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86 VFR750/700 engine cover "sand cast" paint match?


evl_twn

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Has anyone had any luck matching the finish on the 86 VFR cases? I've got some blemished on the project bike I picked up and I'm thinking about experimenting a bit with trying to get something that looks close to what these had originally.

 

I've got several samples of texture powder coat finishes coming in several colors. Not sure if any of them will be "close enough" or if I'll have to blend them a bit, but if someone else has already "cracked the code" on this finish that would make it quicker. 🙂

 

 

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Joe sent me a couple of pictures of some covers he had done and they look awesome, the color he used is called "bronze texture". He said he had tried several different swatches before using that one, and it was a good match. I also ordered several swatches, and maybe this is a new one but the "gold dust" texture is just a shade lighter, and possibly closer to the original finish. I've got a few pounds of the powder ordered, we'll see how it goes 🙂  Thanks Joe!

 

 

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That gold dust sure does look close. Looking forward to results. I still have a spare set of covers i need done...

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I'd say that the gold dust looks the best of the three.  I'll check with one my suppliers to see if they have anything similar, but I'd say that Prismatic has come pretty darn close.  I'll be powder coating quite a few parts for my VFR750F in the coming months, so if that one comes out nice, I'll have to get a pound for myself.

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I received the "gold dust" powder from Prismatic. It's close, but not an exact match for the 86 engine cover paint. We'll see how well it looks after it's weathered a bit. The downside is removing the original finish, it's taking a long time to remove using a bead blaster. I don't want to get any more aggressive than bead blasting though. I might pick up some aircraft stripper and see if chemical removal works better than mechanical.

 

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That looks really close without the flash.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I just got mine back, went with bronze mist. I hate wiping oil off of textured finish, figured this would be easier to clean.

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Anyone have any hot tips for replacing all the engine covers? Like corners known to leak i should dab some rtv on or something? I bought a full engine seal kit off of ebay, hopefully it does fairly well. Can't wait to finally get this sebspeed clear clutch cover on, dunno what my hold up has been...

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Those turned out cool.  If you got all new rubber you shouldn't need any sealant.  If you do use any sealant on anything, use Hondabond.

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On 3/29/2019 at 4:47 PM, evl_twn said:

I received the "gold dust" powder from Prismatic. It's close, but not an exact match for the 86 engine cover paint. We'll see how well it looks after it's weathered a bit. The downside is removing the original finish, it's taking a long time to remove using a bead blaster. I don't want to get any more aggressive than bead blasting though. I might pick up some aircraft stripper and see if chemical removal works better than mechanical.

 

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After standing at my bead blaster for far too long, I busted out the aircraft stripper.  That is the way to go.  For the most part that finish melts right off.  I had to blast a few tough spots, but WAY better.

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10 hours ago, atx said:

I just got mine back, went with bronze mist. I hate wiping oil off of textured finish, figured this would be easier to clean.

Anyone have any hot tips for replacing all the engine covers? Like corners known to leak i should dab some rtv on or something? I bought a full engine seal kit off of ebay, hopefully it does fairly well. Can't wait to finally get this sebspeed clear clutch cover on, dunno what my hold up has been...

Those are gonna' look good, Gamble. I've never had to replace the valve cover gaskets, and always install the clutch/alternator gaskets dry. No issues yet.

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Finally got around to coating the rest of the parts. I think the color and finish will be OK, but it's definitely not a "perfect" match. I wish I could find the same shade/texture but without the sparkly bits. Oh well, still better than the finish that was on these when I got the bike. The flash pics show a lot of sparkle, the pic in sunlight is a bit less glittery.

 

 

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Is powdercoat up to the task on these valve covers? Mine crinckled up with the high temperature. It looks OK on the side covers but not the valve covers. 

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  • 2 weeks later...
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That finish looks great.  No big deal that the match isn't perfect - they're going to look awesome on the bike.

 

Powder coatings will hold up fine on engine covers, as long as they're rated to cure in the 375-400 degree range.  Once cured, it takes a considerably higher temperature for the finish to soften up.  I've powder coated hundreds of various engine covers over the years and have never had an issue.  Valve covers probably get the hottest and I've never had a problem with the finish failing.

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  • 4 months later...

Finally got this old gal on the road. I love the way the "bronze mist" powder turned out, looks great on the bike. Much like stock, it depends on the lighting on the color they appear to be. Hopefully the nontextured finish is easier to keep clean.

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Big thanks to sebspeed on the clutch cover, loving it.

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