REMIX

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This is the Reader’s Digest version of my build…I thought it best if it were abbreviated.
You’re welcome to view my entire journal at the end of this post. Enjoy.


I started with a 1941 Cleveland Welding Company Roadmaster for my build. I have an affinity with the CWC frames. The challenge was to pursued the footprint of Mofaux and Mofo; everything to be modular, removable and not permanent.


I hate stripping off old paint. I found two colors of red underneath the blue house paint.




I primed the tank...lots of rust pits! I gottal smooth them out...you gotta love the madness



I managed to smooth out the pits on the tank and sprayed it with three types of paint to achieve the desire copper color.

I stripped and banged out a duck tail on the rear fender. I had to make cut-outs for it to fit the rear stays.


I did a quick mock up...you can see the duck tail on the rear fender now. Still figuring out what to do with the front fork...a springer?


Continued to work on the mock up...I like the mixing of old parts with the new parts; fusing them into an attractive and sexy package!




Here I added a second chainring...I wasn’t sure about it? The bikes esthetics had been challenging; too much of a good thing can be a distraction, and too little; nulls the visual interest.



A Steampunk Bike?

I was influenced by many members that I was moving towards a Steampunk direction? It certainly wasn’t on my radar to build a steampunk bike…but I guess the creative journey takes you on many different roads to explore? Could I turn up the steam?

steampunk-stromtrooper-helmet1.jpg
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I found a sundry of (car) parts in my storage: cables, connectors, air vents etc., I believe I could put to good use for a Steampunk?




Here's a part I pulled off a derelict Elgin Twin-Bar bicycle.

I made a leather shroud for the tank using the Twin-Bar pod.
003-4.jpg




Here's the completed leather armor for the tank...I was stoked with the results!


Managed to paint and distress the tank...added leather inserts I had painted copper.


Here I mated the tank with the leather shroud. The shroud is held onto the tank by a metal clasp (a door pull) on the front and anchored it to the frame by the flexible tubing.





I decided to add a few more adornments to the tank to complement the copper shroud.



Starting to piece it together. .




I hadn't tweaked the raw leather yet...I was waiting until I had everything visually together


I played with the cranks...added the copper rivets.


I felt there was too much copper so I decided to paint em.


I struggled with how to connect and finish the tubing at the rear...it finally occurred to me how to do it.


I found a nice late 1930's Torrington 'Art Deco' gooseneck and Delta Gangway electric horn for my head mast . I added a green jewel ( it was actually a green marble I cut in half with a tile cutter) the bezel was from the bottom of a tube.



Here's how I tied off my pipes so it appeared to have a small exhaust. The leather badge, I soaked it in acetone before applying on the frame and allowed it to air dry, adding a nice patina.



Here's a small sampling of the 7 colors it took to paint the white PVC pipes for my exhaust


This photo shows my brass connector (also PVC) and how I managed to wrap the exhaust tubing around the frame's down tube


I played around with the idea of a metal seat (similar to MoFaux) I'm not a big advocate of seat rails.


I painted the metal seat copper


Added some fleurons’ Voila!


Seat height is always a big deal with me...I like the look of a seat slammed down on the top tube of a parked bike, but I'm also a pragmatist and I want to enjoy my ride with a quick release height adjuster :D :D



Chained the sprockets:



I'm finally decided oh my light...I can't tell you how many iterations I went through on designing one. It was the one thing I found most difficult on this build. Trying to make the one that complimented the overall bike without being a visual distraction. I finally settled on this pea sized light. I'm sorry I didn't take pics along the way, but I didn't have a clue as to the direction I was taking? The light housing was a used ceiling spotlight with the guts removed. The chrome bezel; a bathtub pipe bezel and the purple lens an old Harley marker light.

Initially I was going to use a clear lens, but then I thought about it... this is a Steampunk build, therefore I decided the pod is reserved as Reverberating Copperonizer; a weapon that can evaporate adverse threats upon impact with a bright purple light beam and a shower of sparks. ZAP!! 8)




Finally completed, I received the final part for Remix on my 65th Birthday; a set of late 30's Shelby's Airflow Speedline handlebars!!! The handlebars I originally was going with were too small for the "backward" art deco stem, these are much better for leg clearance, turning radius, and they certainly make a statement! Love 'em :D :D :D



Finally finished with all the tweaks...nothing more to do but sit back, have a beer and exhale. :D :D :D








I now return you back to where it all began! The following is my completed journal.

