Gee Bee Tribute Bike *Update 3/15*
- Thread starter RocketeerRat
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Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
I don't think he ever finished, I see him around once in a while, driving ambulance,Need to get him fired up again on the build.cman said:
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
Still waiting on parts before I can get to the painting but I've spent a considerable amount of time taking the frame back to bare metal getting rid of the rust and imperfections. The frame should be gloss black again in no time. Hopefully I can avoid screwing up the paint too bad, lol. I'm almost finished with the final drawing, just need to make up my mind on a couple more things and it should be good to go.
Definitely! My Gee Bee is gonna need some company. I actually like the colors he picked, I didnt think I would at first but it looks nice. iirc one of the early sportsters was painted in those colors.Gold Street Customs said:
Still waiting on parts before I can get to the painting but I've spent a considerable amount of time taking the frame back to bare metal getting rid of the rust and imperfections. The frame should be gloss black again in no time. Hopefully I can avoid screwing up the paint too bad, lol. I'm almost finished with the final drawing, just need to make up my mind on a couple more things and it should be good to go.
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
This drawing is essentially finished, I mostly wanted to get the tins in proportion and place the scallops more accurately. I am really liking this drawing, so much in fact that I'll make copies to color and use the original for my portfolio. Next update should be in full technicolor splendor!
Speedometer arrived today and was in pieces before I even got in the house! Its just a cheap used one I picked up specifically to modify for this bike. I need couple more things to make it work but so far so good. Here is a little teaser to wet your appetite...
This drawing is essentially finished, I mostly wanted to get the tins in proportion and place the scallops more accurately. I am really liking this drawing, so much in fact that I'll make copies to color and use the original for my portfolio. Next update should be in full technicolor splendor!
Speedometer arrived today and was in pieces before I even got in the house! Its just a cheap used one I picked up specifically to modify for this bike. I need couple more things to make it work but so far so good. Here is a little teaser to wet your appetite...
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
Last one for today, I'll be out in the garage persuading metal for a while. Sorry to keep boring you guys with endless drawings, the paint Should start flying this weekend ...if the parts arrive on time.
Last one for today, I'll be out in the garage persuading metal for a while. Sorry to keep boring you guys with endless drawings, the paint Should start flying this weekend ...if the parts arrive on time.
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
This should be a beautiful bike when finished. The drawings look great!
This should be a beautiful bike when finished. The drawings look great!
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
The frame is fully stripped and in primer, it will be in paint later tonight. I used a piece of scrap aluminum to make the "tank", unfortuantely its a bit too thin and flimsy for my taste. I'll have to go out and get some steel tomorrow. The chainguard only needed a hole drilled and a slight bend to fit. I'm using aviation style cushion clamps (adel clamps) for everything, even a customized one for the rear chainguard mount.
Spent most of yesterday making the speedometer. I used an old tachometer face and needle to refit the old speedometer. The housing was very tricky to source but I found the ideal piece while wandering around the local craft store. The candle set me back a whopping $.75! After extracting the candle and stripping the paint off the tin only needed minor tweaks before it became a gauge housing. The glass is just a random bit of clear plastic and everything is sealed up with silicone, which should make it "water resistant" lol. I am actually incredibly shocked by how easy the entire process was, it just seemed to fall together! Hopefully the rest of the build will follow suit.
The frame is fully stripped and in primer, it will be in paint later tonight. I used a piece of scrap aluminum to make the "tank", unfortuantely its a bit too thin and flimsy for my taste. I'll have to go out and get some steel tomorrow. The chainguard only needed a hole drilled and a slight bend to fit. I'm using aviation style cushion clamps (adel clamps) for everything, even a customized one for the rear chainguard mount.
Spent most of yesterday making the speedometer. I used an old tachometer face and needle to refit the old speedometer. The housing was very tricky to source but I found the ideal piece while wandering around the local craft store. The candle set me back a whopping $.75! After extracting the candle and stripping the paint off the tin only needed minor tweaks before it became a gauge housing. The glass is just a random bit of clear plastic and everything is sealed up with silicone, which should make it "water resistant" lol. I am actually incredibly shocked by how easy the entire process was, it just seemed to fall together! Hopefully the rest of the build will follow suit.
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
And since I know everyone wants to know, the tach/speedo really does work! and its fairly accurate too! I mistakenly set the needle a smidge too high so it will be a little off but Just multiply the big number by two and thats how fast you are going!
And since I know everyone wants to know, the tach/speedo really does work! and its fairly accurate too! I mistakenly set the needle a smidge too high so it will be a little off but Just multiply the big number by two and thats how fast you are going!
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
The epic saga continues! Yes, I totally jinxed this project a couple posts ago...
Shortly after the successful speedometer project the rest of my parts arrived and exactly None of them fit as expected. Most of the trouble is my frame is too new for "baloon cruiser" parts to fit correctly. Luckily I found myself to be more persuasive than the steel expected ...so now the fender fits! The front fender has a slightly different problem. It looks to be designed for a fixed fork so it really doesnt work with the springer I bought, good thing I checked before painting it. How are most springer fenders secured? Speaking of paint, I had a near tragedy with the frame. I applied one of the layers at the wrong interval and ended up cracking. but by some small miracle I managed to save the finish and its now curing up over night. Its not quite perfect but I can live with it. Hopefully I can start some assembly tomorrow. *Sigh* this is becoming a long tedious process... I'm starting to wonder if everyone else has issues like that and I just like to complain more than you guys?
The good news is painting the chainguard went flawlessly and should be in that gorgeous two tone very soon.
Thanks for the comments guys, I really appreciate the moral support!
