Winter Project, Nirve Switchblade
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Curt,
I salvaged several of those lamps from old, 70s vintage emergency egress lights. The kind that are battery powered and come on during a power failure in commercial buildings. This is my last one. I've used them on several bike projects. It takes a 3" sealed beam lamp, 6 or 12 volt.
Tom
Dan,
I've had decent luck with the Plastic-Kote, Bumper Chrome. I shoot a coat or two of clear Top-Flite model airplane paint over it and it looks okay. Like I said, it ain't chrome so don't expect it to look that good.
I'm going to give this Rust-Oleum a try and see how it compares. I'll let you know.
Tom
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I wanted something clean for this bike so I didn't want the clutch cable housed inside that ugly spring/heat shield and routed along side the cylinder. I played with a couple of designs and came up with this. The cable comes straight down from the top bar nice and neat along with the throttle cable.
The photos show the parts and the installation. No moving parts, just a stainless steel noodle welded to a little bracket that spans the two top clutch cover bolts. It points the end of the cable directly at the actuator arm and is essentially effortless to disengage the clutch. The engine isn't on the bike in these photos but I've tested it on the bike and it works sweet.
The other project was tail lights. The original Captain America had four lights but I didn't want to clutter up the back end too much. The little lights are street rod parts from SpeedWay Motors and are only 1 & 3/4" long and 1 & 1/2" wide.
By the way, Speedway was fast. I ordered the lights Monday morning around 9AM and had them in my hands Tuesday just after 3PM. The UPS truck must have been idling at their back door. Hats off to Speedy Bill for customer service.
Tom
The photos show the parts and the installation. No moving parts, just a stainless steel noodle welded to a little bracket that spans the two top clutch cover bolts. It points the end of the cable directly at the actuator arm and is essentially effortless to disengage the clutch. The engine isn't on the bike in these photos but I've tested it on the bike and it works sweet.
The other project was tail lights. The original Captain America had four lights but I didn't want to clutter up the back end too much. The little lights are street rod parts from SpeedWay Motors and are only 1 & 3/4" long and 1 & 1/2" wide.
By the way, Speedway was fast. I ordered the lights Monday morning around 9AM and had them in my hands Tuesday just after 3PM. The UPS truck must have been idling at their back door. Hats off to Speedy Bill for customer service.
Tom
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I sure do like your cable setup... pretty slick! Engine looks nice. Did you buff up the covers with mag polish or what?
SB
SB
Welded on a noodle? Niice! Looks great with the two lights. Is that chrome paint sandable? like wet'r with 1500 before clear, maybe buff/polish too? Thinking of doing the light bell, eh?
I used my trusty bench buffer and some compound on the side covers. I also sanded them before buffing working down to 600 grit from 280. They came out okay but the aluminum is very porous and it's hard to get a perfect surface buff.
I've never tried to buff the chrome paint. I have my doubts that it would work.
I talked to a guy today who has done some powder coat work for me in the past on hot rod parts and he says he has a chrome-like powder coat. He said it isn't as shiny as chrome but looks close. I might have to consider this for the frame and some other small parts. I'll keep you posted.
Tom
Another small project done today. The Switchblade has a Nexus 3 speed internal hub with a handlebar twist shifter. I wanted to keep the ape hangers uncluttered but I also wanted to retain the shifter so I found a way to mount it to the bars and keep them clean.
I bought a pair of 'bar ends', the kind the roadies use that give them a different place to grip. I mounted it down low, cut off the excess length and mounted the twist shifter to it. Now, if I ever need to change gears the shifter is easy to reach but not taking up space out near the throttle/brake/clutch levers.
I bought a pair of 'bar ends', the kind the roadies use that give them a different place to grip. I mounted it down low, cut off the excess length and mounted the twist shifter to it. Now, if I ever need to change gears the shifter is easy to reach but not taking up space out near the throttle/brake/clutch levers.
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I've seen bicycle guys attach a old glass door knob to the twist shifter & mount it down under the seat to the seat post tube of the frame... (it looks pretty kewl). 
Norm,I've seen bicycle guys attach a old glass door knob to the twist shifter & mount it down under the seat to the seat post tube of the frame... (it looks pretty kewl).
That's a great idea. The final designs of this build are still pending. I might have to look at relocating the shifter. I could put it on the seat tube just under the saddle.
If the snow melts in the next few days I'll get a chance to ride this thing under power. I mounted a kit peanut tank on it just for testing. It looks silly but it's only temporary.
Thanks for the idea.
Tom
Norm that picture next to the head title, could you post that bigger? That is a awesome idea......................CurtI've seen bicycle guys attach a old glass door knob to the twist shifter & mount it down under the seat to the seat post tube of the frame... (it looks pretty kewl).
