I started a new build last week that will be a bit more of a challenge, but is off to a good start. It's a panther style frame with a aluim gas tank, 12 gauge spokes,white wall tires, I hope nobody throws up with my color plans of a old fashioned blue green aqua with bright white inserts on tank and tool box. logos will be copper leaf on the tank and then with copper accents thrown in on the engine, headlight, etc for contrast and old vintage feel. All rolling on a harmonizing light pastel aqua Rims. i guess it wont be for everyone but it will be different. I'm doing all the painting and copper details myself this time to save money. I have just been painting small stuff and mocking up the bike and took a few Picts to show my mini progress. Planning on getting all the details done before any assembly. The frame and tank will be painted last. All I've done mechanically so far is pound in the bearing races for the front fork. I just lined the tool box with a synthetic leatherette. Ill post some more Picts this afternoon if I find some time.
Copper Board Tracker
- Thread starter ZipTie
- Start date
I like the colors too!
That is the really cool part of starting with a bare frame, you can use colors and textures that no production bicycle have ;-}
Thanks KC and Curtis! Good to hear nobody has blown their cookies on my color choice. I am hoping the large white panel on the Gas tank and the Tool Box will offset the Blue Green Aqua. Anyhow here is some more picts of the build details. I just finished clear coating the Tool Box and its ready for details once it hardens. The aqua leatherette liner I made and installed for the tool box is so stuff inside it wont rattle. it was a ton of work but came out decent. I'm worried about painting a entire bike frame though. I will wash the aluim frame with white vinegar to etch the surface. I may paint it today as temps will be 60 so I can open my Garage doors to rid the fumes. Fingers crossed.
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Why? You have a cool unique color choice bud and that is what sets it apart from all the other stock production bike builds!
I really enjoy accenting a bike with a contrasting color, to me it's as close as I'll get to being an artist as I will ever be a real one, but close enough for me to get some satisfaction from it, especially with powder coating and it's ability to add texture to the finish.
For example this is just a stock non-textured finish that is smooth to the touch...
And this a 'hammer tone' finish that not only looks different to the eye, if feels different when you touch it.
Again, just something compleity different from any production bicycle build ;-}
ZipTie I like your color choices...copper is great (anytime) & the blue reminds me of the great "Gulf stream" blue which Ford offered in the fifties & I re painted a Cushman Eagle with it as well. Extremely retro & attractive. A valid observation is that I don't use much color in my bike builds though I like color on the builds of others. Your bike is looking great & no apologies required for your choice! I can't wait to see it finished.
K.C.'s bikes rock as well & I'm a big fan of the China 2 strokes also, having built three over the past two years which I ride a lot, though most of my forum posts feature 4 cycle power I've not abandoned the little dolls. Great, economical fun.
Rick C.
K.C.'s bikes rock as well & I'm a big fan of the China 2 strokes also, having built three over the past two years which I ride a lot, though most of my forum posts feature 4 cycle power I've not abandoned the little dolls. Great, economical fun.
Rick C.
KC, I love the hammered finish on the green bike, clean, clean, clean/ Yep I like the art /creative aspect of building these motorbikes. Yep it can be an expressive endeavor whatever ones level is in build skill and budget. Never two alike. These Bikes really are a canvas and to add details really doesn't cost much more...it just takes a bit more time and planning.
I'm half bohemian, so art pumps through the veins I guess ,with almost all members of my family past and present and distant and even my Dad made a living in graphics, sign painting, portrait painting and pin stripe work. My sons are both graphic artists and my youngest is already an amazing creative artist at 13. I have the least amount of art talent of all of them for sure.
The side open tool box is now done except for white panel graphics and logo Yep the paint is full of light orange peel but is even in its finish and shines well. I'll rub the clear out with fine rubbing compound. Hey... its rattle can quality at its best. LOL
I'm half bohemian, so art pumps through the veins I guess ,with almost all members of my family past and present and distant and even my Dad made a living in graphics, sign painting, portrait painting and pin stripe work. My sons are both graphic artists and my youngest is already an amazing creative artist at 13. I have the least amount of art talent of all of them for sure.
