Triumphrat

JOHN A · 07-30-2009, 05:50 AM

Hi: I'm new here! Just bought a '68 Bonneville. It was licenced and riden by the previous owner and mostly original. Needs cleaning, paint and a few pieces to get it back to original. My first bike since a single carb 500cc 30 yrs ago. I have no desire to restore it to "concourse" condition; Just original and clean. I have a few questions about what was original on that bike that I can't seem to figure out from all the various pictures on the net. Here goes: 1) The tank badges have a silver background and I have seen them for sale that way. Was that how they were on this year or has the white paint all just worn away? 2)My chain guard is chrome. All the pictures I see for that year show a black chain guard. Is mine incorrect? 3)It would apear that the only color scheme for '68 was Hi-Fi Scarlet over Silver. Why "over silver"? Is there something about that paint that allows the Silver to "show through"? I'm sure I'll have lots more questions, but I guess I'll leave it at that for now. Regards, John A

DAVE M · 07-30-2009, 06:11 AM

hi,

I always assumed that the "over" was based on the fact that they first sprayed the tank silver, then a smaller section with the contrast colour. I don't think it was done as a show through although I guess that maybe the silver had a marginal effect on the outcome of the red.

I don't think the paint was that clever then

I guess that a classic bike painter could tell you

mtds · 07-30-2009, 12:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JOHN A

2)My chain guard is chrome. All the pictures I see for that year show a black chain guard. Is mine incorrect? Regards, John A

This is the only question I can answer. The chainguard was originally black. Around that time, it was a popular mod in the US to chrome the chainguard, brake lever, footpegs, and basically anything that could be easily unbolted. You can see many examples of this in used parts piles.

People did some funny things. Just before I went in the service in 1967, I sold a '66 Bonnie to an acquaintance. This fellow removed the monoblocks and took them to a plater. When they came back the plater had plated everything: bodies, slides, jets, needles, every screw... you get the picture, a shiny pile of hopelessly unusable parts.

Good luck on your project. Your goal is similar to what I'm doing to my '70 TR6R.

GrandPaulZ · 07-30-2009, 11:23 PM

The Silver Sheen base is required when using the old cellulose "main" colors, it provided a very understated "metallic" quality to the final paint appearance. Also, it was typically masked to produce scallops or top stripes.

Tank badges always had the Ivory colored field, and Black lettering. I use Testor's model paint for that task.

JOHN A · 07-31-2009, 09:02 AM

GrandPaulZ: Thanks for the info. I can find lots of places to get the paint in the U.K. but not in Canada or U.S.A. Any ideas? Also, as for the paint for the badges, It is iory, not white? Is the Testor's model paint you use called "Ivory"? Thanks, John A

DAVE M · 07-31-2009, 10:43 AM

no idea if this guy is any good but...

http://www.triumphman.com/

GrandPaulZ · 07-31-2009, 02:39 PM

"triumphman" is Don Hutchinson, the best.

Ivory is SOMETIMES available in model paint, if not, I use White.

JOHN A · 08-02-2009, 09:52 AM

As I had mentioned in an earlier post, the 1968 Bonneville I bought has a chrome plated chainguard. There are other parts that were black as stock but someone has plated. This may seem like a stupid question but can the plating process be reversed? And if so, is it cheaper to get new parts? Thanks to all for consideration of what may seem like very basic questions, but I quess if I don't ask I'll never know the answers. Regards, John A

shrugger · 08-05-2009, 05:14 PM

Found these folks set up at Mid Ohio this year.
Don't know if they are pricey or not. I like the online quote though.
My tank needs quite a bit of TLC. I sent pix with the request as well.
For repair, seal lining, Factory paint and decal. It came to about $820 estimated.

http://www.precisionmotorcyclepainting.com/

DAVE M · 08-06-2009, 05:45 AM

plating is an electrolytic process so yes, by connecting the anodes and cathodes (think battery), it's possible to strip off

You can paint chrome.

NOS v Used painted guards might be cheap(ish) and you could sell your plated one if in good condition