As I have reported elsewhere, I literally picked up this 1991 Haro Extreme from a neighborhood curbside pile of junk.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.ph ... light=haro
There was grass growing through the cassette and it obviously had been left outside for years. It was the finish that intrigued me. From those years in the sun, the paint was thin and mottled, but intact.
I considered powder coating, but decided to see if I can preserve some of the patina while improving the finish. After cleaning and a little polishing, I touched up the scratches and used a red paint wash to blend some of the areas. Then, I built up the finish with clearcoat and laboriously sanded it down with a Scotch pad.
The finish I was looking for was that of an old, well used red pickup truck.
BTW, the tires are Performance Gothams -- 1.75 all around tires with a slick tread. I discovered that this is what the Scottsdale Police use on their patrol bikes.
Have a good weekend, all.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.ph ... light=haro
There was grass growing through the cassette and it obviously had been left outside for years. It was the finish that intrigued me. From those years in the sun, the paint was thin and mottled, but intact.
I considered powder coating, but decided to see if I can preserve some of the patina while improving the finish. After cleaning and a little polishing, I touched up the scratches and used a red paint wash to blend some of the areas. Then, I built up the finish with clearcoat and laboriously sanded it down with a Scotch pad.
The finish I was looking for was that of an old, well used red pickup truck.
BTW, the tires are Performance Gothams -- 1.75 all around tires with a slick tread. I discovered that this is what the Scottsdale Police use on their patrol bikes.
Have a good weekend, all.