BOTEN!! Yeah, yeah, yeah... Space Pumpkin!! Let's go Space Pumpkin

[Big Ape]

The only ape hangers that I had laying loose are a mid height set that are painted black. I think that the black bars may look good on this build, there is enough chrome on the bike already.

I think that the original chain guard works out nicely, so that is one less thing to worry about.

I do have a good friend on here that put some new handlebar ideas into my head..... the search is on!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

I actually kind of like the crazy bars for some reason.

This is starting to take on a very muscle bike look!

 

[Big Ape]

I actually kind of like the crazy bars for some reason.

This is starting to take on a very muscle bike look!

I have been thinking that this would make a great muscle bike!

 

[kingfish254]

Can't go wrong with that sexy liner jet guard.
I like those crazy bars on it too, but I am REALLY interested in what other bar ideas you come up with.
Once you get that seat where you want it, I am sure it will all come together.

 

[gigmata]

I tried some different bars out since I already had it sitting there. This first set are a little crazy.... but they were just sitting there on the shelf... so...

Probably going back on the shelf with this set! DANG, I can't find anything that these bars look good on, why did I buy them???

I like the seat. Reupholster it, move the sissy bar mounting location forward on the seat, use some tubing as sissy bars or keep the mounting location the same, use a shorter sissy bar but flip it around 180 degrees, use a layback seat post (also rotated) to mount the seat in the seat tube and keep it low for show and raise it for go. Just some thoughts.
-Gig


- by Gigmata

 

[Big Ape]

I like the seat. Reupholster it, move the sissy bar mounting location forward on the seat, use some tubing as sissy bars or keep the mounting location the same, use a shorter sissy bar but flip it around 180 degrees, use a layback seat post (also rotated) to mount the seat in the seat tube and keep it low for show and raise it for go. Just some thoughts.
-Gig


- by Gigmata

Thanks for the input! Yeah, there are still lots of tweaks to be made on this one.

 

[Kevin Kanouff]

I love those tires, they are hypnotizing!

 

[Big Ape]

I love those tires, they are hypnotizing!

Thanks Kevin, I am finally back to working on it now. I spent the last hour or so actually fitting the tank to the frame...... the shop is full of fiberglass dust right now!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Fiberglass, son. Nothing else in the world smells like that. I love the smell of fiberglass in the morning.

 

[kingfish254]

How are things in the Pumpkin patch?

 

[Chad T]

Just seeing this one thanks to kingfish. You guys are making me want to talk my brother out of his girl's Spaceliner.

Not usually a big fan of weird handlebars but I think that funky set you had on there works well with the bike and that tank. Looks good with the apes too tho.

 

[Big Ape]

How are things in the Pumpkin patch?

To dang hectic! I spent the whole weekend at the "Queen City Riot" a local old school hot rod / rat rod / bobber bike car show. The Edsel got some sweet pinstripe work.........I noticed a few 50's - 60's bicycle out there, but mostly just stripped down Schwinn's with whitewalls. I gotta get my bike trailer built so I can haul 3 or 4 of my bicycles to the shows with me.
ANYWAY! I have few days days off this week, so I will get to rockin' on this build!! AND, my new pinstriping buddy will be putting the finishing touches on this bike!!!!!

 

[Big Ape]

Just seeing this one thanks to kingfish. You guys are making me want to talk my brother out of his girl's Spaceliner.

Not usually a big fan of weird handlebars but I think that funky set you had on there works well with the bike and that tank. Looks good with the apes too tho.

Yeah Chad, I have really been debating what handlebars to run. This bike has such a natural muscle bike look, that I am just going to go with it. I have a set of 12" tall apes coming, they have at least that much pullback on them also. I think they will fill the bill, crossing my fingers until they get here.

 

[Big Ape]

Alright, back to building! I know that my documentation on this build is poor up to this point, but I will try to keep things flowing as long as my parts keep coming in. I disassembled and cleaned the front fork after reversing the springer. Then I added some black and orange paint in place of the original blue. I may have to go back and try some satin or flat clear on the orange to try and get the color close to the shade on the tires.

I also painted the original medallion on the crank black and orange ( a real pain, probably should have just used a brush!) and painted the panel on the chain guard black. I made a plastic panel to go behind the vented part of the chain guard and painted it orange to match. I used 3M double sided tape strip to attach it. The panel isn't my most original work (stole the idea from a friend) but it works and looks cool.

 

[Big Ape]

I cut the slots in my rear dropouts deeper and took some out of the notch in order to be able to get the rear wheel in and out easier. And moving the wheel deeper in the slots helped me to have more room for the wider 2.125 tires.

I tried a deep rear fender but it looked a little funny cutting off some of the orange wall on the tire, so I went back with the original spaceliner fender. It is kind of hard to see now that it is painted satin black. But, this is about how low I want the street sweeper to mount. My first attempt on a street sweeper fender, so I'll err on the safe side.

Here is a quick view of the overall bike as it is right now.

 

[Big Ape]

Luke mentioned flipping the reflector housing earlier, so I got to thinking about it. The problem is that I'm not real fond of the spaceliner reflector, so I dug out an old Monark reflector. Here are a couple of pictures just holding it on to get a feel for how it looks. Any thoughts?

 

[Big Ape]

Probably my last pictures for the day. These is how I operate, I intentionally ordered a white tank when I was planning to build this bike last year....... now, I have decided to paint it BLACK. I could have just bought it in black to begin with!!

 

[Glen]

Luke mentioned flipping the reflector housing earlier, so I got to thinking about it. The problem is that I'm not real fond of the spaceliner reflector, so I dug out an old Monark reflector. Here are a couple of pictures just holding it on to get a feel for how it looks. Any thoughts?

Wow... never seen one of them before Looks amazing. Such a cool housing and will look great in that spot I reckon.

Glen.

 

[Glen]

Probably my last pictures for the day. These is how I operate, I intentionally ordered a white tank when I was planning to build this bike last year....... now, I have decided to paint it BLACK. I could have just bought it in black to begin with!!

I'm sure The Renaissance Man would say that you should have bought a white one AND a black one... just to be safe

Glen.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Lookin' good!

Luke mentioned flipping the reflector housing earlier, so I got to thinking about it. The problem is that I'm not real fond of the spaceliner reflector, so I dug out an old Monark reflector. Here are a couple of pictures just holding it on to get a feel for how it looks. Any thoughts?

The street sweeper is going to be really nice but I'm not sold on the reflector yet. It's hard to tell how it will look with the rest of the bike in the close pictures. Before you commit to drilling holes, maybe you can tape it in place long enough to get a few pix of the whole package. I really like how the black fenders disappear into the tires!

I'm sure The Renaissance Man would say that you should have bought a white one AND a black one... just to be safe

Glen.

That's good forward thinking Glen.
It really doesn't matter about the color of the gel coat unless for some reason someone wanted to leave it unpainted. The gel coat is just a base for painting it in what ever color one chooses. The only reason the first tanks where white was because my fiberglass guy had some left over white from another job that needed to be used.