broccoli's cafe project...paint's done...update 3/12/08

[digitalbroccoli]

from seat thread to full project thread...Mods, can someone move this one over to big arse projects?

So I fell into a spare tank from a purple kawasaki...(blech!) and decided to try my hand at cutting it up and making my seat cowl portion out of it.

before:

I cracked it with my dremel and a bunch of cutting wheels...

and started to toy with the bottom of it. I wanted to leave a little bit of metal on it to mount it to the seat pan, rather than mounting it to the frame rails. (I'm keeping my hinges, I hope)

After a while, I think I've got it the way I like it...(mocked up, not mounted yet)

From the rear you can see the little loop that mounted it to the frame on the original bike. I'm thinking that's going to be a perfect way to mount my plate. (I have thoughts of integrated flush mount LED's for tailights...or a vintage one mounted above the plate from that little loop.

So far I think I like it. It give the back end a nice tapered finish, and I like the look of it in contrast/along with the tank curve. I'm hoping this weekend to get it mounted to the pan, and see if that's going to work the way I hope it will.

 

[tobiism]

Re: time to cut a tank and build a seat

Right on man, thats going to look good, but just think of how much better it would look if you would just raise the rear of that tank 8)!!!

 

[locOleoN]

Re: time to cut a tank and build a seat

Yeah!!.. That looks pretty darn good sofar!!...
Geezzz.. I love those do-it-yourself seats!!..

Great work!

 

[HerrDeacon]

Re: time to cut a tank and build a seat

I agree, that looks really good. Seems like it fits pretty good too, width wise. Good find. Keep posting pics of the progress.

 

[digitalbroccoli]

Re: time to cut a tank and build a seat

I got pretty lucky with the tank width, and I ended up cutting it at its widest point, which gave me a little better fit too. It's just about the right width for the cut down seat pan. I've got to figure out the mounting yet, but I think it'll work.

I think I'll probably lift the back of the tank just a tick, I wanted to have the rear cowl mocked up to see what the proper angle was so they'd match. Didn't want to have to do the work twice.

 

[digitalbroccoli]

Re: broccoli's seat - update, help me pick a tail light!

So...I've decided to modify one of the extra tail/brake lights that was initially on the bike to bemy tail light, but I'm not sure which way I like it better...

The first couple pics are of the 'tall" mount. The light sits higher, and I think I like it better. For some reason it just looks "right" tome..

the next couple pics are of the same lens cut down (I had 2) to mock up what it would look like if I cut a hole and sank the light into the cowl a bit...

I really like the tall one..I think. If I mount it that way, there's a ton more margin for error on cutting the space needed to mount it, which I'm happy with too. If I screw up the mounting of the lower version, I'm done...new seat cowl.

What do you guys think? Tall, or short?

 

[locOleoN]

Re: broccoli's seat - update, help me pick a tail light!

ya know, both profiles look really great either way...
I think I like the tall version!!... Its different!!

Tonight, I'm about to start my 3rd cafe racer seat for my cb550f bike that will be matched for my cb750f tank...

Just out of curiousity, have you thought of sinking in a tail light from a 59 caddy?

 

[digitalbroccoli]

Re: broccoli's seat - update, help me pick a tail light!

i looked at a couple different caddy tails, and a few buicks too. in the end, i really like that this one is from the bike, sort of a recycled feel to it.

 

[digitalbroccoli]

Re: broccoli's seat - update, help me pick a tail light!

hmm....going out on a limb, and ordered a set of these. If I like em, fine, if not, I'll find somehting to do with em. But, I think they'll tuck in under my tail section nicely.

The curve even works on the top line. Maybe. <fingers crossed>

 

[locOleoN]

Re: broccoli's seat - update, help me pick a tail light!

hmm....going out on a limb, and ordered a set of these. If I like em, fine, if not, I'll find somehting to do with em. But, I think they'll tuck in under my tail section nicely.

The curve even works on the top line. Maybe. <fingers crossed>

Yeah.. I like those...
Since there are 2 bulbs, you can make them into an integrated brake/turn light system, like I did on my cb750f tank build...
YOu can get rid of of the turn signals and just use those for both!!..
I actaully plan to a set of those for each of my cb550f & cb450 seat build..

