I'm going to be buying a 95 GS500E that somebody "murdered out" by inexpertly spray-painting the entire bike semi-flat black. There are runs everywhere and it looks awful. >:( Now, having said that, I have a question:
I know the frame is aluminum, but is it painted from the factory in a "metallic" color? Or is it sealed aluminum? Bare aluminum?
I plan on stripping it down, but I wanted to be sure I knew what was the original finish.
Your help is greatly appreciated!
It's at the very least, clear coated. Some guys here will weigh in, but it can't be unfinished or it will rust/pit. Prob painted w/clear coat over it. if you're sure that it was sprayed w/an over the counter can of paint (not professionally mixed) any kind of nail polish remover/gasoline should take it off. That's the whole reason painting w/spray paint from a can is a bad idea, if you spill gas it will take the paint right off.
I hope you got a good deal...
Quote from: 1034am on October 14, 2015, 09:20:13 AM
It's at the very least, clear coated. Some guys here will weigh in, but it can't be unfinished or it will rust/pit. Prob painted w/clear coat over it. if you're sure that it was sprayed w/an over the counter can of paint (not professionally mixed) any kind of nail polish remover/gasoline should take it off. That's the whole reason painting w/spray paint from a can is a bad idea, if you spill gas it will take the paint right off.
I hope you got a good deal...
It looks like cheap rattle-can paint. :icon_rolleyes:
I'm getting a superb deal! I'm practically stealing it from the guy, as he doesn't want to deal with it anymore. :police: ;)
The frame is steel and its painted with the crappiest prep work and the cheapest paint $$ can buy from the factory.
The tank rusts inside and out very very well.
You're essentially buying a murdered paint job on top of a crappy paint job on top of a crappy rusting steel bike.
Having said that, it will run 50k with nothing but oil changes. And 100 K with nothing but oil and valve adjustments if you dot put one of em Chinese breaking design shims in it.
Cool.
Buddha.
Quote from: The Buddha on October 14, 2015, 10:12:58 AM
The frame is steel and its painted with the crappiest prep work and the cheapest paint $$ can buy from the factory.
The tank rusts inside and out very very well.
You're essentially buying a murdered paint job on top of a crappy paint job on top of a crappy rusting steel bike.
Well, that certainly inspires confidence. . . ;) :icon_lol: :thumb:
I second Buddha, the frame is ordinary steel and there is nothing special about the paint. This bike and this manufacturer are not unique in making compromises on material and processing in order to save money. That is pretty much everywhere.
That it is steel is a good thing for you, you can use abrasives without worrying too much about removing frame material.
What is your plan for painting it? You going to prep and paint it in your garage?
edited to add disclaimer: I have never repainted a motorcycle frame. You should read what other people who have experience say.
Abrasives??
Cover it in citri-strip or nitromors and go for a few beers while it does all the work. The paint on the frame is that thin it will be off before you have necked the first one :thumb:
Yeah... but that would be the easy way to do things ;)
Quote from: lucas on October 14, 2015, 12:12:42 PM
Yeah... but that would be the easy way to do things ;)
Stripping via chemical = bad idea. Too many spots in the frame where it will bleed to the inside and eat up the welds etc.
I'd do a dry sand blast, but you're gonna have to clean up the rough spots like the battery brace and parts near the neck etc etc with a wire brush or worse, by hand.
Cool.
Buddha.
Quote from: The Buddha on October 14, 2015, 12:30:40 PM
Stripping via chemical = bad idea. Too many spots in the frame where it will bleed to the inside and eat up the welds etc.
DIY paint stripper doesn't harm metal............... its used on aircraft FGS!
http://www.amazon.com/GAR343-KLEAN-STRIP-Aircraft-Stripper-Gallon/dp/B004Y1KX9E (http://www.amazon.com/GAR343-KLEAN-STRIP-Aircraft-Stripper-Gallon/dp/B004Y1KX9E)
You sponge it all off when you are done and its neutralised, dry it off quick......never had an issue
DONT!!! use it on fibreglass though.....ask me how I know :D
Yea that aircraft stripper, I took some onto an aircraft once, man did the stripper put on one helluva show. Awesome. :D
Anyway you would still need to clean the eaten up parts and the parts where the factory forgot to put paint, and the weld splatter etc etc.
