1990 Marin Pine Mountain (Rescue!)

[sherlylock]

More stripping....forks this time. That Nitromors stuff is really potent! That's all the fluro stripped off forks/stem/handlebars, apart from a section on the steerer tube which I've left for reference for colour match when I respray them....

 

[sherlylock]

Been collecting a few cans of paint this week.....everything apart from the Acid Etch primer (because Halfords are a bit crap.....).

I've also been trying a few techniques to try and replicate the Zolatone finish with stuff that is more readily available. I tried a few Plastikote textured paints from B&Q....all of which are too textured and probably not durable enough.

Then I remembered a product that I used on the floorpans of my Mini during restoration...stuff called Stone Chip Shield. It's similar to underbody schutz, a rubbery underbody paint which resists chipping.

I bought a can and had a play with it. With careful application - the last coat spraying on from a distance to allow the paint to effectively dry before it hits the tacky previous coat - gives quite a nice textured finish (I practised on some old crap forks)

Colour-wise - it's darker than the '90 models but maybe closer to the '91 models (which I think I prefer anyway). It dries with a semi-gloss finish rather than the matt of the original Zolatone which should help to keep it clean.

So.... paint which is durable & flexible, can be applied to give a textured finish and is almost the right colour.

A winner?

 

[marc two tone]

pm zola

sweeeet!

the new orange will be sharp against that grey

that's what rattles my memory with early marins' colour schemes.

good progress.

 

[sherlylock]

Re: pm zola

sweeeet!

the new orange will be sharp against that grey

that's what rattles my memory with early marins' colour schemes.

good progress.

It's gonna look the nuts I reckon......providing I can replicate the effect neatly over the whole frame.

 

[CubeyTuesday]

Loving the Pine Mountain, will will look great when done. I have a 90 Team that i am in two minds whether to restore or leave as is, but when I initally bought it I researched the Zolatone paint and have a feeling that a company in East Anglia still manufacture it. I sent of for samples etc . If I can find them ill let you know who it was .

 

[juice]

Instead of getting on with my own Eldridge Grade i'm following this thread with great interest.

 

[sherlylock]

Busy day on the bike (and on the car too in between paint coats....) - have started cleaning up some of the components that came with the bike and I've started collecting a few of the bits that I'll need to get it back on the road - namely some XT shifters, bought from racin'snake (ta!)

Set up a mini spray booth at work this morning, under a table with some fan heaters to warm everything up. Cleaned up the rust spots on the forks/stem with an angle grinder/wirebrush, wiped everything down with celly thinners and set about painting.

2 coats of Acid etch primer, 2 coats of white undercoat and 3 coats of fluro orange......

The finish on the orange is awesome - it's gonna need some cutting back to get a good shine (prob down to my spraying skills) but the colour is fantastic!

Tidied up the shifters too - touched in the scuffs on the main housings and resprayed the brake levers. Need an adjuster lockring for one side though - if anyone has anything kicking around, let me know.

Quite a days work all in all.........

 

[sherlylock]

Shifters - as bought and after some tarting up........

 

[sherlylock]

Decided to throw the Marin together in singlespeed form (pillaged some bits from the MTrax...) for a planned trip to London at the weekend. Quite liking the "rat-look" - ropey looking frame with clean forks and some shiney alloy bits......odd-sized 29.6mm seatpost from ebay also turned up - £10 delivered.

Made an attempt at cleaning up the amber wall schwalbe city jets too - anyone got any tips on removing all the brake grime off these?? What a pain...

Pedals are next up for refurb - hence the "before" shot. Been reading up on the differences on the Deore DX and XT pedals as i wondered what warranted the £30 a pair price tag for secondhand XT's. Presumably their rarity? Anyway - for the time being I'm sticking with the DX's.

Just need Halfords to have a few brake bits in stock and hopefully I can go for the first ride on Sunday......

 

[beavis]

This is great - can't wait to see more!