Triumphrat

Ahobie17 · 08-01-2007

What is a good type of paint to put on the cylinder of aTR, one that's last or where can I sent it off to be done??

Thanks

KADUTZ · 08-01-2007

I always liked VHT Barrell paint in spray cans. Another option is powder coating.

OzBloke · 08-02-2007

I agree with Kadutz, VHT SP-905 gloss black motorcycle barrel paint is the go.

Ahobie17 · 08-02-2007

VHT paint won't come off over time, I want something that'll last!!!

OzBloke · 08-02-2007

Ahobie17,
Your last post kinda didn't make sense to me. Are you saying VHT comes off over time? and that you don't want to use it?

I've found that a couple of coats, applied properly by the instructions (some heat, followed by hot running) will set the paint fairly hard. It hasn't spotted, flaked, or dulled over 4 years for me.

Ahobie17 · 08-02-2007

No i didn't mean to imply that VHT would come off over time as I'm not familar with it. I just wanted to sttress that if going to the trouble to strip and paint the cylinder, that I want to know what is put on will last. That's all.

jimballard · 08-02-2007

More years agot than I care to remember, I did the "jug" on the '70 with gloss black Rustoleum. I painted it, then put it in the oven (while SWMBO was shopping). I put about 3 coats on it, baking each one and it still looks good. The only problem was when SWMBO came home a bit early and asked who'd been cooking what in the kitchen....to this day, I think she still blames one of our daughters.

Discretion being the better part of valor, I've never said a thing: Jim

red59 · 08-02-2007

what ballard said. an original Triumph deaer suggested rustoleum gloss slow dry enamle. Just clean it good, wire brush the loose paint, spray it and bake it in the oven, smells good too. I cna't remeber the temperature I used, something under 175. I did four cylinders in the past and they all look good and last. Actually my 59 was brushpainted while on the bike with brush on rustoleom, gloss black. It smelled good too as the motor cured it, and still looks good. I recently used rustoleum on a part, baked it in the oven, the ollady came home and asked what I was making in the oven. I told her "a bike part." After all of these years (27) she finally accepted it as a way of life.
I would not suggest powder coating, beause of the very high temperatures it is baked in. It may warp your round cyliders. We have a powder coating line where I work, I ran the oil tank, battery/tool box, foot/peg/muffler mounts/enginemounts,etc. But anything with close tolerances like a cylinder bore is not recommended. It may be okay since these bikes have heavyduty materials, but I shyed away from anything that was tightly bored.

KADUTZ · 08-02-2007

regarding durability of the VHT paint

I did the barrels of my 70 in '83 or '84 still looks good.

Did the one on my 78 in about '90 (barrell on bike taped stuff off) still looks good.

Durability of finish will depend on how it is applied and how vechile is used.

red59 · 08-06-2007

VHT sound's like a good idea. Iv'e never used it, makes sense on barrels. The good thing about rustoleum is it works! Plus IF you have to touch it up, just clean the area and brush on a little more. If your powder coat fails, (don't think that is out of the equation) you will have to disassemble the motor to have it re-powdered! Something to consider. If you are going to bore your cylinders, powder coat it first then have them bored. We machine powder coated parts at work. It's tough stuff. You dnot want any overspray anywhere, not to mention again the posibilities of warping.
Think about this!!!!!>>> I had a part powder coated and in a box for a few months. A cat sprayed or pissed on the box. It dripped through the box and chemically reacted to the powder coating, kind of made it look green!!! If any cat pissed on my rustoleum, it resisted it!