Painted My Headset Covers
 

Well, many of you know my Fuji Tiara and my quest to make my lady purty :)

One thing that has bothered me if the funky rubber white headset covers Fuji decided to use on this bike. It works well with the color scheme but in the ensuing years the white rubber faded to a yellowish white. This yellow was even more discernable now that I have the original white stem on the bike:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ekhatfull/...dsetbefore.jpg

I decided to do something about it. I got a can of Krylon spray paint for plastic, thinking the plastic-specific formula might stick a bit better. I cleaned the covers with soap and water, then alcohol, then handled them with gloves while putting them on a "stand" of three toothpicks stuck into styrofoam so I could spray on all sides without touching them. Did one light coat then 30 minutes later another. Dried overnight and poof:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ekhatfull/...adsetafter.jpg

I think it makes a world of difference. Depending on the color balance of your monitor you might not be able to see a lot of difference, but it is pronounced. Even my wife saw it :twitchy:.

I was able to flex these rubber things pretty good in my hand without cracking the paint so they survived being reinstalled just fine. I also figured out that the chrome ring you see in the second pic was supposed to go between the covers. Looks even more snazzy now :)

If the paint doesn't hold on the rubber I'm just going to replace the headset with a very nice Tange headset I picked up at the local co-op that has nicely chromed cups and such. It would look better IMHO than the faded rubber.

Two more things yet to do:

1) Figure out what to do with the (equally yellowed) white rubber chain guard, probably paint similarly then cover with something clear and tough.
2) Duplicate my missing decals:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ekhatfull/...racatalog2.jpg

As Collin2424 and I have lamented....it never ends does it?

Nice job. I know it isn't original, but did you see the white Suntour Superbe headset on CR? I would have loved to have picked that up.

As for decals, when was the last time someone heard from the velocals guy?

I'm going to try laser labels...no harm I suppose.

EDIT: If I could get these labels professionally made for <$50 I'd consider that...is that close to the price? I mean, two of them are nothing more than colored, outlined triangles mushed together.

The stem looks sick! Great job!

Wish I could take credit for the stem, but that's factory...but was missing on my red crackle Tiara when I got it. The stem came from another 88 Tiara donor:

http://home.comcast.net/%7Ekhatfull/.../bluetiara.jpg

...that is waiting for a saddle before moving on to another owner. Yes, I bought the bike for the stem and the opportunity to document the decals I'm missing (and it was a smoking deal besides, I'll make a good bit from this one).

To actually find that bike, locally in this area, with the stem in the condition it was in (I literally spent 30 seconds with polishing compound and wax) was simply something I would have never imagined happening.

dude you should move those white SLR lever over to the Red one. ....it would look way clean.

Dude! I have 4 sets of these on the way from Poland that should fit either RX100 levers (which I also have) or the BL-400 levers that are on it. I've been waiting for white hoods for a long time. Waaaaay ahead of you :) Almost bought 8 sets. I'm a white bike kind of guy and this NOS stuff doesn't come along often. Seller even did me right too.

http://bike-vintage.eu/galery2010/FO...DSCF170673.jpg

sweeeet.

I'm a lover of white stuff on bikes too...bar wrap, hoods, and most of all cable housing.

I might have to get myself one of those headsets...

http://www.jaysmarine.com/competition7484_5.jpg

-Kurt

Oooh Kurt, now that's a bike barking up my tree...beautiful.

Here's another one for you, along with its 10-year-senior antimatter. I'd love to dig up some Santé hubs for it:

http://www.jaysmarine.com/competition7484_2.jpg

-Kurt

:lol: :lol:

Cool Group Shot!

That white one would look really cool with a white headset....and stem.

headset looks great!
wonder if that would work on teeth

Headset turned out great! What type of paint did you use? Did you prep and/or prime the rubber beforehand?

Btw, have you considered whitewalls?: http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=454671

I said above Krylon for plastic, actually it was Rustoleum for plastic:

http://www.rustoleum.com/cbgimages/p...White_Sp_L.jpg

I just washed the rubber with soap and warm water, dried them fully, cleaned again with alcohol with gloves on to keep any skin oil off them.

I had considered whitewalls but I really like the way the Paselas ride. However, those Soma tires in your link look good, not too much white....I'd never have all white. It works on Scott Ryder's Opus though (ooh, and look at that purty white saddle :innocent:) :):

http://posterous.com/getfile/files.p.../_MG_2853.jpeg