I did this starting from setting up the High Volume Low Pressure (HVLP) paint guns I bought through buffing and polishing the clear coat in this write-up. I had problems getting the HVLP gun to apply the primer, but found the answer to getting the gun to atomize properly. It works different than the older syphon feed style gun I had used before. I finally found some good videos about how to set up an HVLP gun and spraying techniques. Things went a lot smoother after that.
You can see how bad the second coat of primer was in these pictures.
Very Chunky Primer on Front Fender
Chunky Primer on Gas Tank 🙁
And here is the front fender and tank after polishing the clear coat along with a picture of the painted tail light assembly. I’m pleased with the outcome although it took over 2 months to get his part of the project done. I have nothing but admiration for those who make a living painting, particularly if they paint motorcycle parts.
Front Fender Polished
Gas Tank Polished
Rattle Can Painted Tail Light Housing After Sanding and Polishing
I still need to sand, buff and polish the clear coat on the fairing and to add the pin stripes. I’ll write-up how I did paint the pin stripes when I get that done.
I’ve been preparing the parts for painting. Recently, I had to get a temporary paint booth setup, connect the new compressor and paint gun and assemble all the parephenaila that goes with panting. I put together a write-up on this which you can find here:
I thought that anyone who was thinking about doing their own painting could look at how I setup a temporary paint booth and the painting equipment. I have never been a professional painter, but I find learning and doing things I’ve never done before is much of the reason I work on airheads. Or, said differently “Reader Beware. This is an amateur setup, done by an amateur aming for a professional looking paint job.” 😉
So, I will be painting both the R75/5 in Monza Blue and the R75/”S” in Smoke Silver. I figured when I get setup to paint, I might as well paint everything that needs painting.
I hope to complete the paint work soon and will provide a write-up on that. Here are some pictures from setting up for paint work.
Taping Plastic to Garage Door Rails
Test Hanging Parts to be Sure There is Room to Work
R75/6 Bikiini Fairing Hanging Wire
Primer Materials, Mixing Cups, HVLP Paint Guns, Gun Rack
3M Respirator and Filters
Primer Specifications and Instructions
Paint Mixiing Container Graduated for Mixing Ratios
I documented the work on the fairing in this write-up including removing the headlight assembly, turn signals and repairing cracks and the broken wiring harness tabs that held it in place.
The bike has a Vetter Windjammer II model, serial #14231. According to Craig Vetter’s web site, the Windjammer II series started with serial #13648 in October 1973 and ended with #43986 in May 1974 with a little more than 30,300 units produced. This fairing is the 583rd in the series so it’s an early unit.
Name Plate With Hole for Wiring Connector – 583rd Windjammer II made
Vetter manufactured Windjammer III and SS models and sold the company in 1978. The bike itself was manufactured in May 1973, and purchased in California by a mechanic for United Airlines based in Los Angles. I think the previous owner added the Windjammer either at the time of purchase or soon thereafter. He put just about 50,000 miles on it before I bought it in August of 1978 in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
In keeping with the restoration goal of “close to stock”, repairing this one restores an accessory that was often found on a /5 bike. The previous owner painted the fairing the same color as the bike, Monza Blue. I’m going to do the same and ordered enough paint for the fairing. But first, I need to dissassemble it and make some repairs.
As I started work, I made an “archaeological” discovery.
Orphan Glove From Storage Compartment, Circa 1976
It was from the first pair my wife wore when she started riding with me on her first bike, a Honda 500 Four. She used this pair in the winter and it was part of her riding kit when I bought the /5 as her wedding present. Memories.
The fairing had two cracks, one pretty extensive as I found out, and a broken wiring connector where the mounting tabs had broken off. And, the headlight chrome parts and turn signals needed cleaning, rust removal and polishing. Last, I stripped the paint and primer down to the ABS plastic in preparation for painting.
Here are a couple of the photos I took with many more details in the write-up.
Barn Fresh in the Work Shop and Ready For a Face Lift
Turn Signals-Aluminum Oxidation and Dirt
Adjuster Bracket Inside Headlight Frame
Removing Damaged Trim
Polished Chrome Trim Ring & Headlight Bracket
Turn Signals-Aluminum Oxidation and Dirt
Restored Turn Front Turn Signals
Left Storage Pocket Crack, Lower Edge
The True Size of the Crack at the Bottom of the Storage Pocket
Hotcha Adhesive On Back of Patch Piece of ABS
Clamping the Repair While Hotcha Hardens
Fairing Wiring Connector Mounting Tabs Broken
ABS Patch Attached with Epoxy to Fairing Wire Connector
With the first engine start behind me, I have been concentrating on paint work. I’ve got the fenders stripped and the tank ready for bead blasting. Here is a write-up on that work.
I have paint and primer coming in from Kent Holt at Holt BMW, Monza Blue. I have some new paint guns from Eastwood due to arrive and a new compressor in the shop with what I expect is adequate flow to run the guns.
I’m going to strip the “Silver Ghost”, 1975 R75/6 “S” bike that was my first paint project back in 2010. I made several mistakes that lead to paint flaking, so now is the time to redo that bike, again in the R90-S Smoke Silver scheme. I figure when you get setup for painting, do some painting. 🙂
I’m also going to restore the Windjammer II fairing and paint it to match in Monza Blue. I figure the cost of the paint should double the value of the faring ;-). This restoration tries to represent the “state of the art” circa 1973, and a Jammer was that at that time.
The bike is named Grover, after the Muppet character that is blue like the bike. My R1150-RS is named Cookie Monster, who is the other blue Muppet and my wife’s F650-GS is Elmo, because it’s Red.
Okay, enough history about our motorcycle “children”; on to the work to be done. You can read about Grover’s First Engine Start here.
I installed the center stand and adjusted the side stand so it wouldn’t automatically spring back when the weight is removed. I think that’s a trap waiting to have the bike end on up on its side in a parking lot one day.
I’ve worked on a lot of the bike’s components. The odds are I’ve made a mistake or two. So I put together a list of items to check that verify the electrical, fuel, air and lubrication systems are working. And, I corrected the items I found that weren’t quite right.
I want to seat the rings so if I get the engine running, I’ll hold it at 2500-3000 RPM for 30 seconds and then shut it off. The bore is very lightly oiled so the cross-hatch in the bore can cut small grooves in the rings as the combustion pressure forces the rings against the cylinder wall. Since this is the first start, I want to keep a close eye on the instrument cluster to be ensure the oil light doesn’t come on and keep my ears open for any unexpected sounds coming from the bike. It’s been just over a year of work to get this far, so, no pressure 😉
Here are a couple pictures from the write-up and a short video at the end of Grover in the delivery room when I spank him to try and make him “cry” …
