OK got some goodies in the mail this week and had some free time for wrenching today so I figured I would post some updates with a few pics.

First of all i Got my custom Hard Core seat from Birdman's (thanks Jason, you guys do awesome work) and it is exactly what I wanted, distressed looking, not too colourful and in a light brown that compliments the flat black of the tank (which will be repainted with all of the other tins).

I mocked up the seat to see how she looks and I am pretty happy with the results. I still need to fab a bracket and I don't want to use springs under the seat as she still has her original shocks and I don't want both frame shocks and seat springs (thats just me:-)

I also received the Bates Style turn signals that I will use front and back. These little lights look so old school and I love the amber lens - just looks right on a bobber. I mocked the back turn signals - under the seat where they will reside after I paint the frame. I am liking this look:-)

 

I also modified the 1969 Sportster rear fender that will become the new bobbed fender. It was in pretty rough shape but most of the holes were near the original mounting holes which I was going to cut out anyway. I want the bobber fender to be short and end just a couple of inches beyond top dead center on the wheel -toward the back . The pic still shows the full length of the fender - I need to cut a few inches off to get the length I want.

What I did today with a dremel tool (yes a dremel) was to cut off the side skirt or valance from both sides of the rear fender because with these valances the radius of the fender did not compliment or follow the radius of the wheel/tire - which is something that I like to see on bobbers. This is my first ever attempt at metal work like this - I still need to grind down the rough edges from the cut, and I have the tools for that (also new:-) but so far so good. I like the way the radius of the fender looks now - but it still needs to be shortened. I will be mounting the fender to the the swing arm so it will be nice and close to the tire.

 

I also spent a LOT of time cleaning up the spokes on the front wheel. I plan on painting the wheels red for what I call the Hot Rod Bobber look -you know with flat black tins, red wheels, whitewall tires.

Anyway I spent a shitload of time cleaning and polishing the spokes before I paint the wheel cause I always think with painted wheels you need really nice looking spokes for a little added bling.

I came up with a pretty effective technique to clean the spokes using an old 1/2 inch flat nylon type dog leash and some metal polish - it worked great and saved a shitload of time. I have pics below of the front wheel all shined up and the back wheel looking the way they both did when I bought the bike.

Since I had the wheel off I also mocked up the Port-a-wall white wall tire inserts (or whatever) and I really like the way they look even just from this stupid little mock up.

 

The last few parts that I got in the mail this week were a new petcock for the 1969 peanut tank that I am using and some funky red coke bottle handle grips that I think will be a cool addition to the red wheels. I don't want to over do the matchy-match thing cause I don't want this hard assed bobber looking like some sort of American Chopper Themecycle!!! So far I don't think I have to worry about that

Finding the dual lever petcock that Harley used on all or most bikes up until 1974 proved a pain in the ***. First I thought this was a 1977 Sportster tank so I was looking for a 1977 peanut tank petcock but I could tell just by looking that they would not fit. Turns out it is a 1969 tank and once I realized the type of petcock used in 69, it was easy to locate. I have never seen one like this before and it looks cool and old school - CAUSE IT iS!!!

I must say I am very happy with the way the little bobber is coming along - and I have never had as much fun on a project in my life:-)

 

Almost forgot - when Birdmans made my custom seat I asked them to make me a couple of leather battery straps from the same leather, and they turned out pretty cool - here is a pic on the bike and of the two straps on the floor. Not sure if I will use these but I think it makes a cool detail on the bike.

 

I really need those white walls on my bike. I think it would look cool with my fat fenders too.

 

Well man, I am pretty impressed with them so far. In the picture they are just laying on the outside of the tire but once they are installed thew will look thiner and be in there as tight as a drum. Saved me from going out and buying 2 new expensive white wall tires - and I couldn't find a 19 inch withe wall tire anywhere.
Here is a link to how they are installed.

 

Nice work. I like the rear fender.

 

Got a few more hours work on the bike yesterday. I now refer to the bike as "Bucket List". It has always been one of the top 10 items on my bucket list to build a bike (if thats what you call this - more like "re-style" a bike I guess LOL).

Was able to spend some time reshaping the 69 Ironhead rear fender that I am using on the project to give it that shortened "just right" bobber look (even took some action pics of the work - real metal workers will chuckle at my approach of using a dremel tool but it works great and I'm having a ball doing it:-)

 

Took the freshly shortened fender and shaped that with a bench grinder and a couple of metal files, and a hammer - turned out pretty good and just the look I was going for. I also cleaned up the cuts where I removed the fender sides/skirts to make it look a little more bobberesque if you will!