Messages

46

Maico / Re: 1974 maico

« on: February 14, 2018, 11:48:59 AM »

Amazing skills there Husky.

Spoke to Geoff, showed him some genuine original Maico items.
His opinion is similar to Maicosammler's.

Geoff said straight away it's too thin to be more than one coat. Too thin to be layered up from multiple coats.
He said most car wheel silvers on steel are single coat applications. Less prone to chipping than thick composition of multiple coats.

Maico were proudly producing bikes under the 100Kg mark.
Why then would they add a build up of three layered WEIGHT for a so called works bike?
Doesn't make any sense. Someone may have done it since? I doubt it would have been Maico.

I am with Geoff, Maicosammler and my own "firsthand" experience on this one.
Incidentally, I have most color Maicos. Geoff had given me a VW color chart years ago, misplaced ATM.
I checked every color at the time, There was/is a silver on it that matched perfectly,,, probably the wheel silver?

47

General Discussion / Re: Sponsors

« on: February 11, 2018, 01:31:16 PM »

there is no politician who has a big enough set of kahoonas to take on the welfare system. the people who vote for a living far outnumber the people who WORK for a living........

Ha,   You'll be on the que too if this Vegan thing catches on   

48

General Discussion / Re: Sponsors

« on: February 11, 2018, 01:29:07 PM »

One of the only charities who gives 80% of the gross income they make to the people they say they represent is the Salvo's. A lot of so called charities give under 10%. The church in most cases is under 1%. If It was up to me I would remove the charity status from anyone who didn't give at least 75% and make them pay company tax rate at 30% including the Church. I reckon you could fix up a few schools and Hospitals with that money.

Where's the LIKE button when you need one.

49

Maico / Re: 1974 maico

« on: February 10, 2018, 10:48:36 PM »

There is a very old retiring paint expert opposite me. I will give him an original NOS Maico Silver piece during the week and leave it with him for a return opinion without briefing him on this discussion. He can scrape it, sand it, do what he like with it to give me his impression.

This guy is a master paint and panel genius of exotica. I have watched his work for exactly thirty years.
The rarity of the vintage bikes and cars has been phenomenal.

Ok to speak of it now Security wise, because he is into his seventies, emptied the joint and retired.
I watched him with an "English Wheel" Make/fabricated and sat there with a mask on and watch him oxy weld aluminium panels on those Austin Healey bugeye sprite things etc. Such a genius talent.
Very sad to see him retire, I will miss his company and knowledge immensely.

He is old school.
He is the reason I can Oxy Weld Aluminium.   

50

Maico / Re: 1974 maico

« on: February 10, 2018, 10:21:18 PM »

Incidentally I bought that Silver paint from Aldi with one thing in mind. To see if it was a close match
to those silver Maico frames? It is!

Obviously another thing that I never got around to.

I Should have done a test and then left it out in the weather to see how it stands up. By spraying a fine grey etch on to a mechanically etched surface, as it dries to touch, spray it straight away with this Aldi silver and as it dries to tachy dry, spray it again with that new Expensive HARD clear rattle can that Supercheap Auto sell.

Don't Know if they are compatible products to mix/apply, but the color of this Aldi Silver is a near to perfect color Match.

51

Maico / Re: 1974 maico

« on: February 10, 2018, 09:38:55 PM »

Two flakes of the very same silver paint, that I did only one coat with a $2 throw away BRUSH. I have turned one flake upside down. What do we see "observe"? It appears to be grey etch primer, but the top to atmosphere dried flake appears as silver gloss finish. Don't figure?
 By design. One coat paint technology by design.

I have always believed the same went for these silver framed Maicos,,,
As a Kid, I wet sanded that frame many times. If you blink you will miss the very fine separation of black witness between the silver gloss upper and the greyish under level,,, It is just the way the Emulsified WET products separate as applied and then dry. Try it.

52

Maico / Re: 1974 maico

« on: February 10, 2018, 09:38:44 PM »

Suppose I could have been more polite in my previous reply.

I remember reading about the white/black/silver scheme in a Maico restoration story written by Terry Good the US works bike collector.
Sounded unlikely for the factory to go to pointless trouble with multiple coats so I assumed it was because that particular bike had a frame color history.

Yes I do not think Maico went to the trouble of making an exception for one bike.
I read that too at the time.
Trouble is with interwed overload? Sometimes there is new info to learn, sometimes the info is wrong. To many better things to do than debate, research or argue.
  GB for example accounts that when his works bikes were built/supplied, they were supplied with a few little tricks here and there, but basically not much different than production. They were just selective of the best parts. Like using the crank which was "truest" etc.
 
In regard to comments about paint? I don't think it is a matter of a deceptive opinion. I probably should have said that and been way more polite Nebo. I believe it is more likely a matter of a floored or "miss-judged" observation. ie; It appeared to be several different built up coats when lightly sanding back the original frame paint. 

