(MBBO#6 Class 2) Twist of Lemon

[tjwilson]

Just wow! I've been so busy I haven't checked this in a while. I'm going to come back and read it all very closely as soon as I get my bike done. Great work!!

Thanks. I know what you mean about trying to keep up on other builds. Never seems to be enough time.

 

[tjwilson]

This is really something special! I've thoroughly enjoyed watching this come together, and all the little details. I can't wait to see the finished product!

Thanks. I know you have a real appreciation for muscle bikes, means a lot that you like what I'm up to.

 

[tjwilson]

Shifter

Tried a couple options but couldn't come up with a more typical muscle bike shifter that looked right. Converted a stem shifter from twin to single lever with some selective editing.

 

[tjwilson]

Seat Pan

Pretty happy with the way this is going so far. The pan fits tight to tubing that runs around the entire seat perimeter so I figured I should be able to get away without an inner pan.

Thin cardboard folders used to cut a template.

Template transferred to sixteen gauge sheet metal, cut, trimmed and folded.

Rough pan held in place for weld-up.

Final trim and mounted to frame.

 

[tjwilson]

Frame Smoothing

This is always the point in a build were progress seems to nearly stop. Here's a spot inventory of the filing and body fill to date. I really hadn't paid much attention to the number of tubing joints in this frame until I started smoothing welds! Still quite a bit of touch-up with glazing putty required. May have to be an in-primer build-off finish, not sure I'll be able to get the final paint applied in time.

 

[léocwc]

 

[CRASH]

I wish you lived closer. I could shoot sealer, then a few coats of paint, then a few coats of clear within hours. Give it a day to cure, then back to you to build! You can do this!! We need to see this bike completed!!

Work through Thanksgiving if you have to!!

 

[tjwilson]

I wish you lived closer. I could shoot sealer, then a few coats of paint, then a few coats of clear within hours. Give it a day to cure, then back to you to build! You can do this!! We need to see this bike completed!!

Work through Thanksgiving if you have to!!

That would be awesome, but yeah a little distance between CA and MI.

I'm confident I'll make it across the finish line. Just don't know if the frame will be grey or yellow! Seems that no matter how thorough I am with filler the primer coat always reveals areas that need additional smoothing and shaping. If I get lucky, if everything looks smooth and weather here cooperates, it will be yellow. If not, primer grey it will have to be for now.

 

[CRASH]

Just don't know if the frame will be grey or yellow!

Just a thought, but I know they have different primer colors. I use green as an etch, then gray as a filler. I know there is kind of a rust color out there, but maybe there is a yellow as well? Yellow primer then rattle-can gloss clear coat... just to make it across the finish line?

Just a thought.

 

[Troyminator]

That would be awesome, but yeah a little distance between CA and MI.

I'm confident I'll make it across the finish line. Just don't know if the frame will be grey or yellow! Seems that no matter how thorough I am with filler the primer coat always reveals areas that need additional smoothing and shaping. If I get lucky, if everything looks smooth and weather here cooperates, it will be yellow. If not, primer grey it will have to be for now.

I can relate with the weather issue in these parts...
I seem to use the heat gun to dry paint quite a bit this time of year.

 

[tjwilson]

Just a thought, but I know they have different primer colors. I use green as an etch, then gray as a filler. I know there is kind of a rust color out there, but maybe there is a yellow as well? Yellow primer then rattle-can gloss clear coat... just to make it across the finish line?

Just a thought.

Funny you mention the colored primer... I'm using 2K rapid filler primer, a yellow 2K primer over that, a 1K color match to the vinyl I'm using for the seat, and then 2K gloss clear for the final finish.

Got the grey filler primer on yesterday. There are a few spots that need a little additional smoothing but overall, better than I expected! First time I've the 2K paints (kept away from them up till now because of safety concerns). The 2K dries really fast and doesn't seem to be as dependent on temp/humidity as other paint I've used. I'm becoming more optimistic that I'll get the final color and clear on in time.

 

[tjwilson]

I can relate with the weather issue in these parts...
I seem to use the heat gun to dry paint quite a bit this time of year.

I've had to do the propane heater in the garage drying booth shuffle a time or two!

 

[tjwilson]

Adding Spot and Glazing Putty

Some additional smoothing over the body filler before spraying on the primer.

Frame in Primer

Frame in Primer with Painted Seat Pan

 

[tjwilson]

Fork / Front End Assembly

While waiting for drying times and clear weather to paint I've been doing some polishing. Got the fork, handlebar stem and shifter lever cleaned up and buffed to a relatively good shine and the front end assembled.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Looking fantastic!

 

[Scribble]

A piece of art work this is

 

[tjwilson]

Looking fantastic!

A piece of art work this is

Thank you very much. I'm really liking the way everything is coming together. Going to be a fun bike to ride.

 

[RustySprockets]

A success if it rides even half as good as it looks.

 

[NoControl]

Captivating.

 

[tjwilson]

Seat Pad and Cover

For padding I used pieces of foam flooring that are about half an inch thick. This was cut to size, glued to the seat pan and trimmed to final shape. An inner layer of vinyl was trimmed and glued over the foam (the darker purple was still visible thru a single layer). I then added a final layer using a hair dryer to stretch the vinyl and a hot glue gun to attach to the bottom of the seat pan.