Topic: 1972 CB750 Steampunk(ish) Bobber Thing

[nvr2old]

The attention to detail and the commitment to stay focused on the style of this bike along with the skills to pull it all off continues to amaze.  I, too, see this bike blowing the minds of show-goers with magazine features alike in it's future.  You have more then shown the early nay-sayers the exit doors.

[jgger]

I for one wasn't sold on this concept at the beginning, but I am truly blown away at the detail and vision it takes to do something like this. There are features that maybe don't blow my dress up (so to speak) but on the other hand I don't have the skills or vision to bring something like this together. So I will stand on the sidelines and cheer you on to the finish line because you are truly a very gifted artist who knows how to very tastefully color outside of the lines. KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

My only beef is that a creation like this needs a less derogatory name, so I think we should have a contest to come up with a more fitting name for this beautiful bike. Then whoever picks the best name gets to HAVE  the bike...........what do you guys think, good idea?

[Noddy78]

I hope you plan on entering some shows when you are done because I see a lot of trophies and magazine features in this bike's future.

Thanks mate! Not sure exactly what I plan to do with the bike in future, apart from ride it. Vaguely toying with the idea of making another one to sell, but given how much work is in it I doubt it'd be profitable...

Do you think that the hard line running over the fender will push the caliper a bit to the left and cause the inner pad to drag?

Hadn't thought about it to be perfectly honest. I'll find out when I figure out how to fill it up (reverse bleed is the only thing I've come up with) and test it out...

You have more then shown the early nay-sayers the exit doors.

Heh, yeah, I haven't seen ol' Tezza about for a while...

I for one wasn't sold on this concept at the beginning, but I am truly blown away at the detail and vision it takes to do something like this...

Jolly decent of you to say sir, thank you.

My only beef is that a creation like this needs a less derogatory name...

Less decent of you to say... He already has a name (yes, he's a 'he') Douglas - named after my Gramps (likewise Isabel was named after my Nan). There are a few nods to him in the design of the bike (all the instrumentation bears his hame), but the bit I really like is in the seat. He was in the RAAF in WWII, so the buttons on the seat are original WWII RAF Kings Crown buttons (same as RAAF buttons but in brass not bakelite - the Aussies got the cheap ones!):



Does that mean I get to keep the bike?

[jgger]

Well I was referring to the steampunkish bobber, but you put up a pretty good fight, I was unaware of the background story. So you may be able to keep it, it all depends if someone else comes up with a better name. Haha

Keep up the good work,  and I was just funnin' with you.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

Those buttons are a nice touch!

[Noddy78]

and I was just funnin' with you.

Heh, All good mate, I know.

I'm sure your Gramps is very proud of your craftsmanship, Noddy. Possibly your Pop is too  It's a sublime touch to integrate so much meaning in a project that you've put your heart into. I hope you have that bike a long, long time to enjoy and remember him 

Thanks mate, he got to see Isabel, but unfortunately didn't make it to see this one. But I think he'd be pretty chuffed.

[Noddy78]

So I've been making slow progress for the last little while, just a few little bits here and there to get everything together. Getting all the control cables made up at the moment and getting Dad onto sorting out the electrics.

Also made a start on the fuel tank yesterday - a neighbour dropped off a few old tanks he'd butchered to use as battery covers for an electric bike he was making, and thought I could use them. Which threw a bit of a spanner in the works because I quite liked the shape of one of them. So I decided to try and re-butcher it into something I can use. The tank had the bottom cut out of it, and was too small anyway, so I've made a new base and am in the process of attempting to make it larger but keep the same general shape... we'll see how it goes!

[nvr2old]

I come to this site a lot..almost every day, and I always look forward to updates on this project.  Although I 'm greedy and always want more, I'm never disappointed with each and every part that goes on.  In my painter brain I see this bike in black with gold leaf highlights, or copper and cream two-tone.

[Noddy78]

Thanks mate! Funnily enough I have started playing with finishes etc. The plan was always black powdercoated frame and copper-plated tins, so I did a bit of a quick photoshop to see what I think.. and I don't know if I'm entirely sold... though I think the copper will work better once it's weathered and dulled off a bit. Hmm.. dunno...

Original Concept:


Current Mockup:

[Justin]

Are you posting build pics to Instagram or anything like that? This project is awesome mate


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[stou]

Very nice work! Awesome bike! 

[Remcod]

Douglas?

[Noddy78]

How about swapping the finish scheme: copper frame and cold bluing patina on the tins? Something akin to case colored tins. Copper tins becomes a bit busy and overwhelming of all the discreet pieces you've made with copper, brass and the like.

