Tuesday, May 29, 2012
Almost complete
When a project is "almost complete" it's actually code for about 1/2 done. Well, the project is almost complete! Everything on the bike, working (hopefully) repaired or overhauled. Just the engine electrics and ignition left to do. Took the old girl outside for a bit of sun today and just had to share the photos I took.
Sunday, May 20, 2012
I like BIG Jugs!
I'm sure the title of this post is not news to anyone and might as well apply to any guy... And, before you go emailing me to express your disgust (not that I really care), the word "jugs" is also used to describe cylinders. And in this case, that's what I actually mean.
To look at a BMW without the cylinders is a bit puzzling and not at all flattering to the marque. Here is where a guy with lower morals could draw a parallel but I will resist, just this once. A BMW is defined by the fact it has a pair of horizontally opposed cylinders that stick out way beyond the engine case. Its a quirky design but has some advantages. First, the jugs catch a lot of wind so they stay cool. Second, the center of gravity is kept low so the bike stays nimble. Third, a lot of design constraints are avoided.
There are some minuses too, especially for a rider that corners aggressively. A goodly supply of valve covers is needed as they tend to grind away when in contact with the road. Also, those cylinders tend to be the vector for bruised shins when the bike is parked in the garage...
But to me, those jugs are just gorgeous! I just wanna caress them, fondle them, just look at them in wonder. They are truly beautiful and the inspiration for the name of my project - Ganda Girl. They remind me of... well... my Ganda-girl.
for those who wanna see Ganda-girl's big, beautiful, juicy jugs - enjoy!
To look at a BMW without the cylinders is a bit puzzling and not at all flattering to the marque. Here is where a guy with lower morals could draw a parallel but I will resist, just this once. A BMW is defined by the fact it has a pair of horizontally opposed cylinders that stick out way beyond the engine case. Its a quirky design but has some advantages. First, the jugs catch a lot of wind so they stay cool. Second, the center of gravity is kept low so the bike stays nimble. Third, a lot of design constraints are avoided.
There are some minuses too, especially for a rider that corners aggressively. A goodly supply of valve covers is needed as they tend to grind away when in contact with the road. Also, those cylinders tend to be the vector for bruised shins when the bike is parked in the garage...
But to me, those jugs are just gorgeous! I just wanna caress them, fondle them, just look at them in wonder. They are truly beautiful and the inspiration for the name of my project - Ganda Girl. They remind me of... well... my Ganda-girl.
for those who wanna see Ganda-girl's big, beautiful, juicy jugs - enjoy!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Shake, and Bake!
By now you will all be ware of my painting non-prowess. Not only am I not-so-good at painting, my standards are also fairly low. Kinda good, otherwise I would be eternally disappointed. If it looks ok from 10 feet, I'm happy...
I have two tanks - one with original paint and pretty good. The other was fairly crappy. Old paint, many dents, but sound. This weekend, I had not much to do, so I thought I'd give painting the tank a try. After previous failures (read earlier blogs), I wanted to try a new approach. The great Guys at Big Island Machine bead blasted it for me. This revealed even more damage than I knew about. Additionally, there were 2 fairly large repairs done with ... lead swipe! Wow - that's OLD SCHOOL!
Anyhow, with a goodly supply of rattle cans in hand, a tube of putty and a lot of time to kill, I made a start. With the previously mentioned issues of soft paint, I had a little brain explosion (or a stroke - dunno which). The tank fitted nicely into the oven! So, I thought I would bake the tank between coats!
During the week, I puttied, sanded, re-primed every afternoon and by Saturday, I had what I thought was a reasonably straight tank, ready for base-coating. Saturday was a rare fine day which is perfect for painting. All day was spent painting, baking, sanding, touching-up and more painting. By mid-afternoon, I started with the clear coating. There were a few adventures in-between including the discovery that the oven should be set to low in order to prevent the house from filling with toxic fumes. At the end of the night, I felt I was ready for phase 2: rubbing and buffing.
And that's what I did all day Sunday... Rub back, buff, rub back, buff et.c. And how was the final result? Actually not too bad! Remember, my standard for "acceptable" is that it looks ok at 10 feet. Well, I reckon this effort looks good a 1 ft. Not bad for a self-confessed amateur , some rattle-cans of spray paint and a Kenmore oven.
I have two tanks - one with original paint and pretty good. The other was fairly crappy. Old paint, many dents, but sound. This weekend, I had not much to do, so I thought I'd give painting the tank a try. After previous failures (read earlier blogs), I wanted to try a new approach. The great Guys at Big Island Machine bead blasted it for me. This revealed even more damage than I knew about. Additionally, there were 2 fairly large repairs done with ... lead swipe! Wow - that's OLD SCHOOL!
Anyhow, with a goodly supply of rattle cans in hand, a tube of putty and a lot of time to kill, I made a start. With the previously mentioned issues of soft paint, I had a little brain explosion (or a stroke - dunno which). The tank fitted nicely into the oven! So, I thought I would bake the tank between coats!
During the week, I puttied, sanded, re-primed every afternoon and by Saturday, I had what I thought was a reasonably straight tank, ready for base-coating. Saturday was a rare fine day which is perfect for painting. All day was spent painting, baking, sanding, touching-up and more painting. By mid-afternoon, I started with the clear coating. There were a few adventures in-between including the discovery that the oven should be set to low in order to prevent the house from filling with toxic fumes. At the end of the night, I felt I was ready for phase 2: rubbing and buffing.
And that's what I did all day Sunday... Rub back, buff, rub back, buff et.c. And how was the final result? Actually not too bad! Remember, my standard for "acceptable" is that it looks ok at 10 feet. Well, I reckon this effort looks good a 1 ft. Not bad for a self-confessed amateur , some rattle-cans of spray paint and a Kenmore oven.
Wednesday, May 2, 2012
oohhhhh... shiny things!
I got the cylinders, heads and tappet covers back today from Big Island Machine and Hydraulics. Those guys are fantastic. Not only do they get things done fast and at a very reasonable price, its like they really respect the parts they work on. In Hawaii this kind of service is actually not so common, so I wanna give credit where its due. I gave them a box full of rusty, corroded oily bits, and they gave me back a beautiful pair of gorgeous, sexy cylinders, all ready to put onto the bike. Just looking at them calms my soul. Don't care if you can not understand - hell, this is my blog and I'll do as I please.
Thanks guys - you ROCK!
Thanks guys - you ROCK!
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