The epic saga continues! Yes, I totally jinxed this project a couple posts ago...
Shortly after the successful speedometer project the rest of my parts arrived and exactly None of them fit as expected. Most of the trouble is my frame is too new for "baloon cruiser" parts to fit correctly. Luckily I found myself to be more persuasive than the steel expected ...so now the fender fits! The front fender has a slightly different problem. It looks to be designed for a fixed fork so it really doesnt work with the springer I bought, good thing I checked before painting it. How are most springer fenders secured? Speaking of paint, I had a near tragedy with the frame. I applied one of the layers at the wrong interval and ended up cracking. but by some small miracle I managed to save the finish and its now curing up over night. Its not quite perfect but I can live with it. Hopefully I can start some assembly tomorrow. *Sigh* this is becoming a long tedious process... I'm starting to wonder if everyone else has issues like that and I just like to complain more than you guys?
The good news is painting the chainguard went flawlessly and should be in that gorgeous two tone very soon. Thanks for the comments guys, I really appreciate the moral support!
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
Dude! Great build! When I first read the title I thought a "Bee Gee" build...I gotta see this! But as it turns out I wasn't disappointed! For your fender, can't you just rotate the fender back until the tab on top lines up with the hole in the bottom of the steerer tube? Don't worry about the "tedium"...These always take longer than we expect! :lol: Can't wait to see more! :mrgreen:
Dude! Great build! When I first read the title I thought a "Bee Gee" build...I gotta see this!
But as it turns out I wasn't disappointed! For your fender, can't you just rotate the fender back until the tab on top lines up with the hole in the bottom of the steerer tube? Don't worry about the "tedium"...These always take longer than we expect! :lol: Can't wait to see more! :mrgreen:
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
like bikeriderx said drill a hole in the fender where it will pass under the steer of the fork. then fab a tab that will hang on the cross bolt of the springer. go find an exlpoded view of a schwinn krate fork for reference. this way when the fork actuates the fender will move too. cool build cant wait to see parts of it up close if ya know what i mean :wink:
like bikeriderx said drill a hole in the fender where it will pass under the steer of the fork. then fab a tab that will hang on the cross bolt of the springer. go find an exlpoded view of a schwinn krate fork for reference. this way when the fork actuates the fender will move too. cool build cant wait to see parts of it up close if ya know what i mean :wink:
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
I stole away to the garage for a few minutes tonight only to find the frame paint still fairly soft. I'm guessing it will take a week or more for it to fully cure, but these few 80 degree days coming up will certainly help! I really needed to get the forks mocked up so I could take a closer look at the fender fitment. Unfortunately the new Wald bearing cups just would not fit the frame at all. I was able to put a decent polish on the old cups so in they went. I was surprised how well the fork fit! Looks like I just need a 1/8inch spacer for everything to snug down.
Hopefully you can see in this pic why the fender doesnt quite fit. If I rotated it back so the bracket was under the steer tube the tip would be nearly touching the ground. I think I'll use you guys' tips and fab up some kind of bracket attached to the pivot bolt. Unfortunately this fork doesnt have an exposed bolt inside so I will have to make something else, but not a big deal. Thanks for the tips guys, it helped me visualize what needs to be done. The only thing left to figure out is what to do with that pesky useless bracket riveted to the fender. An aviation themed headlight anyone? :wink:
I'm still not completely sold on the blacked out fork, what do you guys think? maybe replace the spring with a chrome one? btw, is there a way to fix the angle of the forks, making them more vertical? (shorten the wheelbase)
I stole away to the garage for a few minutes tonight only to find the frame paint still fairly soft. I'm guessing it will take a week or more for it to fully cure, but these few 80 degree days coming up will certainly help! I really needed to get the forks mocked up so I could take a closer look at the fender fitment. Unfortunately the new Wald bearing cups just would not fit the frame at all. I was able to put a decent polish on the old cups so in they went. I was surprised how well the fork fit! Looks like I just need a 1/8inch spacer for everything to snug down.
Hopefully you can see in this pic why the fender doesnt quite fit. If I rotated it back so the bracket was under the steer tube the tip would be nearly touching the ground. I think I'll use you guys' tips and fab up some kind of bracket attached to the pivot bolt. Unfortunately this fork doesnt have an exposed bolt inside so I will have to make something else, but not a big deal. Thanks for the tips guys, it helped me visualize what needs to be done. The only thing left to figure out is what to do with that pesky useless bracket riveted to the fender. An aviation themed headlight anyone? :wink:
I'm still not completely sold on the blacked out fork, what do you guys think? maybe replace the spring with a chrome one? btw, is there a way to fix the angle of the forks, making them more vertical? (shorten the wheelbase)
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
With regards to making the fork more "verticle", I made a spacer using a piece of steel tubing with washers welded at each end. Then used a longer bolt through the springer. The spacer is black in the photo. I also put a lock washer on to keep things from loosening.
With regards to making the fork more "verticle", I made a spacer using a piece of steel tubing with washers welded at each end. Then used a longer bolt through the springer. The spacer is black in the photo. I also put a lock washer on to keep things from loosening.
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
mikek said:
Re: Gee Bee Tribute Bike
Boy! This is coming along great!
I used the same spacer method to straighten out the springer on my chrome lowrider thing, to make it, I just used some left over aluminum pipe that just barely fit over the bolt and a longer bolt that i found at the hardware store.
Boy! This is coming along great!
I used the same spacer method to straighten out the springer on my chrome lowrider thing, to make it, I just used some left over aluminum pipe that just barely fit over the bolt and a longer bolt that i found at the hardware store.
