(MBBO4 Class 1) SixtyNine Spyder: All Done!

[CRASH]

Applied some decals tonight. Again, sorry I don't have "before" pics. I'm rushing out to work in between other stuff, so I forget till after I'm into it.

These were a bear to install. First, getting them off the backing paper was difficult. I bought these in 2013, and who knows how old they were before that. So it took me quite a while to get them off the paper and properly onto the chain guard. The black and red circle stripes are separate decals, and were the biggest pains.

The head badge makes me happy. I've been looking for a NOS one for years but have never found one I could get. This one had beat up black paint and the shiny aluminum wasn't shiny at all. So, I buffed the aluminum which wore off most of what was left from the black paint. Then I cut out the black circle from a head badge sticker I bought years ago. I applied it and it fit for the most part! (I had to make some small adjustments) Next I'm going to carefully paint the 'atom' in the center.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

You always do great work Crash, keep it coming!

Luke.

 

[GuitarlCarl]

I wonder what porcelain touch up paint would do on that shifter knob?

Carl.

 

[CRASH]

I got some special rattle can stuff. It'll be drying for a few days. Meanwhile I'm knocking the paint off the frame and prepping it for primer.

 

[roadwarrior]

Go Crash! Getting it done!

 

[CRASH]

The handle came out nice. The picture doesn't show the smooth shine, but it looks real good. I have it sitting aside to cure for the next week while I do the frame.

 

[CRASH]

I got the frame and forks completely stripped and cleaned. Re-learned lesson... don't bother with bondo on bare metal because the acetone eats it off. I learned that once, but forgot it.

I shot the first coat of etch primer to give it a base to work the bondo. There are a few rust-pitted spots that need attention of course.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Shifter looks good!

Luke.

 

[Fv2]

Shifter looks good!

Luke.

+1

 

[CRASH]

Nothing worthy of a photo today. I sanded the bondo and the frame smooth and hit it with another light coat of etch. Tomorrow it will get a few coats of Build primer. A bunch of sanding to smooth that out, and Monday it will go to the paint booth to get its Gold!

 

[CRASH]

In the mail I got the pair of NOS Wald kickstands I ordered. I got a 27" for the Slingshot since its stock 26" was too short, and I got a 24/26" for the Spyder because the one I had for it was also too short. Well, they didn't give me one for the 27". Instead there was one for a 20". ugh.

So I put on the 24/26". (Said it fits most 24 and 26" bikes). It looks great on it!

That is until you set it on the ground and the bike tips in the wrong direction because the stand is too long.

So I thought I'd have to go searching for a solution. I'm fiddling with something else and I'm staring at the 20" and I thought to myself, that doesn't look very short. So, on whim I threw it on the Spyder.

BAM! Perfect! Who would have known. (I threw the 24/26" on the Slingshot in the same way, and of course it was too short). Ok, on to the next thought...

I NEED YOUR OPINIONS!

As you may recall, I've been collecting parts for this Spyder for about 3 years, so I've gotten very picky about what is going on it. I had a NOS red line Cheater Slick for it, but those are for a Huffy. Then a NOS red line Paragon w/ Tractor Grip popped up, so I bought it. Spyders came with Tractor Grip slicks. The tire looks good on the bike. But a couple days ago a NOS Sears Tractor Grip popped up, so, of course, I bought it! I threw it on the rim. It's not a square as I thought it should have been. I've never seen a Sears rear tire for a Spyder so I don't know how square they are. I've been influenced by Huffy for so long I have it in my brain that a slick should be very square.

So... I put it to you. Which should I use?

Here's the Paragon.
Pros: Square!
Cons: A little skinnier than the Sears. / Not a Sears.

Here's the Sears:
Pros: It's a Sears! / A little wider than the Paragon.
Cons: A little rounder than the Paragon.

Side-by-side (The Sears is mounted in the frame)

 

[Fv2]

I'd go with the sears, you filled head tube holes that would be covered because you knew they'd be there.

Sears bike, Sears tire.

 

[roadwarrior]

I'd go with the wider Sears. I think the Paragon looks too small.

 

[OddJob]

Whichever tire is bigger than your front one... Mo fatta mo betta as @kingfish254 likes to say!

 

[RustySprockets]

I'd go with the Sears. The difference in width is noticeable; the difference in profile, not so much.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

The fatter the better!

Luke.

 

[CRASH]

The Sears was my choice as well, so I'm glad I have unanimous validation. Thanks gents!

 

[CRASH]

Last pic of the winning tire. Next time it's installed will be for the full install.

 

[CRASH]

Today has been primer and sanding. I've done more "body work" on these two bikes than I ever have before. I learned a lot last year about how important the body work is, and how it affects the paint, so this year I've really gone overboard. You all won't be able to see the difference, but I should be able to.

Here's the Spyder frame after a round of sanding. You can see where the high spots are found with the different colored primers. The Spyder's tubes aren't perfectly round, which creates a challenge. Luckily the Huffy's are much more round.

This bike should be in the paint booth in the morning.

 

[CRASH]

PAINT DAY! (Warning: This isn't Smoopy paint, so nothing to get excited about)

Hangin' the fork.

Hangin' the frame.

The completed fork. (Before clear... forgot to take one after clear)

Completed frame.

They are baking right now. I'll bring them home tomorrow and let them sit for about a week before I start building them just to give them as much cure time as I can.