Topic: Elsa v3.0 Blackheart edition

[srbakker]

Looking good.  I dig the ducktail - it's different, that's for sure.  Maybe run the seat pan right up to the edge of it?

[Inkscars]

The pan its running isn't very long. I wanted them to look like 2 different pieces intentionally.
 I see a lot of ones with the pan that almost completely covers the fender, but didn't like how long it made the seat area look. I had thought about doing the bent tubing to enclose the ends of the frame and running that to the end too, but, rather than have it look cafe or brat, i thought, why not have some skeezy chopper elements in there?
 I haven't seen many 750s go where I'm going, and that makes me happier than anything. Who knows, give me another year and I could have a V 4.0. hahah.
She's not a chopper, cafe, brat or rat anymore. I suppose that leaves me with "custom" unless i want to be funny and come up with something silly to call it.

[Inkscars]

Alright kids, it's been 12 more hours worth of work and here come the barrage of iphone pictures and step by step wonder.
Alright, so I think you'll have to refer to the previous valve cover picture to appreciate the difference, but the finish isn't perfect, but with the amount of hours in polishing in this thing make me happy I'm not paying anyone to do it.


Seriously, Not perfect, but a far cry from what it was.

[Inkscars]

So then I spent a couple hours sanding down everything that was getting painted, swingarm, kick stand, frame, battery box, stay bar, rear brake lever, oil bag, motor mounts. Degreasing the oil bag and the swing arm was the #$%* of the whole deal. They were so nasty

While the booth was warming up, i took the liberty to spend the 50 bucks i made by selling parts off of elsa, on new parts.


Headlight and throttle assembly - $48.50
came back and threw down on some primer

[seanbarney41]

do you want that valve cover to look much better relatively quick and easily?...or are you good with it.  It does look alright imo, and I'm not trying to "know it all" all over your thread...

[Inkscars]

Now, if you see in the background of the picture of the new throttle assembly, there is a very crusty points cover.
It had 5 busted fins on it, but it was free. So, My fabrication buddy and i tossed around the idea of grinding them completely off, but after some very educated deliberation, (#$%* it, grind it halfway off I don't give a #$%*, what are you gonna do, break it?) It cleaned up pretty nicely AND will be yet again, another unique part of the bike.

Finished the day up with paint, and almost didn't make it there. The first can "popped" before i could shoot it as it was made a couple days ago. That's what happens when you need to rattle can fancy #$%*. OOPS!
Anyway, a 40 minute round trip, I was back to it.

[Inkscars]

If your method can be done with it bolted to the engine, by all means, I will soak up your advice. I replaced the bolts and gaskets, so it's "ON" now.

[seanbarney41]

hmm, might not be good for bolts and gaskets...but it looks like in the pic that you didn't get all the failed factory clear coat off before polishing, so in most places, you just polished the clear coat.  Paint stripper and an sos pad will quickly eliminate that clear coat.  Then, you could hit it quick with a red scotchbrite and some metal polish and it will look similar to factory, plus every time you use the metal polish in the future it will get shinier and shinier.

[Inkscars]

i have some thick spray aircraft stripper. I could tape it off i suppose.....

[seanbarney41]

bolts look like stainless?...it won't hurt those.  I'd be surprised if it did anything to the edge of the gasket, but it would suck if it did...actually, you can rub that clear coat off with the red scotchbrite...but that requires physical labor...that sucks too

[Inkscars]

I used grey scotchbrite on everything prior to polishing. The caps were a son of a #$%*, but after a few minutes, they are done, the valve cover was just less damaged than the caps, so i guess the clear was in better tact.
oh and yes the bolts are stainless

[racinchase]

Looks killer so far!

[Garystratos201]

Greetings from down South !! I`ve enjoyed reading your thread and can appreciate your effort. Keep it up. I`m in ..............Gary

[Inkscars]

Well, I temporarily have no job, so, I plan to finish my bike by end of the week, except for the tank. Even when we get the tank cut up and rewelded, it will probably be a couple weeks before it is painted. MAYBE. If i get my taxes back, I will drive to St. louis and get the remaining paint and bring it home.
ANYWAY
Monday night, I got 2 hours of work in, and tuesday, I was there from 11:30 am- 6:45pm.
I took the seat to the upholster and got a fantastic price and was told I could pick it up at 11:00 am Wednesday morning. For those doing the math, that's next day.

