Who are the good paint shops in Tampa?

[dt]

One of the important parts of restoring my old bikes is getting the tank and fenders painted to the original manufacturer’s colors and designs. Can you tell me who the good, low-cost, and fast paint shops are in Tampa for tanks, fenders and things like that? Perhaps the bad, as well, while you’re at it.

I’ve been using Custom World up on Nebraska, but they’re moving (or maybe already moved) to Lakeland and I’d like to find someone close.

[mrbones]

I'd like to know to when you find something out. What kind of bikes are you restoring?

[dt]

I'll be sure to provide feedback on some paint shops when I find them.

I restore vintage dirt bikes (motocross and trials); 1975 and older...the types of bikes I rode/raced way back then as a kid. I was trying to plug a picture in here of a 1975 Honda Trials bike I just completed and sold to a guy in Colorado.

[mrbones]

I checked out the bikes on your page. Those things looks great. I've never ridden a trials bike. I bet the northern part of Croom in the hilly areas is a lot of fun. I've seen trials bikes out there before.

[mrbones]

Here's a recent ad on Craigslist in case you are looking for another to restore.

http://tampa.craigslist.org/hil/mcy/888915379.html

[dt]

Hey, thanks for that lead on the TL125. I don't usually look at Craig's list for leads on old bikes. Obviously, I should.

Vintage Trials seem to be pretty hot right now. I've been riding dirt (and street) bikes for 35 year, but that TL250 I just restored is the first time I've ever ridden a trials (yup...in the North Croom Quarry). I'll share my thoughts...now that I've sold it...it was the size of a kids bike (the seat only came up to just above my knee), yet the monsterous 250cc four-stroke OHC engine caused the bike to weigh more than a contemporary 650, and, worst of all, the first three gears can be characterized as useful only for dragging a plow in the corn field.

[mrbones]

Very interesting. Aren't all trials bikes small and geared low?

[mrbones]

Ever find one?

[dt]

Ever find one?

No, but I don't recall looking too hard. I got a grav-fed sprayer kit with a couple sizes and have used those a couple times, but if I needed a "really" good job, I'd probably still take my stuff over to Chester at Custom World in Lakeland.

Maybe some of the new members have some leads.

[niteman]

I'd be interested in leads on decent paint shops in the area as well. I need to repaint the scoot and I'm not sure i want to tackle it myself as I am admittedly not a good painter. 

[dt]

Ya know...after that post up there I ran past Custom World's place over on Nebraska and they're back. It was up for sale for awhile and I had some thoughts, but they're all there now.

Niteman, that may be a little too far for you, but they've done some awesome work on a couple vintage tanks for me ... a little pricy. They did my DT2MX and TL250 tanks, both had dents and interior rust, and they came out like showroom quality. Here's their website link, if anyone would like to check them out.

http://www.customworld.com/pages/about.html

Otherwise, I don't know if you all are having the same observation, but there seems to be a lot of dudes offering painting solutions on Craigslist these days. That's going to be hit or miss, for sure, but it also could be big $$ savings.

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Here's another thing...

I noted that Harbor Freight sells powder coating. I read up on it and it doesn't seem like a particularly complicated process. One would need to get heat lamps, though. Has anyone ever tried to powder coat anything and, if so, how'd it work out?

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