Help me "PATINA" some parts & clean up the bike

[Luckykat32]

I just recently bought a 37 Colson Imperial & was informed by a bike collector there are only 8-10 complete bikes known in existance, so I am excited to own it & I don't want to ruin the "original" look, but I still want to customize it.
I'm wondering how I can "patina" (or break down the chrome a little) on the pedals & make the new paint on the very rare "slat & tube" rack look as old as the bike?

Does anybody have any ideas about patina-ing the new parts & cleaning up the old ones so I can have the bike look like it all came together?

I'm also looking to get rid of the "black" headlight & get a HORN LIGHT...does anyone have one for sale?

Let me know your ideas!

Thanks!

 

[npence]

That is a very cool bike and I would be interested in the headlight if you sell it. Thanks

 

[bairdco]

i've got a 24" colson, '42 i think, that i put a china 2 stroke on. for the newer, upgraded parts, i painted them the same color as the bike (burgandy) then hit it with black overspray, holding the can about a foot and ahalf away. do it kinda uneven and it gives it a good look.

also, i've found the best way to clean up a bike like yours with original paint is just to soak it down with WD-40, then wipe in down with a rag. it's amazing how it turns out.

another trick i did with a re-painted fender was to burn the paint with a bernzomatic torch. the paint will bubble up in spots, turn different colors in others, and gives it an approximate "rust" look.

awesome bike, by the way. i love those old colsons.

 

[bairdco]

here's a before and after:

 

[Talewinds]

Minwax 'Golden Oak' wood stain (it's actually closer to a walnut color) helps put that patina'd look on lighter colors and white walls.

 

[fordsnake]

Here are some excellent tips...follow the thread http://thecabe.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?2510-Fauxstoration&highlight=cycleplane+fenders

 

[markivpedalpusher]

Homemade patina is tricky and it tends to take on a life of it's own...practice, trial and error. In your case the color on the rack is pretty bright I would probably try to find a rattle can color closer to the rest of the bike start there then you may need to mist some black rattle can on top and rub it in. I like to go with color matching original color it makes life so much easier!

As for bringing some color back my personal preference is 0000 steel wool and wd40 then come back with some polishing compound but make sure you mask off any pin stripes with pin striping tape. Some will say steel wool.. your crazy but it's all good!

 

[fordsnake]

Well that didn't work...try Fauxstoration in the Cabe's search

 

[Andrew Gorman]

Amber shellac can make almost anything look dingy- scuff it up with some steel wool, shine it up with some wax and best of all it washes off with alcohol. A light or heavily thinned coat will make the parts look like they spent 40 years in a smoking home.

 

[tobytyler]

have a crome head light with a horn built in to it let me know if your still looking cool bike by the way . ithink the light is from the 50's toby tyler