Chopping up other peoples shit!

Spent the afternoon over my buddy Elliott's place. Been bugging him for months to do something about the huge tank on him BMW, any he finally picked up a dinted old tank to play about with.

He had already played about with this bike quite a lot, the rear end has been cut and cropped, shorter seat made etc.... The tank was massive though. It would hold enough fuel to circumnavigate the world, but didn't really work well with the trimmed down bike ( in my eyes!)

Look at the size of it! You could smuggle a small african country in that!

Anyways, armed with my grinder, splitter discs and pinstripe tape we set about it!

The tunnel was pretty epic inside, the tank Was in good nick, not like the rusty old shit I'm used to chopping about...

This is the line we settled on. Plenty chopped out, but still a very practical tank for every day use.
I had a load of dings to knock out which went well. It's home with me now for tacking up, before the next fit back on the bike. Loads of making good to do on the bottom, but it's a marked improvement in our eyes, while still looking fairly original...

Bits and Bobs

Had a couple of hours out on the bike. One of many days of doing little shitty bits and bobs I imagine....

Carbs are on, but the cables are too short for my bars...

Air filters don't fit!!! Need to re- make the backs with the tube offset so they don't interfere with the frame. I'm not too disappointed as the welding on the first ones I made was rather shit!

Re-made the rear wheel spacers, the wheel was offset to the right (when on the bike) so hopefully I can now mount the rear mudguard

Welded some support onto the kickstand mount- will need to go back over this when I strip for paint.

Finally I had to cut a cross member fom the back of the frame. The new seat springs didn't line up with anything, so cut the old one out, then weld a new one in.

I can properly sit on the bike now. It's comfy as hell!

old boy - VL frame and springer

This old boy got its legs on today...

its supposed to be going up for sale - but I have good (bad) friends whispering plans into my ear....

serious offers will be considered, but its not gonna be given away..

The beauty of old parts

Its not very often that people get to admire craftsmanship these days - a throw-away society; where little thought is given to the longevity of things over and above a couple of years.

I'm lucky enough to have bought a few parts in the states, and a good mate - Jason has been the custodian of them for me until I saved up some pennies to get them shipped over. Well the parts were posted less than 24 hours ago, and they already in my possession, and they are wondrous!

A Harley Davidson frame made 80 years ago, and an Indian gearbox that is some 70 years old. they show a bit of age, but also they show how form and function can work hand in hand. the frame especially has so many nice touches!

a privilege to have them in my possession - for the time being anyways...

Progress.....

Took an extra day off after the bank holiday, so cracked on with the bike. Loads of little bits done....

Welded on a support to attach the rear torque arm to...

Attached the pipes to the sissy bar for extra support...

The side stand proved to be a bugger. A right pain to get it to fit under the pipes with the stock mounting. I'll need to get the engine out and support it all, but it just about fits...

I made sure the bike had the right amount of lean- its gotta have a good lean to it to look right!!!

Then took some shots of the bike cos it's soooo cool!!!

Pipe me

Had a decent day today, been helping Tombo with his tank, but moved the bike back down to where I can finish the welding. Got the right hand pipe sorted with a mounting bracket near the back wheel, will need to do the other side to match, but it's looking good.

Oh, and mounted the p-pad on the muddy- that's not mounted yet, need to check the rear wheel is spaced right, it doesnt seem to be central...

I'm proper made up with how the bike is looking, Newark tomorrow to get some bits, but I'm ready to crack on with it now....

FLAME-ON!

Been slowly cracking on with the tank...

First up- pin striping flames




I could see me spending hours on this, so stuck with my first attempt- shit or bust as it were....

I masked up the area around the flames



then sprayed the flames black



then peeled it all off...



the paint had moved a bit - the result of me laying loads of layers on when I was trying to get it to crack - i'll deal with that later...



next up - pinstriping.

not having a steady hand, or being very practiced in the art I cheated - basically lay the 3mm pinstripe tape where i wanted the line, then put another strip either side



then just peel back to give a line to paint inside...



look how messy I am with a striping brush!!!



but never mind - it all came good when the tape is removed!!!



here are the first lot of lines I did...



then finished it up this afternoon - I free-handed the points, which wasn't easy, and they aren't great - but I don't want perfect, I like the relative roughness of the tank!

i'm pretty happy with it - just clear coat and matting down to do on it and it'll be sorted...





time for BEER!!!!!!!!!!