Modern Buddy

Okay, so here it is: The first, I think, blue Buddy, and maybe the first total-body-off paint job. I could have taped it off and painted, I suppose, but the perfectionist inside wouldn't let me. I just completed it over the past week; I'm a student, so I did it when I wasn't studying. I removed all the plastic body parts, ran them through the dishwasher, and then hand washed them to ensure cleanliness.

Material:

5 cans Krylon Fusion Navy paint
1 Rustoleum spraycan handle
Isopropyl (rubbing) alcohol
A whole lot of patience!!!

First thing, take all the plastic off. I started at the front and worked my way around, taking off only ONE piece at a time. TIP: remove the front wheel, which will facilitate taking the top piece, front fender, and bottom piece off. You may have to cut the blinker wires to remove the bottom piece, but you can easily re-connect them with connectors.

After I removed each piece, I placed the screws partially back into their holes (be careful not to strip the plastic threads). By doing this, I didn't end up with any "extra" screws when I put it all back together. Before I painted each piece, I rubbed it down with a white cotton, lint-free cloth and rubbing alcohol, then let it dry.

Follow the can directions, and apply several thin coats. I tried to put too much on at the beginning, and had a few sags start. I immediately stopped painting, and then held the piece upside down so the sag would flow back into itself, and blew on it, to help smooth it out. This seemed to work very well, as long as I stopped spraying and started fixing the sag. After the first few pieces, I had my technique down. I painted each piece with about two coats, allowing about 30 minutes between coats, let it dry overnight, then applied a couple more coats. I waited 48 hours before trying to put it back together, and this only after my wife suggested that it would harden if I left it alone. I put it back together in reverse order, and it only took me about 2 hours to put it all back. Here are some pics of the process:

Very nice!

That looks really good! You ran the pieces through the dishwasher? That's clever. I don't think I would have ever thought of that.

I've got a bit of spray painting experience, and I've had nearly every piece of plastic off my own scooter (not a Buddy). Removing panels is less effort than taping off and provides a better result. You definitely made the right choice.

If you want to get a bit more custom, I would suggest painting the black plastics a gray or silver color and seeing if anyone with a pink Buddy wants to trade their white seat and grips for your black ones. Then again, it looks pretty good as is.

Ha, I'm actually having mine painted right now, although it's a lighter blue, and it's a metallic. It's a GMC color actually, a greyish blue. I'll post pics when I put it back together. Having a friend paint it, since he works at a place that has an expensive high tech paintbooth. Mine's gonna have a black fender and black footrests though, so it'll look different.

Good job though, looks good

Wow!
Your scooter looks really nice – blue is very nice on the Buddy – good paint job.

Very nice job! Thanks for the detailed how-to.

Sweet! Want to do mine next? I'd prefer yellow, please

Well done.

My Krylon color conversion won't start until it gets warmer outside.

Don't know whether it will be total, the plan is just select parts for now, but who knows?

Again, very nice. I like it as is, don't change a thing.

Looks sharp, great work! I like blue as a color for scooters. I'm sure whatever the hassle and expense of painting a Buddy it's not as much as a nightmare as stripping down a metal scooter to all of its little bits (usually doing all kinds of bodywork while you're at it) and having to reassemble them, with floor rails, bits of trim, etc. Those paintjobs alone usually run $500-1500 (if you don't do it yourself) and take quite a while to put back together. I had my Stella painted a two-tone brown and between the painter being slow at painting and me being slow reassembling, it was about a year and a half from strip-down to being on the road! I wouldn't wish that on anyone (luckily I had another scooter to ride in the meantime!). But custom paint rules!

I think part of the reason vintage paint jobs take so long is that a lot of the painters have inhaled a few too many of the fumes
There's also a little more prep work... blasting off the existing paint, smoothign out the body work, etc, and painting a large, curved surface like an old vespa frame is apparently a total PITA.

But still. I've never really figured out why so many painters seem a little whacko.

Is that a keg in th background of the scond pic???

Looks good

axiom007 wrote:Is that a keg in th background of the scond pic???

Yes, it is. Actually it's a keg with the top cut out so I can use it as a boil kettle. I'm a homebrewer, and this keg will enable me to make batches of 10+ gallons (that's about 100 beers!!). My lovely wife bought it for me as a birthday present, along with an old soda keg so I can keg, rather than bottle, my beer. It's a great hobby, but I haven't had much time lately, due to school. Hopefully I'll get a batch brewing soon.

Are you a member of OKC Curiosity? If so, when the Mad Totos come down there for the next Pandora rally I want to try some of your beer.

Hey Bryce,

You may not remember, but I am the guy who had the black Buddy w/ flames on it at Pandora Strikes Back (wife and I rode 2-up and pretty much left some people in the dust, or at least gave them a run for the money). I asked you if you had ridden a Buddy, and you told me that you had written the review of it. Anyway, yes I am a proud member of OKCSC, and hope to have some beer ready for sure by the rally. If I have the time, I'll make a couple of batches and keep some set aside for you. It's hard to keep it around once it's ready to drink!!!

looks good, man. you weren't lying when you said you it was going to be a serious blue color. and the matching helmet is a nice touch. think it's faster than the general now?

okc beer buddy wrote:Hey Bryce,

You may not remember, but I am the guy who had the black Buddy w/ flames on it at Pandora Strikes Back (wife and I rode 2-up and pretty much left some people in the dust, or at least gave them a run for the money). I asked you if you had ridden a Buddy, and you told me that you had written the review of it. Anyway, yes I am a proud member of OKCSC, and hope to have some beer ready for sure by the rally. If I have the time, I'll make a couple of batches and keep some set aside for you. It's hard to keep it around once it's ready to drink!!!

I do remember you and your wife. Definitely set some aside, I want to try it.

think it's faster than the general now?

Well, you know, when I was five, I picked out some new running shoes which were this same color of blue, with orange accent stripes. And, I was positive they made me run much faster than my other shoes....so I would bet you we're probably about even.

INCREDIBLY nice job!

You did great job! i am envy of you!