Cost of spraying a tank.

[Sluggo]

Black Sheep does have a viable point about finish and intended usage.   But it does not have to be an all or nothing scenario.  There is many MANY Options for durable, long wearing finishes that suit the intended application.
While I love doing drippy wet look polys and mirror finishes, We dont all want or need trailer queens,Museum pieces, Show boats and Office ornaments that never see the light of day and are polished by interns and secretaries.  ("Miss Money Penny,, you missed a spot down low!")
One aspect I got into some years back was the whole "Rat rod" scene and I enjoy some of the metal fab and artistry as well as being free from the Rivet counters and Anally retentive Bolt polishers (A description that was directed at some members of a vintage club I am a member of and find that one amusing)
But Rat Rods whether bikes or cars can be many different things but the part I enjoy is a freedom from convention.

I have multiple prewar coupes (39 Dodge, 39 Plymouth and  a 37 Chevy/Pontia heinz 57 ) and I intend to leave the bullet holes in the one I am keeping.  I dont have to worry about scratches or dents or where I park it and whether its raining out.

I helped a friend with his project a couple years back and his was a vintage Jeep that he uses a LOT off road.  The body was stripped down and the lower half was partially coated in a rubberized coating called "Rhino Liner" here in the US.. Its thick, coarse and rubbery.  We then painted the rest of it with specialized corrosion control primers and Urethane single stage base coats.   When he returns from offroad excursions he opens the doors and turns the pressure washer hose and rinses the interior out and then exterior.  If it gets damaged too much its easy to touch up or repair.  As we said in the military,..........
"Looks good, lasts a long time"  Its no show queen, but its considered one of the nicest looking vehicles around of its type.   (Lots of stainless on it as well)

So, there is MANY ways to do this stuff.  The technology is getting better and better all the time and while we can embrace the simplicity of these old machines, they also benefit from considerate owners preserving their heritage.  (Thats my speech for today)

[BSARGS650]

Mmmm...yes, curious old stuff this modern paint lark....Slight knock and chips easily, those paints not petrol (well it is joking petrol these days) resistant needs a petrol resistant lacquer (obviously tanks).  Yet,a few drops on a dusty floor, no matter humidity conditions, requires vigorous scraping to clean up......  Give us the "old" Valspar, or Tekaloid Black coach enamel any days.......

[BSA_54A10]

The most durable finishes are aero paints, but they are not cheap.
Aircraft Spruce used to mail them out but now all mail goes by air they can no longer do it and you will need to get it sea freighted.
Pop around to your local small airport and have a chat to the techs in the hangers they should be able to point you in the right direction.

last time I use it, a very liited range of colours but there was a really nice matt clear coat which we put on top of some original shed finds that we had no intention of repainting.
There are some aluminium clear coats that work really well on cases too that never go yellow or milky and flake off.

[bikerboy]

Well I must be tighter than I thought because £400 for a tank respray would see me collapse in a heap 

[Greybeard]

Well I must be tighter than I thought because £400 for a tank respray would see me collapse in a heap 

The chroming cost £200!

[dave55]

Used to have a mate who I helped restore Horse drawn carriages of all types from carts to hearse, the work he put in was truly amazing and some of the ones for travellers he did were fantastic.....and for all their faults and shite they leave up and down, they paid up with no quibbles cash on the nose and sorry digressing but all his painting was done by hand with Masons paints and an expensive pure bristle brush, pinstripes by hand then he buggered of to France, he said it was down to thickness of paint and quality of brush !
Another lad I know paints old trucks and swears by some paint called Rustoleum ? and he gets a finish like glass, says once he gets gloss on dips brush in white spirit and goes over it with that and says it sets the gloss and makes it flatten out ?

[A10 JWO]

Interesting that last reply, will look into both. Wish I had a computer back in the 60's, all this knowledge from a thread. Thanks for all replies on this great forum.

[Greybeard]

I recently watched a documentary about getting the Flying Scottsman steam engine going again. The beast was hand painted and lined. Fantastic skills!

[Sluggo]

on another list (SHEDLIST) which is for a wide range of projects and tech from computers to cars & motorcycles to dealing with workplace politics, basically "The Shed" Where guys go to talk shop.

Anyrate couple years back there was about a years worth of discussion about rolled on and brushed finishes on cars,  We were all amazed at the results. One of the list members did 2 or 3 cars and documented it.  The list is private and hosted on a computer guys personal server farm and offline nowdays so I cant access archives.

