Paintwork

Is there any kind Norton owner out there who is professionally involved in painting classic vehicles or bikes or maybe modern accident repairs? 20 odd years ago Ibuilt custom bikes &also did a lot of restoration work, much of the work involved painting. I used to get fantastic finishes using mainly ICI Autocolour 2K acrylics,with an air dry or low bake system,from building up many layers of clearcoat for metalflake finishes to deep glossy black for frames & fittings for restoration work.

After many years without a motorcycle I fancied a cammy Norton, and I am in the middle of restoring a 1938 CS1. I thought the paintwork side would be a doddle, and duly re-commisioned my paintshop & Guyson blast cabinet. Wrong! My local paint supplier recommended a 2K system made by MIPA. The 'modern' 2K systems are HS or high solids. The frame was blasted clean, then sprayed with active corrosion resistant etch primer, followed by high build primer-filler, which was flatted back to give a perfect finish, then a couple of coats of high gloss black. It looked fantastic, but even after low baking will just not harden in the way the paints I used to use did, i.e. even weeks later pressed with a fingernail it will still mark. Paint left in the disposable mixing cup is still the consistency of silicone rubber, even though all of the mixing ratio's were correct. In the old days I remember the paint left in a mixing cup would chemically harden right through. My paint supplier suggests too much product has been applied, but I need a system that can be built up to allow for final flatting back & polishing to give a glass like finish.

Can anyone suggest a make & system of 2K acrylics that they have had good results with?

Thank you

Roger Hainsworth