I was detailing the 76 RD200 French Blue today. The paint is all original and looks good, but I can't fully remove some haze off the tank. I sense that there's beauty under there but need suggestions on how (if I should even try) to bring it out.
In my 8 years of ownership I have always used Collinite 845 Insulator wax. From my eye it looks like that wax may be sitting on the top of the finish and maybe is on too thick or too many coats.
I tried some 'gentler' cleaning, denatured alcohol doesn't seem to cut it. Also tried a bit of ammonia based cleaned on a cloth. Whatever I have isn't really doing it.
FYI this year tank has a sticker for graphics and they are in great shape. It's just the visible paint I would like to get the best out of.
Should I consider a fine cutting polish. What have others safely done with 70's era Yamaha factory paint?
Thanks
The pics were taken under pretty bright daylight LED and seem to really show it worse than it really is...
(https://i.ibb.co/KbDPdWt/435-FD293-A136-4-DE1-B292-44557-ACFBA60.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/0rkxMph/5213-E2-EE-F12-D-4-EF6-80-AF-0-AAE62-CBC5-E4.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/RvgBQyM/1871096-B-4-F84-4-B14-BF51-7-E9197-F7-D387.jpg)
HIT IT WITH PLASTIX plastic cleaner, then wax it after thats cleaned off. try an inconspicuous spot 1st. did this on the red concourse that sat outside uncovered for many, many years and it came back perfect.
While I have attention on paint, there has been a stain on the oil tank sticker for as long as I've had the bike. I tried once to clean it but saw that I was going to eff it up.
Any suggestions for this issue? I assume it's oil but really don't know...
The paint above the stain doesn't seem affected by whatever it was/is...
(https://i.ibb.co/yPJvgqv/94375490-E791-413-A-978-F-850-CB1-A80113.jpg)
Looking down on it with light shining on it:
(https://i.ibb.co/KwcRS72/EC15-A329-EF0-F-4-BF9-9-A37-2774-C4327746.jpg)
see if you can leech it out with wd40.
Are those stickers on top of the paint? I thought they came from the factory with clearcoat over the decals.
The stickers feel like they are on top of the paint, at least when I run my fingernail on them.
Just happened to find this in my chemical stash, leftover from my wife's Mustang convertible...
(https://i.ibb.co/sWqfzY3/88-B0-C849-727-C-4045-83-D6-5-E5-B4-D31-D940.jpg)
If the decals are over the paint you could get the tank cleaned up, lightly sanded and clearcoated. That will make it gleam and protect the decals
the wd wont hurt the decals, hence why i suggested it.
That Plastx worked 'ok', got a lot of the haze out other than around the filler. I may stay out there this afternoon and continue rubbing it, it doesn't seem very harsh. Meanwhile I am seeing how the WD works on leeching out the stains...
(https://i.ibb.co/j8xYrbv/4650696-E-BCEC-4-A6-E-AC29-E6180874-DC89.jpg)
(https://i.ibb.co/CHRJMGR/1288-C58-B-6778-40-F1-88-EE-5-A25147916-AC.jpg)
I would have "second" the Plastx thing, as it is for cleaning up headlites.
But I see you have tried.
try some Goo Gone on the oil stuff
M