Advice needed: Doing a color change the right way - Topaz Blue to... ??

[Casa de Mesa]

EAG's paint and body shop is very very good.

Got it. Will look into them. They are a bit farther than I'd like to go for me but I don't want a Maaco manager's special.

Talk to some of the better performance oriented shops in your area like EuroMpire as you might find a guy who knows a guy who does quality work out of his garage on a small scale.

Don't get in a hurry, might take you a year to find the right situation and the right situation may be 6 to 10 hours away.

This is great advice. Very good advice. I'm not in a rush and have been pretty open about that with shops. I do have some limitations with respect to distance - flat-bedding my car 1 hour away is doable. "Shipping" a non-running car gets expensive quick. But your point is taken.

I'll check out EuroMpire. Any shops in NE TN you'd recommend? Depending on where in NE TN, I'm only 45 min to that border...

Its New Jersey but call AMS autowerks they do resprays and he takes a lot of pride in his work. Check his IG also

Will check them out, thank you. Grew up in Jersey, still have family there.

This is the key to finding a good shop, someone who actually takes pride in their work and isn't working for a paycheck. Might have to scour IG as well for some of these artisan painters.

Also great advice. Thanks.

Begrudgingly... I may need to get back onto the gram. I had a business at one point and coming up with social media posts to drive sales began to grow old. When I closed the business, I got off all social platforms. But people keep connecting with people on IG over car stuff and making meaningful friendship, so I might be missing out. #FOMOisreal

[oceansize]

I'll check out EuroMpire. Any shops in NE TN you'd recommend? Depending on where in NE TN, I'm only 45 min to that border...

There isn't a shop within a hundred miles that I would let paint my bike. Terrible.

[Casa de Mesa]

There isn't a shop within a hundred miles that I would let paint my bike. Terrible.

LOL!!!!!!

I'll keep digging then. Gotta be someone somewhere...

[lvm3sm46]

Check AMS Autowerks IG story. He's doing a full color change on a Lamborghini

[Casa de Mesa]

Check AMS Autowerks IG story. He's doing a full color change on a Lamborghini

Thank you, will do.

[Gt4]

Hell yeah, congrats on the Bronson! I'm thinking about a mullet as my next bike. I'm serious when I say, let me know how you like it.

Some of the riding in Western NC (about 1 hour from me) is next level good. A lot of the US bike component manufacturers (Fox, Cane Creek, Industry 9, etc.) have taken up residence there because of how big the MTB scene is and the access to incredible trails. The trails are a great proving ground. I grew up spinning wrenches at a bike shop and paid for a bit of my college doing so.

I was able to ride my 2022 SC Bronson for the first time last weekend. Wow what a beast! I was worried I would loose efficency on climbing compare to my 2020 SC Tallboy but it’s actually the opposite. I can stay on the saddle on tech climbs were I usually had to move my body to avoid the front wheel to go up. The wheelbase of the Bronson is 2’’ longer so that might help.

Riding position is also better for me. Only thing I prefer is weight of the Tallboy. The Bronson is 3lbs heavier. But I have Maxxis DD casing instead of Exo and my Fox 38 is heavy. My switch to a FOX 36 if I want to reduce weight in the future!

[Casa de Mesa]

I was able to ride my 2022 SC Bronson for the first time last weekend. Wow what a beast! I was worried I would loose efficency on climbing compare to my 2020 SC Tallboy but it’s actually the opposite. I can stay on the saddle on tech climbs were I usually had to move my body to avoid the front wheel to go up. The wheelbase of the Bronson is 2’’ longer so that might help.

Riding position is also better for me. Only thing I prefer is weight of the Tallboy. The Bronson is 3lbs heavier. But I have Maxxis DD casing instead of Exo and my Fox 38 is heavy. My switch to a FOX 36 if I want to reduce weight in the future!

Man look at that thing!! Burly AF!!!!! I friggin love that color combo. Thanks for posting an update.

My Megatower requires a lot of body english to get it to dance. I also have to ride it in a very aggressive posture - forward and like you're attacking a corner. Once I figured out how to adjust to these new modern geometry bikes, I'm completely sold on the "long and slack" approach. Also, totally agree on the efficiency thing. There's really almost no penalty for all that extra squish on these big bikes. The geo and suspension has gotten soooo good.

Don't swap that 38. The benefits you're getting EVERYWHERE ELSE far outweigh the minimal weight penalty. IMHO, of course.

What is that thing you have in the water bottle bungs? Flask of whiskey?!

[pawa_k2001]

Hell yeah, congrats on the Bronson! I'm thinking about a mullet as my next bike. I'm serious when I say, let me know how you like it.

