SFC frame refinishing

O

orionengnr

New member
Location
DFW, TX
Hello all. I have been reading up and trying to figure out what to do to refinish my SFC frame.
Read a thread with some great pics where someone had had their Jota frame powder coated. It was a silver metalflake and looked great.
But reading some more, I am told that the SFC frame was zinc coated, and apparently that option is not available (or at least not in any reasonable capacity) due to EPA restrictions on the process.

So, what are my options in trying to replicate the original finish as closely as possible?  From what I see,
1. Paint. If anyone knows of a brand and shade that look good, please share.
2. Powder coating. Again, is there a brand and shade that looks like the original?
3. Leave it as-is (and maybe try to do some touch-up with paint as in 1 above).

4. ...and maybe a curve ball. A few years ago I had the chrome removed from a 70's Kawasaki triple chrome front fender. Under the chrome was nickel plating, which is the foundation layer for Japanese chrome ("show" chrome consists of a layer of copper, a layer of nickel and a layer of chrome, but the Japanese chrome of the 70s omitted the copper.) The nickel plated fender looked dull, similar (in my recollection anyway) to the zinc coating on the SFC frame, and not at all like the shiny nickel plating on Rickman frames. So I'm wondering,  should I look into the nickel plating, or will the color be way off and the nickel too soft to hold up?

All input and suggestions are welcomed.

Best, Rich
 
If it's a genuine SFC then making it as original as possible would be the way to go, how bad is the frame finish now before doing anything? I would think slightly shabby would be better than a non-origanal finish. It's good you are putting some thought into this.
 
Vince--
Thank you.
There seems to be some significant rubbing in the tank area, plus a variety of scratches/scuffs everywhere. It is a 40+ year old survivor bike that was ridden hard and probably laid down a time or two, judging from the pipes, etc. That is fine, evidence of a life well lived, but I want the bike to be presentable.

The bike was disassembled for "restoration" twenty or so years ago, and transported cross-country several times, stored in a storage unit (or several), moved several/many times, and endured a bit of handling damage during that time.
 
No real serious damage, but she won't be a Prom Queen without some help. I know that they are only original once, and am trying to maintain as much originality as possible. I  just bought it a few months ago, am not looking to sell it, and I don't need/want to maximize value, but I would like to maximize owner enjoyment and pride in owning/riding it... "Close enough" is fine with me. If it helps any, I am considering a Redax 270 crank.  :)

So...that is where you come in.  :)

Again, thank you.
Best, Rich 
 
My SFC frame is probably in a similar state as yours.
I've ridden it for 28000 miles from new. The plating has rubbed off on the frame rails where the tank rubs on it above the engine. Pretty sure the original coating is Cadmium and now near impossible to have done. I'm reluctant to replace as it still had the original cable ties on the frame for the wiring.
The rest of it is fairly original apart from changing the adjustable bars for original clip ons and throttle.
I just put it down to patina. It's only original once.
 
If you're in the USA I reading between the lines think a lot of plating still happens in Mexico, maybe you could ask at some of the high-end car restoration places. Twisted crank, that's controversial in one of those. Did we ever arrive at a conclusion as to whether it helps with vibration compared to std? Ha Chris how is yours for the tingles?
 
So if it doesn't reduce the vibs I don't see the point of twisting the crank, I was dead keen to see if Phil Irvine was right in his idea first postulated more than 40 years ago, don't remember if it was in Tuning for Speed or Mag articles. Its a lot of work just to get a different exhaust note.
 
Vince said:
So if it doesn't reduce the vibs I don't see the point of twisting the crank, I was dead keen to see if Phil Irvine was right in his idea first postulated more than 40 years ago, don't remember if it was in Tuning for Speed or Mag articles. Its a lot of work just to get a different exhaust note.
Click to expand...

Was not only about vibes, and exhaust note. Power delivery was also a major factor.
 
What, like a big bang engine they used in 500cc Gp bikes? Smoother power delivery, more traction. So what do you reckon, worth the effort or not in day to day riding?
 
