Proper way to clear-coat over steel?

[tubes_rock]

I'm working in restoring a 1987 Rebel 450. The battery box is a chromed steel box on the right side of the bike, like many Harleys have. The problem is that the bike was poorly stored and the chrome is all bubbled off. I was thinking I could remove all the chrome with some sanding and then polish the steel itself with wet/dry sandpaper and steel wool to get it almost mirror-like. Then maybe I could clear-coat it. It wouldn't be chrome bright, but it would still look good, I think.

The question is, how do you clear-coat that steel without using a base coat of some sort? Do they make a clear primer or something?

Anyone have experience or advice in this area?

--Justin

[txironhead]

They're making pretty good "chrome" paint now, not sure how well it lasts. Don't think clear coating bare metal's going to do that well, maybe if you used clear designed for engines like Dupli-Color Engine Enamel clear. Otherwise, I'd lean towards some type of two-part epoxy paint. Maybe something from Eastwood would work.

[tubes_rock]

I was trying to avoid "chrome" paint, since the last time I used it (10 years ago or so) it looked pretty terrible. I'll have to get a can of new stuff and do some testing and see how it works.

Thanks!

--Justin

[h13man]

Besides needing primer on bare steel, the newer chrome paints are better but they're just not chrome. I presently use Rustoleum brand when needed. The only drawback is, if one uses clearcoat it turns out silver looking.

[txironhead]

http://www.eastwood.com/specialty-co...ero-11-oz.html

[tubes_rock]

Hmmm, that Eastwood product looks interesting. Do you have experience with it?

--Justin

[txironhead]

Not with that particular paint, but I have used Eastwood products for years and I've never had a problem with any of them, other than the price. For most paint work, I use Dupli-Color because it's cheaper and is easily found locally. But their specialty items are fantastic, restoration gurus and "numbers perfect" show vehicles use them all the time. Their buffing and polishing supplies are fantastic, and their "cadmium plating in a can" is almost indistinguishable from the original.

[morepower]

I don't know what product was used, but in my area there is a Softail with parts of the tins painted and other parts just bare metal with a pattern sanded into it with a disc sander then clear coated. It looks pretty sharp.

[txironhead]

That trick was used on the OLD street rods, around the '50's, very popular on dashes. If I remember correctly, there's a how-to about that on the Eastwood site. They do it with sanding drums or scotchbrite discs, can't remember. Sometimes you can find a machine shop that knows how to do it.

This would look cool: http://www.flickr.com/photos/15765624@N08/4406389530/

The correct term for the original "old school" sanding is Engine Turning, here's a good link for pics: http://www.cs.ucr.edu/~eamonn/et/et.htm

And a great how-to video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jf5dqUIT-eo

["Captain D"]

I`ve seen bare metal under a clear coat, it looks really good to me...
Folks are using a polishing wheel fer the "design" then putting a clear over it...
Just make sure you metal is CLEAN when you apply the clear is what I`ve found to be true...