Abner DONE!

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

lower the rack and put the fender up through it with a big hole? Then all the arcs are present (top of rear fender, top bar and tank, chainguard, front fender...

 

[The Renaissance Man]

That's definitely a cool idea @ifitsfreeitsforme, thanks! It kinda gives the appearance of a spoiler in the back. If they were molded together it would have the look of a cowl blister!

I've pretty much made up my mind to leave it off though. The exposed deep rear fender is really working for me at this point. Not to mention the fact that we're almost two weeks into July now! I don't need any extra fabrication work at this point!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

No progress to report on Abner but I'm hoping to get some painting done this weekend.

Meanwhile I picked up the do-over mold today from the glass shop.



Got it apart and I think it looks good at this point except for a couple of small air bubbles under the green gel coat. I'll have to wait until Monday to go back and get a dab of gel coat to repair it. Not a big deal but it does throw me behind a few more days.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Today was paint day!
First project was to mix the red to match The original Shelby color from 80+ years ago.

I had a pint of red paint left over from a Vietnam era Army roundel that I painted on a “Huey” a few years ago.


I went to the automotive paint store and got some blue and black tint to mix the Shelby color. A good place to find original paint in good condition is on the fork steer tube. It took three tries but the last one was very close. Here's the test swatches starting the the Army red (1).

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Here's the inserts.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I found some pictures of the Huey. This was a really fun project. I had to research wartime photos and Army specs to get everything exact including the correct colors. After it was finished it was transported from the airport to a War Memorial site and mounted on a pedestal for display.

Starting point

Masking for paint

I wish

Finished. Now I remember why there was red paint left over, it didn't require much!

 

[Captain Awesome]

I found some pictures of the Huey. This was a really fun project. I had to research wartime photos and Army specs to get everything exact including the correct colors. After it was finished it was transported from the airport to a War Memorial site and mounted on a pedestal for display.

Starting point
View attachment 241186
Masking for paint
View attachment 241187
I wish
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Finished. Now I remember why there was red paint left over, it didn't require much!
View attachment 241189

Duly noted when I need some roundel graphics made

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I also painted some Shelby blue yesterday.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

The red and blue color scheme for Abner was determined by the fenders and frame. The paint overall is pretty ratty but of course this is RATrodbikes! However, the rear fender has bugged me from the start because it was an old repaint that wasn't a good color match at all. You can see the difference between it and the front that has its original blue paint. (The red on the bike is all over the board but I'm leaving it as is.) I had hoped to bring the frame color back with an OA bath but time is running out and it doesn't really bother me for some reason.

The front fender is supposed to have blue on the front but it is completely rusted away.

So while I had paint mixed and in the gun I addressed the fenders.
The rear got painted over completely and the front got a light coat. I felt like a hint of blue mixed with all of the rust would improve the overall look of the bike.

After letting the paint dry overnight I aged it to harmonize with the other paint. I'm pretty happy with it so far but I'll know more after everything gets put back together.

 

[metalchewy]

Great jon on the fenders. They match very well now.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Took some glamour shots of the No-Nose all dressed up in its new suit.

 

[hbn]

Looks professional, workmanship and photography alike

 

[OddJob]

I aged it to harmonize with the other paint.

For a detail oriented guy, you sure didn't provide much 'detail' on aging process....

Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[Jude Ephesus]

I found some pictures of the Huey. This was a really fun project. I had to research wartime photos and Army specs to get everything exact including the correct colors. After it was finished it was transported from the airport to a War Memorial site and mounted on a pedestal for display.

Starting point
View attachment 241186
Masking for paint
View attachment 241187
I wish
View attachment 241188
Finished. Now I remember why there was red paint left over, it didn't require much!
View attachment 241189

AWESOME.

-my wife’s uncle is a retired army colonel and did 2 tours in Vietnam Flying Hueys. (Also 1 in Korea/ S. Korea))

He commissioned my daughter as an officer for the navy. (He was also in the navy as a very young man!)

