share my Excelsior inspired build, help with aging paint

GoldenMotor.com

WoodyFlorida

New Member
Sep 11, 2012
26
0
1
West Florida
Hello friends, I have been working on my bike sporadically for over a year and i did not plan to take so long but i always bounce from one project to next. I have been busy building a little cabin and i just started a fence project. Anyway I always planned to share with the group because I really enjoy seeing what everyone else posts; there is a lot of talent here. And i think posting here will help motivate me to finish because now that the weather has turned warm I really want to ride it.
My bike is inspired by my favorite bike, 1915-16 Excelsior racer.

I have a rusty worksman front drum brake wheel taken off my industrial trike and am looking for a rusty rear coaster brake worksman to match. I am particularly proud of the seat I cold hammered for a day to make, I made two because the first was a little off. I could not find any brackets to mount the gas tank I liked so I made some. I made two for the bottom by cold hammering over a pipe and the top two I made by welding several squares of flatstock together to get the arch. Also the motor has a large diameter front mount, I did not expect this because my first motor was for a one inch down tube and it has made mounting it difficult.
I had the idea of like a barn built privateer board racer, not a factory bike. I plan to age and fade the paint and generally beat the bike up to look like a 100 year old bike. I have been letting the bike and motor get dirty and oily in the garage to help the paint lift and flake. I still have many little things to do and make. If anyone has ideas, comments or whatever I want to hear it. I have been researching ideas to age the paint and engine so any help there is appreciated.
 

john young

New Member
Jan 12, 2013
26
0
0
London Kentucky
Woody, There are some great articles on the new for fauxtina paint jobs - even rolled on ones. I have also used a product called cracklit. You brush it on then put a coat of paint over it and let it dry. It will put fine cracks in the paint that replicate sitting outside. Check out the fauxtina as I am getting ready to do my 36 Ford panel in several colors with a flat red top coat. Eastwood has some great flat rat rod paints that I use. Good luck
 

WoodyFlorida

New Member
Sep 11, 2012
26
0
1
West Florida
Thanks for the links guys. Did I scare everyone off, I thought I could go back and edit and delete. I have searched old posts and they are helpful but I don't want to use the fauxtina artificial stuff. I was looking at speeding up real patina, maybe heat the engine and singe oil on it? I really was hoping someone had documented the steps of making paint look 100 years old, some illustrated steps would be great. Thanks for checking me out and for any help. Here's more photos too.

 

harry76

Well-Known Member
Apr 16, 2011
2,557
47
48
Brisbane, Australia
Check out this thread...

http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=42094&highlight=lurker

A nicely rusted engine starts on page 5.

Also use the search feature to look up: aging, antiquing, patina, etc...

Lots of good info to be found here!

-Kirk
Lurkers build that Mr.B linked above is great and definitely worth a look but Mr.B is being humble. Check out his beautiful build, he did a patina paint job and his bike is one of the best, if not the best bike on here. Lots of great ideas
http://motorbicycling.com/showthread.php?t=37011