kx500 paint a few questions

[BacK.IN.THE.DaY]

Hi i have a 1987 kx 500 im restoring what is the best paint to use on the engine (BLACK)

And what can i get that silvery lacker that kawasaki use off the wheels with to have them looking polished or what is the best paint to use on the wheels.


Thanks

[Goat]

As far as engine paint. Advance Auto sells High Temp Header paint made by VHT comes in black or silver. If I remember correctly it was good up to 1300 degrees. When I fixed up an 85 K5 I used that on the cylinder, head and pipe. Worked great and looked clean. Just have to make sure you get all the old paint off and clean it thoroughly so the new paint will stick and look better than factory.

I've never tried stripping the paint off the wheels before but I would imagine any automotive paint remover would work. Advance Auto has a decent selection of paint remover as well.

Here are some pics of the engine and pipe I painted with the VHT Header paint:

[Goat]

I used a fine wire wheel on a bench grinder to get all the paint off my cylinder, head, and pipe. Also used a dremel with a wire wheel to get the tight spots. Took some time but I was very happy with the results and so was the guy I sold it to.

[sandblaster]

Very nice paint.
I have has really good success with all the VHT paint.
It seems to stick best when I use a glass bead blaster.
I have also used the wire wheel with good results as well, it just takes a bit more time.

[BacK.IN.THE.DaY]

Thanks Goat and Sandblaster for you help

Yes the paint looks nice on the pipe and head
i may go for that option .

I Am going to fully strip the paint of the engine and do what goat said and use a fine wire wheel. paint stripper and dremel type tool .The paint on the bottom end comes of easy with paint stripper but the cylinder and head is another mater lol. There is a polished 87/88 Cylinder on Ebay that looks nice. A polished engine would be nice. Any idea's on a price for polishing the full engine?


I have tried Nitromors paint stripper on the wheels but it dose not even touch it lol (green 1)
any other suggestions on the wheels  anyone

Thanks

[Goat]

Cases are pretty smooth but the head and cylinder are textured so the paint is difficult to get off. Just takes time.

Polished looks good initially but to keep it that way you would be cleaning more than riding. I tried that on an ol yz125 back in the day and will never do it again. I'm not sure on pricing to get the engine polished but I do know it takes many hours to do. I would imagine it would be pretty expensive. I've never seen a high temp clear coat but that would be the key to polished without the elbow grease after every ride.

[BacK.IN.THE.DaY]

Thanks again for the advise Goat

I think ill leave the full polished engine then lol
I would rather pay for power than polish 

 

[Danger4u2]

Go easy with the wire wheel, you can "work" the surface of the metal and it won't look uniform when painted.  I would glass bead blast or chemically strip the paint.  In the tight spots or where the paint might be double coated apply a second coat of stripper and power wash it.  If the stripper does not have the skull and cross bones on the container don't buy it.  You want the stripper that if you get it on your skin you are headed for the sink to wash it off because it burns so bad. The kind we use has an airplane on the container, I think it's actually called aircraft stripper.

[sandblaster]

Danger is right.
I use that same stripper and it is awesome!
It will burn to poop out of you if you leave it on skin too long 
But, it does a bang up job.

[Goat]

I'll have to keep my eye out for the aircraft stripper. Are they inexpensive, If it smells funny I wouldn't put my finger in it let alone anything else lol. Sorry my mind couldn't resist the gutter.

[sandblaster]

This is what I use
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=130260240275&viewitem=#vi-content