some photos back from Menno after the metalwork came back from the acid bath treatment, he said it was OK to use them on the forum, as expected it wasn't pretty.

The reason for the bubble was petrol leaking through a crap welded repair on the tank top, circled and arrowed in the photo. What would have pierced it in the first place isn't clear to me, but it is what it is.



Now the tank is clean, Menno can reline the tank, leak fixed. This justifies the whole process really, if I had got my local bodyshop bloke to fill and repaint, it would inevitably have leaked back through the repair in time, causing me to lose the will to live.

He said when he got it that the tank was heavy, meaning a lot of filler. At some time in its past the tank has had the crap beaten out of it in an accident, been cut open, knocked straight and welded up again. Menno says they didn't do too bad a job, but he's marked where the low spots are. It explains why my tank trim wasn't too good a fit at the front right, he says he will try and improve the situation.






We knew the headlamp ears were rusty, someone has gone to a lot of effort to save them in the past. Menno says they are only good for the bin, but has sourced me some pattern ones in Germany.

[Nurse Julie]

Gosh, that's not pretty. Like you say Dave, sending it to Menno means you are assured of a proper job with his excellent prep methods and will save you tears in the future.

[K2-K6]

That repair weld on the top,  sometimes when you get a big dent they weld a thick washer to the centre of it then put a slide hammer hooked through the washer.  If it's then wacked outwards it can crack around there weld site.

It looks like the weld may have been from a process like that which they've then covered with poj.

Quite a lot to sort out but as you say,  it'll be good to get it done properly.

[Trigger]

I personally would of gone for a new tank and ears. 

[MrDavo]

Well its taken so long that the board is asking me if I really want to necro such an old thread, but my tank, panels, headlamp and (new) ears are painted, and the result is stunning!

Menno sent me these pictures last night, he isn't going to post them back until the paint has had a chance to harden, we wouldn't want it stuck to the packaging, would we? He's also going to do another coat of laquer to seal the tank.





The paint has that lovely deep OEM candy shine, comparable to the paint on this Vic World low miles sandcast. below, that he keeps for a standard to compare with:



As opposed to this rather expensive restored K1 from, er, a well known dealer, which is just, well, red in comparison. I don't know if the stripes are stickers (Menno paints them) but they don't look that gold either.



The best recommendation I can give is that, as soon as I get my plastic box back from Germany, I am putting the CL450 parts in to send back to Menno.

I take Trigger's point that a new tank would have been easier, as mine had not only been around the block a few times, but had also been crashed into it, but I like to use as many original 1971 parts as I can, otherwise I could just build a bike from NOS parts and chuck the original stuff away.

[Nurse Julie]

It looks stunning Dave. I love it when Menno sends the photos through, it increases the level of anticipation ready for when it turns up . Never disappointed and always very, very pleased with his work. A true professional and craftsman.

[Seabeowner]

Beautiful job. I had a 500 done in candy ruby red a couple of years ago by Menno and it's still stunning and drain and store the tank inside in the winter. Now I'm feeling the urge to send off another parcel to Germany.

[Laverda Dave]

 That's stunning paintwork. Menno does a great job and as Julie said earlier, when he posts the progress photos the anticipation builds.

[JamesH]

Can’t wait to see it on your K1 dave...

[mick]

my favourite colour  , cheers Mick