Project xs750 lowrider

Working on the details as each coat of Bondo dries on the plug of the gas tank. Soon, this mock-up of the tank will be done and ready to be used to cast the fiberglass gas tank molds. While waiting for the bondo to dry, I stripped the black paint from the headers. There were a few rusted areas on the rear cones that the previous owner filled with epoxy. Then, he painted the headers with a type of black epoxy paint. Took a major combination of chemicals to remove it. Once stripped, the pipes polished up nice. Ordered two small sheets of chromed steel that I will roll and cover the entire rear conical section of the pipes and trim with two new end caps.
 

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I am restoring the three into two exhaust. Although it looked better than when it was painted black, removing the paint to bare metal revealed the reason it was painted black in the first place... rust on the exhaust cones. I decided to repair the corroded areas and then fabricate a new skin to wrap around the exhaust cones. Finally, two new end caps to trim the ends of the cones. In the first picture, you can see the damage, and I cut away the corroded areas, welded in new metal and smoothed it with high temperature epoxy filler. In the second picture, you can see the template for the exhaust wrap, including the cutaway areas for the cross tube and mounting brackets. In the third picture, you can see that I was able to wrap the entire cone and shape the metal around the very rear of the exhaust, blending it into the exit point of the exhaust. In the final picture, you notice the cap, which I fabricated to fit the end of the exhaust cones. The end of each cap will be hammered around the rounded edge of the exhaust exit point just like the cone wrap. Preliminary polishing came out well and matched the existing chrome plating. Good day!
 

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As I worked on the exhaust, I continued shaping and smoothing the plug for the tank as per the advice of d9canada and others here. I appreciate all the valuable information you have shared with me. I anticipate that the gas tank plug will be heading into the booth for its protective coating of gloss epoxy in two days. Get it done!
 

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Back from powder coat.... red, red, red.
 

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Please don't laugh... this color is Massey Ferguson red. It is a tractor color. I always loved this color. It is a blood red. Very deep. I painted my son's Mazda 6 this color with base coat/clear coat. That car is simply stunning. Red is an expensive color for cars, but the powder coat for the frame only cost 65 bucks. I thought it was a good bargain. When you consider that the cost of PPG or Ditzler red paints are in about the 250 to 300 dollar per quart range... it becomes apparent that those products are out of the price range of the average builder's budget. So... I swap the PPG base coat for a different product. I base coat all my pieces with a paint from a company called Van Sickle paints. Very good enamel. Heat resistant to 400 degrees, ceramic infused, and has a catalyst to harden it. Then, I put a standard catalyzed clear automotive enamel over all the parts. It is resistant to even ethanol so it I use it without hesitation. I have had great success in the past with these products. It is how I painted the bottom end of the engine. It is now cured and is as hard as nails.
 
Two friends, Steve Smidt and Michael Fredrickson stopped by and helped me drop in the motor today. It is about 75 pounds heavier than the mock-up motor and I could not have done it without them. Onward we go.
 

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Same red with black graphics. I will probably get out my Pache paint gun and run a few trial runs on the thing. You know how it goes. Nothing like flames or murals... just striping and colors to accent the long low shape
No final decisions yet. I'm making sketches at night
 
Cool, sometimes red on red on red is too much but sounds like you'll add the black accents to prevent the red overdose. Can't wait to see it.
 
Very cool man. Very different than most of the others I’ve seen around here.


Sent from my iPhone using DO THE TON
 
Thanks guys... more than fabricating metal... I am good with a paint gun. I'm sure that there will be at least a couple iterations of the tank and fenders before I make a final decision on the graphics. I was toying with the idea of an old MX style Husquavarna style graphic on each side of the tank. You know, the rounded oval that kind of mimicked the overall shape of the tank. I am also looking at the raised metal lips that edge the fat Bob fender and seeing that the front fender has a similar edge... I might make the whole thing two tone. I have time.... knowing that I have yet to finish the metal work on the seat base and rear fender. (Still waiting for the tail light and blinkers to arrive) I definitely appreciate the input. Without the input, I might end up riding a solid red looking fire truck. LOL
 
Did the rear wheel today. New bearings, new bolts, polished and painted rotor, polished the edges and spokes of the wheel, painted it, then removed the paint from the polished edges by hand. After this.... two coats of clear gloss finish.Good day.... one down, one to go.
 

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I used lacquer thinner because the paint was basically a "hot" industrial base enamel with lacquer thinner as a solvant. Each of the three color coats required that I carefully and slowly wipe the edges with a clean rag tightly wrapped around my index finger and then dipped in lacquer thinner. I had to do it after each of the coats because once it sets, it is very very difficult to remove. Fortunately, most of the edges were "raised edges so that made it all easier. The fact that I spent three hours polishing the edges with a denim wheel also made it so that the paint came off pretty easily. Not difficult... just a little time consuming.
 
Well... the rear end and drive train are assembled. New wheel bearings, and fresh paint on the wheel and disk brake roter. Driveshaft and ujoint are connected and the rubber boot protector is in place. I made a couple of decisions on the final stages of fabrication. I had initially planned to have a seat that was a fiberglassed body panel with a custom bike saddle seat attached to it. Because I might actually ride this bike, I decided to ditch that idea in favor of a standard leather covered foam bench saddle shaped with the same curves as the current seat mold. More padding... more comfort. I am older... I need comfort. LOL. I had also considered new gauges and a new headlight. As I thought about it, however, I realized that I do want as much of this sled to be original equipment as possible. I want bike guys to see the bike and immediately say, "Hey... this is an xs 750 SE". Soo... I am on the hunt for new tach, Speedo, and instrument cluster. (Mine are scratched a little and I don't think I can repair them)
 

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