But if interested there was a ton of other material on other forums and websites documenting what materials people were using and techniques used.  I admit after all the years of my paint experience I was skeptical but it was very impressive what some people achieved.  So it IS possible to do,   My takeaway though was it more useful for someone who didnt have the shop space or logistics to use regular commercial grade body and paint equipment, or just wanted to be different and brag about what they achieved.  It was pretty labor intensive as well.

I am sure if motivated there is a wealth of info on this if you look.

[Butch (cb)]

I think this shows that our precious bikes are fast becoming showpieces to be cosseted. I am certainly in a small minority regarding them as everyday transport...
...it brings up the fundamental question. What are these bikes really for?

I must say, your bike looks very good; very practical for everyday use.

I could not use my bike for everyday use and don't need to. Even if I had a dual seat my dearly beloved Janet would not get on the back any more. In the car I still average 10k miles a year, usually with Janet beside me.
I use my machine to go on classic bike runs with the VMCC and camping weekends with the BSAOC. I really want to preserve the machine in the good condition that I restored her to a few years ago and for as long as I can still ride it. I will not be riding on salted roads this winter. So, cossetted? Guilty as charged.

Mrs B and I don't even fit on the dual seat together now. Agreed, I try and keep mine nice, but it gets used. And there is no way it will go out on the salt - I have a Harley for that.

I think I paid £5-600 to get my tank done about 10 years back, but that included the chroming.

[Rex]

On another forum a while back people were musing about how old bike enthusiasts were the tightest bunch imaginable, and I think it's all too true. If you have to pay for someone's time, knowledge, facilities and materials it soon mounts up.
Do it yourself or pay the going rate if you can't.
{Or do a skills swap....my A7 petrol and oil tanks were done in exchange for two wheel rebuilds on a later A10....everyone's happy that way}
Just listen to any old boy at a jumble who'd just paid out ten quid for some piece of Bantam from the 1950s for the whines about "nothing's cheap anymore"..

[bsa-bill]

Think you've got us sussed Rex

[Sluggo]

Old motorcycles and car people are similar to firearms guys, Nobody likes to pay anything but if you want to purchase something its another story.

I have a local friend who is much younger than me, And while in his mid 30s he has managed to get an impressive collection started in vintage bikes (Ducati-Norton-Triumphs....... No BSA yet) But his dream bike was a Vincent.  He spent quite a few years trying to get into that exclusive club and bemoaned the fact that almost all Vincent owners were A) Old B) Bought their bikes when they were cheap C) When you wanted to purchase one of their bikes or projects they were acutely aware of the up to the hour values and prices on the worldwide market and asking prices were at the upper ends of the retail prices such as Las Vegas auctions.

He finally purchased a Vincent Rapide and Steib sidecar but to me it was a staggering cost,  I told him he was better off with a BSA Goldstar, still a 5 star investment but much more attainable.

He kept advocating that old guys should support & encourage younger guys like him to carry on the legacy as well as someone who would take the bike out and show it off and engage others which is certainly a admirable position but virtually nobody was buying into that argument.  I suggested he should name the Vinnie "Filthy Lucre" But I doubt he is going to do that.

See: http://kingsenglish.info/2012/12/16/filthy-lucre/

[kiwipom]

hi guys, Sluggo i reckon if you cant turn your hand to a bit of fetteling and don,t have a good knowledge of mechanics and how engines work then you should not own one of our old bikes or anything else in my opinion unless you are prepared to pay good money for parts and services, a saying i learnt a long time ago was: today's dear prices are tomorrows bargains, cheers

[BSA_54A10]

On another forum a while back people were musing about how old bike enthusiasts were the tightest bunch imaginable, and I think it's all too true. If you have to pay for someone's time, knowledge, facilities and materials it soon mounts up.
Do it yourself or pay the going rate if you can't.
{Or do a skills swap....my A7 petrol and oil tanks were done in exchange for two wheel rebuilds on a later A10....everyone's happy that way}
Just listen to any old boy at a jumble who'd just paid out ten quid for some piece of Bantam from the 1950s for the whines about "nothing's cheap anymore"..

It is called selective memory.
We happily remember that the D shaped Speedo was only 2s 6p brand new
What we forget is that was a full days wages