restoration advice for newbie

[staggerlee]

Remember that BMW stands for “Bring More Wallet”.

Seriously, what are your intentions with the bike? 100 miles a year or a 2500 mile summer tour every year? To me those intentions determine the level of both mechanical and cosmetic work.

I personally would not powdercoat the frame. Too many stories of corrosion underneath.

As a warning about dollars. You can easily drop $15,000 on this restoration. And with that result you may be able to sell it for that much.

oh. thanks for the warning on the powder coating. ill dig deeper into that.
i havent heard that BMW acronym before...and i just retired from the auto parts business. good one.
ya, i planned for 15k. prolly wont ride it much. was my dads bike and will pass it on to my kids or grandkids.

[Daves79x]

You are right on the money at $15K. If you are doing a lot of the work yourself, that'll get you there in good shape. But I suspect you will enjoy riding it a bit too!

Dave

[mcsherry1328]

I have never heard of this warning on powder coated frames. Five years ago I had the frame on my R67/2 powder coated and have ridden the bike over 3500 miles since. The frame looks perfect. I also powder coated many of the smaller parts myself. I would have the frame powder coated on the next bike I build.

[808Airhead]

I have a powder coated frame on my R69S for 12+ years now, looks like new still

[staggerlee]

powder coating; i agree. i just retired from selling to the auto body & paint industry. paint can flake, powder can flake if it is not prepared properly. ive used powder on all of the tool boxes we manufactured and they get beat up but never had rust. powder it is.
thanks michael
thanks Thomas

[sherman980]

Been using powder coating for over twenty years now and never had an issue with rust underneath it, at least not that I am aware of. Like any other coating, e.g. paint, plating, etc., proper surface preparation is the key to a quality finish and a long life. When, not if, you get a chip or scratch, touch up with a fine point brush and a small drop of color matching enamel (or whatever type of paint) or even fingernail polish (Blasphemy! - you should check out the range of colors in the makeup isle of your local pharmacy, department store, etc. - Oh! and the look on the women's faces when you walk in the store with a gas tank or fender under your arm is priceless!! ) will make an almost unnoticeable repair. And do it as soon as you notice the chip so rust can't start in the first place.

Last, for minor dings or nasties in the metal BEFORE you powder coat, you can use high temp JB Weld as a filler. It has enough metal in it to work with the power coating process which puts an electrical charge to the part to attract the powder and easily stands up to the temps in the oven the powder is cured in. I usually do this after final sand/bead blast and just before I give the part to the powder coater (and I make sure they know the repair is there). Also, make sure the repair has had plenty of time to cure. Never had so much as a chip in an area that was repaired in this manner.