Painting Plastic Tanks

[dom1]

Does anyone out there know how to paint a sherpa plastic tank?? Most info i`ve seen seems to be based around bumpers but not sure it`s the same plastic? and of course it`s mostly American so not sure if the materials are available in the UK.

Any ideas??

[shercojay]

I sprayed my tank on my sherco, plastic primer first and a light sanding, then the colour, petrol laqure next,

Just be very careful sanding it

[martinm]

For a Bultaco, dont bother...its quicker to buy a new tank from BultacoUK than mess around trying to paint one.

The problem is that the paint will bubble and fall off after a while, this is due to petrol fumes travelling through the now pourous tank. Sealling the inside is the answer, but most tank sealents available are designed for metal tanks, and dont work on plastic.

This subject has been covered a lot on one of the MX forums, there is a guy there that reckons he can paint them successfully, but the price is about the same as buying a new tank. MX trax tank thread

[dom1]

Thanks for replies, will have to check out the MX guy and see how he does it.

[charlie prescott]

Hi Guy's

I have found that today's petrol will remove paint better than thinners, I don't know if Methanol has the same problem?

Regards Charlie.

[woody]

If you get someone who is a really good painter and who knows how to prep it and use the right materials (plastic primer, flexi additive etc) it should stick ok and last a few years before (if) it starts coming off. I have a Bultaco tank that was done about 4 years ago and is just starting to bubble in one or two small areas. A mate has a painted Fantic 240 tank that was done years ago and has no bubbles.

As Martin mentioned, cost of a good paint job will be the same as a new plastic tank at least. Only problem with the new plastic tank is you can't put decals on them so you are stuck with the decals they come with or the plain tank.