Never trust a black tank!

2409 Views 15 Replies 14 Participants Last post by gearhead1951, Jun 13, 2012

SpeedAndNoise

Discussion Starter · Jun 12, 2012

6

I got this sorry looking Wassell tank at the swap meet right before my friend was packing it up, no one wanted it. Upon further inspection I saw some color in some of the scratches, so i decided to sand it down and see what was hiding below, the whole time thinking about a post Ragbak put up a while back about finding gold under some ratty black paint.

I started in a small spot with 220 grit. Some of the magic starting to appear!:

I got impatient so I quickly went over everything with 100 till I started to see color:

Then went over everything carefully with 220 again, it's hard to see the fishscales in the background:

So here's where I'm at. The bottom is very thin and starting to get down to white primer. I may have to repaint some of the edges black later. I'm going to wetsand with 400 and work finer, unless anyone can recommend a solvent to try that would be less harsh on the old paint? I might clear the whole thing when I'm done.

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1 - 16 of 16 Posts

G

· #2 · Jun 12, 2012

I would use 600 and see how that does. I wouldn't try any solvent. I bet it would take everything off.

wild04goat

· #3 · Jun 12, 2012

Thats really sweet old paint job. Maybe touch it up with an Air brush and clear coat it and run it.

srosa707

· #4 · Jun 12, 2012

I just picked up a sporty tank the other day that someone black spray-bombed. I got it for $10 and was thinking of doing this same thing. Good score.

kngkong

· #5 · Jun 12, 2012

Nice! Like buried treasure.

SpeedAndNoise

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jun 12, 2012

I'm going to wet sand finer and finer and see how that does. It looks like someone may have sanded before the black since there are little scratches still in black, but I can still see the clear shine in spots. I'm trying to be very careful to not blow through the color. I may paint the underside black again to cover up the primer that 's showing through (reminds me of the tank Humblepie had that was rainbow flames with black around the edges- hiding under black), and probably clear over everything, hopefully to brighten the color up. Then maybe kick it around the yard for a while so it doesn't look so new?

Sprglde

· #7 · Jun 12, 2012

That's pretty cool Speed, nice score.

Richard D

· #8 · Jun 12, 2012

Why the fuck would anyone paint over that? I hate flat black. I wish both my bikes weren't painted with it.

RAGBAK

· #9 · Jun 12, 2012

right on man! great score
I love these treasures, it's like finding an easter egg!

el diablo

· #10 · Jun 13, 2012

hey ragbak was that that tank you got from me ?
i know another one just like that ,but the guy who still owns it is working in asia for a while now
when he's back i'll buy the tank and call you
you will like it even beter than the other one ,because its a daimond style ,diggerish kinda tank

La Dolce

· #11 · Jun 13, 2012

These under paint scores are my favorite things ever.

hogster

· #12 · Jun 13, 2012

keep sanding,there might be another color under that.seriously that would look cool cleared

KCgran

· #13 · Jun 13, 2012

Hmmm. You mean that flat black piece of crap Tank I took off my basket case sportster and threw in the floor in the back of the garage might have some cool paint under it might have a cool Von Dutch paint job under the black?everbodynis picking' cause of the pickers,and pawning cause of the pawn stars now every body is going to be sanding every flat black piece of tin in the country because of speed and noise! Hey youre a trend setter!!!

ul39sugar

· #14 · Jun 13, 2012

good find

SpeedAndNoise

Discussion Starter · #15 · Jun 13, 2012

I didn't start it! I saw Humblepie had one first that went to Japan on the Ghost Train Panhead, and Ragbak posted a king sporty on his blog. I'm thinking it's getting clear after sanding. La Dolce it was like Christmas morning when it started showing through the black. Who knows how many are out there!

gearhead1951

· #16 · Jun 13, 2012

The only thing that might concern me would be the thought that the black paint might have been applied to hide a too recognizable part that was removed from a stolen bike ! (spray it , sell it and haul ass )

1 - 16 of 16 Posts

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