Aircraft look on tank

[xander18]

After long months of dreaming and planning I've decided which frame, which engine, and image for my build. I'm going for a WW2 aircraft inspired cafe.

To get that nice aircraft finish would you take it to bare metal and clear coat it? Or use a silver paint? What kind of finish?

 

[Patches]

A polished aluminum tank would be pretty sick. With some type of WWII old school bomber art on it. Just my 2 cents.

 

[xander18]

Yep, I plan on doing some sexy nose art pin up (hubba hubba) and maybe some kill marks or something. Other parts of the bike will have rivets. Pretty excited.

But I thought that I might be able to get a more universal finish with a satin look if I found the right paint product. Also, I'm considering hammering and bondo'ing a knee dent tank (http://www.xs400.com/forum/showthread.php?t=4694) until I have the money for a true custom one so I'd want to paint over that bondo.

 

[gggGary]

Good air brush artists can do wonderful rivets and seams there are how to vids on youtube. I like the fighter plane look too. If you are ever in Oshkosh WI do the EAA museum $10.00 a head, free for EAA members and an excellent everything about airplanes day, the museum is HUGE and has a LOT of world war II stuff at least 10 real fighters and bombers inside.

 

[bdholsin]

Ultimate irony on a Japanese bike...the art work from the Enola Gay.

Seriously though, rivets and such would be a nice look.

 

[xander18]

Good air brush artists can do wonderful rivets and seams there are how to vids on youtube. I like the fighter plane look too. If you are ever in Oshkosh WI do the EAA museum $10.00 a head, free for EAA members and an excellent everything about airplanes day, the museum is HUGE and has a LOT of world war II stuff at least 10 real fighters and bombers inside.

I've done the Smithsonian a few times, the Annex once. Back in 03 my dad took us kids to the centennial of flight celebration at Kitty Hawk, it was absolutely amazing. My favorite all time plane is the F4U Corsair but the paint scheme doesn't lend itself to my bike as well as the P51 Mustang.

And bdholsin, that is some dark humor right there. If I were doing it right I'd paint it like a Zero.

 

[bdholsin]

Admittedly, yes, it is dark humor. I'm a little too sarcastic and dry at times...at least that what my wife tells me.

I figured we're all grownups here though and was just injecting a little humor. If anyone is offended then I fully apologize and will edit the post to delete the comment. If I can't then a mod can.

 

[xander18]

Admittedly, yes, it is dark humor. I'm a little too sarcastic and dry at times...at least that what my wife tells me.

I figured we're all grownups here though and was just injecting a little humor. If anyone is offended then I fully apologize and will edit the post to delete the comment. If I can't then a mod can.

Oh no, don't worry about me. It may be dark but it's still humor! Sorry if I came off as pissed about it. I laugh at Dr Strangelove, I'll be fine.

 

[gggGary]

"i figured we're all grownups here"

Here? You are a kidder...........

 

[bdholsin]

I couldn't figure out if xander was upset. I wasn't trying to piss anyone off (it's just a natural talent I have). This is the unfortunate reality of black and white on the screen. Emotion is difficult to ascertain.

I wasn't getting the vibe he was upset...looked more like he was simply making a statement. However, if he (and anyone else) was upset, that was why I backtracked. We're all cool.

 

[xander18]

No worries, we're cool. Let's talk about motorbikes!!

 

[bdholsin]

No worries, we're cool. Let's talk about motorbikes!!

I'm good with that.

 

[Q Tip]

I was going to do an olive drab tank with black anti-reflective stripe down the top, and the old "flying tigers" shark mouth on the sides.

 

[xander18]

I was going to do an olive drab tank with black anti-reflective stripe down the top, and the old "flying tigers" shark mouth on the sides.

I was tempted to go for that but I'd rather do a military bike in something older, more like a WW2 era Harley or Triumph. I thought that something like Foose' P 32 (http://image.streetrodderweb.com/f/9080258/0805sr_01_z+chip_foose_p32+expanded_for_web.jpg) would be fun for a cafe and I had never seen one before.

 

[Bobber 12]

all you really need to do,is paint it with a black base coat lay out your finelines to creat your patchwork and paint it with a grey sealer sealer has no metal flake and gives it that metal look. Then unmask and clear it looks cool i had it on one of my old bikes

 

[bluebikerblan]

There were a lot of interesting looks in WW II Afrika Korps Camo ???
Belongs on a Beemer perhaps but......maybe for one of Gordon Scott's?

 

[justin]

I just finished up a project with that very idea. My process started by brushing the bare steel, riveting, then i powder coated everything in gloss clear. After that i just went in with the airbrush to detail it, and give it a more aged appearance. Pretty simple.

 

[TeeCat]

I just finished up a project with that very idea. My process started by brushing the bare steel, riveting, then i powder coated everything in gloss clear. After that i just went in with the airbrush to detail it, and give it a more aged appearance. Pretty simple.

Now, that's way beyond slick. I never knew there was such a thing as clear powdercoat! I'd think that powder, by its very nature, implies pigment or opacity of some sort. Wow, kool!

And love the chin spoiler!

TC

 

[xander18]

Justin, that's sweet looking. Pretty damn close to the finish I want, too. I'll try to get a bit more polish in the metal before the clear powder coat, I'd like it to be lighter. I'll also be using aluminum on my sheet metal so it'll have a slightly different look.

 

[justin]

Yeah it looks dark in the pic, but when the sun hits it, its wild! Aluminum is easier to polish, and the powder doesn't change the color of the aluminum like it does with steel. With steel it leaves it a tad darker, like a wet look. So what you see is what you get when you do aluminum.

@TeeCat, clear powder is extremely common, i like to use it over almost every base coat, as most coaters do. it would boggle the mind how many different colors, textures, opacity, flake, metallics, etc., there are in powder.