Tom,
What a fantastic build!! I just read the entire thread, didn't see it before. I think your better half and mine come from the same mold, I laugh when she comes down to the garage for "where's the smoke coming from" or "didn't you just pay XXXX dollars for that?? (as it's mounted in some machining/grinding/welding device) Gotta love that, gotta see thru the sparks!! The only "luck" I had bending 2024 T6 (throw the bend radius formula away) is to do several 20 deg bends 1/8th" from each other, still, rather use a bit thicker 1100 series as it takes vibration so much better. That stainless tubing sounds like to Aircraft O2 system lines, tough stuff!! I applaud your insightfullness on the re-purposing of all the items... When I go to Home Depot and I stare at the plumbing(or any section) and get asked by an employee "Can I help you" I always think "NOBODY can help me man" I tell them, I'm in my think tank, thanks anyway!!
Keep up the great work and Pic's!! "Keep the motor runn'in, get out on the Highway..."
R/Mac
What a fantastic build!! I just read the entire thread, didn't see it before. I think your better half and mine come from the same mold, I laugh when she comes down to the garage for "where's the smoke coming from" or "didn't you just pay XXXX dollars for that?? (as it's mounted in some machining/grinding/welding device) Gotta love that, gotta see thru the sparks!! The only "luck" I had bending 2024 T6 (throw the bend radius formula away) is to do several 20 deg bends 1/8th" from each other, still, rather use a bit thicker 1100 series as it takes vibration so much better. That stainless tubing sounds like to Aircraft O2 system lines, tough stuff!! I applaud your insightfullness on the re-purposing of all the items... When I go to Home Depot and I stare at the plumbing(or any section) and get asked by an employee "Can I help you" I always think "NOBODY can help me man" I tell them, I'm in my think tank, thanks anyway!!
Keep up the great work and Pic's!! "Keep the motor runn'in, get out on the Highway..."
R/Mac
I hate winter! Here's the bike, ready for some road tests, even has a full tank of fuel but look at the streets in my neighborhood. There's at least two inches of ice and snow out there. Not a great idea when trying out a new build, especially one with an extended fork and ape hanger bars.
I just threw on that silly little kit tank. I know it doesn't look very good but it will suffice during the testing phase. I did start the engine to see how my home made exhaust baffle sounds. Not too quiet. There's an annoying crack to it but that will go away when I get the muffler and fish tail tip on.
Praying for some warm weather, or at least some dry pavement. It's supposed to be in the high 50s tomorrow. Next step is getting the seat upholstered and some padding. That plywood and steel on a hardtail just ain't gonna cut it. I'll keep you posted.
Tom
I just threw on that silly little kit tank. I know it doesn't look very good but it will suffice during the testing phase. I did start the engine to see how my home made exhaust baffle sounds. Not too quiet. There's an annoying crack to it but that will go away when I get the muffler and fish tail tip on.
Praying for some warm weather, or at least some dry pavement. It's supposed to be in the high 50s tomorrow. Next step is getting the seat upholstered and some padding. That plywood and steel on a hardtail just ain't gonna cut it. I'll keep you posted.
Tom
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YES! YES! YES! It runs and rides great!!!!!!!!!!!
No bugs to work out after about a mile. Everything works like it's supposed to. I'm satisfied.
Now I'll just ride it a little, get the seat upholstered and keep seaching for just the right fuel tank then it'll be time to tear it apart for paint.
Thank you, Mother Nature for melting the ice and giving me a chance to see what I've built.
More later.
Tom
No bugs to work out after about a mile. Everything works like it's supposed to. I'm satisfied.
Now I'll just ride it a little, get the seat upholstered and keep seaching for just the right fuel tank then it'll be time to tear it apart for paint.
Thank you, Mother Nature for melting the ice and giving me a chance to see what I've built.
More later.
Tom
Dan,
I strapped some foam rubber on the seat pan for the test rides. Surprisingly it wasn't too bad even on my bony little backside. That big fat soft rear tire absorbs a lot. When I get the seat upholstered I'm going to have them use 4" high density foam. That should make for a tolerably soft ride.
I put about 16 miles on the bike today but my hands, even with gloves were freezing so I quit for the day just in time for the snow to start, AGAIN! Looks like I won't be riding tomorrow. But it was fun. I'm getting use to the steering and the high bars. You just don't make sharp turns.
Tom
Tom,
Glad you got a chance to get out. Your bike is pushing me to tear my chopper down and do the things I've always wanted to do. Put a big fat tire on the back, build a tank for it and get some good brakes on it. It has run so well for three summers that I haven't gotten around to it. Now that I have another bike to ride I'll probably get after it in the near future, but I'm gonna stick with the nice soft seat I have on it now. Have fun! Dan
Glad you got a chance to get out. Your bike is pushing me to tear my chopper down and do the things I've always wanted to do. Put a big fat tire on the back, build a tank for it and get some good brakes on it. It has run so well for three summers that I haven't gotten around to it. Now that I have another bike to ride I'll probably get after it in the near future, but I'm gonna stick with the nice soft seat I have on it now. Have fun! Dan