Rounded the edges of the pan and the foam up and off it went. I asked for black vinyl diamond tuck with an extra 1/4 inch of foam and a carpeted bottom.
Next i ran all the way across town to get yet 1 more can of paint and tony was kind enough to only charge me 10 bucks for it. Bless his little heart. Everything needed another good coat and I missed the foot peg brackets and after market speedo and some other things too. The second can hardly made it, so, it must've really needed it.
In went the engine.

[Inkscars]

The next picture looks like I just bolted the rear wheel on.
Let me tell you that doesn't begin to cover the 2 hours I spent on my hands and knees with 3 Steel wool pads and simple green. rim, spokes, hub, tire, all of it. Good god, I don't think i realized they were a fraction that filthy. Again, grease older than me. After getting most of the stuff loosened up with the sos and simple green i found a bucket and rinsed everything down, wiped it and dried it off and hit it with some WD for good measure. I gave the front wheel and hub the same treatment as I have the forks off the polish, and replace bearings.

[Inkscars]

Next, I will start complaining about this little rat bastard speedo that i'm trying to make work.
I wanted to do a small direct to hub speedo, but as this is a build on a budget, I take what I can get. My buddy that has been helping me found this older small one laying around. Chrome and pitted. Oh well, nothing a little elbow grease, sandable primer and paint cant fix. WRONG. I swear this little bastard used up half that can of paint. I sanded, and prepped and primed, and sanded and prepped and painted, and the paint just kept dimpling around where the pitting was. Even though i couldn't even see where it was through the primer. So 2-3-4 times I sand, strip or scuff. I prime and prep, and rub funny patterns in the sandable primer to try to disguise the area that was pitted. I sand and prep and paint it again and this time it looks like i painted with crackle paint. I spray it with stripper and cuss at it for a half an hour. I peel it all off, hit it with brake clean and sand it again. This time using grey, instead of the brand new black primer I bought. SAME BRAND. this time it works. I make sure to keep it warm and get a couple coats on it. I clean it up just a little bit wipe it down and get a coat of the gloss black on it. It seems to work but i keep it within range of the heater to make sure. I rotate it. I come back a little while later to find it set up nicely and go ahead and give it another good coat. When i left, it was legit.

[Inkscars]

I went ahead and cleaned up the rear brake control and got it mocked up and started putting the stay bar back on. rear brake lever mocked up and foot pegs reinstalled. I spent time last night cleaning up all the bolts and nuts i had to reuse, so they wouldn't be all rusty on nicer paint.

 Got the oil bag up, and the lines reinstalled, I cleaned them very well when I took everything apart at the house, so they are looking pretty good too. I inadvertently seem to be making my way from the back to the front, so I'll continue that way tomorrow when i get back there.
I started sanding and prepping the fork tubes and upper for polishing, but it was time to go and it was starting to get cold again. The floor in the shop is brutal.

[chris mcshifty]

Awesome build . Things get better with time and experience

[Inkscars]

Thanks!
She's come a long way and I've learned a lot. I call this version 3 but in all seriousness, this is the first time all the way.
Some good some bad, my first ride back will be all smiles.

[chris mcshifty]

It looks like each version gets better and better

[Retro Rocket]

but in all seriousness, this is the first time all the way.

OOH a loss of virginity ....   Looking good Amber , interested to see what your doing with the tank.

[stuartni]

looking good

[Garystratos201]

Very nice!!!..........Gary

[Inkscars]

Thanks a lot guys. It's good to have some feedback.
List of parts I'm waiting for in the mail
Street bike front master 04 zx6r
Universal clutch lever
Jackhammer grips
So the tank is gonna get beat to hell. Doing some elongated knee dents
And the paint on top will be gloss black and then inside the dents it will burst
From gloss black to my pearl/metallic green. I am almost
90% sure that some lace will be involved.
Gotta dock the bars, wire, bob front fender, install everything, change out the clutch
Side bolts, thread lock and torque everything, tap the lower tree for the headlight,, adjust the brakes, clean the carbs Inside and out, change the spark plugs, clean up my coils and wires , Polish the forks and front caliper, adjust both chains, and install a new filter and oil.
That's weird, why does it feel almost done?
Here's to a busy week!

[racinchase]

The bike is looking killer! Looking forward to seeing some pics of it done and out on the road