Many of you may have seen "Spirit of Evel" as built by OutlawAlice. I've known her and her husband for a while...met them several years ago through my "other" obsession, old hot rods! Well, we find out that we have a common interest in bikes AND she finds out that I pinstripe as a hobby!
Flash forward to about a year ago...she buys an AMF muscle bike from a buddy of mine and starts doing her homework. Turns out it's a "Spirit of 76" bike, which shares much with the Evel Kneivel bikes of the same period. She sends me some pics of the graphics on the 76 bike and asks if I can duplicate them on her bike. I agree to stripe it...she agrees to give me "artistic freedom"...and SoE is born! Finish it up and she loves it, and I'm relieved!
So, back to ID...She and her husband own a powdercoating business! (See where I'm going?!?!?!) In payment for striping her bike, she agrees to PC my new 'Liner frame! Now the chore of selecting a color....orange? red? rootbeer brown? All would be cool, but something's not just right....
Before I sent it off, I sandblasted all the old paint and rust off. After I was done, I noticed the metal had a pink hue to it...this thing used to be CHROMED! Also (on a more negative note) the bottom tube had been externally brased (all Murray frames are internally brased at the head tube and bottom bracket). I spent the time needed with a small rat-tail file to make it as right as possible. Thirdly, once OutlawAlice got it in-house, they found a crack in the bottom bracket. Luckily, they were able to TIG the crack closed and dress it. They did a phenomenal job.
FLAT BLACK!!! BOOM!!! With all the anodized gold and chrome bits, this thing will be sweet! Got it back and I couldn't be happier with the decision!