May 1, 2013
I too have been digging through my stock pile of parts looking for inspiration. I had my name months ago, "Remix" It just seemed right…shapeshifting and repurposing parts to make anew! Naming it is the easy part, the visual direction...that’s the challenge!

 
Welcome back Champ!
Good luck.
 
you have the same issue as me! sure of the build not sure of end!

Troy
 
I'm using this cobbled together 1941 Cleveland Welding Company for my build. I have an affinity with the CWC frames...I used the exact frame last year on the Mofo build. After building it...I had some extra time and decided to build another (Mofaux). I was going to use this bike, but I decided at the last minute not to. So it has been sitting in the corner of my garage collecting dust...just waiting.



 
I love the CWC frames. Great starting place.
 
DAY 1:
I didn't do much today on the build. I took the wife shopping to buy a car, I came home later to work on my computer...it died on me! So I worked on my Racyle, It has taken me almost a month to really understand the complexities of removing the parts on this 1904 model without damaging it. Tomorrow I'll start on the direction of Remix.
 
This'll undoubtedly be an epic build.. You definitely have a tough act to follow after last years super cool build! Did you take the Remix picture? What is that rusty hunk of metal? Just curious..
 
Critter1 said:
This'll undoubtedly be an epic build.. You definitely have a tough act to follow after last years super cool build! Did you take the Remix picture? What is that rusty hunk of metal? Just curious..
That hunk of metal is something I created in photoshop, along with the graphic name.
 
DAY 2: well I stopped by Apple today to see about my computer...sadly it's my hard drive thats fried! It'll be a week or so before getting it back, so no pics until then...sorry. Today, I began stripping the bike down...removing the blue house paint off of it...lots of rust underneath.

How many of you are incorporating the 3G Jemima copper wheels into your concept? Initially I was going to use copper as my theme...but after careful thought I decided it was too obvious. I even had the name "Copperopolis". I wanted to create something that felt like it was a futuristic transporter vehicle made with copper and brass piping, interwoven into a dark ominous body of black steel ( not steampunk!) More like Iron Man's armor fused with the Batman' vehicle. But after doing a few rough renderings of the concept...I tossed them out ( I would share 'em with you, but right now I can't, lost on the computer).

I do like the idea of it being futuristic...but not viewed as some dark "death ride"! Instead I'm going to make lean and sexy...something so cool it'll turn heads when cruising by.
 
If you want to email me any photos in the meantime, I will be glad to post them up for you. [email protected]
 
kingfish254 said:
If you want to email me any photos in the meantime, I will be glad to post them up for you. [email protected]
That's what I love about this site...thanks Kingfish, but I think I'll be OK? A friend came to my rescue and loan me one of his extra computers until mine is returned. I'll start posting pics once I figure out how to with this set-up? Stay-tuned...
 
DAY 3: Off to a good start today...stripped down the bike, began priming the tank. I have a really great design for the tank...I will share when my computer is back. I'm still trying to navigate my way around this darn computer, its a loaner from a friend ( it has a jumping cursor) Ughh!



I love vintage handlebars, I'm considering using one of these? I'm not sold on it yet...the bottom ones are Kelly adjustable bars, they can be positioned in increments up or down for comfort.
 
fordsnake said:
DAY 3: Off to a good start today...stripped down the bike, began priming the tank. I have a really great design for the tank...I will share when my computer is back. I'm still trying to navigate my way around this darn computer, its a loaner from a friend ( it has a jumping cursor) Ughh!



I love vintage handlebars, I'm considering using one of these? I'm not sold on it yet...the bottom ones are Kelly adjustable bars, they can be positioned in increments up or down for comfort.

Um... have you ever thought about selling those Kelly Adjustable Bars? To me? For my Racycle? :)

Those things go for a pretty penny, though.
 

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