Some of the riding in Western NC (about 1 hour from me) is next level good. A lot of the US bike component manufacturers (Fox, Cane Creek, Industry 9, etc.) have taken up residence there because of how big the MTB scene is and the access to incredible trails. The trails are a great proving ground. I grew up spinning wrenches at a bike shop and paid for a bit of my college doing so.

I too have taken a break from the track stuff. Went so far into debt trying to make pro racing a reality. It didn't happen for me, got really close, but I did have a lot of fun trying!

Where in WNC are you? I live in West Asheville and ride Bent Creek, Dupont and Pisgah somewhat regularly. Definitely not a fitness guy, I only ride up if there is a good downhill on the other side. lol Talking about mullets, I picked up a Status 160mm last weekend and crashed it yesterday... New geometry on bikes is something to get used to since my last bike was a 2012 but then leaves and locking up the rear wheel in a high speed corner doesn't help. Rode my left buttcheek over some roots and rocks, still sore. lol

Btw, if you find a shop that you can trust please let me know.

[Casa de Mesa]

Where in WNC are you? I live in West Asheville and ride Bent Creek, Dupont and Pisgah somewhat regularly. Definitely not a fitness guy, I only ride up if there is a good downhill on the other side. lol Talking about mullets, I picked up a Status 160mm last weekend and crashed it yesterday... New geometry on bikes is something to get used to since my last bike was a 2012 but then leaves and locking up the rear wheel in a high speed corner doesn't help. Rode my left buttcheek over some roots and rocks, still sore. lol

I ride every single one of those places you mentioned. Greenslick in Bent Creek is a pretty stellar downhill, tho getting to the trailhead is a sufferfest! I'm in Statesville area - about 1 hour from Kitsuma/Black Mountain. I meet buddies who come up from Greenville and/or another one that comes from Waynesville. The Hub in Pisgah Forest is where I picked up my Santa Cruz. Bastards are smart as shit - they have a bar that opens up to a bike store. On the other side of 2 IPAs, somehow my credit card was getting swiped through their register for the bike!

Btw, if you find a shop that you can trust please let me know.

Will do. I'm in the initial stages of conversations with a shop closer to home. Will definitely let you know if it turns out to be the right fit or not. I keep looking, but not a lot of places have any interest in taking on this project despite me doing most of the R&R. Or they are booked for 6-8 months out. I'm being patient. Hopeful this latest shop is the ticket.

[Gt4]

Man look at that thing!! Burly AF!!!!! I friggin love that color combo. Thanks for posting an update.

My Megatower requires a lot of body english to get it to dance. I also have to ride it in a very aggressive posture - forward and like you're attacking a corner. Once I figured out how to adjust to these new modern geometry bikes, I'm completely sold on the "long and slack" approach. Also, totally agree on the efficiency thing. There's really almost no penalty for all that extra squish on these big bikes. The geo and suspension has gotten soooo good.

Don't swap that 38. The benefits you're getting EVERYWHERE ELSE far outweigh the minimal weight penalty. IMHO, of course.

What is that thing you have in the water bottle bungs? Flask of whiskey?!

It’s maple sirup!! Seriously, it’s a Fabric tool storage bottle. But TBO, with the size of the downtube on the new Bronson, they would have been able to put a storage i to the frame like Specialized is doing…

[Casa de Mesa]

Made some progress this past weekend in small chunks of time. Getting the front end apart on these things is waaaay easier than I thought it would be. I'm finding some damaged plastic bits and pieces, or they are falling apart when you disturb them from age, but this was easier than expected. Now that I said that, I'll knock on some wood.

Getting ready for the Slonik carbon roof and carbon roof bow is my next piece, will dive into the interior next weekend. Hoping to pull the motor in December, paint in January.

I need to start a dedicated build journal and probably will transition to that away from this post. Thanks to everyone for all the advice along the way.

More to come!
Casa

[Thoglan]

Man that workshop is killer. Wish I had a space like that when I pulled my motor. It's less fun in the driveway . Look forward to seeing the progress.

[Casa de Mesa]

Finally started a build thread:

https://nam3forum.com/forums/forum/main-forum/member-build-journals/145270-casa-de-mesa%E2%80%99s-m3-color-change-from-blue-to-blue

[pawa_k2001]

In for name of shop, hopefully they do a great job. I will need a trunk, front bumper and skirts painted this winter. Do you know if the shop can bake the paint?

[K-Dawg]

Have you seen this Misano Blue E46 M3? Looks like it was completely disassembled and painted.

https://www.instagram.com/misano.m3/