gitaneusa.com :: View topic

SilentGTboy

I am looking at repainting my orange '72 Gitane. I'm hoping to do it myself, but what is the simplest way to color match the paint, and what type of paint will work best?

lofter

iknow paint jobs can be expensive , so if you trying to save money you might take it to a auto body shop or a paint shop and have them try and match it . when i buy paint at work they have a electric eye that they hold a sample up to ,and it matches what you have to what they have . it will then print out the receipe to match. i would try the auto body shop. heres another possibility, try taking it to a auto body shop at at community college or a local high school or local technical school. they might do it on the cheap to let there students get some time in on the paint gun or powdrcoat process. its just hard if you dont have the tools to do the job correctly. sandblast the old paint off to get the new paint to stick without it running or getting the chips out so its smooth .you got to know what ur doing or else it will tell. do some legwork and look in your area and see if you can find someone who does autobody that will do it cheap or buck up and have it powdercoated correctly. just my two cents anyway....... best of luck to ya

vanhelmont

but to do a really good job doesn't look simple. Here's somebody that did their own painting:

http://www.littlefishbicycles.com/frame/painting.html

and another one:

http://www.nonlintec.com/carlton/

I repainted a bike twice many years ago. The first time I didn't do much sanding, the second time (maybe 7 years later) I did. Looked a lot better after the second painting. I made no attempt to match anything, but the second time I used rustoleum in a rattlecan, and it seemed to be OK. I chose it because I wanted rustproofing but it looked as good as the original paint, which was just so so (the bike was a Viscount).
The thing I remember most is how little of the paint actually got on the frame. A frame tube being narrow, you tend to want to get close so that most of the paint gets on it, but then it would run. The paint that doesn't get on it drifts surprisingly far to nearby things.

How is riding in Plant City? I'm in Tampa, and the streets tend to be narrow, the traffic heavy and not bike-friendly. I usually only venture out on Sunday mornings.

verktyg

I've successfully painted frames with "rattle can" spray paint.

vanhelmont made a good point about not getting too close to the frame with the spray or you'll get runs in the paint.

Prep is important to get good results. 3M makes a good chemical paint striper but there are others available that will work just as well. A chemical striper will remove most of the old paint. A little may remain around the lugs but you can mechanically remove that with a sharp tool.

You can sand or file the lugs and other features much better once the old paint is removed.

When the frame is ready to paint, start with a LIGHT coat of an automotive primer. Let it dry for at least a day. When you start to apply the top coat, apply 1 or 2 LIGHT coats of paint, just enough to get a uniform color. Let it dry over night between coats. you can sand out any runs in the paint with fine grit sandpaper.

The secret is in the top clearcoat. I used a clear urethane spray. It gave professional looking results that were tough and scratch resistant... and lasted for a number of years.

You can put decals on under or over top of the clearcoat. If you coat over the decals make sure that the clearcoat is compatible so as not to damage them.

Let the frame sit for at least several days so that the clearcoat has time to dry and harden before assembly. Also you can polish out any small imperfections in the clearcoat with automotive rubbing compound once its hardened.

I had a number of different autobody painters try to paint frames for me and most of the time my homemade jobs looked better.

Invest in a good respirator/dust mask with replaceable cartridges to avoid breathing harmful fumes and dust. Use the paint remover and paint in a well ventilated area.

You can get professional results if you take you time otherwise you'll end up with a cheesy looking "rattle can" paint job.

Good luck,

Chas.

natprice

I have been looking into doing the same thing. Here are some helpful sites I have found:

http://www.instructables.com/id/Bike-Painting-Tips/?ALLSTEPS

http://www.lafn.org/~dave/trans/bicycle/paint-bike.html

http://www.bikewebsite.com/paint.htm

http://www.kenkifer.com/bikepages/lifestyle/newbike.htm

http://bikeoverhaul.blogspot.com/2006/08/sanding-and-priming-frame-and-fork-at.html

http://www.instructables.com/id/Repainting-a-bicycle/?ALLSTEPS