The night before the ceremony we were all celebrating around the dining room table sharing stories.

somehow we got on to personal height and the colonel laughingly said he used to be 6’ 1” but had a couple of chopper incidents that knocked off a few inches!

everyone laughed and the stories moved on.

the following day, as we were setting up the commissioning ceremony I found myself alone with the colonel in a gap in the set up.

the colonial is not shy in talking about ANY of his military experience and is very open (and proud) on his entire career. I asked him about the chopper incidents as I had not heard the details of those stories. (I was surprised there were multiple)

There he sat in FULL dress regalia including Calvary hat and recounted the day…. ‘April, xx, 1969…’ He recounted the plan for the mission. ‘I got shot down 3 times…’

he explained in battle your brain doesn’t work right and all this horror going on around you and seeing your friends get hurt makes you mad, and vengeful, not fearful.

he would bring in a load of guys, get shot down at a lower altitude (somehow live) and get in a returning chopper to bring back more guys.

3rd time back, a rocket came up through his cockpit and he was covered with shrapnel wounds head to toe, but had no major arterial bleeding: he was going back for #4 and the field surgeon said ‘you’re done Rick.’

I just sat there with my jaw agape. He gave little detail and added he was shot down again in ‘74 (gave the exact date again, but I don’t recall) and had his tail blown off and said he had no idea how he survived.

….and then the rest of the crew returned for set up and the colonel popped up and happily continued with the ceremony preparations….

Took some glamour shots of the No-Nose all dressed up in its new suit.

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Unreal !!!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

For a detail oriented guy, you sure didn't provide much 'detail' on aging process....

Inquiring minds want to know.

View attachment 241376

No secret sauce for the fenders, but since you asked...

The surface on the rear fender was already rough with layers of paint over chipped layers underneath. I simply masked off the area, wiped it clean and shot a coat of paint over it (picture shown above). After it dried overnight I aggressively sanded the glossy sheen with a scotch pad. Then I strategically misted some brown rattle paint, let it flash dry, rubbed it in with a rag and mineral spirits. After a little bit of drying time I went over all of it again with the scotch pad while focusing on some of the chipped areas under the paint.

As for the front fender, I masked it and shot a thin layer of paint. I immediately removed the mask and lightly wiped the taped edges with a rag and lacquer thinner so that the sharp tape line was gone. The next day it was also aggressively scrubbed with a scotch pad. The brown paint was not needed as the rusty fender took care of itself.

That's it! As I said earlier, I will evaluate how it looks after everything is reassembled with the bike and make adjustments if necessary.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

...he explained in battle your brain doesn’t work right and all this horror going on around you and seeing your friends get hurt makes you mad, and vengeful, not fearful.

Back in the early 80's I worked with an amazing artist in North Carolina that had served in multiple tours in Vietnam. He told me pretty much the same thing. There were a few occasions where he and a friend would be sharing horrific stories and I would have to leave because it was too much for me to process. War is HEL L.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I must say that it hurt just a little when I took the first swipe across the fresh glossy paint on the tank with a scotch-brite pad. But soon my trepidation turned to assurance as I proceeded to transform the infantile paint toward the venerable objective!

Two days ago:

And here are all of the painted parts ready to be mounted to the frame.

I will go over everything once more after all of the parts are mounted on the frame.

For those taking notes, I first sanded the gloss away, then randomly scratched it all over and sanded it again. Then I lightly fogged it with brown rattle paint and wiped it with a mineral spirits soaked rag. At last I rubbed it with some polishing compound and finally added some more strategically placed scratches.

 

[ParkRNDL]

Your aging process is fantastic. Filing this away for reference.

 

[kingfish254]

I found some pictures of the Huey. This was a really fun project. I had to research wartime photos and Army specs to get everything exact including the correct colors. After it was finished it was transported from the airport to a War Memorial site and mounted on a pedestal for display.

Starting point
View attachment 241186
Masking for paint
View attachment 241187
I wish
View attachment 241188
Finished. Now I remember why there was red paint left over, it didn't require much!
View attachment 241189

That is beyond cool!!!!

 

[Son of Kradus]

lower the rack and put the fender up through it with a big hole? Then all the arcs are present (top of rear fender, top bar and tank, chainguard, front fender...

Thats a really good design solution.
Um errrrr, a tiny bit off topic but does your computer or app your using have the "Clone stamp" feature, if so learn it, its real easy and you could clone the tin shed behind the bike and stamp it over the rack, the pic would of come out perfect, only found this a few months ago, apparently its been around for yrs , only takes a minute, Grrrr