Vapour Blasted Engine Comes Home

Got the cases back now. They did an aggressive blasting to try and eliminate all the corrosion. Mostly this has worked well but still a few places where I'm going to have to wet and dry.

In any case (get it?) it's a good finish for painting. The cam cover I have painted as my test piece using VHT paints; Engine Enamel Primer, Barrel Paint and Satin Clear Clear. Comes up good.

And a reminder of what I started with:

Front Caliper (2nd one) Preparation for Painting

Despite my problems with the first caliper and some of the paint blistering, I am preparing the second caliper to start a new process which hopefully I can then reproduce on the first one.  So to strip the caliper I am again using VHT Aircraft Strip (very expensive and eventually does the job after a couple of applications).

On the first application you get this:

Which you then wash off and it looks like this:

There is still quite a bit of paint to come off so put on another coat of VHT Aircraft Strip:

Then wash it all off again and what I did was to put it in my Ultrasonic Cleaner with some Automotive Parts Cleaner solution for about an hour at 70 Deg C.  When they came out and dried off you could clearly see why I am having a painting problem.  This caliper was much worse:

 The oxidation on this part is severe.  Vapour blasting it is.

 But on the other surfaces it looks OK.  This is deceptive as the oxised parts will reject the paint.

 

Caliper Painting Problems (again)

 Try as I might to get these calipers painted properly.  Always seems to bubble up in certain areas.  I bought an ultrasonic cleaner.  I stripped the paint again and cleaned them up in the ultrasonic then I applied paint prep liquid (spirit based fast flash off) bought from a specialist car paint place.  Then I did the 3 coats of paint (as per VHT instructions) and finally baked it in a 200 C oven for 1 hour.

 This was the painting part.

 

 Looks quite glossy before curing in the oven.

 My painting garage.

 After curing.

 Bubbles blew up in certain places.

 Looks like the lunar surface.

 But I have now got my suspicions.  These parts where it has bubbled were where there was considerable oxidation.  Although I had ultrasonically cleaned the caliper I do believe that this deep seated oxidation was not properly removed.  I could still see some discoloration where it was obvious something was going on.  I think next time (how many more times do I have to do this?) I will bake them at 200 C after cleaning and before painting.  This might removed any moisture that is trapped in the oxidation.

The bugger was that as I got them out the oven with some rubbish oven mits, I burned my hand, let go of the tray and dropped them on the floor.  So I am going to have to do them again anyway!

Carburetor Parts Plated

I just got my carb parts back from plating.  This lot has been cadmium plated and here are the before and after shots.  I will now be able to start the rebuild.

These restoration projects are all about getting the little details done.  Here they are done!

Rear Caliper Paint Preparation

Stripped the paint off using VHT paint stripper.  It was more reluctant to come off than the lacquer from the front fork tubes.  I used nearly half a can on this lot - which is costly.  I will look for some cheaper paint stripper.

I would really like to pop these in an Ultrasonic cleaner now just to clean the passages and other places difficult to reach.  Need to buy one first.

Several questions:

1.  Do I paint or powder coat?

2.  If painting, what do I use to prepare the part with (my last couple of painting attempts have resulted in some bubbling when I have cured them).

Parts for Plating (Carbs and Springs)

This is the bucket of bits going to the platers.  Mostly carbs parts and stand springs. (Click to enlarge).

Wiring harness holder and bolt.