Saving Old Seagulls

Can anyone tell me a decent (silver) paint for a silver century block? Is smoothrite ok?

I think the silver version of this is the best match.

http://www.hammerite.co.uk/products/dir ... finish.jsp

H-A

i use SIMONIZ engine enamel spray.
aluminium in colour, its not a bad match at all, similar to smoothrite, except the simoniz is heat resistant up to 300 degrees C.

if the engine blocks have to black, i use a brush on paint in high gloss finish (sometimes satin) again by simoniz which dries within 24 hours and gives a really nice tough chip resistant finish and its heat resistant as well up to 260 degrees (slightly less than the silver/aluminium)

jon

Thanks guys, I will get hold of one of those. I had some crappy metal paint in the shed but didn't want to crack on with that just to have to do the job again six months later! P.S. I guess both of those are also fine for gearboxes?

with gearboxes i would use the smoothrite silver spray paint. its not a bad match as far as colour goes, its pretty good at wear resistance and is easily touchable if you get a scratch or ding.
if you've got a "holey" gearbox instead of slots on the water inlet, then dont paint it!
very roughly at about 1957 (ish) the gearboxes changed to a later design (with slots replacing the holes) and those later gearboxes were painted.
prior to that the gearboxes were left semi-polished. ( i think they look better like that)

so, up to 1957 (thereabouts) gearboxes are NOT painted
after 1957 (slotted water inlet) gearboxes were painted.

jon

Never used smoothrite on a gearbox before, probably because I have never restored a late one.
But is it ok to use on aluminium or do you need a acid etch primer, I do remember reading something on the tin/can in the past.

KEITH
usually when i'm painting a "newer" gearbox thats already been done in the past, i try not to take much of the original paint off.
if its got plenty of paint already missing (like most of them usually are by now) then yes, i'll use a little etch primer to help things stick.
only problem i've found with smoothrite is it takes ages to dry. (anything up to a week depending on temperature,particularly on aly parts)

jon

Yes its not that quick drying, but I do most of my painting inside, kitchen table, only when its too cold out, so its dry enough to handle in a day.
The spray stuff is pretty thin, which doesn't help with application or the drying process, luckily I got hold of some 750ml tins for only £2.99 clearance price, so I have stock, much better stuff then the spray.

Try making a small test sample of Smoothrite let it dry for a week & then drip some 2-stroke fuel mix on it, & let us know how you get on.

Not that I cover my seagulls in fuel, but most things don't stand up will being covered in fuel.

Charles I think you need some tips from this man, when it comes to paintwork.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRITISH-SEAGU ... 1c4580a53c

A couple of years ago, I'd just given a Seagull 4 a full rebuild & repaint, waited a few days until the paint was dry took it outside for a test run, filled the tank & lower unit, opened the fuel tap & primed the carb, only for the flooding carb to drip on the lower unit.

The drips went straight through 2 coats of smoothright & one of green zinc chromate primer leaving a beautifull area of clean aluminium.

I still use the same paints, but leave for about 3 weeks after which it seems to be modern petrol proof.

Well I used the Simoniz on a block (in situ) and it looks bonny but I have not fired it up yet. I also did another spare silver century block and a prop .... these got a baking in the oven as tin suggests. The prop was fine but some spots on the block bubbled (poor prep perhaps). I would however have considered it a reasonable success apart from the fact that it stank out the kitchen with a smell like burning tyres .......................... the wife is not amused!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!