It's been a heavy couple of days at work and it's raining, so getting in the bike shed takes a lot of willpower. But I've had some pots of Humbrol paint in the post and it seemed more appealing to play with those than larding more paint stripper on the tanks
Since I bought the bike there was evidence of a battery acid spill on the LH frame, only a small spot, but enough to niggle me. The alternator case had some too but that's been sprayed twice in my ownership and probably a third time is imminent.
The frame is metallic silver and I've often pondered having it powder coated with Mirror chrome or respraying it with another Silver or maybe Gold?
I don't really want a radical custom bike, I like most of the original features of the bike.
The silver would be hard to replicate I think and I do quite like the finish which is very good apart from the aforementioned blemishes.
I have successfully used Humbrol to touch up things in the past, the last time being the lovely Bronze colour of my Zero wheels using metallic No16 and gloss black.
I lined up the metallic Silvers and Met Black to make my palette.
Clean sticks for each colour and thoroughly mixed first.
I tried each Silver on the frame and then wiped off. They are all too bright and needed toning down with black. Met 56 showed most potential and was nearly there with the right amount of black, but seemed to lack something, so I added a little Gold Met 16 and it was near enough spot on.
Next to thoroughly clean the wound and carefully touch in the colour with a tiny brush and a strong light. Near enough invisible, but obviously you can see it in the photo with the lens about an inch from it! I think this will do me, but I'll check tomorrow and polish it up to see if I've saved myself a frame strip and respray.
