steam/diesel punk elite project By dryshave (Read 13,533 times)

[dryshave]

Gettin' busy in the garage. Decided to paint the engine block after I saw this paint colour. I've cleaned an polished all the aluminum surfaces as well.
Sure looks Purdy!!!!
Working on modifying an custom airbox and cleaning the paint off the belt cover (polishing that too)

Hope you can see how I've worked the mounting tabs for the front cowling. I've marked one of the pics to show where the bolts will attach the cowl to the floorpan and where the moisture / gunk drain holes will go.
Resined up (what i hope to be) the final glass on the front piece - where the two pieces mate up around the wheel. No pics yet... will try to get them up tomorrow.
Lots of sanding to be done, I'm gonna say....200 hours??? to go. Will keep track and put more pics up before the weekend.

[dryshave]

Last of the batch for a week or so, will update the progress of the bodypanels.
I've got the front panels matching up nicely now and the mounting tabs are starting to take shape. On the front panel, you may have noticed that one side was wider than the other... not a mistake, there was a means to my madness. I have indicated where the wiring harness and cables will route down the narrower side (see photo). I've also started sorting out the tail light section and sanding out the signal lens pods.
The next batch should show significant progress on the bodywork.
I've also been playing with the airbox design and making sure all the engine pieces are still lying around somewhere.

[madcollie]

Still here and still following Steam.

Half of me want's to you to hurry up and get it done and the other half is screaming "take your time". Want to see the finished project but want you to do all of it right. Can't wait to see how this bike turns out! Take all the time you need and have the coolest one-of-a-kind scoot out there!

Dude, you rock!

M/C

[justbuggin2]

yea i can just see it done but want you to do it right looks great so far and will keep checking back to see more

[richardthescooter3]

Awesome, can't wait for the finished product

[dryshave]

A rainy week in a dusty garage...what a way to spend a vacation.
I would see greater progress if I was doing this full time and the constant shape measurements from side to side is frustrating at times, but worth it when it starts to come together..

Hours sanding of bodywork completed on the tail section.
Discovered bondo with glass "friggin' awesome stuff, but it's like sanding a rock.

Have "safely" detached the rear turn signal piece (which will eventually be cast in brass). Came off with easily enough, but again...lots more sanding required. You can see in a couple of the later photos how I'm keeping the sides of the circle equal, works great!
I've also posted a couple of pics with the fiberglass eyebrows, which I haven't cut off yet, but they will cast brass as well.
The tail section is coming along nicely, I've rough sanded to 100 grit almost the entire piece and getting ready to move to wetsanding next, but will move on to finish the front grill section to the same sanding stage.

You can also see where I've drilled out the holes for the tail lights.

Next step is making the lens pods for the front signals. I'll have photos of those by the weekend.
After the lens pods are cast in resin, I plan to put the panels aside and get back to mounting the engine to finish all the routing of fuel and rad lines, it will be the first time I've seen the complete motor in position. I need to start working on the handlebars as well, to make sure my cables still fit properly.

Eating the elephant one bite at a time.

Thanks for your support, when it's done I'm planning on a few road trips, will keep you guys in mind.

[justbuggin2]

i wish i had a place to work on such a project

[dryshave]

First sunny day in two weeks!
Lots of pieces going on at the same time. I used flower shop foam to shape the lenses for the front signals (seen in green). I need the "brows" to be in place to shape them in place. My hands are so rough from sanding... that's all I used to shape the foam... my hands acting as sandpaper. I then plaster cast the shape and cast a male mold of the finished shape (white cigar shape). This will (eventually) be the final mold which I will use when vacuum molding the lenses. I plan on molding in two pieces. Front being the lens and the rear being an opaque material which I can mount the bulb through. (I have taken pictures of the rear lens mounts to give a better idea - will upload those over the next couple of days.) It was also necessary to create a shelf for the lens to slide into and eventually will be where the lens is bolted onto the cowl ( you can see the lip in 8413. in 8414 you can see where I've just loosely attached the brow to show how the pieces go together.
I've got the other brow ready to be sanded and will have the other lens completed by the weekend. I hope to give them to my brother for the first test vacuum mold next week and once we've got the right shape, then I will have him cast three of each lens (extras!!!) and tuck the mold away for safe keeping.
I've had progress with the tailpiece as well, the custom piece where the rear signal lenses will mount fits pretty good at this stage (will fit better when i get to round two of sanding). I've wired up the tail light and have loose mounted the engine to give me an idea of fit and what else has to be done.
I'd forgotten to allow for the electronic fuel pump in the new wiring harness, so I've got that to do. I've also got to enlarge the battery box to accommodate the larger size battery (was originally sized for a 150 battery). I will have to re-route the the heater hoses now that the motor is mounted. I'm also having to reconsider using the elite 250 airbox or the helix airbox as they collide with the shocks and new tailpiece.
I"ve got a couple questions regarding airbox configuration as well as the shock position which I will post to the proper forums.
A little bit each day and now I'm starting to think about placement of gauges / dash along with design of handlebars / headlight and windscreen.
I thought I'd throw along a photo of my workshop as well... rescued the stylist chair from a local salon, have two of them in the garage... getting too old to be standing up all the time. Plus the kids foam squares were the best shop decision I've ever made. Cheap, easy to clean and very knee friendly

