How should I finish off my Turbo Seca Engine?

A non-binding poll...

The original plan:
1. Clean engine and scuff with red scotch-brite
2. Sand engine fins and valve cover with 1000 grit so paint wouldn't stick well.
3. Prime and paint with Duplicolor engine enamel, semi-gloss black. <--- Just finished
4. Sand paint off engine fins and valve cover stripes.
5. Scuff with red scotch-brite, then clear coat.

A the same time, I decided that I'd like to, some day, paint the turbo seca blue. So I ordered blue SS brake line from chacal, but they really weren't the color I was expecting. Then when I ran to the store to get more semi gloss black (< 1 hour or > 7 day recoat time) I grabbed the best blue I saw. Neither were what I really wanted, but they matched! And it looked really good on black!

So here's the engine now:



I really like the semigloss black, and don't want to try to clear coat over it.

And here are the engine side covers with the blue on black (with clear coat):


(I was never very good at coloring in the lines)

And for reference, here's what a turbo seca looks like with it's fairings:


The paint has a >7 day recoat time, so I have that long to decide.

 

While it is a matter of personal choice. When you go to paint the bike blue you will not want the same color on the engine trying to compete with the paint on the fairing. Better off to go with a contrast to set the engine apart from the fairing.

Ghost

 

Myself, I like simple ....

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=3 ... art=0.html

... then again, everyone has their own ideas of what ~good~ are.

 

And there's no right answers to this question. Feel free to leave a little blurb about why you think an option will look good. It may sway my decision a bit, but of course, there's no wrong answer. I think the engine looks great now, and I think it'd look really cool with any of these options. I just need to pick from what I see as a bunch of cool possibilities 8)

Let me throw in a little more background on my plans:

The current color of the fairings is a gray, close to, but not quite the same as stock (I think there's a little metallic or pearl in it). Some day I'd like to paint it a very different blue than what you see on the side covers, with white and/or black stripes in similar places to the original decals. I really don't have an eye for what blues wouldn't go together, but I don't think "that" blue would look good on anything except details on a black background. However...the bike doesn't HAVE to be blue...it could end up black too I guess.

I'm also now considering painting the carb hats the same blue on the covers.

 

Don't paint the carb hats; they won't hold up.

Powder coating will.

 

You said that you were painting the fairings blue, so what color accents are you using on the fairings? That's the color you should use on the carb hats and side covers.

 

That's a really good point. I have to say that I really like this blue on black only...so maybe I should be rethinking my future paint scheme. I also think this blue would look good on the rims, either completely blue, or black with blue where the aluminum is

I wish i had/knew how to use photo shop so I could give you guys more than just a couple of (poorly) descriptive words.

 

Nice work manbot, looking forward to seeing the finished product.

MN

 

If it was me I would do the fins and all with the blue then paint the rest of the bike black with the same blue as highlights were the original decals went and possibly a bit more. might even do the rims up as well.

 

Thanks. I still have a lot to learn about painting, but if it doesn't start flaking off immediately I'll be satisfied.

Unfortunately "finished" is probably going to take years. But I do hope to have the bike back on the road in a month or two. I just don't have the space or power to paint it right, and don't want to spend that much time or money now, when I'm putting so much into getting it back on the road. But it doesn't hurt to plan (and dream :lol: )

I was pretty set on not making the bike black (I like simple colors with polished clear coat) but seeing that blue on black is making me reconsider...


Here's my build thread (started over 2 years ago ) http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=22134.html

 

if you don't want the bike black I would go with either polished highlights or use a color that will work as a highlight on the bike color. or if you are doing the bike blue with black highlights the blue on black engine might work with it. imho

 

Well thanks for all the input guys. It's been a week...so my final decision is...drum roll please:
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(pic is with my phone flash...I'll try to get more with better lighting)

Given that I'm still not quite sure what I'll paint the bike (when ever I get around to it) I decided that it would be safer to stick with my original plan. Those engine covers can always be removed and repainted later. Wife thought it looked really good.

I went over the fins and valve cover stripes with 800 and 1000 grit wetordry, as I didn't want to take too much paint off of some other part of then engine if the sanding block slipped. It took a couple of hours, but the result looks really polished (although I did unintentionally sand a couple of spots , the fairing should cover most of it 8) ) .

In the end it's definitely and amateur job, but it certainly looks better than it did before with all the paint chipping.

 

looks good. it wouldn't take much to add color to the polished sections if you decided to later either, but the polished will look good with most any paint scheme.