Cycologist

I have a blue metallic 1957-58 Peugeot with yellow lugs and want to send it out for color repair. On other bikes I don't mind doing it myself. But, on this bike, I don't want to do a complete restore, but rather just condition the frame. I am concerned if I try to color match it myself it won't look right.

There are some scratches that are exposing the metal, so I want this cleaned up before I build it. The frame is a perfect size, hence the color repair.

Has anyone had any success in sending a frame out for color matching and repair?

Doug Fattic 

Well yes but I am a professional painter and most likely repairing a frame I made or painted so I already have the paint in stock. The question is if you have already had your frame repainted with today's urethan paints or is it original? It is quite a different process depending on what type of paint is used. Most paint jobs that I will repair have chips everywhere and that involves touching up all the damaged areas with new paint and then sanding everything down and reclearing the whole frame. The chipped area may have to have several paint applications and standings so everything is level before the final clears go on. There are a number of exceptions to this general outline and maybe some primer or clear is needed before applying the color coats.

rccardr 

Cycologist

Thank you for responding.
The paint and decals are all original and want to keep the bike as original as possible. The frame is a vintage Peugeot PX10 from the late 50's. I believe it's actually a PLX10.

Do you have before and after pictures? That would be great to post them. Also PM email or website.

Thanks

Cycologist

Yes, Joe Bell does do great work. I just hate to have a JB on the rear chain stay. I also would not want to spend 500 for touch ups. I have a completely restored frame redone by CycleArt and they did a fantastic job. It's actually not that much more to do the entire bike than the touch up it appears.

The only problem with the complete restoration of the bike is taking it out and riding it. I'm so careful with that bike, and it looks too new for an early 60's PX10. Again it is gorgeous but I hate scratching the bike up an don't ride it. I think color restoration and repair is part of the maintenance of a bike. I live by ocean and need to always keep the bikes cleaned otherwise they rust.

Doug Fattic 

The kind of paint Europeans used during the age of your bicycle and the kind Americans have used since the bike boom are not the same at all. When I was learning how to build frames at Ellis Briggs in Yorkshire in the 70's, our frame building room on the 2nd floor was next to the painting room. I learned a lot just watching them. They used stove enamels which had to be baked in big ovens once the paint had been sprayed. Most Americans started with Dupont Imron a high gloss epoxy type of paint in which an activator is added just before using so it hardens by chemical action instead of solvents evaporating. Of course polyurethane enamel (which is what Imron is) is made by a number of manufacturers including a company just down the road from me. There is also another type of paint we use too. This difference of paint types means touching up your frame so it looks like new is not a simple process and may not be what a typical American painter can do well.

I don't do as much painting as I used to, I primarily teach frame building and painting classes. What painting I usually do is for student frames. What pictures I take is typically just for documentation and to send to potential students to wow them to realize what they can do if they take my class. Besides that I make no effort to market my building and painting skills.

I would guess that dabbing in a little House of Kolor into a small damaged area would work okay. It is designed to be cleared over with urethane but that is a high gloss paint and is not compatible in looks with the old finish on the frame now. I'm also guessing you don't have big scratches so just letting it air dry would be an improvement over doing nothing and help prevent it from rusting.

RobbieTunes

Dead on, and something a pro can do and should get paid for doing so.
It's painstaking and time-consuming. Done right, very well worth it.

Hope Swift Cycles is doing OK up there in Niles.
Be safe, Doug.