Perfect Match blues and prepping plastic

[robnorth]

Hi there. I'm planning on painting my bike (1994 Yamaha Virago 535), and was thinking I'd go rattlecan Duplicolor all the way. (Only paid $1400 for it, not going to pay hundreds for a pro job. It's my "learning" bike, just started riding 2 years ago, and learning how to fix and maintain it myself, too.)

I've looked around at various cars to decide what colour I wanted, and I've decided I like the Ford/Mazda Sonic Blue Pearl (BFM0378) best. But now I'm thinking "ghost flames?", after seeing a really nice ghost flame job in blue on another bike a while back.

So I'm thinking "Which Perfect Match blue would be just the right amount lighter than the Sonic to do good ghost flames?" (I saw a project at a GM Truck Club forum where someone did this on the hood of his truck in red, using two close shades of red from Duplicolor.) Or, is there some other way of doing this rattlecan style that someone's used successfully?

And second, what's the best way to prep plastic for this? I've got two plastic side covers that I want to paint to match; do I need to find a stripper to strip their paint right off, or is there a way of rough sanding/etching/priming that would work better?

(One last thought: Duplicolor Nite Lites. Would a light coat of that on the flames be overkill? Would you spray that under or over the clearcoat? And yes, I'm thinking Spraymax for the clearcoat, at least on the tank.)

[Dupli-Color-Specialist]

So I'm thinking "Which Perfect Match blue would be just the right amount lighter than the Sonic to do good ghost flames?" (I saw a project at a GM Truck Club forum where someone did this on the hood of his truck in red, using two close shades of red from Duplicolor.) Or, is there some other way of doing this rattlecan style that someone's used successfully?

A: Ghosting means transparent so in most cases ghost flames are done with a clear pearl. The Nite Lites would work for this.

And second, what's the best way to prep plastic for this? I've got two plastic side covers that I want to paint to match; do I need to find a stripper to strip their paint right off, or is there a way of rough sanding/etching/priming that would work better?

A: If the plastic was already painted then you can just scuff and use Filler Primer. Please take a look at the Sticky at the top of this thread.

(One last thought: Duplicolor Nite Lites. Would a light coat of that on the flames be overkill? Would you spray that under or over the clearcoat? And yes, I'm thinking Spraymax for the clearcoat, at least on the tank.)

A: You would have to use a clear lacquer or urethane over the Nite Lites.

Primer
Color
Nite Lites
Clear

[robnorth]

Thanks, Brian! I really appreciate that!

If I didn't want to go with Nite-Lites, what other Duplicolor product would work as a clear pearl?

[Dupli-Color-Specialist]

Thanks, Brian! I really appreciate that!

If I didn't want to go with Nite-Lites, what other Duplicolor product would work as a clear pearl?

If you wanted to go the Spray Gun route we have our Metallic Clear in the Paint Shop line that uses a Pearl base. BSP301. The only other ghost type product we have is our Clear Effex and that has more of a multi-colored flake, EFX100 aerosol.