Frame Paint Gloss Level?

[Nessism]

What say ye regarding the OE paint gloss level for a 1980 GS1000? Looks to be less than pure high gloss but hard to tell due to age.

 

[rustybronco]

What say ye regarding the OE paint gloss level for a 1980 GS1000? Looks to be less than pure high gloss but hard to tell due to age.

That question is exactly what I have been struggling with. when I look at frame on my '80 Gs850, it appears to have been painted with a semi gloss paint. it looks similar to the gloss that was used to paint the side covers on the '78 GS1000. when you look up the '78's tank section, they list a semi gloss paint P/N 99000-10109-291 which is R/B A0652-024 "PAINT, METAL-BLACK 1" . I have been contemplating ordering some so see what it looks like.

I say semi gloss black...

***edit*** when I get the seat for the '78, I might have to compare the seat pan's gloss to the frame. if it's the same, then I will have it scanned for the "DCC" formula

 

[hampshirehog]

I reckon it should be 'normal' gloss black and the original finish was slightly less glossy due to it just being a very thin coat of paint (factory penny pinching). Plus, I suppose, it depends on how much you polish it

 

[Dreef1999]

Hrm, loosely related. Anybody have an advice on a good rattlecan for frame touch up? I got a few spots with some missing paint but have postponed it for fear of a poorly matched black.

 

[gggGary]

I am in the same boat. I tend to use rustoleum semi gloss black it has the added advantage of being nearly invisible even when I use the down and dirty spray some paint in the rattle can cap and brush it on "technique".
PS I use good quality brushes and clean them with spray carb cleaner. I do nearly all my touch up this way. quick way to disappear the rust that always shows up over the welds and in crevices.

 

[nvr2old]

I'm in the "glossier the better camp". Frames look great when they're all shiny. Most factory finishes started that way I seem to recall. Urethane from a gun works really well, but DupliColor is a good spray paint in high gloss, just not as durable.

 

[twr1776]

#4 Today, 06:42 PM Dreef1999 Hrm, loosely related. Anybody have an advice on a good rattlecan for frame touch up? I got a few spots with some missing paint but have postponed it for fear of a poorly matched black.

Today 07:13 PM gggGary I am in the same boat. I tend to use rustoleum semi gloss black it has the added advantage of being nearly invisible even when I use the down and dirty spray some paint in the rattle can cap and brush it on "technique". PS I use good quality brushes and clean them with spray carb cleaner. I do nearly all my touch up this way. quick way to disappear the rust that always shows up over the welds and in crevices.

How does the Rustoleum hold up?

 

[Nessism]

I used Por-15 Hardnose paint on my last frame repaint and it's full on glossy. Looks good but I'd be willing to tone it down if the that's the way they came from the factory.

Regarding Hardnose paint quality, it seems to be chemical resistant but not very "hard", dispite the claims on Por-15's website. Pretty good stuff but I'd rather use something like PPG urethane given my druthers.

 

[gggGary]

I have good results with rustoleum. My Farm all H is still looking good and I painted that with rustoleum 3 years ago. It does live inside.

 

[Dreef1999]

I am in the same boat. I tend to use rustoleum semi gloss black it has the added advantage of being nearly invisible even when I use the down and dirty spray some paint in the rattle can cap and brush it on "technique".
PS I use good quality brushes and clean them with spray carb cleaner. I do nearly all my touch up this way. quick way to disappear the rust that always shows up over the welds and in crevices.

Thanks! I will give it a try. I am getting a little annoyed at the assorted little paint scuffs.

 

[mustangflyr]

Frame paint

Frame paint

My 80 GS1000 still carries the original shiny gloss black.

 

[TheCafeKid]

This is what I did on the last couple of frames ive painted:

Duplicolour Semi or High gloss, which ever you prefer (frankly, I like the semi gloss myself) and then Duplicolour high temp CLEAR over it. It will give it a nice gloss, but not overly "ive just been repainted, and Im wet" glossy. Plus, the clear coat does a nice job of protecting the black. The trick, i have found, is the prep. I use a scotchbrite type scuff pad ball that attaches to the end of a power drill, and go to town. It takes the rust off, and scuffs up the stock paint nicely. I dont have, currently, the set up to do actual spray guns, but Ive gotten, i think, some pretty good results from the rattle bombs if you are willing to put in the prep. And based on all your other work, you obviously are. Multiple coats of whichever black, and then multiple coats of the clear is my process.

This isnt the greatest pic, but this frame was TRASHED, and the motor looked awfull. A LOT of prep and time went into this, to get it cleaned up, but it turned out pretty good. I couldnt get my camera to take a good shot of the sheen, it looks kinda dull in the photo. But its got a bit more gloss than this. Pretty close to stock.

Now, I also have recently found that for the triple, and fork ears, and all those other bits that are black and NOT glossy, the Duplicolour "LOW GLOSS BLACK HIGH TEMP" is almost an EXACT match to the stock paint. Even closer than PJ1 who claims they are the closest you can get. I think they just started recently making this paint, cos i had never found it before. And Rose picked it up and I instantly fell in love with it because it works so well, and it matches. I love it. I use the HIGH TEMP stuff because it has ceramic in it, and, after curing, its pretty chemical/fuel resistant. Not perfect, but its pretty damn good.

 

[rustybronco]

When I came home for work today, I took a second look at the frame paint on the '80. it still has the original paint on the frame and under the tank where the sun hasn't beaten down on it over the years, it should be close to the gloss as it came from the factory. it is glossy black, not the kind of gloss you get when you put clear over a paint, but the kind of gloss you would see on a single stage.