Cool.
Buddha.
Ok, so I will be doing this in my yard, as I don't own a garage, so sanding is kinda out of the question as I have no room for the equipment. I may just have to go the chemical route and strip it down and repaint/seal it. :icon_neutral:
Or I can swallow my irritation, clean up the run-spots, prime it really well, and paint it another color without stripping it down. . . :icon_neutral:
Now I'm on the horns of another dilemma. . . LOL! :dunno_black:
Do it with love and care man!
Like you know. .take some graduated sheets of wet and dry and some of mother earths sweet tears from a mountain stream ...
Then apply to the body of your darlin and let the honest sweat of your brow and the grease of your elbow slough off the detritus of her previous hateful relationship. .
Work on her till she gleams like a new penny in the sun, like the shine of desire in a young man's eye when gazing on a fair maiden....
Then swathe the parts in a glorious coat of primer, let dry, apply more of that ever lovin elbow grease till she's smooth as a strippers legs.. coat her in Technicolor and seal it all in with deep clear..
Show the love to your new bride brother!!
.. .. bahahaha.. nearly typed all that with a straight face too!! ;)
I've done touch up work with an epoxy paint in an aluminium colour and it blends well.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Quote from: Janx101 on October 15, 2015, 03:07:31 AM
Do it with love and care man!
Like you know. .take some graduated sheets of wet and dry and some of mother earths sweet tears from a mountain stream ...
Then apply to the body of your darlin and let the honest sweat of your brow and the grease of your elbow slough off the detritus of her previous hateful relationship. .
Work on her till she gleams like a new penny in the sun, like the shine of desire in a young man's eye when gazing on a fair maiden....
Then swathe the parts in a glorious coat of primer, let dry, apply more of that ever lovin elbow grease till she's smooth as a strippers legs.. coat her in Technicolor and seal it all in with deep clear..
Show the love to your new bride brother!!
.. .. bahahaha.. nearly typed all that with a straight face too!! ;)
That was a magnificently hilarious way to describe wet-sanding and paint prep! Awesome, sir, you win forever!
I certainly enjoyed that post too Janx... very very nice :D
I just went through over the last couple of weekends. i got a free 1990 gs500e from a guy on the list of craig about a month ago. it was in terrible shape and somebody started pulling things off but never really got anywhere. but hey titled and only 10k on the clock how bad could it be...
I was actually pretty convinced that it was a hurricane sandy bike from all the rust but upon seeing the title and further research it looks like the suzuki factory was not very committed (or maybe they should have just been committed)...shitty welds and terrible paint/metal prep. Anyways after i got it started I proceeded to just finish the PO disassembly and repaint. It is actually an incredibly basic machine and I fit all the parts into one bankers box. Then popped the engine out and proceeded to refinish everything.
As for the frame I uses a bunch of wire brushes and a wirebrush attachment for the drill and went to town on it. After I was tired and satisfied I coated it with Naval Jelly (rust preventing agent), washed and then hung from rafters of garage for a primer and semigloss black coat of spray paint. Wire brushes and scour pads on the engine, degreaser and cast iron engine enamel (stock is black or aluminum cast I think). Everything else got the same basic treatment.
I also pulled the wiring harness and cleaned it with contact cleaner and dielectric grease. Now onto reassembly but I forgot to take pictures on this bike so my plan to finish and ride this weekend is probably going to be a little delayed.(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/746/21576111473_8a7a760b39.jpg)
Oooo nice. I used to take the lazy method, send to powdercoating guy. But the $$$ went from 200, to 250 to 300 to 400 for a frame as his wife started keeping books, then his mother inlaw was doing something else ... and I decided it was too much.
Now I just wanna finish what I started 10 years ago and call it a day.
Cool.
Buddha.
Quote from: mwe on October 15, 2015, 10:31:24 AM
I just went through over the last couple of weekends. i got a free 1990 gs500e from a guy on the list of craig about a month ago. it was in terrible shape and somebody started pulling things off but never really got anywhere. but hey titled and only 10k on the clock how bad could it be...
