[hadujorganic]

My Ravishing Red INT 650 came out of the shipping crate with a small chip in the gas tank paint, and the dealer has RE sending a replacement tank. I'm thinking of using Citri-Strip or Aircraft Paint Remover on the original tank to get down to bare metal and have some fun with a new refinished look.

I'm wondering if I can sand the metal to a mirror smooth finish and then clear coat it. Sort of like a poor man's Glitter & Dust chrome look.  I have no experience doing such a project so now I get a free pass to experiment. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

[mwmosser]

My Mark Three had a chip in the tank also, likely from a test rider wearing keys on the belt. The dealer knocked $250 off and I was fine with it. They get chipped; I'm not going to sweat it. But great you got a free tank out of it.

[olhogrider]

My Ravishing Red INT 650 came out of the shipping crate with a small chip in the gas tank paint, and the dealer has RE sending a replacement tank. I'm thinking of using Citri-Strip or Aircraft Paint Remover on the original tank to get down to bare metal and have some fun with a new refinished look.

I'm wondering if I can sand the metal to a mirror smooth finish and then clear coat it. Sort of like a poor man's Glitter & Dust chrome look.  I have no experience doing such a project so now I get a free pass to experiment. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

Great idea! The style you are talking about became popular with car guys a few years ago. Do I restore? After all it is only "original" once. Or do I just hope it doesn't deteriorate and leave it as is? What they came up with is a sort of arrested decay. They clear coat over everything including minor surface rust.

Anyway, Harley did something similar. They had a paint job that was rough sanded bare metal with some accent trim, like stripes or a logo, then clear coated over. You have lots of options. You could just paint it a different color and swap them depending on your mood, or actual chrome plating. They have some amazing metallic powder coat these days too. It looks like anodizing.

[hadujorganic]

Great idea! The style you are talking about became popular with car guys a few years ago. Do I restore? After all it is only "original" once. Or do I just hope it doesn't deteriorate and leave it as is? What they came up with is a sort of arrested decay. They clear coat over everything including minor surface rust.

Anyway, Harley did something similar. They had a paint job that was rough sanded bare metal with some accent trim, like stripes or a logo, then clear coated over. You have lots of options. You could just paint it a different color and swap them depending on your mood, or actual chrome plating. They have some amazing metallic powder coat these days too. It looks like anodizing.

After I posted above I started rooting around the web and there's lots of discussion about tank refinishing. Much of it seems to be cautionary tales of problems encountered trying to clear coat bare metal. So we'll see.

One of the things I want to do is put magnets on the backs of these badges (from an old and unrealized project) and then have a truly unique Swedish 650 twin. Probably the only one on my block!

[Kevin Mahoney]

Best be sure that RENA doesn't want it back

[hadujorganic]

Best be sure that RENA doesn't want it back

Hadn't thought they would even ask.
Good advice to make sure, thanks.

[olhogrider]

Hadn't thought they would even ask.
Good advice to make sure, thanks.

I know when I had warranty claims in the past the factory always wanted any parts back. But those were defective tire parts, not simply damaged. Harley even had the dealer slice the part in half so it could never be used again.

[ROTENMEYER]

My Ravishing Red INT 650 came out of the shipping crate with a small chip in the gas tank paint, and the dealer has RE sending a replacement tank. I'm thinking of using Citri-Strip or Aircraft Paint Remover on the original tank to get down to bare metal and have some fun with a new refinished look.

I'm wondering if I can sand the metal to a mirror smooth finish and then clear coat it. Sort of like a poor man's Glitter & Dust chrome look.  I have no experience doing such a project so now I get a free pass to experiment. Does anyone have any ideas or suggestions?

   
In Spain when the dealership replaces damaged parts with new ones in warranty period,
the damage parts become the property of the dealership