Simplex factory paint jobs

[Ricks]

As I look at a lot of servi-cycles, I notice that many are painted one color, as in frame and tins the same, but an equal amount are painted with the frame one color, usually black, and the tins some other color.  Did simplex do both, if so, what years?  I know they also produced models with chrome tanks and fenders some years, but does anyone know what years?

Rick

[OEM]

Rick, I can't help you, but I do look forward to reading replies, and I thank you for posting the question.  I will be painting my 52 soon and will not necessarily look for originality but want a sharp appearance and need ideas ...   Thanks again.

[Mike Sal]

I've noticed the same thing. I think part of it may be from the popular custom in the early days of motorcycles when it was common to have the tin & the frame the same color.  This could be part of that 5 dollar special paint charge.

As we're learning more & more about how the company was run, i wonder if another explanation could be that whenever the black pain vat was empty or off line, they just painted the frames with whatever they had on hand.
Mike Sal

[Mike Sal]

Stopped by the powder coater Friday morning only to find a bunch of bare metal bike parts.....he said his supplier had sent satin black instead of gloss black....so he was waiting for another delivery of paint to show up.  Hopefully I'll have it back this week.
Mike Sal

[bill marcum]

Mike
How do you get your parts ready for powder coating, after you sand blasting and find pits in the metal? Bill Marcum

[Ricks]

Bill, as you probably know, you can not use any plastic fillers with powder coating.  My 53 had some minor pitting on the wheels, and after powder coating, is not really noticable. The powder is relatively thick and fills most of the pitting.  I do believe they have powder primer that will fill the pits, and can be sanded before the color coat is done.

BJM is a powder coater, maybe he could answernthesenquestions more thoroughly for us.

Rick

[Mike Sal]

They do have powder primers which can help with uneven surfaces & pitting.  Fortunately, my frame was exceptionally clean & free from rust, so all the parts look really good now that they're naked w/ no paint.  The guy I'm using does both the blasting and the powder coating.  He was blasting off a '56 ford pickup cab when I was there Friday.  Even thou it was a truck from Texas & the tin had no rust, all of the custom treatments (frenched antenna, filled cowl vent, etc) had been full of bondo.  I saw the before photo & it looked great in a candyapple red.  I dunno why the owner wanted it stripped.
Mike Sal

[mywaymfg]

I had thought I would go back with the red color that my bike had originally I found duplicolor candy apple was a perfect match. But truth is I like the blue better still unsure what I will do in the end. Took my daughter to a eye specialist in Springfield, il today and got some disturbing news so I need to refocus my attention for awhile,wish us luck.

[Ricks]

 The guy I'm using does both the blasting and the powder coating.  
Mike Sal

I would think that all powder coaters would blast before coating.  The guy I used said I smoothed the metal to much;  he said to leave a little "tooth" in the metal for better adhesion.  I had sand blasted and then sanded the frame with emory cloth.  He said don't bother blasting the parts yourself, as he would do them again anyway.

Rick

[Ricks]

I had thought I would go back with the red color that my bike had originally I found duplicolor candy apple was a perfect match. But truth is I like the blue better still unsure what I will do in the end. Took my daughter to a eye specialist in Springfield, il today and got some disturbing news so I need to refocus my attention for awhile,wish us luck.

Good Luck to you and your daughter!

Rick

[bill marcum]

mywaymfg, Sorry to hear about your daughter . Hope and pray that every thing is ok. Keep the faith. Bill Marcum

[Vince]

Mywaymfg,

Best of luck to you and your daughter. We'll keep her in our prayers. It's times like this that really puts things in persective.

Vince

[Mike Sal]

Finally got the call from the powdercoater today.  To blast & powder coat the frame & black parts, plus blast the fenders & wheel rims cost me 140 bucks plus a pair of motocross boots I bought 25 years ago but only wore 2 times (the paint shop owner has a 14yr old who likes to ride dirt bikes.....always helps to barter where you can!).

Too bad I broke my water line at one of the hydrants this evening & didn't have any time to play with these pretty black parts.....
Mike Sal

[Ricks]

Mike, that's a great price!  How come you didn't have the rims powder coated?

Rick

[Mike Sal]

Rick, since these guys haven't been in business too long, they don't have a full pallet of colors yet.  They didn't have anything close to the original yellow color of the wheels, so I just had them blast them & I'm going with the krylon "bright idea" color.  I'm hoping I can squeeze them into the oven to bake the paint to help harden it up a little.
Mike Sal