How to explain? ? ? ? WET liquid Paint is an "emulsification" of other base substances and products of certain dissimilar values. The emulsification is the stirring forced mixing process, just like when small amounts of cooling water intrude into the sump of a car engine. If drained immediately, it appears as a milkish "homogeneous" solution(has been emulsified). Let it stand overnight, it is then obvious that it has seperated back to mainly heavier water at the bottom and an oily sludge on top. Leave it for years in a sealed container, then the observation is that is has nearly returned to the original two substances.

Not to the same extent, though to a degree the same goes for paints, Especially one coat silver wheel paint. Paints are explained as an "emulsification" of sub components. I bought some of those one liter German paints from Aldi when they first appeared years back. I used it on a trailer repair. All paint has to be stirred before application because it separates whilst stored.
I am sure we have all seen the layer and depth of clear lacquer on top when opening a tin that has sat for 6 months. Now no matter how long you stir this SILVER paint for with a blender in a drill. THE VERY MOMENT YOU STOP, WHAT APPEARS ARE FINE STREAKS OF BLACK SPIRALLING IN A VORTEX PATTERN BACK TO THE CENTER SHAFT OF THE 2,800 RPM STIRRER. Does not matter how long you stir it for or how long in a paint shop shaker. It always immediately shows separation and the lines of black. Put a drop onto a surface get your jeweler's loupe out and observe the fine black line at the outer edge.

 OK, so this trailer lives out on the street in the elements. I gave it one coat of this silver onto the newly welded "duragal" piece. I did a very quick rush Job. NO PRIMER OK! Only one quick brush coat, FULL STOP!   

I just scrapped of a couple of flakes. I have turned one of them over, so we can see what it Appears like on the underside as it dried all them years ago.

53

Maico / Re: 1974 maico

« on: February 10, 2018, 01:48:18 PM »

There are hundreds of silvers, just like there are hundreds of whites.

OEM MAICO Frame Paint.

     First Coat White Primer.  Then Gloss Black. Top Coat Silver Grey.

Definitely NOT Nebo. I scored a brand new 74 Non LTR as a young child in 74. I still have it.
My late brother bought a 75, I now own it.
I have an original unrestored 125 LTR. I have several original 76AW frames.

All of the three bikes above and the frames have silver only on them. No Primer, No blake, silver only, straight onto the bare metal.
I have owned 9 VW's, turned 3 into Dune buggies. Parted of rims, rolled and welded in wideners for balloon tyres. I can attest the Maico frame silver was/is a match to the VW wheel silver of the day.

I do not know who "Maicosammler" is? but it is great to see a breath of truth and accuracy come to this forum. This thread is a good example of how historical truth becomes lost with opinion and miss-information as years go by.

In 1974 Maico switched the frame colour from black to silver. Tell me the frame-# so I can tell you the colour of the bike.

Black was standard RAL 9005.
Silver was a one-coat varnish for car rims like this https://www.ebay.de/itm/162355384269

Regards Ulrich

--> http://www.classic-motorrad.de/galerie/thumbnails.php?album=lastupby&uid=2278

Welcome Maicosammler!

54

Tech Talk / Re: Need help with 240 volt tig welder selection please

« on: February 06, 2018, 10:38:23 PM »

I have had a couple of looks at that welding forum you put up Shelpi,, lots of good stuff there, Thanks.

You too thanks Geoff and Sleepy,, I will be certainly reading all this over for supply choices etc when I start.

Cheers  

55

Tech Talk / Re: Need help with 240 volt tig welder selection please

« on: February 06, 2018, 10:21:53 PM »

Mine had a seperate HF box for Alloy welding.. it was missing when I went to pick it up....   life is full of theives 

Mick, pretty sure I've got one of those boxes at my other house - you're welcome to it if you want it,
Pete.

That would be awesome thanks Pete 

56

General Discussion / Re: CZ Sidepiper build

« on: February 06, 2018, 10:04:55 PM »

Love your counter sprocket cover Zane,,, better than a bought one 

57

Introductions / Re: New member

« on: February 05, 2018, 02:17:04 PM »

Sounds like a 1980 "T" model Dan,, which may of been pre-compliance at the end of 1979.

I believe the 200 serial prefix is 1980? The good thing about this place is there is someone to always immediately correct one when they are wrong? 

Out of my three PE175s I liked the power delivery of 1980 T the most> best suited for trail riding I thought.
Although the "Z" could float faster 
          Mick.

58

Introductions / Re: New member

« on: February 05, 2018, 12:09:40 PM »

Welcome to the Zoo Dan Plenty of PE175 lovers here.

Which model do you have?

Mick.

59

Tech Talk / Re: Need help with 240 volt tig welder selection please

« on: February 04, 2018, 12:14:09 AM »

Arhh, Ok thats what the box was,,, an AC/DC converter,,, because I was making S/S boat tanks at work

I got a lot to do,,, hope I live for another 40 years

I love the way you worked in the story about the Tits well done Sleepy

60

Tech Talk / Re: Need help with 240 volt tig welder selection please

« on: February 03, 2018, 11:32:57 PM »

They still seem to pull good money. 2 on Gumtree ATM for $700 each.

Mine had a seperate HF box for Alloy welding.. it was missing when I went to pick it up....   life is full of theives