Yeah, agreed, the copper is too much. Not sure what you mean by "case-colored" though? I'm pretty set on the black frame I think (I mocked up the copper frame but didn't like it - and that'll also make it the same as Isabel and I don't really want that either). I'm pretty tempted by just bare metal TBH. But the cream idea also has some legs too I think?

Are you posting build pics to Instagram or anything like that? This project is awesome mate

Thanks! No, I'm not. Probably should, eh?

Douglas?

Douglas.

[Justin]

I think Cal was meaning basically the same colour as aluminium by “case coloured”, ‘cause the engine cases were normally bare aluminium right?

Cream is nice hey, and bare metal is looking sweet as

Your eye for photography is superb, I personally would like to see the photo album of this build all in one place so I can glean my own inspiration from your craftsmanship, execution and attention to detail. Top work, mate


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[spotty]

Just remembered, a mate of mine did his lambretta side panels in copper years ago , never seen anything that looked so much like a Crunchie wrapper in my life. Most unfortunate
We only saw them the once, very quickly painted over

[754]

Noddy   I think on that muffler  if you cut a notch out the top, and welded in a 1/2 round piece..  it would the  level out the bottom and look cleaner..

[Stev-o]

How about swapping the finish scheme: copper frame and cold bluing patina on the tins? Something akin to case colored tins. Copper tins becomes a bit busy and overwhelming of all the discreet pieces you've made with copper, brass and the like.

 I'm pretty tempted by just bare metal TBH. But the cream idea also has some legs too I think?

Patina'd bare metal was my thought.  Def no on the cream.

[Noddy78]

I personally would like to see the photo album of this build all in one place so I can glean my own inspiration from your craftsmanship, execution and attention to detail.

Yeah, cool, thanks. I think I might start one up!

..never seen anything that looked so much like a Crunchie wrapper in my life...

Yep, the copper's out.

I think on that muffler if you cut a notch out the top, and welded in a 1/2 round piece...

Yeah, nice one... it does actually look OK in person (well, I think so) and I'm also trying to get a smidge of breathing room between the battery box and the muffler so I don't set  the nice wooden box on fire... that said I may run into some issues registering it as there is a minimum ground clearance and I'm technically sitting about 20mm lower. So that idea might be the solution if the bean-counters pull me up on it.

Patina'd bare metal was my thought.

Yeah, I've been looking at it so long like that I think I'm leaning the same way... which is good, that means I don't have to ship them anywhere to get them electroplated! Be interesting to see how the tank comes out with all it's scars though. The plan was to Silicon Bronze it all together, so could actually be kinda cool.. depending on how terrible my welding looks...

[754]

 I think there us more than annealing, a chemical  perhaps.
 Either that or its heat treated  in something other than air.
STARRETT  did it on a few of their tools,  I used to know how, but it fell out of a crack in my memory.

[Noddy78]

I think there us more than annealing, a chemical  perhaps.

Yeah, I had a go at cold-bluing way, way back in the initial phases of this build. Rusted like a... thing that's quite rusty. Hot bluing is heated up in a bath of chemicals, not sure there'd be a bath big enough for the tins though... at least not locally. There is a shop locally that's recently done a Mini in bare metal, so I might have a chat to them and see what options I might have for bare-metal finishes.

[754]

Be a bugger to find a big enough container to pack harden a frame. Then every time you heard a ping or a click  you will wonder if the frame cracked.
 You have probably tried this, heat and dunk in oil, or heat and dual with oily rag.  Smoky stinky.
 But everything I oilcoated seemed to have a small measure of rust resistance.

[Noddy78]

Your eye for photography is superb, I personally would like to see the photo album of this build all in one place so I can glean my own inspiration from your craftsmanship, execution and attention to detail.

Ok, so I've started an Instagram up: https://www.instagram.com/atomic_contraptions/. Will probably take a while to populate it, but hopefully have everything there in one place over the next few weeks!

[Stev-o]

Your eye for photography is superb, I personally would like to see the photo album of this build all in one place so I can glean my own inspiration from your craftsmanship, execution and attention to detail.

Ok, so I've started an Instagram up: https://www.instagram.com/atomic_contraptions/. Will probably take a while to populate it, but hopefully have everything there in one place over the next few weeks!

I like your motto!

"Adventures in ridiculous transportation."

[754]

 It's like an Adventure in Phantasmagoric Transportation.,

[dave500]

its like an adventure in mobile copper scrap you can turn into beer!