I’ll say Brian. He loves it. And really knows the models and parts. Amazing.
The 442
- Thread starter CRASH
- Start date
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One thing that honestly bugs me is the amount of time my ridiculous attention to detail costs me. I’m inefficient as heck, as I try to perfect every inch of the build. Case in point, and I should have gotten a “before” picture, but etch primer can reveal a lot of defects that need attention that you could not see in raw metal covered in splotches of bondo. So as I’m inspecting the frame this morning, there is a very small lump of smoothed out weld UNDER the caliper brace. No one will ever turn this bike over and inspect it. But I can’t let it go. I didn’t like the lump, so I just spent another 45 minutes grinding and smoothing it out. Now I have to bondo it, smooth that out, then etch it to catch that area up with the frame. This will set me back a full day. All because I can’t let it go.
I guess it’s a good thing I’m not under a deadline.
I guess it’s a good thing I’m not under a deadline.
So I built up about 4 coats of build primer and let it cure for 2 days. Today I started knocking it down. The problem with corrosion-damaged frames is that the unevenness take a lot of work. I’m not kidding when I say I have sanded for about 6 hours straight.
When I got to the mods I found yet another slight dimple, so I threw a very thin dollop of bondo on it and let it dry while I did some other work.
It was 94 degrees today, so standing in the sun to find the imperfections and sand them down was sweaty, hot work. But I did it. So here it is all smoothed out ready for the next round of build primer. You can really see where the frame modifications were done.
Next is to shoot a few more coats of build primer, then I’ll have to smooth that out. And hopefully that’s it before paint.
When I got to the mods I found yet another slight dimple, so I threw a very thin dollop of bondo on it and let it dry while I did some other work.
It was 94 degrees today, so standing in the sun to find the imperfections and sand them down was sweaty, hot work. But I did it. So here it is all smoothed out ready for the next round of build primer. You can really see where the frame modifications were done.
Next is to shoot a few more coats of build primer, then I’ll have to smooth that out. And hopefully that’s it before paint.
Matador Red.
Awesome work so far Crash, I could not think of anyone better qualified to build a matching ride for that Olds!
I like the bolt cutter idea. Lots of leverage.
You did an amazing job bringing that fender back. It was quite a process!
Haha! Love it!
As usual you're doing a great job on this bike CRASH. I wish I had your attention to detail and patience but I can see it's a bit of an issue sometimes as well. Looking forward to more results!
Untold hours of prep work is complete. All parts washed and drying in the sun, then off to the painter today.
I’m still waiting on stuff from Canada, so whatever wait time I have, I’ll just let the paint cure while I’m waiting.
I’m still waiting on stuff from Canada, so whatever wait time I have, I’ll just let the paint cure while I’m waiting.
Do you wash your parts after you primer them after sanding? Maybe the problem I've had with wrinkles is not doing that just wiping down and blowing off with air hose
I rinse them with water. I don’t want soap residue on them. Your wrinkling could be due to a number of reasons, but I’m not a paint expert so I wouldn’t want to guess.
The bike had the right Glucco rear reflector. But it had some pretty serious scratching. I wasn’t sure if this would work, so I got right into it, and into sanding realized I should have taken a “before” picture. So here it is after I already got started.
I used 400 grit to get the deep scratches down, then 600 grit to smooth it, then 2000 grit to really smooth it, then polishing compound to shine it back up. Then I put the aluminum and hardware on the buffing wheel.
I used 400 grit to get the deep scratches down, then 600 grit to smooth it, then 2000 grit to really smooth it, then polishing compound to shine it back up. Then I put the aluminum and hardware on the buffing wheel.
That reflector came up amazing!
On the first post you’ll see that his red 442 has white racing stripes. So…
The original seat on the bike had “Huffy stripes” on the Persons seat. (Huffy used the thin-thick-thin pattern and offset it to the right on their seats). So I got a sooty red Persons seat.
Matched the pattern width and offset with masking.
Shot it with Vinyl paint, cleaned up the line edges, and there we go!
The original seat on the bike had “Huffy stripes” on the Persons seat. (Huffy used the thin-thick-thin pattern and offset it to the right on their seats). So I got a sooty red Persons seat.
Matched the pattern width and offset with masking.
Shot it with Vinyl paint, cleaned up the line edges, and there we go!
Getting some color going.
Do you like the band The White Stripes?
About to shoot the white.
Maybe red over green grass was a bad photo choice. I pulled the frame out after a few days of curing to snap some update pics. The paint looks fantastic, but I don’t think you can see that in the pictures very well. I used a very high end clear coat and it really makes a difference.
And the frame modifications almost look factory, which was my goal. It came out better than I hoped.
I’m waiting for a few things to get shipped from Canada. I’m just going to let the frame continue to cure and harden until they arrive, then I’ll start assembly.
And the frame modifications almost look factory, which was my goal. It came out better than I hoped.
I’m waiting for a few things to get shipped from Canada. I’m just going to let the frame continue to cure and harden until they arrive, then I’ll start assembly.
Paint job looks great. What clear coat did you use?
Matrix AG40 Glamour Euro 2:1
Thanks. Which of their three hardeners did you use?
