Vintage Restoration

[Wingedwheel]

Ha, not a bike but a helmet I picked up last weekend at a swap meet. I found a beautiful red sparkle, not for riding vintage helmet (show-off purposes only) and when I got it home began to remove the liner to redo all the vintage skank inside. I thought I looked it over pretty well but under artificial light I noticed a crap load of cracks. Has anyone ever dealt with this? Can I buff them out or do I need to sand the helmet down, re-glass it and repaint? I hate that I didn't see this until after I started working on it but it's too gorgeous to not try. I'm fairly certain that I probably did the majority of them flexing it to get the styrofoam liner out although I was very careful. Anyone have experience with this?

 

[mrtwowheel]

My dad bought two of those helmets from Kmart. The first full helmets that we ever had, Bell half helmets came with our first bike.

Those cracks and chips, I believe, are thick, but only serve the purpose of color for the helmet. No way to save them as far as I can see, other than leaving them as they are. If you fill them they will keep cracking. If you remove the color layer you will really mess up the black trim edge. Is it manufactured by Leer?

Scott

Took the Styrofoam out? That was part of the composite structure that gave it strength.

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

Cool helmet !
I would regard it as being patina, and leave it.
I doubt you could get someone to re-create that deep red sparkle, anyways.

 

[Wingedwheel]

The helmet is a Cromwell. I took the Styrofoam out to replace the cloth and soft foam liner which was rotton. all the info I found on restoring old helmets directed me to do that. you re-foam and re-cover then re-install.
Helmet is useless for protection but like I said, It's just eye candy for display. I'm entering my bike in a show next weekend and it would look nice with the bike. Guess I'll just see if I can buff most of them out.

 

[Wingedwheel]

Cool helmet !
I would regard it as being patina, and leave it.
I doubt you could get someone to re-create that deep red sparkle, anyways.

I found a company that does the restoration but they are so busy they aren't taking any new jobs at the moment. You can re-create it but it takes several steps.

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

I found a company that does the restoration but they are so busy they aren't taking any new jobs at the moment. You can re-create it but it takes several steps.

Yes, I imagine that it would be many steps, like the Candy Metal Flake paint jobs of the 60's and 70's, with actual silver flake in the base coat. I did a few back in the days.
Apparently, it is still available:

https://www.paintwithpearl.com/shop-custom-paint/metal-flakes/

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

At the moment, you have a wonderful old helmet in which you can see decades of motorcycling history right there in the original paint job. If you have it painted, most of that will be lost. The clear coat of my '75 has some age imperfections, but I'll never have it repainted. Just my preference, of course.

 

[Wingedwheel]

I wonder if I can get some color matched filler to buff into any cracks? IDK, I'm not a painter but do know there are some crazy products out there.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

I used one of those 'windshield crack fix' gadgets long ago. Syringe thing goes over the crack, you pull a vacuum, inject the clear glue, release the vacuum, glue goes completely into the crack, and it optically disappears.

Got a vacuum chamber big enuff for that helmet?

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

I wonder if I can get some color matched filler to buff into any cracks? IDK, I'm not a painter but do know there are some crazy products out there.

As a former car painter, and someone who stays in touch with products, I'd say that there is nothing that will improve your helmet other than some fine polishing compound, then a nice coat of paste wax, then buff a lot.

 

[Wingedwheel]

I think its beyond any reasonable fixes, I'll just have to make it nice and shiny to sit next to the bike. I found some nice retro style new helmets for around $90. Probably just go that route for a rider.