I need advice on what paint for the 75. It is currently the red version so I will stay with that but am curious about members experiences with paint type. This will be a daily driver, so I am not so concerned with matching original, but would like it to stand out. My painting buddy (His Studebaker Hawk is beautiful) says epoxy but I have no clue what that means. What reading material I have found is minimal except I did find the paint codes. I expect a three or four step process with primer, base coats, metal flakes, decals, clear coat, etc.

I have 60-90 days to finish research but am eager to get if figured out. So, forum guys, what gives? Any and all advice will be greatly appreciated.

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Wayne
2004 GL1800 (Black)
1975 GL1000 (Candy Blue Green Special)
1975 GL1000 ( Candy Antares Red Special)
1976 GL1000 LTD #5062
1976 GL1000 LTD #5117
1976 GL1000 LTD #6780 (aka "bag Lady")
And, what ever follows me home next....

A daily ride needs to be easy to touch up. To me, that says "paint good enough not to need clear coat.

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Proud member of the NGW Cartel
1977 GL1000 BAD DOG - Bring Along Deb, Decades Old Goldwing (April BOTM)
Motorcycle restoration is our hobby and we pay for that. But in the end of wrenching, the bikes are free!

I couldn't agree more with Fred. You're going to drive yourself nuts trying to touch up your "three to four step process" paint job on a commuter bike. You can get very good results with primer and 3 to 4 coats of color. Buff out the final coat and it will be beautiful. For paint, enamel has a classic look to it's finish, like that of older vehicles. Lacquer provides a higher gloss but is generally not as durable as Enamel. Forget the clear coat and touch ups will be a snap.

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Placerville - 1976 Yellow

Survivor - BOTM - May 2011

New and Confused ?
Push the Big Button

if there is a vo-tech automotive program near you,you may be able to take your stuff there & get a cheap paintjob.
also craigslist is full of back alley shops that will do it cheap.
I allways wait untill I am painting a car in a color I like, then paint my motorcycle parts along with the car.

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Timothy Mark Fisher
Catalina Arizona

"I like a cold beer with my beer"
(OldWing)
"Most of us like the sport of wrenching too."
(fred camper)

For my daily driver I used a one part marine epoxy paint called Brightsides; it is tough, finishes bright enough (for me), doesn't require a clearcoat, is easy to spray and touch-up, and best of all, I can buy it wholesale.....

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Brian Crow
1977 gl1000, with California sidecar
"KBO"!! Keep bungling on! Winston Churchill
"Bound is boatless man"

I admit that I like the sound of easy to repair. That said, I am curious about application of decals. Most reading I have seen recommends a clear coat on top of decals. I am an absolute newbie when it comes to paint (and some other things too) but want to start down this road the right way. Epoxy primer and epoxy color coats then wet sand and polish is what I think I am hearing. Is this correct? I am sure my Studebaker buddy can sort this out for me but researching before starting is necessary for my brain...And, thank you for the edification thus far!

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Wayne
2004 GL1800 (Black)
1975 GL1000 (Candy Blue Green Special)
1975 GL1000 ( Candy Antares Red Special)
1976 GL1000 LTD #5062
1976 GL1000 LTD #5117
1976 GL1000 LTD #6780 (aka "bag Lady")
And, what ever follows me home next....

You got it...primer, sand, then top coats with sanding in between...I only went with 400 grit between top coats, and sanded the primer with 220g, but I'm sure that you could spend a lot more time sanding with higher grits and get a better finish then I did...

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Brian Crow
1977 gl1000, with California sidecar
"KBO"!! Keep bungling on! Winston Churchill
"Bound is boatless man"

I went up to 2000 to shine the top coat and it worked very well, but 400 between coats like Brian. I do like the idea of clear over decals, but clear also makes them lift so not sure it is always the best idea.

_________________
Proud member of the NGW Cartel
1977 GL1000 BAD DOG - Bring Along Deb, Decades Old Goldwing (April BOTM)
Motorcycle restoration is our hobby and we pay for that. But in the end of wrenching, the bikes are free!

So we went to the automotive paint store today to ask about GL1000 paint codes (R6CS: Candy Antares Red Special) and was told their machine does not have that code available. So we looked in the paper catalog and found it went back to 1998 and also does not include our original GL paint. I bet someone has found the right codes or a contemporary code set for this color. Any advice on this from anybody?

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Wayne
2004 GL1800 (Black)
1975 GL1000 (Candy Blue Green Special)
1975 GL1000 ( Candy Antares Red Special)
1976 GL1000 LTD #5062
1976 GL1000 LTD #5117
1976 GL1000 LTD #6780 (aka "bag Lady")
And, what ever follows me home next....

wwsynder, if you do a search on the forum for paint codes, you will see that they are pretty much useless based on what other members have found out in their research...

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Brian Crow
1977 gl1000, with California sidecar
"KBO"!! Keep bungling on! Winston Churchill
"Bound is boatless man"

I'm surprised your paint supply store couldn't help you. Yes the old paint codes are useless because they were based on lacquer paint. But the suppliers I've talked to can usually still find the GL1000 in their system (unless its an LTD).
Find out what paint company they are using. I believe Sikkens makes and equivalent paint color still.

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My Bikes:
1976 GL1000 LTD
1978 CB750 K8 - Black
1978 CB750 F3 - Black

Yes, you are

This has been discussed to death on this and numerous other sites and there is only one answer: There are no contemporary codes that match the originals and there is no Rosetta Stone that will translate the old codes to the new.

Look at it this way: If there were current paint codes in existance today that perfectly matched the original vintage GL colors, wouldn't they be available here, or on Sanders site, or Randakk's and every other site that deals with vintage GL restoration? Information like that always gets published. So, if you don't see it, it doesn't exist.

The best way to have your color reproduced as accurately as possible is to take a sample part to the best painter you can find and ask them if they can do it. They are the one's to ask, not the paint shop. The paint shop just wants to sell you paint but, the painter needs to do the job and please you. Seek out 2 or 3 custom painters and ask their advice.

_________________
Placerville - 1976 Yellow

Survivor - BOTM - May 2011

New and Confused ?
Push the Big Button

all the above is excellent advice. here are two sites i found in my research for paint. good luck.

http://www.vintagehondapaint.com/SITE/PAINT_COLORS.html


https://www.twowheelparts.nl/en/paint/c ... ottle.html

vintagehonda claim to be able to match original colours and have some impressive pictures to back up their claims.

cheers. M.
ps.
i chose to go to a spray painter and found a sample, as close as i could, to what i wanted.

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1975 Goldwing...viewtopic.php?f=30&t=34569
2001 CB 250 Honda
1976 LTD GL1000...(cleverly disguised as an '81 interstate) strip in progress...viewtopic.php?f=30&t=44190
1976 LTD ( a feller with two LTD's can't be all bad) viewtopic.php?f=9&t=44795
previous bikes
Sym scooter (sacrificed to the gods of overseas travel)
K6 750 four honda
CX 500 honda
CB 400 four honda
a pattern has developed.......

An LTD is........it just is.

If you can find a paint supplier with a scanner, they can scan your color and come up with something very close in modern materials.

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Craig S
1983 GL1100I

+1 on the scanner. but you have to have something to scan.
that piece also needs not to be faded or otherwise discolored. the scanner will only match what it sees.

btw:
i suggest something along the lines of synthetic enamel with a hardner.
it will offer relative easy application, great shine and durability for the price.
good luck with your paint job when you make your final decision.

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God bless those who protect our freedom, at every level


the whir of the motor, the clunk of the gears, the screech of rubber on the pavement....no better therapy on the planet

1984 1200 standard

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