It's very hard to tell with the indirect lighting in the garage, but the shade of black looked close to what was on the side cover. tomorrow, if the sun co-operates, I'll take a third look and compare it to a side cover and the single stage black I painted the Honda with.

Hampshirehog might just be right on this one.

 

[Guest]

It does live inside.

Nice tractor
If that's living inside you have a very big, green living room. Are you bringing the hay to the horse's bedroom?

 

[Guest]

I'm in the "glossier the better camp". Frames look great when they're all shiny. Most factory finishes started that way I seem to recall. Urethane from a gun works really well, but DupliColor is a good spray paint in high gloss, just not as durable.

I went with high gloss powder on my frame and wheels. Looks great new but definitely going to be high maintenance to keep clean.

 

[Nessism]

When I came home for work today, I took a second look at the frame paint on the '80. it still has the original paint on the frame and under the tank where the sun hasn't beaten down on it over the years, it should be close to the gloss as it came from the factory. it is glossy black, not the kind of gloss you get when you put clear over a paint, but the kind of gloss you would see on a single stage.

It's very hard to tell with the indirect lighting in the garage, but the shade of black looked close to what was on the side cover. tomorrow, if the sun co-operates, I'll take a third look and compare it to a side cover and the single stage black I painted the Honda with.

Hampshirehog might just be right on this one.

I looked over my frame tonight and I agree with Dale, it definitely is not supposed to be high gloss, like a gas tank. I'm not an expert on this sort of thing but I'd say it's about 70% gloss. And I agree with Cafe Josh about the headlamp ears and various bracketry around the IP, it's more semi gloss - duller than the frame.

I've got 1000S-2 stripped down for paint and I'm teetering between painting it myself and having it powdercoated. Received a powdercoat quote from a place in my area and they want about $450 to do the frame/swingarm/stands/footpegs. Not cheap.

 

[TheCafeKid]

I looked over my frame tonight and I agree with Dale, it definitely is not supposed to be high gloss, like a gas tank. I'm not an expert on this sort of thing but I'd say it's about 70% gloss. And I agree with Cafe Josh about the headlamp ears and various bracketry around the IP, it's more semi gloss - duller than the frame.

I've got 1000S-2 stripped down for paint and I'm teetering between painting it myself and having it powdercoated. Received a powdercoat quote from a place in my area and they want about $450 to do the frame/swingarm/stands/footpegs. Not cheap.

Yeah, it seems, for whatever reason, the cost of PC went up a bit. I remember maybe as recent as last season guys getting them done for about 200 or so. I was going to PC my GSXR wheels for my conversion bits, but I dunno now, as I was quoted $200 from two different places just for those, and that was if I blasted and cleaned them MYSELF With the variety of fairly durable paints there are, and the ease of touching it up should it get knicked or chipped, when I get to my GSXR mods and what not on my 1100ES, I will be painting rather than PC. I MIGHT PC the frame, but that would be it. We will see. I have been pretty darn happy with my results on the frames ive painted, we'll just see how durable they end up being.

Oh and I wanted to add, Ed, if you can get it out there, check out that Duplicolour Low Gloss. Its not flat black, its not semi gloss, its more like a "satin" black. Its so close to OEM, its crazy. Im thinking, on my ES motor when it needs a re-coat, of doing the cases, jugs and head in this, and then doing either semi or High gloss for the case covers, and such, to add some depth. Ive really started taking a deep interest in learning more about painting. Rose and I are going to attempt to do a second set of body work I have for that 750B in a "Cooley" type tribute scheme, using a decent air brush and stuff. If we can get good with that, maybe I will invest in an air dryer, or getting the one on my old compressor fixed anyway, and some decent guns. Oh, and also Ed, if you have time some time, maybe you could help Rose out with her thread about this (I think it was called Bombarding you with paint questions, or something like that) since you've got a lot of experience with turning out nice nice finished products. She just needs some suggestions on airbrushes, or laying out schemes and whats the best/easiest ways of doing it.

Sorry for the 'jack, back to the thread!

 

[Guest]

The 1100 frames were high gloss from the factory...they tend to fade and weather over time more than the body pieces, as the spec was probably different in terms of the prep and clear coat etc....they also receive much less attention & cosmetic maintenance.
Now here is a very clean local GS1000 that also seems to have a high gloss factory frame... I shot this guy an email when I saw this ad, and he replied saying he had bough this bike new in 1978 and has kept it pretty clean (English isn't his first language). He indicated he would like to meet up and go on a 'GS ride' so I'll take a couple more pics of the skunk, and invite him here, if/when that happens.
Tony.

 

[rustybronco]

Received a powdercoat quote from a place in my area and they want about $450 to do the frame/swingarm/stands/footpegs. Not cheap.

That would pay for a nice exhaust system on the '78.

***edit***
I "very lightly" drug a razor blade over one of the areas on the '78 that are still shiny. the only thing that came off was black paint; no evidence that I could see of any clear when looked at through my 7X eye loupe. do any of you suppose that the metal might have been cleaned, acid etched, then shot with something like an acrylic enamel and baked on, with no primer used under the paint?

 

[Nessism]

OE's don't clear things like frames, particularly back in the UJM era, that's for body work where decals need to be protected. Regarding the lack of primer, I'm not surprised but keep in mind they may have used a black primer.