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Removing rust from paint, exhausting my resources

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Hardy har har :rolleyes:

I meant like an antiquing type of process. When I first got the bike, I was opposed to repainting the frame because I think the newly painted frame and fork will stick out against the 62 year old parts too much. Would be better than having the frame rusty though.
 
... Forum member 72runner swears by soaking painted parts in wood bleach ... He says it makes the rust disappear without hurting the paint ...
 
... Here are some before and after pics of his Grey Ghost that was soaked in wood bleach ... The whole bike was taken apart and soaked in it ...
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Very good info! Judging by the wear on the rest of the parts (they were in an attic, bike itself ridden for decades after they were removed), I would say there are a lot of areas that will be barren of any paint, especially on the rear tubes of the frame, where the chain, kickstand, road debris, and other things wore the paint off. That allowed the rust to start. The top tubes, seat tube, down tube, and headtube seem to have paint, but it is very thin, almost looks like it faded badly in the sun in some areas.

An evapo-rust bath may be the last step to take before a repaint. But, I'll cross that bridge when I get to it :( See what I mean though? The frame and fork are oxidized badly while all other parts, while scratched, are in very good condition. A repaint, as hard as it is for me to swallow on this rare bike, may be the BEST solution in my eyes. I mean, the tank almost looks like it didn't come with that frame because the colors are so drastically different.

View attachment 459392

Probably so. There's a very good chance that soaking in Oxalic Acid or Evaporust puts you on the road to re-paint, just because the paint is so distressed. That being said, my inclination might be to leave it alone and go as-is. It's original and part of the biography of that particular bike. So someone put the accessories in the attic and rode it bare bones for awhile; that's the life of this bike and the condition is reflective of it. It's a sort of authenticity, I think.

If it were a common 3-speed or something of that sort, re-paint, sure. But I think you have an uncommon, original and fairly authentic representation of what that bike is as an artifact.
 
Probably so. There's a very good chance that soaking in Oxalic Acid or Evaporust puts you on the road to re-paint, just because the paint is so distressed. That being said, my inclination might be to leave it alone and go as-is. It's original and part of the biography of that particular bike. So someone put the accessories in the attic and rode it bare bones for awhile; that's the life of this bike and the condition is reflective of it. It's a sort of authenticity, I think.

If it were a common 3-speed or something of that sort, re-paint, sure. But I think you have an uncommon, original and fairly authentic representation of what that bike is as an artifact.
That is the only thing holding me back on repainting. I do not plan to sell the bike, and would rather see the blue paint instead of the deep rust over the frame.

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Probably so. There's a very good chance that soaking in Oxalic Acid or Evaporust puts you on the road to re-paint, just because the paint is so distressed. That being said, my inclination might be to leave it alone and go as-is. It's original and part of the biography of that particular bike. So someone put the accessories in the attic and rode it bare bones for awhile; that's the life of this bike and the condition is reflective of it. It's a sort of authenticity, I think.

If it were a common 3-speed or something of that sort, re-paint, sure. But I think you have an uncommon, original and fairly authentic representation of what that bike is as an artifact.

Some more thoughts, along this train...rust vs paint....

I do like history, obviously, and the story behind this bike is documented, and unique. Most bikes get stashed away and the whole thing is pristine, or the sheet metal parts get removed and scrapped. Lost to time. Somehow, 95% of this bike was saved either by a hoarder or someone who just had the foresight to know that he better save the parts, since Huffy advertised these bikes being built in limited numbers even then. If I leave this as it is and proceed with the mechanical and electrical work, it is a living artifact. A Dayton-built survivor displayed anytime I ride it and the story I will tell matches the look of the bike.

I really am stuck in a quandary. I have confidence that even with the frame and fork getting repainted, this being a true blue Radiobike won't be drawn into question because of the documentation here on CABE and RRB. Plus, all of the parts for it will be left original. The story behind this particular bike, serial 5H075871, is also now known here for all of time. The sheet metal parts still have an incredible luster to them, so much so that a slightly aged fresh paint job on the frame and fork can really do it justice. The vintage whitewall tires are going to be cleaned and the chrome re-done anyway, why not spruce up the frame and fork too? Seeing Scott's pristine blue bike strongly makes me consider a repaint, because blue is one of my favorite colors.

I like to preserve history, but I also envision how much more gorgeous the bike can be with a new shot of candy blue.
 
66 Auto color in Joplin, Missouri sells House of Kolor candy base coat. It's much easier than candy paint to use. Comes in a lot of great colors. You get the candy look without all the hassle of candy paint. Used it on my 1958 Red Phantom with great results. Give it a look.
 
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