# Sun Fading



## bikiba (Mar 23, 2015)

hey guys

i recently purchased this rocket. It is all there in terms of pieces [ not sure about the seat ] and i love it. I actually put it together last night and aired up the what i think are orig tires and gave it a ride. Was pretty comfy even with everything old/grimy and not tightened properly.

so a quick question, I have read through all of the member's posts regarding trying to recover the next layer of paint and then clear coating once you have gotten there, but has any one seen such an extensive sun fading before?

i have to take some proper pictures in the sun, but here was the forsale pic





and then this is the maroon under the kickstand. I am pretty sure it was not repainted because the tops of the fenders show maroon where they are covered and the back of the rack is also a transition [ sort of a pain missing link ] of the brownish orange you see to a deeper red/pink to the maroonish red it is supposed to be with no flaking of paint. I will post better pics eventually.




so like i mentioned earlier, has anyone seen this level of fading? and do you think it is recoverable?


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## vincev (Mar 23, 2015)

Have you tried WD 40? It will really darken it up.


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## bikiba (Mar 23, 2015)

vincev said:


> Have you tried WD 40? It will really darken it up.




vince - actually i haven't touched a thing yet. just assembled and took for a chilly ride up and down the block at midnight.  i think i am going to give it a precleaning photoshoot and then a nice clean up. Then take the underside of one of the fenders and attempt a super light abrasive polish and see what it looks like.


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## vincev (Mar 23, 2015)

Kool.Sometimes some of the waxes,etc.really bring out a color.I used to use something called Nu Finish and it really worked nicely.


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## the tinker (Mar 23, 2015)

I remember that stuff "nu finish' It did work good with almost no buffing. kind of like Armor all products.
very nice bike. I have a rocket like it and the tank and chain guard are faded also. Am afraid to buff the tank . dont want to remove the graphics...........


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## rustjunkie (Mar 23, 2015)

Maybe try some 0000 steel wool on the underside somewhere inconspicuous. I've had good luck with this dry and with WD40, then finish with Flitz Polish & Paint Restorer:


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## bikiba (Mar 23, 2015)

rustjunkie said:


> Maybe try some 0000 steel wool on the underside somewhere inconspicuous. I've had good luck with this dry and with WD40, then finish with Flitz Polish & Paint Restorer:




that is AMAZING!


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## vincev (Mar 23, 2015)

WOW,that works!


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## Pantmaker (Mar 23, 2015)

I have had great results with boiled linseed oil on paint like this with a well earned patina . It's more about going with what you got and giving it more depth and richness. Careful with the stuff though. My close calls with it are legendary.


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## kos22us (Mar 23, 2015)

when it comes to cleaning paint on bicycles I use two products only, boiled linseed oil as pantmaker mentioned & meguiar's cleaner wax

I strongly advise you try the meguiar's cleaner wax I think it would be perfect for what your trying to do, use it on a clean soft cloth It will shine, if you rub really hard it'll remove paint so go easy and youll get down to the more vibrant shade your looking for


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## kos22us (Mar 24, 2015)

bikiba you need to clear out some pm's from your inbox


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## bikiba (Mar 24, 2015)

kos22us said:


> bikiba you need to clear out some pm's from your inbox




thanks... cleared


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## scrubbinrims (Mar 24, 2015)

After cleaning on a number of different manufacturers from the 30's through the 50's, you come to realize that not all manufacturers painted the same and used the same materials... in my opinion, Westfield and Shelby made bikes that are more succeptable to cosmetic deterioration and thin without much gloss, whereas MOH, HP Snyder, IJ, and Schwinn used more durable enamels that clean up better.  Colson and CWC are somewhere in between and varies somewhat.
So what I am working on makes a difference with how I approach the situation.
Either you need to chemically (rust remover like Whink) or physically (steel wool with and oil), but the trick it to work in sections and wipe off promptly, and a little effort first and ramp up to the desired result.
Also the suggestion to work in a less visible location is a good one.
Chris


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## Duck (Mar 24, 2015)

Sometimes a hunch is all you have to go on- here's mine; That "color" looks a lot like Red Oxide (rust, in round about terms) Were it mine, I'd work it as though rust removal were my main focus- I believe the color (what remains of it) will be there when the rust is gone.


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## bikiba (Mar 25, 2015)

So here are some pics i took last night

dirty





post wiping




after about 10mins with steel wool and a bit of wd40




i think this is going to be slow moving. at least after the wiping/oiling it looks nice.


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## bikiba (Mar 25, 2015)

interesting... take a look at this bike: http://www.ebay.com/itm/MONARK-ROCKET-BALLOON-TIRE-FRAME-RAT-ROD-BIKE-FRAME-26-POSTWAR-FRAME-/111627614500?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19fd863924

looks like a twin to mine and you can see on the underside how it is more orange than the orig red. I can imagine what circumstances got mine SO orange.


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## rustjunkie (Mar 25, 2015)

bikiba said:


> interesting...I can imagine what circumstances got mine SO orange.




What state did yours come from?


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## bikiba (Apr 2, 2015)

rustjunkie said:


> What state did yours come from?




I checked the box it came in and it said South Dakota... is tht the paintfading sunshine state?


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## abe lugo (Apr 2, 2015)

Here a post the red paint polishing.
http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showth...-Make-old-orange-turn-red&highlight=paint+red
just take it easy on the decorations, logos, stripes, water decals or silk screened art like the tank art.


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## bikiba (Apr 20, 2015)

My eldest daughter and I went on our first spring bike ride this Sunday. She rode her 1970s columbia banana seat bike with sissy bars and i took out for the first time my 1947[?] Monark Rocket. On it's maiden voyage it was anything but a rocket.

- right pedal needs an overhaul... i think i have the right replacement block for it
- surface rust all over
- i put a seat from the 30s [ i think ], just because i like it
- rear rack is in the garage, was lazy to put it on and one of the tabs is broken
- horn in the tank i have to fix [ i hope ]
- front light needs a derusting and top! Anyone have a top they are willing to let go of?
- lots of dirt all over. All i did was give it a wipe with a wet towel
- the new departure coaster brake is not working right, i have to pedal 1.5 rotations forward to engage or 1.5 back to brake! so me and olivia went quite slowly 
of course i had to throw on the rocket grips i had from another bike!

most importantly, she told me she loves to go on the bike rides


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## SirMike1983 (Apr 20, 2015)

It is at the stage where it is a "rolling work in progress". Some people do all the work, then assemble and ride. Some people do some of the work to get it on the road, then improve more gradually while they can also ride the bike. Nothing wrong with the bike being on the road, but still a work in progress. The important part is that you have a solid core to build around, and I think you have that indeed. 



bikiba said:


> My eldest daughter and I went on our first spring bike ride this Sunday. She rode her 1970s columbia banana seat bike with sissy bars and i took out for the first time my 1947[?] Monark Rocket. On it's maiden voyage it was anything but a rocket.
> 
> - right pedal needs an overhaul... i think i have the right replacement block for it
> - surface rust all over
> ...


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## bikiba (Apr 22, 2015)

Thanks Mike. I have so many in the garage in various states that I told myself that this summer, regardless of their completeness I am going to at least get them all out for a ride.

I was doing some surgery on the right pedal and I now have a casualty...if anyone has a Wald pedal bolt and block for sale I would appreciate it... I tried to get off and straighten the orig bolt and it was so rusted and weak when I turned it the metal just ripped.


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