gloss or satin.. what original finish for the frame?
- Thread starter Lorenzo
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Lorenzo said:
I have had several frames powdercoated and the powdercoater has always recommended against the highest gloss finish as he says that it is not very practical for a bike that is to be ridden. It shows scuffs and fingerprints really easily so I have always gone with the next level of gloss which is a semi-gloss or satin type of finish. These look pretty close to the original paint on my Commando frame.
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Original frame finish in stove enamel I think gave black patent leather polsih sheen that lasts pretty darn good baring direct crushes and scraps and decades of mostiure holding acid forming dust grit. Wax over a dull finish often make it sheen again. Power looks great if can get industrial hardness even better but tends to ding deeply so hard to fill in and re finish w/o making look worse. Care in matinance tools needed. I've given up and will rattle can and clear coat so touch ups blend in.
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They weren't stove enamelled in '73 they were just painted & the factory used a very few coats of poor paint that came off very easily. It was a gloss paint. People here are mostly anti powder coating but I had mine done 35 years ago & it's still fine. The swinging arm was the only thing that needed doing again. I stripped & painted that myself with rattle cans. You pays your money & takes yer choice.
Ian
Ian
The first time I powdercoated a frame I went with a high gloss. The front facing areas went slightly dull after a while that was noticeable compared to sections where it wasn't as exposed. The last time I had a frame done the guy gave a me a choice of luster from one to ten, I chose eight and it looks about right. There are different kinds of powdercoat out there. Some is more suited to lawn furniture than motorcycle and car restorations. Pick someone who is familiar with restorations if you can.
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From what I understand the factory painted the frames glossy. I got my frame powdercoated semi-gloss for most of the reasons talked about above. Gloss shows finger prints, dirt and oil much easier than semi-gloss.
Matt
Matt
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Got to see an undisturbed very low mileage as under 1000 on a '73 750 brought into Baxter Cycle to get a road worthy check up, while up there for their rally a few yrs ago, frame finish wiped off to Black Patent Leather polish and all the Lucas wiring looked so orderly and neat and robust well thought out and executed. At some point Norton frames got stove enameled I'm told but don't know if that covered any Cdo frames. My factory Trixie gets gloss black rattle can touch ups, Peel something else sky blue or lavender clear coated.
DogT
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After only 500 miles on mine this summer, the liquid gloss on mine has turned to motorcycle gloss. Scratches, dullness in areas, but I still like the look of it. I mean you just can't keep everything in a state of high gloss unless you don't use it. I don't think it really matters as long as the metal is covered and no rust pits anywhere. It certainly looks better that when I started. I suppose I could polish out the areas, but I'm not interested in that. It looks like a motorcycle that's been on the road. Even the high gloss black is hard to see imperfections in it, especially on the tubes, if it were a door or hood, that would be a different thing.
Dave
69S
Dave
69S
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Absolutely if seeking factory beautiful striking polished Black Patent Leather - as only term that comes to mind on seeing a handful of original finishes uncovered or just wiped off. I"m not voting on it as much as just verifying a good many of them came in flashy shiny black. I actually like to see different color frames especially the lighter brighter or pastels. I'm stuck with black on my factory Trixie discipline to stick with the no brainer good book parts number wise but on Ms Peel will get something way way different, depending on when observed of course.
DogT
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No, my bike had 4000 miles on it when I got it and was in fairly rough shape for only 2 years old. I get the feeling someone had raced it from the dings on it, the timing cover had been welded, there were bumps in the frame. But it ran good.Lorenzo said:Dave: I know you had a brand new Norton Commando. Do you recall how the frame was at that time?
I've had people that put them together from the factory at the local shops tell me they were pretty shiny.
Dave
69S
batrider
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Glossy from new on my '72. Still there too. Shitty thin paint with no primer - about falls off just looking at it. Yearly localized touch-up with spray can or foam swab required on rear loop and front downtubes.
The real stove enamel on the old Matchlesses was on there good. I took some pieces to a shop to be stripped and when I picked them up he asked if I had any more pieces like that at home. I said yes and he said "Keep them there - I never want to see anything like this again!"
The real stove enamel on the old Matchlesses was on there good. I took some pieces to a shop to be stripped and when I picked them up he asked if I had any more pieces like that at home. I said yes and he said "Keep them there - I never want to see anything like this again!"
A reviewer in one of the motorcycle mags at the time said that the early Commandos looked like they were painted with black tinted shellac.
If you take a few steps down from 'wet' to 'gloss' you can get a high level of shine but you won't end up with a two-tone finish on the front surface of the downtubes due to weathering. It's a problem because powdercoat won't polish like paint. I've tried swirl remover and polishing compounds that are used on aircraft canopies. Black shows like nothing else, never buy a black car unless you have a thing for the smell of carnauba.
If you take a few steps down from 'wet' to 'gloss' you can get a high level of shine but you won't end up with a two-tone finish on the front surface of the downtubes due to weathering. It's a problem because powdercoat won't polish like paint. I've tried swirl remover and polishing compounds that are used on aircraft canopies. Black shows like nothing else, never buy a black car unless you have a thing for the smell of carnauba.
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Only the thin melt crust of plastic power coat is shiny. Once removed no going back w/o melting heat or another paint cover up to try and match. Only issue to paint over is it takes lots of layers to fill in the depth of powder coat. My coater gave the black power and dangerous solvent to repair Ms Peel powered frame, but told Do Not heat it to melt again just fill in with tiny brush and wax over or makes bigger mark to notice. Peels down tubes get fairly grit blasted but by far most her scars were from me doing repairs and bumping surface 'lightly' with tools or major parts. The gal that did Peel's job sold me on it by taking a hammer to her Harley black swing arm and not leave a mark. Now I realize its was a trick as that's unrealistic to expect impact by square on flat smacks, rather than edges at oblique angles across the finish.
On my factory Combat I just use glossy engine paint or what ever on hand that's black glossy. No longer bother with epoxy like PJI as its no match for me or THE Grit.
On my factory Combat I just use glossy engine paint or what ever on hand that's black glossy. No longer bother with epoxy like PJI as its no match for me or THE Grit.
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yeah i had the frame of my MKIIa powdercoated when I restorecd her 20 years ago, when I picked the frame up from the coaters it was a super finish, wet look immaculate but easily scratched, with the benifit of hind sight two pack paint would be the better choice. A much harder finish that can easily be touched up.
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