I did my SFC frame as it had been in a track bike and  I wanted it to look as decent as the rest of the bike when I restored the bike...this was 15 or 20 years ago or so. I went with powder coating, the powder coaters had a color chart that I matched as close as possible to. Though I'm sure the purest would contend and I agree it was not quite the same color as original coating. The other choice would have been a 2 part paint which would have been more expensive,  and in my experience  not  as durable as paint to stone chips or abrasion from cables, brake fluid, etc.  Others will argue  paint is better than powder coating so you will have to decide. My SFC was done to be a nice restored rider and I used it as such. Even trucked it 1200 kms (800 miles) across the Canadian prairies and then put a tank bag on it and toured the Canadian Rockies on it. Fun ride, but you may walk around looking like a chimpanze when you get off riding it all day.

Personally I feel better when I redo a bike to powdercoat or paint the frame,  especially the SFC where the frame is so prominent.

The powder coating held up well over the years. Make sure you get the frame sandblasted by someone who does this kind of work and then dont touch it with your hands or let it hang around in a moist place....get it coated right away.  Also I used a commercial powdercoater who has the complete process who could hang all the parts at once and with big ovens etc to do it at one time. Use bolts etc to block all the threads and steering head bearing surfaces etc.

Whatever you do it's a fun bike to restore, they are so elemental and puposefull, with end result another SFC on the road (hopefully). So enjoy the process and ride it when it's done.
 
Original frame was zinc coated.
So zinc or cadmium.
If you cannot get that done, paint. Do not powder coat, that would be like wrapping a beautiful woman up in plastic. Ok if you're kinky but a shame in the long run.

Paul
 
Vince said:
What, like a big bang engine they used in 500cc Gp bikes? Smoother power delivery, more traction. So what do you reckon, worth the effort or not in day to day riding?
Click to expand...

Not for day to day Vince, but, remember my engine was destined for the track, originally.

And Pat, I wouldn?t consider twisting a SFC engine, if it was me.
Others may, but not this black duck. I can?t breathe.
 
Paul Marx said:
Original frame was zinc coated.
So zinc or cadmium.
If you cannot get that done, paint. Do not powder coat, that would be like wrapping a beautiful woman up in plastic. Ok if you're kinky but a shame in the long run.

Paul
Click to expand...
I had one of my 500 frames ?plastic coated? in the ?80s. It?s lasted really well... :-*
 
Hi, it is strictly forbidden to give a 750 SFC frame a powder coating!!!
The frame was zinc or cadmium plated. Nickel is more yellowish. Slightly shabby would be better than a non-original finish - so keep it as it is. 750 SFC frames in original finish are very rare today! Ciao, Gert
 
Definitely leave it unless there's loads of rust. The patina will look great on an SFC! If I owned an SFC - and this is the problem with them - I'd be keeping it as close to std as poss. You can twist the crank no prob, without altering the balance factor and as such, it can easily be 'untwisted' at any time down the track. Whether the std bal factor would work I don't know. My genuine factory SFC crank in my SF, going into the SFQ is twisted and rebalanced, but the bike isn't and SFC - lucky me! The cam part of the equation involves drilling and tapping, but that too can be reversed back to std by simply fitting a std cam chainwheel (or ignoring the extra holes ... invisible!). Ignition plate needs to be slightly modified - again, no biggie to reverse.

Plenty of discussion has been had about the vibe factor in a twisted SF or SFC crank - many other factors affect vibes: CR, state of tune, rev range it's ridden in mostly, even exhaust system can affect vibes. I have a theory that the wide Lav twin crank doesn't lend itself as well to the twist as a narrow 2-main-bearing Pommie crank - the four-bearing crank has an inherently higher rocking couple. I have plans to build and test a crank with a different balancing system - but the SFQ has to be running first! I'm hoping the rebalanced SFC twister (60%) in the SFQ is smoother than the previous statically balanced version of it (at 50%), which was pretty bloody good, but not as good as it probably will be with new Carillos, big-ends and mains. Phil Todd's SF twister balanced to 65% is reportedly very successful in the vibe dep't.
 
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