The side open tool box is now done except for white panel graphics and logo Yep the paint is full of light orange peel but is even in its finish and shines well. I'll rub the clear out with fine rubbing compound. Hey... its rattle can quality at its best. LOL
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Thanks Rick and Russell!, Its got a bit more green than the gulf blue but that is a awesome color. All ok now, I was worried I was going to get a few very ripe tomato's tossed my way on the color choice. Ok now I'm like all Mr. confident in my slightly uncommon color choice, LOL... but seemed retro to me at the least. My older brother had a mint 55 Chevy this exact color, so I guess it makes me smile. If anyone's ever interested its called Krylon Sea Grass/ satin with a Krylon extra thick clear coat.
More picts to come if I can get the frame painted later today.
More picts to come if I can get the frame painted later today.
That green is nice!! I like the Porsche malachite greens and Subaru sage green a lot too. Like this:
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The green and the copper have a great and pleasant fifties feel about them. If you don't start off in your own direction your condemned to follow the crowd.
Steve.
Steve.
I love the way your bike is coming together bud!
I hold creative 'clean' builders in the highest regards as I know a little about how much time, money and effort it takes to go above just 'making it go' and making something really special.
I don't want to intrude in your build topic and hope you don't mind too much as this will be short lived, but I simply couldn't help it man.
It is $100 for to PC a frame regardless of texture so tried some things.
One of my favorite things about custom building a bike for a customer is when they grant me 'artistic freedom' with just some baseline parameters trusting that however it comes out they will love it.
Doing it for yourself is even more rewarding and I envy you for that as I can't even ride let alone keep what I build.
So I get a call from a local today wanting one of my in frame gas tank 4-stroke shifting builds and I mentioned I have one partially done in the bay build, but that I could make it whatever he wants, and mentioned I was going to make it a Cubs Tribute bike and he flipped out!
He is a local Chicago transplant and HUGE Cubs fan!
This should be a really fun build depending on his budget ;-}
Again, sorry for highjacking your build topic but overall I think maybe a bit helpful to the newbies re-think how they build.
I hold creative 'clean' builders in the highest regards as I know a little about how much time, money and effort it takes to go above just 'making it go' and making something really special.
I don't want to intrude in your build topic and hope you don't mind too much as this will be short lived, but I simply couldn't help it man.
It is fun and rewarding to work with new things like power coat textures.
It is $100 for to PC a frame regardless of texture so tried some things.
One of my favorite things about custom building a bike for a customer is when they grant me 'artistic freedom' with just some baseline parameters trusting that however it comes out they will love it.
Doing it for yourself is even more rewarding and I envy you for that as I can't even ride let alone keep what I build.
Ironically I have been planning a Chicago Cubs Tribute Build, have some of the important parts here but but since my caner and my son being shot and paralyzed from the waist down we are dead broke and cashing out some of our 401K just to get by, it has just been sitting in the bay.
So I get a call from a local today wanting one of my in frame gas tank 4-stroke shifting builds and I mentioned I have one partially done in the bay build, but that I could make it whatever he wants, and mentioned I was going to make it a Cubs Tribute bike and he flipped out!
He is a local Chicago transplant and HUGE Cubs fan!
This should be a really fun build depending on his budget ;-}
Again, sorry for highjacking your build topic but overall I think maybe a bit helpful to the newbies re-think how they build.
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Thanks for the thumbs up on the color. I just washed the frame in dawn dish soap over and over to degrease it, rinsed with scalding hot water and dried it well. Now im trying to figure out how to hang the frame and mask off the garage so I don't end up with a green garage, green tools and floor. Painting a frame ones self is easier said than done due to all the nooks and crannies while trying to not get drips etc. Here I go after I make sure the frame is dry and I get plastic hung somehow. Oh well here it goes, fingers crossed for no annoying fish eyes, runs and forgotten areas.