Nice...

 

[digitalbroccoli]

Re: broccoli's seat - update, taillights installed

so the tail lights arrived, and I installed them last night. I think I really like the look.

you can see my masking tape centering mark in this one...that'll be taken off when I strip them down for paint.

And a little further away. (You can see the new mirrors and grips ion this one too)

Overall, I like the way the seat and cowl turned out, and the taillights fit in with the scheme well. Now if I can only figure out what paint scheme I want to go with. I think the oddest thing with the tails is that the yellow wire and red wire are reversed on the taillight wires. Yellow to red, and red to yellow. Nice and bright, and they have a small opening underneath that's not red so they light up the plate nicely too.

 

[HerrDeacon]

Re: broccoli's seat - update, taillights installed

I really like it, came out really nice. Suits the rear of the tail nicely. Should be nice when you get it all painted.

 

[Ease]

Re: broccoli's seat - update, taillights installed

I really like it, came out really nice. Suits the rear of the tail nicely. Should be nice when you get it all painted.

+1

 

[locOleoN]

Re: broccoli's seat - update, taillights installed

I like how you mounted the taillight.
How did you mount it underneath? ... could you put up some pics?
I used the same tank on my cb550f seat build but it looked like someone had cut out tank mount section right from the back, so there was a hole in the back already.

So I just mounted my taillights on top to cover the hole:

 

[digitalbroccoli]

Re: broccoli's seat - update, taillights installed

I'll snap some pics of the underbelly when I get home. When I cut the tank, I let a little of the "bottom" of the tank there near the rear, with the thought of using it as a mounting area for the tails. All I did was bend that "flap" 90 degrees from where it was, and mount the back of the tails to it. (I don't know if that makes sense without pics...I'll post em later)

 

[locOleoN]

Re: broccoli's seat - update, taillights installed

Very Nice man!!...Damn.. I never thought of bending down the back tank mount to house the tail-lights!!.. Shit!!.. LOL!!..
I just keep cutting out the damn thing... Great idea for the next seat build...

I think Im gonna rebuild a seat for my cb750f...

 

[digitalbroccoli]

Re: broccoli's seat - update, taillights installed

my original idea was to mount a different plate for the mounting spot, and as I started cutting, I realized I was planning on removing a part, and replacing it, with more effort involved. Duh. It worked out nice though.

 

[digitalbroccoli]

Re: broccoli's cafe project...paint pics 2/17/08 update

So I've been slaving away in the basement attempting the $50 dollar paint job route, and the paint's coming along pretty well. Other than the tank, which is full of fuel, so I haven't taken the time to pull it yet. That's next weekend's project. I think.

Anyway...the cowl, fender, and side panels are done, and I'm pretty happy with how everything worked out. Its a good 10 foot paint job. (From 10 feet, it looks amazing. up close, there's some imperfections, but that's okay.)

I'd rather paint it myself and have it be 90% great looking with some imperfections, than have cop out and have it painted.

Up next...the tank. I may add 2 small grey stripes outside the center blue stripe. I haven't decided yet. I want to take a peek with the tank done before I decide if I want to add the grey.

I've also got ot touch up the front fender. Getting that thing back in was tough, and I scratched a couple spots. :'(

oh, and can one of the mods move this one to the big arse project thread? I think I'm in the wrong place now.

 

[rawfish]

Re: broccoli's cafe project...paint pics 2/17/08 update

Looks good! Your doing all this painting in you basement?

 

[Tim]

Re: broccoli's cafe project...paint pics 2/17/08 update

Hell, if my wife would get over her asthma and sensitivity to solvents, I'd be wrenching, polishing, painting etc. in the basement all day!

One time I ran a two stroke concrete saw in my old basement cutting a hole in the floor for a sump pump. Engine kept dying and couldn't figure out what was wrong. That was until I got in my truck and backed out over our friend's car. Then I realized the engine was running out of oxygen in the basement.