Hey guys! I just put my new '02 HD in the body shop for paint on my entire front end (I bought the '01 Lightning bumper and installing my Cervini 3" Cowl hood off my Lightning). I have decided to get ghost flames painted, coming out from the upper grill, slightly whisping across cowl hood and down along sides of front fender, across both doors. I chose a House of Color candy/ Brandy wine to make suttle outline of flames and pearl for flames. My HD is Gray. I decided on the flames when they explained that the pinstripe had to be removed for blending fenders and I didn't care to pay for new pinstripe kit. What do ya think?

Additionally, I am undecided on the grill options. I do like my Trenz Billet grills from my old '01 Lightning. What do you all think of black powdercoated grills or even color matched (powdercoated) to flames? I'm even open to a satin finished look. I would really like your guy's opinions!

I was surprised when the dealer required a VIN# just to order the HD emblems!

 

Nothing says Harley Davidson more than Chrome and Flames and more Chrome. Sounds sweet.

 

why did you put on a L bumper i think the HD one is alot nicer, but thats just IMO. Ever think of getting a 03HD lower valance?

Anyway, maybe you could remove the flame pinstripe all teh way off, and have them ghost flame where the pinstripe used to be in the exact same pattern. so you'd have flames up front, then as it goes down the bed, instead of red flames, it would be like a ghost HD flame pinstripe. I think that would be pretty cool

as for the grille, i say keep the stock one. looks best with the chrome up there.

post pics when you do it. I want to get red pearl ghost flames on my cervini's hood. somewhat like this L has, but slightly different, and in ghost pearl red...

 

First, I chose the L bumper for personal preference in appearance. Secondly, I chose it for function. I live in San Diego, Ca, where temps get pretty hot in summer months as well as the areas I will be towing my 22' Ultra jet boat to, like Yuma, Az which was 118 degrees 2 weeks ago. What does this mean? Well, I would prefer the extra airflow that the L bumper has to offer over the HD bumper for the intercooler as well as upgraded trans cooler when towing.

As for the flames...I am undecided on going either ghost or painted with pinstriped outline. I do agree on the chrome or even polished grills, but what's available for the lower L bumper to match the HD upper?

 

maybe you could contact j-jent.com to see if they will make you a custom grille for it to match. i know they do custom work so its worth a shot.

also, if you take the flame pinstriping off, were you gonna keep it for anything? if not, i'll take it. i don't care if its broken in a few spots, want to put it on my mountain bike (i repainted it to HD colors and wanted to add the flame stripe) Thanks

 

Man,
puttin flames on the mountain bike! I figured you would at least order a new set and put them on your wash buckets! lol

you know your addicted to HD F-150's when.....
1. You paint match you wash buckets
2. you also paint match your mountain bike...any others?

 

yes my tool box that i carry my cleaning supplies in! LoL




(poor man's way of doing it...HD sticker emblems. LoL!)


yes, i've got it bad....my HD owns me, i don't own it. LoL

 

you can kindof see the wash bucket in the back of this pic



don't have a pic of my mountain bike up yet. LoL. pretty cool bike though. full suspension, 21 gears, wide tube frame, big knobby tires (yeah not typical HD theme with those, but neither is the HD r/c trucks so...LoL) gotta get the off roading and mud riding out of my system somehow. LoL
i have over 2500 miles on it now. i put 2K of those on in under a year cuz i do alot of long distance road riding. not the kind of bike for doing it, but i manage. LoL

 

The owner/manager of the body shop has completely stopped this project from happening in his shop. It was originally going to be a side job for the painter, but in this shop's booth.

I just finished speaking to the manager and he said that the ptoject was canceled because of the liability issue with my paint, which I figured. He expalined that when flames are painted over existing finished panels and then the entire panel clearcoated, that the clear will eventually FAIL? He had an experience with a previous customer where this happened. They called in the DuPont rep's for explanation of the failure. DuPont says that when their clear is applied, it must be done with pigment in order to completely adhere to underlying finish. This is all referencing to the area outside of the flames on each panel. Apparently the clear will eventually fail if this technique is not followed, and thus why the shop manager cannot allow this project to be done without painting the entire panels along with flames= $$$$.

I don't know what to do now! Any suggestions? Hopefully someone with paint experience will chime in.

 

Not that it probably matters, but Kansas City Assembly (where your HD was painted) uses BASF, not DuPont. I wonder if that makes a difference?

 

I refuse to use Dupont materials period!

personal experience with PPG and Glasurit has turned me off Dupont for many years now. If Dupont clear wont adhere to the basecoat without tinting the clear...then IMO its gotta be a crappy product!!

As long as you follow the paint manufacturers guidelines for application it should work. and if the application instructions say you have to tint the clear to get it bond to the basecoat...then thats just wrong.

I know of adhesion problems if you wait too long to apply the clearcoat, but blasting some base on the hood, then applying the flames...you should still have plenty of time to clearcoat without waiting too long.

Im sure someone else could shed some light, please chime in!

 

Hey Boltaction, There is a guy up here in near the San Fernando Valley that will do ghost flames. I think we maybe doing some regraphicing ( I dont think thats a word ) on our harley. I can get a price if you give me some specs on what you want.

We are thinking about taking off the sticker kit and repainting it the same color but in ghost flames and then maybe add some to the hood.

But this is all dependant upon if the Boss goes along with the whole Idea

-Ryan

 

FordsOnly44, if you take off the flame stickers, could i have them if you don't want them? i don't mind if they break in a few spots. thanks

 

Yeah Ill try my best to take them off and put them on some wax paper so that they can be reapplied.

-Ryan

 

thanks very much!!! i must have missed out on at least 6 sets of stripes by now. i'm always like a few minutes too late

email me so i can send you my address when you go to do it. (joshv_85@yahoo.com)

thanks again! and good luck!