Hey guys,
I would sand that cowling down with either 180 grit (if the surface is faded badly and cracking) or 220 if it's not too bad.
You'd want to get a nice smooth surface.
Remove all the glue residue, or cracking paint.
Make sure if there's any paint edges they're all feathered in nicely.
Once that's done, go back with a two part primer.
Make sure you do not use any lacquer primer.
It will shrink, and can "blow up" and leave really bad crack/chips.
Once you have it in primer, come back with some 320 grit and wet sand it smooth.
If you're going with black paint, I'd suggest hitting it up with some 400 grit wet.
Then I suggest you use a solvent based base coat if you intend to use a urethane clear.
Make sure it's not enamel or oil based like some paints are.
Clear coat it with a good urethane clear.
There are some very good high end clears in the automotive industry that are high on UV protection inhibitors.
Usually a high end custom paint clear like House of Kolor's UC35.
It has high UV protection because it's made to protect kandy paint (probably the most vulnerable paint) against harmful UV rays.
If you use a cheap paint it will definitely show within a year.
A quart kit of a good clear can run you anywhere around $60 and up.
I don't understand a friend of mine.
He too paints cars but got lazy on his outboard and used the Yamaha paint they sell in the spray cans to paint his.
Quite honestly, I don't see his paint lasting more than a couple trips out.
He didn't even clear coat it and he insists that it'll do good.
And yes, some people clear coat over the decal.
It will last as long as the clear does.
The decal would scratch up or peel.
One just has to be careful on the first coat or two.
If put on too wet, it will lift the decal right off.
I'm going to paint my logo's on my motor.
I will be using decals I designed as a stencil and I will airbrush them in.
I'd go for two to three coats of clear.
Preferably three, but two wet thick coats would do the trick.
If you do too many, you'd risk solvent pop and chance of hazing.