ustainlessllp
Retro Newbie
Hi, I'm Praful, and I work at United Stainless LLP, I have an old retro MTB with original decals I want to keep intact, but the paint is scratched and faded. Not sure what methods won’t ruin the look.
How do I restore the original paint on my 90s MTB frame without damaging decals?
- Thread starter ustainlessllp
- Start date
Lhatch4
Fat Chance Fan
Most people just replace the decals when they restore the frame. There are a handful of businesses that reprint custom decals. The other option would be to mask the decals and find someone to mix up some touchup paint for you that matches the paint in the current condition. It's probably faded so just mixing the color by paint code won't work for touchups. Even then, faded paint isn't uniform in color. Probably won't be a perfect match.
SFP
Devout Dirtbag
This is The Way
focomat 1c
Retro Guru
If you have an interesting retro MTB there are a couple of options . Do you want to retain the existing character of the bike
or re-manufacture it to an ' as new ' condition ? For the former , I would suggest a thorough clean followed by a coat of silicone wax .
This will brighten up the paint without damaging the decals , and has the added benefit of not costing a lot . The secret
of success is to then restore the various components to ' nearly new ' condition , this will distract people from looking closely
at the paint finish . The second option usually involves a complete re-spray with the added expense of new decals and the
components will have to be restored to 'as new ' condition . The bike will then look like new , and you will be afraid to ride it !
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