33. LET THERE BE LIGHT

• 
  
  
  
  Got the headlight fitted today.The idea was to hide it away as much as possible so it wound up tucked in between the fork legs.
• Also mounted the front blinkers to the number board with some more m6 'T' nuts

32. BLINKER FLUID TOP-UP

In an effort to get things passably legal today I made a little rear indicator  bracket.
Decided to tuck them in as close as possible.
Was also a good excuse to bust out my m5  rivnuts & gun.
Also in one of the pics can be seen the tail light & rear seat mounting.

Under tailpiece

Updated rear view

31.IVE GOT YOU COVERED

Spent a couple of hours playing with the seat this afternoon.
Deciding that indeed red IS the fastest color I set about coverage of the offending foam to finally reveal a nicely finished perch.

Upholstered seat

30. SPRING BRAKE

No sadly not scantily clad young women on vacation but just my feeble foray into making a rear brake lever return spring.Because the footpeg and brake lever are now quite different the original spring was rendered obsolete.It turned out to be rather more difficult than I thought.Eventually after several failed attempts I finally triumphed.

Now useless OEM return spring

Several failed attempts

Announcing the winner

29. GETTING BENT

The upholstry base needed a locating hook so over to the metal division for a bit of stainless sheet that wound up being reshaped in the bender & then screwed on to the figlass base.
While I was at it I added a keyed lock to the back of the tailpiece too.

About to cut stainless

Sheet in bender

Upholstry base underside

28.HAD A SQUIRT FINALLY

Spent the day doing small fiddly jobs,like turning an alloy bush for the gearchange lever then faffing about trying to make a return spring for the rear brake lever b4 finally having a spray painting session.I ended up making and or highly modifying the footrests,brake and gearchange levers/ linkages.Also beefed up the muffler mount

Spray painted levers & pedals

Gearchange & footrest done

Brake lever & footrest done

27. SADDLE UP

Heres how I did the seat foam/upholstry base.
1st mask everything off,I use brown packaging tape & paper, then lay several layers of 'glass,let that lot cure then add a layer of corematt (the white stuff in pic, this gives a light but strong fibreglass sandwich).Then let 'er cure overnite.
Trim it all up then, using Ados F2 contact adhesive & a bread knife commence foamage.

Seat masking applied

Laid up upholstry base

Upholstry base trimmed up

26. TIME TO PEG IT

The OEM ricky racer footpeg setup was too high & too far back for this guy so diving into my spares bins an unsuspecting set of Suzuki GS 750 pegs drew the short straw.
A bit of 'light modification' saw them pressed into service

Turning new lever bushing

OEM peg/lever

Drilling to fit frame

New peg/lever setup

25.PROGRESS PICS

Heres several progress pics of where we're presently at several weeks into the build.
I've changed the handlebars for the 3rd & likely last time.
Now to commence on the seat upholstry & fitting all the legal bits like headlite,indicators,horn,speedo,etc.

Progress pic 1

Progress pic 2

Progress pic 3

Progress pic 4

24. ITS A STANDOFF!!

The OEM sidestand needed a helping hand with a nubectomy to remove the rubber idiot preventer and a much larger foot
So once again with various power tools making as much noise,sparks & smoke as I can....

OEM Sidestand b4

modded sidestand

23.SHOCKING RESULTS

The shocks came out way better than expected.
The red springs,deleted chrome top covers,cut down chrome  lower covers,wire brushing the ugly off & remounting them inverted really works for me.
From chrome cruiser to competition looking all in a days work.

Shockies revamp

Revamped shox on bike

22. EXHAUSTED

The pipes & mufflers are a quintessential styling clue for most custom bike builds & this one is no exception.
Used the other headers off the VT400C with a couple of short slightly bent stainless steel extensions running into a pair of shorty reverse cone megaphones.
Currently debating whether to heat wrap them or not
This whole wrapped header thing is I reckon somewhat common & overdone but having said that none of my builds have ever had it so maybe......
At any rate the whole exhaust system will more than likely end up finished in good old hi temp matt black.
Also in the pic can be seen the number boards are now joined to the tailpiece.Next up is making the upholstery base & foam.

Exhaust done almost

21. SHOCK HORROR!!

Well that may be an overstatement but anyway I dismembered the shockies today.
Decided to minimize the chrome bits so gave the 2 bottom collars a trip round the lathe then gave the springs a squirt of red.
Found the tube of solvol autosol & put it to  good  use.Also wire wheeled the alloy corrosion.

Red painted springs

Shock dissasembly

Shock parts breakdown

Shock collar in lathe

20. FURTHER INSPIRATION

Found this on the interwebs the other day
Although not sure where the riders right leg goes with those large exposed airfilters?
Anywho found it a good guide for the paintjob & general look and feel I'm going for.
ie: Barely legal racer on the road....

Another inspirational pic

19. TANKS FOR THE MAMMORIES

Got the petrol tank inner made today.First I waxed then took a thin  figlass skin mold off of the original NV400SP tank underside & then trimmed it a bit and added the 2x 1/4" BSP brass fuel tap threads I'd prepared earlier on.
When the tank is joined up I'll then add a couple more layers to beef it up some.It'll also need the two metal rubber buffer mounts and a metal rear mounting added

Tank inner

Tank underside progress

Tank inner 2

18. HERES THE RESULTS.....

After making x3 molds then sanding, tidying & preping them all I got down to brass tacks to make one each of the items needed.
Using a light grey gelcoat left to cure over night I then applied x3 layers of resin/glass then rolled them out to pop all the tiny little air bubbles.This rolling out seems to be a commonly overlooked step by most hobby 'glassers but is essential otherwise the laminate is full of air and weakened because of it.

Molds back sides

Freshly made number boards

Molds shiney side up & the 3 boards

17. A MOLDING WE WILL GO...

Time to bust out the resin, 'glass matt,paint brushes,rollers & acetone to commence with the frp, fibreglass reinforced plastic (if you are a pom) or grp, glassfiber  reinforced plastic ( if you are 'mercan).
I much prefer non waxed laminating resin and normally use this with 300 GSM chopped strand matt after having first coated the plug with brush gelcoat.
Then whilst it's still 'green' a quick trim with a Stanley knife.
After many years industrial 'glassing' I now find that I have to wear a respirator & latex gloves as I've become sensitized to these chemicals.

Laying a number board

Laying a number plate mold

16. PREVIOUSLY....

Heres one I prepared earlier....This started life as a ratty '72 Honda CB450.
I added another front disc,lengthened the swingarm 2",fitted longer back shox,proper flat track bars,

MY CB450 STREET TRACKER

respoked/ reshod wheels then made the high pipes ,made & painted the fiberglass tank & seat,added mini clocks and fitted a Bates headlite with a Lucas tailite.

15. NUTHER FURTHER MOCKUP

Just playing with number boards & sitting in my thinkin chair having a good dose of look. I reckon side boards a little smaller & mounted higher up

Mockup 2.0

14. NUMBER BOARDS 2.0

Chopped up some 1/2" MDF sheet then whipped out the router & whizzed round the edges before undercoating in 2D primer.Gave the three of them a good sanding & now it's time to gelcoat after I waxed &  applied p.v.a. mold release agent.

Router with 1/4" bit

Routing number board

Number board mdf plugs in undercoat

13. FRONT END REFRESH

Heres the resulting fork revamp.