Preparing to tackle the aesthetics, HELP!

[Guest]

Im in the cosmetic process of rebuilding my GS1k cafe and Im getting to the painting aspect of it. Im about to start painting my motor and carbs but I have a few questions I was hoping you could answer.

When you paint your carburetors and engine, what do you use to clean them? I planed on re-dipping the carbs and letting them air dry since they arent that dirty but the motor is a completely different story. The underside of the engine is covered in crap/tar/whatever. Ive already cleaned it with Purple Power and a pressure washer and have it pretty damn clean but I was thinking about taking a wire wheel to it to clean the rest of the grit off. If I use a wire wheel, is it going to scratch the aluminum to the point that you will see it through the paint when I paint it?

Now this brings me to the painting questions:

Ive bought VHT Nu Kast Aluminum Engine enamel for the motor and the carbs along with PJ1's Fast Black engine case paint but I havent bought primer. In your processes, do you prime everything before you paint it and, if so, what primer do you use for the motor, carbs, frame, and calipers?

Im also going to be rebuilding the calipers and repainting the frame before assembly. For the frame, I bought PJ1's Fast Black high gloss epoxy frame paint, but again, I didnt buy primer. For the Brake calipers, I went with VHTs gloss black caliper paint, again, no primer.

I know there are a lot of questions in here but any help y'all can give is GREATLY appreciated.

Cliffs:

1. Will a wire wheel scratch the motor enough to see the scratches through the paint?
2. What primer do you use on a motor, if any?
3. What primer do you use on the carbs, if any?
4. Is it necessary to replace all the o-rings in the carbs when I tear them down for paint if I just replaced them 6 months ago?
5. Whats the best way to clean the frame without media blasting prior to painting?
6. What primer do you use on your frame, if any?
7. What primer do you use on your calipers, if any?

[kinnet]

I have had great success on various parts with a brass brush. Strong enough to get the gunk off but not so hard that it scratches the metal.

[hampshirehog]

1. Yes - it will scratch the alloy and you'll see it.

2. No primer - just use the right engine paint.

3. Ditto - no primer.

4. They should be fine. The original ones lasted 30 years!

5. Hard work - wire wheel / sanding discs and by hand. Personally I would get it blasted and powdercoated, it's cheap enough over here.

[Octain]

Use a scotch brite pad, a screwdriver(or the like) and soapy water.
Grab a beer. This is a tedious and time consuming task. But worth it.

[Flyboy]

You better make that a six pack...or two, Octain is right, it is seriously time consuming and soul destroying, but there is no short cut, no worries, the results are well worth he effort.
+1 on the brass brush, I stripped my entire frame, swing arm and other bits with a brass wire wheel, well a couple actually, they don't do any damage, but it is a tedious way of stripping the frame, I will never do it again, for the price it cost me to strip and paint, I could have powder coated for a lot cheaper....oh well, we live and learn.
Good strong paint stripper will make quick work of the frame paint, a lot quicker and better than wire wheel.