Footrest hangers

The footrest hangers on my Trophy were tatty but in good structural condition. Rust was breaking out on all the steel work - the alloy was free of corrosion but missing paint through chips and wear from the previous owners' heels. 

 After cleaning off and the application of paint stripper, I was down to a firm surface. However it is not easy to get good adhesion for paint on aluminium alloys.





A few manufacturers make special primer for non-ferrous metals. I used a Finnegan's product (same people who make Hammerite and Smoothrite). It comes out red oxide colour and a bit rough because it doesn't flow as well as conventional paint. It is soft so easily rubbed back ready for a top coat.

Footrest hangers undercoated with Finnegan's Special Metals Primer

I decided to leave parts of the rider's footrest hanger bright because I like a bit of a gleam here and there. Also, I've seen paint rubbed through by heels on most other early Hinckley models. So I'm more than happy to break out the Autosol Solvol from time to time to keep it in good order.

 I used Smoothrite silver for the top coat. It is a decent aluminium shade and very robust. I got the exhaust hangers, which are made of tubular steel, powder coated black. I also stripped, repainted and rebuilt the seat lock assembly, which is mounted behind the left-hand pillion footrest hander.

 I buffed up the bare sections of the rider hangers with a DIY polishing kit. It's a three stage process, using coarse, medium and soft mops on an electric drill. Each is dressed with a different cutting soap. It is possible to get to a mirror finish this way.

Rider footrest hangers, part polished and part painted

Overall, I'm pleased with the results. It should be a robust finish that I can maintain long term (allowing for the self-inflicted decision to use Autosol and elbow grease).