[dryshave]

There's still lots of rough edges and spots to fill and fix, but the big picture is roughed in, it's all a matter of time and determination.

[justbuggin2]

keep it up you will be done before you know it and then you will find something else to do to it

[dryshave]

Another week of "staycation" and back into the garage - it sucks outside anyway and it's too early to go skiing, besides if I hang around the house too long, I may end up hanging christmas lights like justbuggin2.

The first stage of sanding is complete (next round 180-240) with areas around the fuel tank not fully sanded, until I had sorted out the gas tank situation.
Rather than go with a custom tank (can't afford it right now) I have decided to go with the helix tank in a modified position, it also solves my battery position problem too.
I've moved the electronic fuel pump up under the seat and have re-routed the rad lines directly under the tank (much nicer looking and easier to access).
I've fabricated a pattern for the tank cover out of plastic and heavy cardboard (which I use to cut templates from) and am satisfied with the result so far - guess what... it's back to plasticine and fiberglass (at least I know that it'll be the last piece to cast).
The tail piece looks sweet, you can kind of see it in one of the pics. I wanted to take better photos of the front piece, but couldn't justify, putting it all back together just for one pic.
I've cut off the old mounts for the light bulb connectors (rear) and glassed them into the tailpiece (again more pics later this week). They look great and work great, the old bulbs connectors lock in just like they should.
The brows are done and the lens molds are ready to go for their first vacuum size test, I've got a couple pics of them attached. Once the fit is perfected, they will be molded in clear amber ABS (will be sure to take pics of the whole process, cause this is gonna be cool)
As mentioned the brow is ready to go to the brass guy and so is the tail light section.
You can also see in a couple pics, the mounting tabs are starting to take shape too.
I've changed the deck around the fuel tank, deciding to weld the entire piece to the frame (not the tank see mounting tabs - just the rails), there wasn't any reason to have the rails removable for any reason... DOH! should have cut out the slots for the rad lines and the wiring harness BEFORE I welded it into place...
There's some more welding clean up to do (once everything is fitted) I'll take it all apart and flip the frame over for final clean up and then final paint.
I've got the rear brake linkage finished and coming up with a brake line that is 18" longer than the original (still working on that, but now that I've got the clearance. (maybe even go with right and left hand brakes)

[dryshave]

... also have assembled the modified foot brake lever (used a helix pad) will post pics later

[justbuggin2]

you must not have seen my new project looks like you are getting there i have gotting my project close to being done for now i will be driving it to see my daughter for christmas down in outh Fl

[dryshave]

justbuggin2 - are you talking about your christmas lights or your new carwash

Here's the new fuel tank cover in mold form... followed by the actual cast piece.
You can see where I've cut out access for the battery (will eventually be hinged) and the main feature - handy cup holder !!!.
It's tough lining up the three cast sections, but it's within tolerances.
I've also cut out the running boards out of fir (plan to wrap in copper sheathing) and getting ready for final bodywork.
Will have to take time off for christmas, but will post another update before then.
I hope to have an electronics/run test sometime early february (ordering the Performance muffler and universal antique gauges - mid january) and hoping to be ready for paint by march... busy schedule ahead, looking forward to getting the bodywork done, it's been a loooong year.

[justbuggin2]

cool you got a place for my Micky-Ds sweet tea, and with the new top it is as dry as a bone inside