Either way. The red and green would be translucent top coats, just depends on whether I do a chrome base layer or just polish up the steel.
Problem with clear coat is, it may not start out as a ratbike but it'll become one quickly (and we live on the bay, so, very quickly)
In my mind, this can take off in one of three directions --
1. Annoying mini-doppleganger to the
Mone La Roca. Bronze or root beer translucent topcoat with gunmetal-blue bits. I have some more or less period correct bontrager components I could use in that build, for at least one photo-op, although it'll very quickly grow some Renthal MX bars and EndlessBike singlespeed bits. Maybe (nay,
certainly) slap some
Barnacle forks on there. Heh! Sporting the biggest, nastiest Maxxis DHF I can cram in between em, and probably a disc brake to boot. Post that sucka up on /xbiking and call it a day
2. Source some FRM parts and make it pretty and possibly a worthwhile resto on some level. Post it up here and then be scared to ride it basically LOL. Tricolore color scheme but probably with a white base
3. I have a mid-level Shimano groupset on hand that's right-on-it period correct, I could polish that up and bling out the paint job. Good for riding down the bike path with the "ducati pout." Nice bike! Yes, I know. Chrome tricolore all the way; I want it to blind ya when the sun comes out. (My Harley is like that; there's no such thing as too much chrome IMO)
May come down to whether it comes with forks or not. If it's a complete, rare, vintage Italian frame I dunno that I want to make a habit out of bashing that thing through the phosphate mines, hurling it into alligator-infested ponds and whatnot. Probably deserves to be made pretty. If not, well then I got a light, supple frame for not much money that should be perfect for that kind of tomfoolery.
I imagine I'll do em all eventually, with an argument I think to start with #3 and maybe evolve toward #2 as I get my hands on parts. But, I'm only gonna have one chance to clearcoat a virgin frame, and that fact weighs heavily on me.
Look Ma! Copper Brake Lines! There's some steampunk for ya. Just need a big brass horn or two