I was actually pretty convinced that it was a hurricane sandy bike from all the rust but upon seeing the title and further research it looks like the suzuki factory was not very committed (or maybe they should have just been committed)...shitty welds and terrible paint/metal prep. Anyways after i got it started I proceeded to just finish the PO disassembly and repaint. It is actually an incredibly basic machine and I fit all the parts into one bankers box. Then popped the engine out and proceeded to refinish everything.
As for the frame I uses a bunch of wire brushes and a wirebrush attachment for the drill and went to town on it. After I was tired and satisfied I coated it with Naval Jelly (rust preventing agent), washed and then hung from rafters of garage for a primer and semigloss black coat of spray paint. Wire brushes and scour pads on the engine, degreaser and cast iron engine enamel (stock is black or aluminum cast I think). Everything else got the same basic treatment.
I also pulled the wiring harness and cleaned it with contact cleaner and dielectric grease. Now onto reassembly but I forgot to take pictures on this bike so my plan to finish and ride this weekend is probably going to be a little delayed.(https://farm1.staticflickr.com/746/21576111473_8a7a760b39.jpg)
Wow! That's really stripped down! Good job! I guess I should man up and strip it completely down when I get it home. No point doing things half-@$$ed, right?
I've found that any time I was too lazy with my cars and cut corners, I regretted it in the end and had to redo things. My car is currently ripped apart and I just want to drive the darn thing... feels like it has been taking forever but I am forcing myself to do everything right. I know it will be worth it in the end :thumb:
Grandpa used to say "never time to do it right but always time to do it again eh?" ;)
Your grandpa sure said it, Janx.... *nods*
Indeed. you could do it quickly repeatedly or do it slowly but properly once. :)
Aaron
Words of wisdom all around. :thumb:
Love Janx101's description of how to do it, but have to say that to get the best finish the Daeouse method is the best. I know it's a pain, but either you will have to mask off where you will be painting (especially if you are going to spray), or you will be removing parts so they don't get painted. Trying to paint the frame with the engine in place, for example, can be problematic, and you will probably find it quicker just to remove the engine and paint away.
And I cannot overstate the importance of prepping properly. Preparation should take at least as much time as painting, if not considerably more. Without a good base you will not get a good result.
Good luck.
I, like many others, have started a tear down, and build up project. I had most of my parts and pieces powder coated, I've found a guy who does a great job and I don't feel like I'm getting taken advantage of. For example, he charged me $150 to do the frame. Painting will get good results, but no one is going to convince me that powder coating isn't far more durable. Either way, I look forward to your progress, and be sure to post lots of pics, we like them. :thumb:
Quote from: barry905 on October 17, 2015, 12:13:32 AM
Love Janx101's description of how to do it, but have to say that to get the best finish the Daeouse method is the best. I know it's a pain, but either you will have to mask off where you will be painting (especially if you are going to spray), or you will be removing parts so they don't get painted. Trying to paint the frame with the engine in place, for example, can be problematic, and you will probably find it quicker just to remove the engine and paint away.
And I cannot overstate the importance of prepping properly. Preparation should take at least as much time as painting, if not considerably more. Without a good base you will not get a good result.
Good luck.
As someone who's spent ages trying to paint various types of resin, plastic, and metals, I have learned the necessity of strong prep-work the hard way.
Quote from: The fink on October 17, 2015, 02:15:54 AM
I, like many others, have started a tear down, and build up project. I had most of my parts and pieces powder coated, I've found a guy who does a great job and I don't feel like I'm getting taken advantage of. For example, he charged me $150 to do the frame. Painting will get good results, but no one is going to convince me that powder coating isn't far more durable. Either way, I look forward to your progress, and be sure to post lots of pics, we like them. :thumb:
Trust me, a thread
will be going up! :thumb:
I've thought about getting the parts powder-coated, however I'm not sure if there's a shop near me that can do it for the price I can afford. I'll have to do some research. . . :cool:
I'd kill to have the frame powder-coated/anodized in that beautiful orange-gold of those Buell Firebolt rims. . . but supposedly that costs a small fortune! :icon_eek: :sad: :cry: