Painting Harley fenders and gas tank

[Chris_Hamilton]

I get what you mean. I’ve always just preferred bc/cc myself. But single stage has a “richness” to it if you will. Then you have people that hammer clear on top ss. Maybe I’ll do one of my next bikes black ss. It’s been a while. I had a lot of contamination issues with my last ss job (years ago) that I never get with bc/cc…could’ve just been a fluke.

In addition to richer, I think "muted" is a good word to describe it as well. I think the pic of Dons Camaro really makes the case for SS on something older. I think the Don won big that day as well. Thanks in no small part to that paint.

 

[dhutton01]

You will get a lot of opinions on this. My personal opinion is that the SS looks better but it takes a LOT more effort to cut and buff than Universal. This is partly because its production clear based which gets harder faster than universal. If you try to buff single stage the same way you buff universal you will likely be disappointed imo. YMMV…

I know @ksungela did a comparison test and concluded base clear was superior. Ultimately we agreed to disagree. Check out the black 63 split window he built and is now the SPI cover car. None of the multiple black SS cars I built even made it to the SPI gallery. But I’m not bitter… …

Don

 

['68 Coronet R/T]

You will get a lot of opinions on this. My personal opinion is that the SS looks better but it takes a LOT more effort to cut and buff than Universal. This is partly because its production clear based which gets harder faster than universal. If you try to buff single stage the same way you buff universal you will likely be disappointed imo. YMMV…

I know @ksungela did a comparison test and concluded base clear was superior. Ultimately we agreed to disagree. Check out the black 63 split window he built and is now the SPI cover car. None of the multiple black SS cars I built even made it to the SPI gallery. But I’m not bitter… …

Don

All SPI 63 SWC

Here's a car that's all SPI - Epoxy, black base, and Euro 2020. Best paint money can buy. more pics here. https://bringatrailer.com/listing/1963-chevrolet-corvette-141/?utm_source=transactionalemail&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=bat_bid_placed_seller

www.spiuserforum.com

 

[Ltank]

I'm going to be painting some fenders and gas tank for a buddy's Harley. He wants it BLACK but doesn't necessarily have a preference on the black, so I'm going to try SPI black.

It's supposed to be the blackest black but I've seen some comments on here where some people were finding it too brown. What has been your experience and would you still recommend it for a Harley?

Second question--single stage or BC/CC? He wants 'high gloss' (don't they all) but I see a lot of guys that only do black in SS.

I will be Painting my Fatboy Fenders and gas tanks. I have Single Stage Black that I will be Clear Coating them too.
Is Black of the CC darker than the SS?
I practiced with some other Black that was given to me. I have a Iwata LPH80 124G. and two Iwata airbrushes. This is my 1st ever Real tank practice

 

[Lizer]

I will be Painting my Fatboy Fenders and gas tanks. I have Single Stage Black that I will be Clear Coating them too.
Is Black of the CC darker than the SS?
I practiced with some other Black that was given to me. I have a Iwata LPH80 124G. and two Iwata airbrushes. This is my 1st ever Real tank practice

As far as I know the black pigment is the same in both the SS and CC.

 

[Lizer]

Another question on this gas tank. It's going to be a metallic black so I will be doing it in bc/cc. The factory paint job had clear over the Harley decal on the gas tank.

Doing some other reading on here, I've seen some say they clear the tank, apply decal, and then clear more. Do I spray the clear, wet sand 600 the following day, apply the decal, then spray as many coats of clear as I want on top of it (probably at least 3 so I don't cut and buff through the edges of the decal and clear)? Interested in any and all approaches that work.

I'm getting a new OEM Harley decal to clear over.

 

[Kawickrice]

Great question. I would think you clear it before the decal, that way if you mess it up you shoot more clear and not base.
I'm interested in other opinions.