Guys,

my XLH 1200 has black heads which I really like but it has a silver lower engine that doesn't match. Has anyone ever painted theirs black like the custom models?

Later,
W.

Not for myself, but for customers. As i told before in a other thread, you have to clean the engine very good an degrease it often, Put it out the frame!!!! Cant give you advise on what color product you have to use.

It is possible to paint it while still in the bike but it means lots of masking off and it makes cleaning difficult

Would Powder Coating be a better Solution!! :D

gordy,
put the engine out the frame gives a more professional look

I am no expert ... But, if I was taking all the time to pull the engine apart and paint it, I would certainly have a powdercoating applied and not some rattle can paint job.

Who says you have to use a rattle can? :D But i tell ya, i do some engine paintings whith that, and there are great. Depends on the stuff you use :tour

Hi Painta

I know you get a more professional job but not everyone wants to remove the motor and many are quite happy with the results that you can get without removing the motor. Just takes time and patience

Gordy

Ok, but the problem is, not removing the engine can causes later chipping (unequal layers/thicknes of paint) or color shades.

The guys that I know that have done it without removal havent been the type to worry about how its gonna last or uneven colour - they just sprayed and rode the hell outta the bikes then gave it another coat when it needed it :laugh :tour

Who says you have to use a rattle can? :D But i tell ya, i do some engine paintings whith that, and there are great. Depends on the stuff you use :tour

From the work I have seen of yours on this board, you certainly know more about paint than me ... I just feel that having the engine components professionally powdercoated, they would last a long long time (like the factory applied engine coatings) ... That's all :)

Ron,

The guys that I know that have done it without removal havent been the type to worry about how its gonna last or uneven colour - they just sprayed and rode the hell outta the bikes then gave it another coat when it needed it :laugh :tour

OK, in that case......... :tour :laugh...... let em ride

:chop I'll drink to that :drinkbeer

Turbota,

I was understanding you, but i am not a big friend of powdercoating. With a good pro color you can have the same result.

I'm with painta there are far too many crap powder coaters around and too many good ones that dont mask areas off like they should :frownthre

gordy,
come on lets have an other one.... :cheers :chtwo :chop

I just got out of the shower ... Where I was thinking about all this

The original poster here just wants some black on his engine. I agree, pulling the engine completely out of the bike is just too much trouble if all you are going to do is paint it.

With that said, if it was me .... I would just remove both the large engine/ trans side covers (or whatever there called) and then have them powdercoated with crinkle black (like the FXSTB Night Train). Leave the main engine case alone ... See how he likes it. Then he can decide if he wants to have the cylinders painted/powdercoated black later.

That just leaves the actual engine case silver. I think the offset in colors would look very nice. A completey black engine may just be a little too much, if ya know what I mean, (and a LOT of extra work) that I don't think is neccesary or that visually appealing anyway.

Make sense?

VHT case paint....I've done a few bikes with it and it sticks like sh*t to a blanket.

I wouldn't recomend powdercoating cases...the factory does BEFORE the machining process.

The only set that i know of being done were Stryders and his bike was "run over" in his driveway and he didn't want to rebuild with that motor...hhhmmmmm.

Years ago, I did did the cylinder and center cases with the engine in the bike with VHT, then sanded off the edges of the cylinder fins. I left the outer cases silver as I didn't want to overwhelm the engine in black. The paint on the center cases never chipped or flaked. I had to touch up the cyliner several times. I'm sure it was due to the cylinder heat being much greater. At least you are starting off with the cylinders black with polished fin edges from the factory. I think it would look great. Masking is easier than pulling the engine.