vintage outboard restore

[long tall eta]

don't know if this will fit in this section of the forum but, i am redoing my 1969 25 hp evinrude engine cover. i just got done rattle canning the 2 tone blue and white with era correct marine paint. i put on 3 coats. question is, to clear or not to clear? if i do, should i sand it first and with what grit? also wet or dry sanding? how many clear coats? if i clear, should i sand it too? and i also have model specific decals for her. should i place them under or on top of the final coat?

[bmwstudent]

where's the pics, I wanna see some paint. I know absolutely zero about paint and body.

[ADlBOO]

I would clear coat, wet sand with 800+ grit. Clear coat over the decals too.

[long tall eta]

I would clear coat, wet sand with 800+ grit. Clear coat over the decals too.

should i clear on top of an unsanded paint or hit the paint with a fine grit, then clear then hit it with the 1000 grit?

[Pantless Spency]

these things suprisingly have good value, i had a 40's/50's outboard i found in my backyard in the dirt, we were trying to get rid of it and put it on c list and some dude came and bought it for like 100 bucks and wanted to restore it and stuff.

[long tall eta]

these things suprisingly have good value, i had a 40's/50's outboard i found in my backyard in the dirt, we were trying to get rid of it and put it on c list and some dude came and bought it for like 100 bucks and wanted to restore it and stuff.

depending on what make/year/hp it is, it can be worth a lot more than that.

[Pantless Spency]

lol i probably got ripped off.
it started with a K i forget what company made it but it was one of the first outboards IIRC

[ADlBOO]

Depends on how the paint looks, if it has any runs or imperfections sand them down, if not just clear overtop.

[blunttech]

lol i probably got ripped off.
it started with a K i forget what company made it but it was one of the first outboards IIRC

Probably Kiekhaefer Mercury that later became just mercury.
I had a 61 45HP 4 cyl Kiekhaefer with less than 100 hours on it Just sold it a few years ago for 1k. I think looking back I sold it too cheap but i didnt know. It was bad ass with dual carbs. I wish Id kept it

[long tall eta]

some of these engines are bringing really hefty prices now. not only as colector pieces but guys love em cause there 2 strokes and run like raped apes.

[Pantless Spency]

Probably Kiekhaefer Mercury that later became just mercury.
I had a 61 45HP 4 cyl Kiekhaefer with less than 100 hours on it Just sold it a few years ago for 1k. I think looking back I sold it too cheap but i didnt know. It was bad ass with dual carbs. I wish Id kept it

damn....
yeah thats exactly what it was....
it wasnt super nice or anything, just how it came, but tired and old.


we used it as an outboard up until about 2009 or so, my dad used to get shit for the oil slicks it would leave in a lake hahahahaha. so he bought an electric outboard.

[Pantless Spency]

this is sorta what mine looked like.

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS503US503&q=mercury+outboard+wiki&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.45645796,d.cGE&biw=1920&bih=955&um=1&ie=UTF-8&hl=en&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi&ei=OMV9UevnL8PBigLE8IHIBg#um=1&rlz=1C1CHFX_enUS503US503&hl=en&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=mercury+outboard+1940&oq=mercury+outboard+1940&gs_l=img.3...25844.26427.2.27109.4.4.0.0.0.0.47.176.4.4.0...0.0...1c.1.11.img.KtpkqE64yOg&bav=on.2,or.r_qf.&bvm=bv.45645796,d.cGE&fp=299573f82dde30aa&biw=1920&bih=955&imgrc=EQXa7BddQ5meLM%3A%3B3wL0YayPZUnjpM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.quincylooperracing.us%252Fimages%252F1940sMercOutboard.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.quincylooperracing.us%252Fsubpage130.html%3B1275%3B1650

[Keith M]

Rattle can clear is not good. If you insist on using it, wet sand with 800 and spray 2-3 coats. Do not let it dry between coats, just when it starts to tack up.

[long tall eta]

Rattle can clear is not good. If you insist on using it, wet sand with 800 and spray 2-3 coats. Do not let it dry between coats, just when it starts to tack up.

this is the info i am looking for. i was thinking of dupliclacolor clear. so, u say a few coats with maybe 800 or 1000 grit after the 3rd coat? wet or dry sand?

[Keith M]

Wet sand with 800 before you spray clear. Blow off and wipe with a tack cloth to remove all dust. Spray 2-3 coats of clear. Be aware that most rattle can clears have an slight amber tint so it may change the way the final color looks.