I'm in the middle of restoring a 89 zx600c. The brake cleaner idea works the best for getting paint off the motor but I actually use carb cleaner, it seems to work just a little bit better than brake cleaner. Also, do you have any cracked pieces or are they all good? Make sure and sand everything down real well with 60-80 grit. If there are any grooves cracks or big chips now is the time to do some bondo work. If you do any bondo work, then after you have everything sanded smooth again go over everything with 220-320 grit sandpaper. After that sanding then wipe everything off with mineral spirits, acetone, etc at least TWICE. Going over it once looks like it gets all the dust but better to wipe it down more than needed than not enough. Make sure to use an automotive type primer. It goes on a little thicker than some regular old primers. After giving it two coats of primer go over everything with the 220-320 grit sandpaper again (320 preferably) making sure not to sand too far back down to the old paint or primer. Then give it one more coat of primer. Wipe it down a couple times and you are ready for your paint. Go easy with painting, you don't have to have complete coverage with the first coat or you risk getting runs. Take your time and make sure to keep the can a ways away from your pieces. Usually you will have complete coverage within 3 coats. After all of this if you think it looks good enough go ahead and use it. If you want it just a little bit better (if you know someone with some 1200 grit wet sanding supplies) you can wet sand it. If you still want it to look better buy some spray can clear coat, once again making sure not to put it on too thick too fast. If you have any more specific questions feel free to ask! Good luck!

 

also, anything thats going to be getting hot (exhaust, engine parts etc) needs to be painted with a high heat paint. They sell spray paint for barbecues that is flat black, might be what you want. skip the primer in these cases, unless you can get a high heat primer (?)

~Steve

 

Wow, thanks. That's a lot of good information that I'll definitely use. I'm pretty glad I made this thread-got some great feedback and I appreciate everyone who has helped.


If any more suggestions are thought of, feel free to keep posting! [:


Oh, and I don't plan on re painting the engine but I guess it depends on how this looks when I'm done taking the red paint off. Do you know if high heat paint kind of rubs off when it's really hot or does it stay put well?

 

I use Nitromoors paint stripper to take paint and lacquer off engine parts.

Once stripped and polished, the alloy is very easy to keep clean, shiny and free of corrosion (it can't spread under the lacquer through chips) and is more lustrous and much nicer looking than lacquered alloy. Works for forks and other alloy parts just as well.

For painted areas, protect the paint and make it easier to polish out minor scratches by spraying a couple of thin coats of clear lacquer over the top of the colour. It also improves the depth of colour and takes a higher level of polish.

Rob

 

Will the high temp paint adhere to the aluminum. I heard it would chip away very easily if appied to aluminum.

 

There are a few aluminum paint-prep solutions on the market (but I can't for the life of me think of their names at this moment.) You're right; don't just go spraying paint on aluminum without treating it first.

 

I've never had a problem spraying aluminum. Always makes sure to use some fine grit sandpaper, 320, and make sure you clean it off very well afterwards. The better option for it to look real nice is to get aluminum powder coated. It will last a lot longer and probably look much nicer. For a $5 can of some high temp spray though it's hard to justify powder coating unless you have a really nice bike that you only plan on taking to shows.

 

Okay Kristiinaaa, where's those progress pics?