Hey SuperDave , all the bits are there man. Nice to see yet another oldtimer in capable hands busy receiving new life !! Go for it !
Ja to explain my attempt at a respray ... (1) CLEAN and CLEAN again all the plastics , in the bath ! Until the surface is squeeky, then rub down with 1000 grit waterpaper to break the shine ( 2) Apply one light coat of Krylon Plastic Primer and let dry completely ( 3) Top coat is Velvaglo !!! Dirty Khaki. Reduce 10% to 20% with Turps. Velvaglo choice is based on the fact that it's a self-crosslinking polyurethane, thats tough as nails, and being thixotropic is less prone to sagging and running compared to 'normal' paint. It dries slowly but levels well. It's matt, which is what I wanted, and also, it's easy to repair/retouch with a brush at any later date, unlike two-pack systems. I applied about 3 coats velvaglo. ( 4) The tank , being steel , was easier, I used a sanding disk to chomp through the decals to base metal, then rubbed the whole tank down with 400 grit. I sprayed on Velvaglo direct, about 3-4 coats.
Before starting out I tested the 'system' on the disk guard, did tape adhesion tests and rub /scratch tests and then petrol rub tests , and the paint held up very well. The Krylon primer is rattle can stuff btw ! It takes 5-7 days to achieve full adhesion. You could use Krylon Fusion plastic paint colours , I've done this on a farm bike, it works, but it's not as tough/scratch resistant as Velvaglo.
My aim is to make a bike that ultimately is completely unable to corrode , can be touched up , that blends into the environment of my 'farm' ( wild space ) , so that when I'm kicking back with a beer in the bush, my bike doesn't scream colour at me. The antithesis of an Orange KTM, if you like. I also think that when travelling Africa, the less attention you attract, the less ostentatious you appear, the better. A bike that fits into the bush will go some way to not attracting attention or looking like a million dollars. Ja, so I'm a strange one eh !
