SFC frame refinishing

according to the profile, the thread starter is in Texas. I know that Scott Potter restored some SFC's, maybe he can help with an address for cink-plating? Or Wolfang Haerter (Laverda.ca)?

I also would leave this bike as close as possible to standard or restore it to such. The price difference between a half-harted restored show-room-queen and a very detail focused, sensitively restored one could easily pay off if you ever consider selling it.
 
On my SFC 18391 the frame is chemically coated with nickel since many years.
Yes, it is not original, but i use the SFC although in rain on long distance trips to Italy so "originalty follows function".

I coated the frame in 2004 with chemical Nickel.

First i clean the frame with air-blast and e.g. nut-shells. Then i use a rotating metal-brush to eleminate the "sharp" feeling of the tubes. 

Then comes the coating with chemical Nickel. You can decide how thick you want to have the zink. Although the coating has less mass than painting.

In oposite to electrolytic nickel/zinc coating, there is no heat or other stress to the material. As a result, the material is not changed or weakened. The other advantage of this method is, that the pipes are also coated on the inside.
If nickel is thick enaugh, the frame comes in a special bath for chemical pasivating. So you get a shiny frame, which will never get rusty.
Dirt is extremely easy to remove.

I did this till today with about 16 different frames without no problems. Price is about 170 (750) to 200 EUR (3C) per frame.

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Thomas aus LAU

 
There's not a lot of frame visible with all the bodywork fitted. I too would keep it original.  Pic shows visible part of original finish frame and powder coated stand...not proud of the latter!  :-[
 

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Go for keeping it original. You should be able to get it zinc plated. The drain holes are in the frame to assist in the process. All I would do after that is perhaps give the frame a coating of flat clear to preserve the fresh finish. Cheers
Ian
 
Sand the Frame down and spray with 3M Epoxy Chromatic or Ferris Undercoat COAT and finish off with Acrylic Enamel Tremclad Engine Automotive spray; Guaranteed impervious to Lacquer thinner and Brake fluid and always polish up ;o)
 
These guys in Texas do cadmium plating and Zinc ..... sounds like both types of music .... country and western!
http://www.billmarkplating.com/index.html

Worth a look maybe ?
 
Paul Marx said:
Well Thomas, I can assure you that subjecting an SFC frame to 600?C doesn't alter it in any way.

Paul
Click to expand...

It will probably be nicely stress relieved. There's a story about one of the early Lotus F1 cars which caught fire and was burnt out. Lotus of course rebuilt it - it was a fusion welded mild steel spaceframe. Reputedly, of the three chassis built, this is the only one where everything fits without heavy persuasion. Stress relieved...

Re the frame finish. Personally, I'd leave it as is. But if you do want it re zinced, plenty of platers can do zinc nowadays but you'd have to ask for it to come out without passivating or any of the brightening treatments available now. I'd pick the factory used the simplest, cheapest basic zinc coating.
 
I really like the nickel finish Thomas. I probably would go that route if I had an SFC. In fact I'd go that route for the SFQ but can't be bothered smoothing off an SF frame.
 
For info

Zinc plating finish still visible under the flaking paint layer.

Nickel plating is far more flashy and does not match/looks like the original finish in any way.. mho
but everyone has their own idea :)
 

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Agree entirely, Steph, nothing like the orig ... but I like it. My attempt at nickel electroplating the SF frame was a disaster. But it has preserved the finish after I had it sandblasted - been bare for about 2 years and only slight rust where it had been a bit thin. I'll probably need another light sandblasting before powder coating once all the bracketry is done.
 
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