Modifications and Rattle Cans

As the snow began to fly, it was time to tear into the bike. But before I started ripping it apart, I needed to make a list of modifications that I wanted to make and then to determine, most importantly, how I was going to paint this beast.

"You can't paint a motorcycle with a spray can". "The "properly mixed" paint store kind has hardener and gasoline won't melt it". "Spray can paint is too thin and you can't get a smooth shiny finish, because you have to put on so much paint". I heard all the reasons to not do what I was seriously thinking about doing, but I was looking at the difference between $40 and $400 and I wasn't convinced I was wrong. So I did some research.

There are plenty of sites that encourage rattle can paint jobs and several even provide very detailed and helpful instruction. I think I googled "spray can paint jobs". You might want to try that to see what you come up with. I had painted an old truck and a couple of trailers with a traditional auto spray outfit so I knew about painting a double wet coat (that when you make smooth even strokes the length of the object being painted then return overlapping with the next pass so that there isn't a dry dividing line in between strokes). So I just read the instructions on the can and thought to myself, "I think that this could be accomplished".

But before I painted, there was repair and modifications that I want to make. I made a list of the things I wanted to change.
1. I didn't like the tail light assembly (it looked too 70's). It needed something else...ah hah, I'll go to EBay!
2. The back fender bobbed off too quickly...it needed to be longer to give it more of a vintage
look. I could use one from an older Beemer or I could try out my fiberglass skills (did you
know that BMW fenders from 1970 on are fiberglass?).
3. The front fender was broken and needed some fiberglass attention.
4. The solo seat needed to look more vintage...what to do? And after 4000 miles I noticed
that it could stand to be a bit softer.
5. The sidecar needed a luggage rack...mostly for the cool appeal. It also needed some
upholstery and every time I washed it or it rained a strong mildew smell came from the
seat area...had to check that.
6. I wanted handle bars that swept back a bit more...for looks and my back.
7. The pipes sounded good but I never liked how the post 70's Beemer pipes bend upward
just south of the foot pegs...it needed some chromed shark tail tips for the real cool look!
8. I've always wanted to know how to pinstripe with a brush and the proper place to test
one's skills are on a $40 paint job, not a $400 one.

So now that the snow was covering all the roads, I could talk myself out of riding the bike to work. Once I started I knew that this job would take me a few months. So I started with pulling it apart, carefully labeling all the parts, even the ones I didn't think would be put back on the bike. You know, things happen.

Here is the bike just before I started the "customizing". Notice the location of the tail light assembly and the length of the traditional slash 5 rear fender...that is about to change.

I wanted to modify the back fender when it was still on the bike so I could get the "look" I was after, so I built a form to lay my first layer of fiberglass on. I used galvanized sheet metal jammed into place using hard construction type foam to keep it tight against the fender. I then drew the new fender contour I wanted. I then pulled the metal out, cut the pattern out with sheers and then "jammed" it back into place.

At this point, I started to lay the first layer of fiberglass. You'll see that I've added about 4-5 inches to the length. After the first layer of glass was solid, I removed the rear fender with the assistance of my daughter's boyfriend. I lifted the bike while he slid the fender out. He was very helpful. She broke up with him. I'm sad...not about the break up, but the fact that he won't be there to lift the bike up at the point of re-assembly. Frankly I wish my daughter wouldn't date or marry until she's 27...not because I'm a conservative though, just because I don't think the guys who want to date her deserve her. Am I being biased here dads? That's what I thought...of course not!

Here you can see that the fender has received a few layers of glass and is now in the Bondo stage. It is beginning to take shape, giving me that extended length that I was looking for. You might also notice that at the top of the notch where the light assembly used to be has now been "rolled", glassed and smoothed. This will allow me to put any kind of tail light I want to there and place it anywhere on the fender I choose. I just put an EBay bid in on a 32 "Model-A" tail light and I think it would look real cool. This is getting fun...and dusty!