Abner DONE!

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The Renaissance Man

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I've yet to show a roller at the corrugated wall so today seems like a good time since it's at the top of a new page.

I put the fenders and wheels on the frame to see how the fork sits with the new bushing. At this point it looks to be just about right but could still change as more parts are added.
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It's not obvious while sitting on the stand, but the line on the front fender brace is visually parallel with the ground which is what I was hoping for. I didn't think to take a picture with both tires on the ground, but this cropped section will show what I'm talking about.
IMG_5672.1.JPG


Here's how it looked with the crushed bushing. It makes the fork look as if it is bent backwards but it is actually 'hinged' back.
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The Renaissance Man

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I like how the fender braces curve like that.
Agreed! Shelby had some really great fender braces! I actually started tooling up back in October of last year to start making these braces out of fiberglass. I was pretty involved with another project at the time and they stalled out before I could finish with the development stages of molding in compression limiters for the axel openings.

Here was some of the first test pieces that came out of the molds. Hopefully I can get back on these some day.
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Agreed! Shelby had some really great fender braces! I actually started tooling up back in October of last year to start making these braces out of fiberglass. I was pretty involved with another project at the time and they stalled out before I could finish with the development stages of molding in compression limiters for the axel openings.

Here was some of the first test pieces that came out of the molds. Hopefully I can get back on these some day.
View attachment 235231
I need a set of these in my life. Coolest braces ever.
 

The Renaissance Man

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Today was dedicated to the TRM Speedline Airflow tanks.

I'm in the middle of filling an order for an Airflow tank and realized that I was out of LED headlight brackets. So I took the time to go ahead and restock them. After a trip to the sheet metal fabrication shop to use their shear, I punched and drilled the specified holes and finished them in my metal break.
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One of them got a coat of etching primer and was installed in the tank.
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It usually takes a few weeks total from the fiberglass shop and then back to my shop to complete one.
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The Renaissance Man

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I got a little bit more practice with welding on the line-up jig for the No Nose. Only the corners got some weld in case I need to change anything. The first part out of the mold will determine if it is all properly aligned or not.
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I picked up the first can of rattle paint that I came to and it happened to be white. So white it is. Now that it has some paint on it, it's all but guaranteed that something will have to be changed. lol
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The Renaissance Man

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I spent yesterday and most of the day today finishing up an Airflow tank and and starting to get the No-Nose side inserts ready for making molds.

So this evening I spent a few minutes mounting a Shelby Biscuit headlight on the fender and rolling it outside for a picture. Not really much in the way of progress but I did get to have a look at the fork position with the bike sitting on the tires.

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So far I'm still pretty happy with all of the lines.
 
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So far I'm still pretty happy with all of the lines.
HAHAHA.... Who wouldn't be?!?
I mean, it would be a great build if you weren't making the tanks. So cool to see the process of making the molds, and well, everything. True craftsmanship. Awesomeness!
 

The Renaissance Man

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HAHAHA.... Who wouldn't be?!?
I mean, it would be a great build if you weren't making the tanks.
You are so right! The art deco design of these Shelby bikes are really beautiful. I've searched to find who the designer was during that time but never found the answer.

Just to clarify, when I said "So far I'm still pretty happy with all of the lines." I was referring to the the influence of the homemade fork bushing on the lines of the fork angle, fender braces and also the headlight. The thickness of the bushing was only a guess so I've been very attentive about getting it correct if possible.
 

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You have to love the flow of the guard struts... Those curves ohhh lalalala. They combine the whole bike.
 

The Renaissance Man

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Nothing to report on Abner today except that I ordered a set of tires off of feePay.

In other news I wired up the headlight and switch, got all of the parts mounted and am ready to ship the Airflow tank that I've been working on.

And speaking of Airflow tanks, check out this TRM Airflow that was recently built by Samuel Hernandez in Puerto Rico! :inlove:
Samuel Hernandez 1.jpg
 

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