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Guest
Guest
I'd like to make my side covers look new again, and one of the more detail-oriented aspects of that is the badging. Is it possible to make this shine like new again, or should I just buy new emblems?
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Not worth trying to restore these
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-GS550E-nos-side-cover-badge-set-78-80/172977184702?epid=12024792486&hash=item28463e5fbe:g:vWMAAOxyW7tRidcQ
But out of just principle , these need to be restored.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/09148-0300...111860&hash=item2630649a13:g:I3cAAOSw5ZBWKP8Z
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Suzuki-GS550E-nos-side-cover-badge-set-78-80/172977184702?epid=12024792486&hash=item28463e5fbe:g:vWMAAOxyW7tRidcQ
But out of just principle , these need to be restored.
https://www.ebay.com/itm/09148-0300...111860&hash=item2630649a13:g:I3cAAOSw5ZBWKP8Z
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Guest
Guest
How about the paint? Could I go to an auto store and ask them to match the paint, or do I have to find the specific stuff?
Save your money and get your bike on the road, shiny won't be as nice to look at on a bike you can't ride.
I'll second that sentiment.
How are you planning on putting chrome back on to the badge? The chrome paint i have used in the past dulls very quickly and looks worse than any other "paint".
You can spend $20 on chrome and red paints and still have a POS when the the NPOS piece is $30. ".... Why look a gift horse in the mouth?"
If you can't afford $30 for badges, then I wonder if you can afford the project at all; do you have a budget?
As far as getting the bike to run, there are many people that collect parts for years without a bike actually running becuase they have the confidence they know it will eventually run once they get all the parts. The biggest risk is money, which means you need a budget or you don't care about budget.
I've been waiting to get to the shiny bits.... for 20 years now. But it sure is fun to ride.
An in motion bike always looks better then one in the garage.
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renorealtors
Guest
Here is some of the badges I have restored lately. The last pics are of the next bike scheduled for restoration. It is also a GS550E. The other badges are made if pot metal and have real chrome on them so it was possible to get them to look good. The GS550E has plastic badges and in IMHO they can not be revived. I plan on buying new ones for the build. Just my 2cents.
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Guest
Guest
Just need to replace the tires, and it'll be roadworthy.
I don't like feeling like I'm just sitting on my hands inside all day, so I'm looking for things to do in the meantime.
So, you got those carburators straightened out? That would be good news.
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Guest
Guest
I've enlisted some aid with that. Just waiting for that to get back to me
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Guest
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i mean, you could take a visit to the craft store, some of the shiny chromey paints they have nowadays look pretty good. You arent going for a concourse restoration, just to pretty things up. I suspect you could, with some careful masking and hand work, get those babies looking pre-tty good from about 5 feet away. Just sayin'.
My badges are plastic, if yours are too then Testors model paint would be plenty cheap and easy to find. It's the same stuff you use to paint plastic model cars and comes in a large choice of colors. The chrome parts could be polished out with toothpaste as has already been suggested, chrome polish would probably be too coarse and give you a hazy finish.
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Guest
Guest
I thought the chrome had worn away, like it was just a coat. This is just patina?
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Guest
Guest
If you're down to black plastic, the chrome has worn away. When these are made, they are coated with a very thin layer of metallic paint (copper? maybe nickel?), then a thin layer of chrome on top of that. They are difficult to restore accurately without getting specialist help. When originals are still available and relatively cheap, it's a no-brainer. The easiest way out is as mentioned above, enamel paint.
