New Project bike hits the stable - '90 VFR750

jump back to post #28

http://vfrworld.com/forums/3rd-4th-...ct-bike-hits-stable-90-vfr750.html#post255190

photo of metallic blue look I'm shooting for except I have white wheels and will have white decals.

 

Interesting stuff

I bought my primer, paint, and filler at the same time all from the same Sherwin Williams automotive finishes store. I'm assuming compatibility shouldn't be an issue. The blemishes I refer to on the tank (that I considered glazing putty for) resemble mini pin holes in a previous primer coat, around the edges of where HONDA decal used to be on the side. I wouldn't necessarily have to worry about them because they are few, hardly noticeable, and right where the next decal will go. I don't think I could even take a picture and have it show.

 

More work happening today. I hate to call it progress because it feels like it's never ending. Here are photos of plastic welding. You can also see some finished and some unfinished fiberglass. Notice the pain in the ass fixturing required to do a good job on plastic welding.

replacing a broken tab:


another view of new tab before welding, all fixtured up, and ready for the torch:


New tabs for the upper. One welded and one not. Still have to cut in for the plastic standoff that goes with the tab on the right of the frame. Built my own standoff by rolling and welding from a flat piece of plastic.


My worst lower. Unfinished fiberglass reconstruction of bodyline, repaired crack, and repaired tab:

 

Insurance, title, and registration taken care of today. Wifey is going grocery shopping and rented a chick-flick so looks like I've got an evening in the garage to work on this more.

 

I think the camera is showing the color pretty close to reality. Being a metallic, the shade or brightness changes a lot depending on the lighting. Originally I had the tank up against the garage wall again like some of the plastics shown earlier in the thread. I ended up having trouble getting proper coverage in the area where you knee would be on the tank. Long story short, I ended up with two runs I will have to sand out in a couple days when things set up good. Live and learn out: Suspended in free air is clearly the best way to go..

 

Non-progress pics for anyone who gives a shit - except Norcalboy

test fit of plastics. several mounts had to be tweaked. The tail has needed the most massaging so far. I'm guessing someone used the grab handles to ratchet the bike down in a trailer because those mount points needed to be adjusted with a BFH. Also had to reapply some heat to the right side tail and adjust the plastic a bit in order to get body lines to match up with the center section. Tomorrow's goal is to get the repairs completed on both mids.

 

I was debating about doing a test fit. Probably leaning more toward skipping it. Billy piped up in another thread with some smart ass comments about the importance of a test fit. Something about ladies looking hot at bar close time but rolling over the next morning and finding you brought home a troll. I'd say the test fit proved very important so far and I haven't even tried to get the mids in there yet.

 

Look on the previous page....

 

sitting on it this morning. leaning over, twisting the throttle, and making vroom vroom noises until I noticed I was getting spit all over the tank that hasn't been clear coated yet.

 

Well, here it is, another non-progress photo. all the plastic repairs are complete. Filler is all applied and sanded. Garage is cleaned, blown out, and vacuumed.

Not doing a pre paint fitup would have been a complete disaster. Had to use the plastic welder to reheat several panels to get them to fit properly and to get the body lines to match up.

Softball on Monday, out of town Tuesday-Thursday. And with crap going on the next three weekends I don't know if I'll have this done before the 4th of July.

TOE, that crate has been utterly priceless as a workbench in the garage. Now it will move on to it's third role since I've had it - paint booth.