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Pickers and Sellers! Please refrain from "Cleaning up" bikes & parts!

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Well I recently acquired a phantom frame that some painted over the original paint with black paint some time ago? You can scrape it in some places without damaging the original paint but in other areas the paint seems to be more adhered my question is how does one go about getting that paint off and not damaging the paint below? Is there any kind of solvent or remover that any one can recommend for this process? Would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
 
Well I recently acquired a phantom frame that some painted over the original paint with black paint some time ago? You can scrape it in some places without damaging the original paint but in other areas the paint seems to be more adhered my question is how does one go about getting that paint off and not damaging the paint below? Is there any kind of solvent or remover that any one can recommend for this process? Would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

Search the resto section for "Goof Off" and removing paint. Plenty of tips there. V/r Shawn
 
I’ve bought plenty of parts that were flipped within a week of their picking, that had been cleaned, rolled, re riveted, that I would’ve preferred to have been able to do myself.
I won’t mention any specific examples, because I would probably offend some of the people reading this thread.
To Mikes original point, if you’re just intending to flip it, which in most cases, you know you are.
THEN DON’T FRICKEN MESS WITH IT!
It doesn’t help the sale to doll it up.
We’re a somewhat savvy bunch, and would actually be more enticed by something that looks, as found original.
Just think, if Neil Armstrong had looked out of the Lunar Module, and someone had swept the place and left out a Welcome mat.
They would of just fired off the retro rockets and gone home.
We like the untouched, so that if we the collectors, are going to keep it for our collections, then we are the ones, who get to decide how much if any cleaning and detailing is necessary.
 
Im the middle of the road on this topic...kinda depends on the bike in question. Natural patina is a true blessing and shouldn’t be disturbed. I feel this way with original prewar bikes and parts, but if we’re talking 50’s-60’s stuff.. probably fair game to clean them up.
A reasonable position when considering that prewar stuff is fairly scarce. So many were scrapped/melted for the war effort, and we all know how rough boys can be - bikes were jumped, ghost ridden, or worse - and some tanks, fenders and racks became casualties that were removed until only a bare bones rider remained. Prewar bikes were only 40 years old in 1980 (not too long ago), and in 20 years (not too long from now) a '59 Phantom will be 80 years old, and postwar bikes with OG paint will be scarce. It also depends on what you're doing... I'm doing a dist-restoration soon and will be sand-blasting some pieces to get many layers of crud off so I can match them to OG paint parts.
 
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Odd as it may seem I have come to appreciate some of the older repainted stuff and their “patina”
 
I love to find a nice untouched original bike with the hub and chain and other parts all covered in old caked on grease and the rest of the bike dirty and dusty. I cringe when someone says that they "tried to fix it up a little". Let me decide what needs to be done.
 
I challenge you folks who say don't clean it to post pics of your bikes. I'll bet you jazzed them up at one point. I think what it is, is that we all want untouched stuff so we can be the first ones to screw with it.
I will concede that if you find something good with original dirt and the intent is to flip than leave the dirt. But if I'm buying it with intentions of keeping it, whether that be a day, a week, or 50 years I'm cleaning it up.

Interesting topic, I enjoy hearing everyone's opinions.
 
I dunno. As far as complete bikes go I can see both sides. I've taken crappy paint off and revealed what's left of nice original color and the rust and scars that got painted over. That's where I leave it, after a coat of Meguiars 21 wax sealant. Protects the original paint nicely. In my book brings it back to a nice original. Replace bad screws if needed with period ones, and just kinda go over the bike. Most of these bikes were abused for years and need a little love to be proud again ! On the other hand I have a bike parked in a basement in 1948 with taped up flat tires and lots of gunk. To me that is a time piece and I just have to leave it and get my enjoyment from looking at it. After all I've said I do agree with Mike and know what he's talking about. You don't want to get ocd and clean and buff everything till you know what it's purpose will be. I stay away from restored. Not everything in this world has to be shiny new perfect. Hope I didn't offend any $350,000 fiberglass hot rod guys, but I guess everyone enjoys things differently.
 
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