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Hope someone can guide me a bit here on my 1954 FL Bubble Bags, (Royal Lite). Parts books refer to them as "plastic" bags. They look fibreglass to me and were originally black. However, someone painted em cream white, looks real bad now with all the chipping and flaking. I'd like to remove that cream color and go back to black. How can I remove that old paint without sanding off the Factory embossed printing on the wheel side of each bag? They didnt offer them in white till later as a replacement. I prefer to keep them as they came on the machine. Would laquer thinner be a risk? Or possibly Acetone? Sure wouldnt want them sag out of shape or cave in in places....Can anyone offer some advise here? thank you
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Perhaps some kind of media blasting [walnut shells] would work.
This isn't as rough as bead blasting and keeps the temperatue down. I have had one set painted Birch White, which looks OK.
VPH-D -
Yes, thank you, walnut shells sounds good. Birch White is a nice choice and if these were That color I'd stay with it. But according to Bruce Palmers book, they came out in early production in black as these were. White later, like 56-57 on production bikes and also replacements backwards. With that, altho nice, white bags on a 54 would look like replacements to the sharp eyed. I'm too fussy maybe huh?Originally posted by VPH-D
Perhaps some kind of media blasting [walnut shells] would work.
This isn't as rough as bead blasting and keeps the temperatue down. I have had one set painted Birch White, which looks OK.
VPH-DComment
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Hey Parts Hunt...As you may know by now the bags are Plastic and not fiberglass. I've done this with a set of Royalite bags that had several heavy coats. The Walnut shells is a good suggestion as it wouldn't destroy the texture of the bags as well. On my set that I did a few years ago the paint was to thick. I was hesitant to use any chemicals as to permeate the plastic bag and destroy the hide like texture that they have molded into them. I found Eastwood Industries (restorer supplier) has a chemical called Dekote that I did use and was surprised how it only went after the paint and not the plastic. I did have to do some clean up with the media blaster to get my final result. As always I'd use all caution when working with plastic. Eastwood is based in Pottstown Pa, and is well known for their Restoration supplies worldwide. Good luck it takes some patience to get it done right. Merlin in Pa.Comment
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partshunt,
Your 54 would have black Royalites. The one set I had painted were for my wife's XLH, and were originally white. By all means, leave yours black. I have another set of black Royalites that are in pretty nice condition. The color is not quite glossy, but kind of a matte finish.
VPH-DComment
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sted by yourself and Magic here in this site.Hello VPH-D and Magic...I finally have gotten to the point where I'm working on these bubble bags we discussed a few months back. I have blasted the Birch White paint off the bags with walnut shells as juggested by yourself and Magic here in this site. I need to thank you both for your help and just letting you know the walnut shells seem to be doing the job tp get the bags back to the black color finish. The texture is intact and looks original condition. Glad they didnt sand the surface down before paiting. I am using a medium walnut media at this time. I may need to go to something a bit finer as some of the primer in the smallest crevises is not coming out easliy. Posibly the Decote be next you mentioned but cant wait for it in the mail. Still have the other bag to do tomorrow then will find a finer powder I think to clean em up. They look like they will have a black semigloss close to matt finish. Be good to just leave it at that huh? thanks...JoeOriginally posted by VPH-D
partshunt,
Your 54 would have black Royalites. The one set I had painted were for my wife's XLH, and were originally white. By all means, leave yours black. I have another set of black Royalites that are in pretty nice condition. The color is not quite glossy, but kind of a matte finish.
VPH-DComment
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If your bags have a semi-gloss finish, I'd leave them alone. The black set I have, has a sort of matte finish that I'm going to use as is on my wife's 57.
VPH-DComment
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