K Model value

[Mayday53]

Thanks

[DaveC]

FYI, if you check the gallery section the 53 KRM was painted with Audi Mars Red, DuPont Nason Urethane, about $65 per quart plus hardener and reducer. Look at the 57 Black bike, which has a factory original pepper red tank panel. Both photos were taken in the shade.

[Mayday53]

I just talked to the paint supplier here. I found three options:
1. Nason in Mars Red is $53/qt for basecoat
2. Dupont colormatch is $193/qt for basecoat
3. Emron in Mars Red is $163/pint (he said Emneron covers better and a pint will cover the bike tank and fenders

My painter recommended the Nason, it looks like you do too and it looks good in the photo.

[DaveC]

The KRM was shot with the Nason product. It was single stage, no clear coat or cut and buff (my instructions). HD shot the tin with a baked enamel, no color sanding so a barely perceptible amount of orange peel is present. A good painter using a booth can duplicate the factory finish with these modern products. I am not a painter but had to do some in a schedule crunch and the Nason product when properly reduced went on with no orange peel. I couldn't believe the results. Factory paint thickness including baked primer was about 1.5 mils thick. They really skimped on product. Most of the restored HiFi painted bikes are way too thick and consequently too dark. My primary painter works for DuPont and says the Nason works very well for what we are doing with bikes and uses it on my restorations. Imron was developed for use on trucks, where durability is a factor. I would expect the same with the DuPont Chroma product, hence the higher cost. When I judge bikes I always look for orange peel and cut and buff marks. If I see no orange peel and visible cut and buff marks I usually note it on the score sheet. Several of us are gathering data on HD paint formulas or cross matches (like Pepper Red). I have some HiFi matches and hope others can assist. Hopes this helps.

[Mayday53]

The KRM was shot with the Nason product. It was single stage, no clear coat or cut and buff (my instructions). HD shot the tin with a baked enamel, no color sanding so a barely perceptible amount of orange peel is present. A good painter using a booth can duplicate the factory finish with these modern products. I am not a painter but had to do some in a schedule crunch and the Nason product when properly reduced went on with no orange peel. I couldn't believe the results. Factory paint thickness including baked primer was about 1.5 mils thick. They really skimped on product. Most of the restored HiFi painted bikes are way too thick and consequently too dark. My primary painter works for DuPont and says the Nason works very well for what we are doing with bikes and uses it on my restorations. Imron was developed for use on trucks, where durability is a factor. I would expect the same with the DuPont Chroma product, hence the higher cost. When I judge bikes I always look for orange peel and cut and buff marks. If I see no orange peel and visible cut and buff marks I usually note it on the score sheet. Several of us are gathering data on HD paint formulas or cross matches (like Pepper Red). I have some HiFi matches and hope others can assist. Hopes this helps.

I am new to this whole paint thing and well, unfortunately, I just returned from the paint shop and bought the Nason color Mars Red (Audi) basecoat, hardener, and stabilizer. The guy told me the basecoat with the acrylic does not turn out as nice and recommended going with a basecoat and clear coat.

Is there a way to apply what I bought to look correct?

[DaveC]

The clear coat single color you are doing is fairly inconspicuous. Most painters today are trained to do the base coat and clear coat finish with a cut and buff. There aren't that may painters experienced in the single stage leave it alone after after shooting finishing. If you can get a painter to use a booth and not cut and buff (as the manufactures do) the clear coat you will get as close tho the factory finish as you can.

[Mayday53]

thanks Dave

[Mayday53]

Mayday,
If you don't mind Harley made a number of running changes with parts and historical evidence like your bike and Erik's "Barnsters" are important pieces of evidence. From the pictures it looks like your 53 has the rivetless rear fender, if you don't mind may I ask the first two or if I am not pressing it the first 3 numbers of the VIN on the original 53 motor like 53K 164X. Not the VIN on the 55 motor. Also does your headlight have the high jewels up near the bezel or are they down a ways from it? The frame is another area of interest. Are the footpeg brackets hollow or solid? Is there a date code, a number and a letter, on the right side of the gas tank rear boss or not? Thanks
JerryR

Here are some pics of the frame numbers...unfortunately the powder coat covered them a bit. I tried to do a pencil tracing to see the code near the neck on the frame, no luck. The code on the frame near the kick stand is 00047-52. The 53 VIN: 53K15## (it only hs 4 digits after K).

[John R]

Just a few more thoughts.

If you haven't done it before you won't believe how many hours work there is in a half-decent restoration, let alone a proper job. If you're doing it yourself and enjoying it, that's good. If you're paying someone else for everything you'll hemorrhage cash!

American title issues I don't understand, but that aside you're better off with the late engine for many reasons, not least the availability of parts. 52 and 53 have quite a few critical parts that are unique to them and not readily available. Flywheel shafts and associated bearing cages and rollers (except left-side Timkens) are examples. If you get an early motor you won't necessarily know till you break it down what these parts are like.

Whether you can cover your costs, even arrive at higher value, depends on how much you need to pay others, and luck! You won't know how good or bad things are till later. Stay lucky! (Reminds me of an old blues - if it weren't for bad luck I'd have no luck at all...)

[Mayday53]

ON Wednesday, I pulled my project from the guy I was paying $80/hour due to some fundamental differences in our ability to communicate and timeline for the project. I am now enjoying the grind of doing it myself. I am getting an old Harley builder to help me with the reconstruction, but all the cleaning and prep labor is mine, and I like it. It will make the ride even more appreciated later. I just have a burning passion to drive an old bike I found crippled in a barn. Sure I could buy one and ride it, but it just would not be the same...I will have bugs in my teeth when I ride this one!