1. Some members were not receiving emails sent from XJbikes.com. For example: "Forgot your password?" function to reset your password would not send email to some members. I believe this has been resolved now. Please use "Contact Us" form (see page footer link) if you still have email issues. SnoSheriff

    Hello Guest. You have limited privileges and you can't "SEARCH" the forums. Please "Log In" or "Sign Up" for additional functionality. Click HERE to proceed.

I finally got X#2 on the road

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by Desinger_Mike, Apr 12, 2008.

  1. Desinger_Mike

    Desinger_Mike Member

    Messages:
    900
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Eastern Pennsylvania
    I finally got it out on the road today.

    Thanks to Gamaru and Painter D for the help with the paiting process.
    And all others that offered mechanical know-how.

    More photos in my gallery, but I must warn you they are pretty big right now.

    [​IMG]
    another view
    [​IMG]

    Bought it with a blown engine then bought a parts engine on E-bay.
    Inspected the top end, rebuild the carbs (and a little paint), POR15 in the tank, all new wheel bearings, steering bearings, brake pads, fork seals, and a lot of elbow grease.

    Thanks to Twerth for the speedo and engine side covers.

    And it even runs! :D
     
  2. RangerG

    RangerG Member

    Messages:
    642
    Likes Received:
    12
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Lloydminster, Saskatchewan
    Gorgeous looking bike! Well done.
     
  3. chacal

    chacal Moderator Moderator Supporting Vendor Premium Member

    Messages:
    9,179
    Likes Received:
    1,979
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    The room where it happened
    too cool............
     
  4. willierides

    willierides Member

    Messages:
    228
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    NY
    VERY NICE! The seat looks great. The engine....heck, the whole bike looks great!
     
  5. twerth

    twerth Member

    Messages:
    56
    Likes Received:
    22
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Parkville, MO
    Nice work Mike. You have to see the before and after pictures of the engine to appreciate the effort that went into this bike.
     
  6. Desinger_Mike

    Desinger_Mike Member

    Messages:
    900
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Eastern Pennsylvania
  7. cereal_killer

    cereal_killer Member

    Messages:
    88
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Baja Mason Dixon Line, East of Honolulu
    Great looking bike! What color blue is that?
     
  8. Desinger_Mike

    Desinger_Mike Member

    Messages:
    900
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Eastern Pennsylvania
    Don't laugh....it's blue metalcast by duplicolor!

    http://duplicolor.com/products/metalcast.html

    You put a "ground coat" down, and then the "color" coats.
    If you have the talent, you can control the darkness of the color, but I'm lucky if I can get a smooth surface much less worry about the depth of color.
    It's similar to a candy process I believe.
    It has some depth to it, and goes on pretty well considering it's a $6 rattle can you can get anywhere.
    I went over it with the 2 part clear coat that Gamaru used. That part is highly recommended if you don't have a real gun to use the automotive grade clear coat.

    At the end of the day, I wish I would have just paid someone to paint it. Lots of time spent, and I didn't get 100% perfect results.
    Next time I would either go through the pain of mixing and cleaning in a real gun or pay someone to do it for me....but if you got the time, patience, and want to save some $ it can turn out nice. There is a certain satisfaction that comes with "I did that" factor too.
     
  9. PainterD

    PainterD Active Member

    Messages:
    2,649
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    St. Cloud, Minnesota
    Looks good Desinger!!
    The rattle cans will never give you an atomotive type finish, no matter how much sanding or anything else you do, period. It will be good enough to get you by and look good enough going down the road, but that's it.
    I've done it more times than I want to remember. Looking "good enough" is one thing, but spilling a bit of gas on it is another. It just don't have the protection and stains when gas is introduced to it.
    ..."Gas, meet spray paint. Now go ahead ans start eating it!!!"
    I finally decided to get a spray gun and do it right. You can get a great finish and better protection from a dreaded gas spill with enamel paint that uses and activator/hardener in it. It has a better shine and really stands up to gas.
    I just got done painting mine with implement paint (made for farm equipment) and I am happy with the results. I filled the tank with gas when it was cool out when I rode last week just before I rode it home (about 1 mile away) and parked it in the shed. after the bike warmed up a bit from being outside, the gas must've expanded in the tank and started to run out the gas cap and down the side of the tank onto the floor.
    I didn't notice it right away, but when I came back into the shop about an hour later, I noticed a little puddle on the floor under the bike. Then I figured out what happened. I wiped the gas off the tank with a soft rag and rubbed it shinny again. The paint looked like new, no stain or marks in the paint what so ever!!! Now I'm convinced I made the right choice with the paint I used.
    I'm done with rattle cans. Get a cheap spray gun (you can buy a cheap touchup gun in Ebay for less than $30) and use a paint with hardener in it. You will be happy you did!! PD
     
  10. willierides

    willierides Member

    Messages:
    228
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    NY
    I have some decent spray guns, but chose to rattle can the Maxim. I had the problem with gas eating my paint, too. But I did find another option that works. I bought something called "Engine" clear coat.....or something like that.....for clear coating engines. It worked. It does not suffer damage from gas. Unfortunately I had already done the spill-gas-on-tank-re-sand-re-paint-re-clear routine several times so my paint job is still buggered up. Also, I JUST put some bars on to replace my straight drag bars and make it so my left hand controls clear the tank at full left lock, so there is also a nice ding in the paint there. I'll wait until next winter. I hope to have a "booth" set up at my new house by then and will do a new paint scheme using my HVLP gun, compressor etc.

    But the engine-rated clear coat stands up to the gas.
     
  11. Desinger_Mike

    Desinger_Mike Member

    Messages:
    900
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Eastern Pennsylvania
    I also have two guns, but I hate all the mixing, clean up, and the added overspray.

    I really want to test the 2K clearcoat to see if it stands up to gas as good as automotive, but silly me...I didn't do a test-piece that I could run through some harsh testing (and now the can is a rock)

    http://www.uschem.com/products/docs/Spr ... 20(English).pdf
     
  12. PainterD

    PainterD Active Member

    Messages:
    2,649
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    St. Cloud, Minnesota
    Deinger-mike,
    That stuff is supposed to be good for protecting the tank against spills. I used the high temp clear coat (Duplicolor) and it does protect to a point. It will not eat thru the clear coat but it seems to lose it's shine from gas and needs to be buffed out after a gas spill.
    I used an HVLP touchup gun on mine so I didn't have much over spray in the shop. Before I got the gun, I always just used my airbrush to paint. It didn't cover as heavy and I found I needed to give it 3 coats because the mist is so fine. The touchup gun really does a nice job with just two coats and takes alot less time. PD
     
  13. MikeT

    MikeT Member

    Messages:
    85
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Newfoundland, Canada
    Desingner Mike, PM sent!!
     

Share This Page