So it's like this ......
Back in July I got a phone call from a fella called John, he'd got talking to a guy at a show who's 350LC I had painted recently who passed on my details ... That's the nice thing about classic shows, people actually talk to each other!
"I've got an RD500 and I'd like you to paint it" he said ...
We exchanged a few emails and I got to see some photographs. It turns out that the bike was a hybrid, R6 front end and R6 Rear end and swing arm. The front and rear subframes had been modified to suit the full race replica bodywork which was now (albeit loosely) fitted. The engine was an all new Bob Farnham 580cc Stage III tuned unit running 'Race use only' 40mm carbs and hand built expansion chambers.
John bought this bike already converted and partially built, he'd finished nailing it all together but it needed finishing properly.
His brief was to re-create a Wayne Rainey race bike .... his wish I guess was my command
The tank had been modified, it's fuel filler moved backwards towards the rider by about 8" and was in need of final fit and finish prior to paint.
The rest of the bodywork was replica fibreglass. A mould was taken from some original race bike panels back in the day, then a mould was taken from those panels, then a mould was taken from those panels, then a mould was taken from those panels, then a mould was taken from those panels, then a mould was taken from those panels, then a mould was taken from those panels ..........
.........Then the panels from this bike were made from the last mould and sold to the guy with a dream of building his own replica race bike, he then sold it to another guy with the same dream who then asked me to paint it for him. To say that the panels needed a bit of work was an understatement, I have never in my life worked on worse panels. Many times I had to walk away and have a coffee to stop me from throwing them out the door
However, patience prevailed and slowly I wrestled the whole thing into submission. I had to manufacture new lower belly pan mounts from scratch as if it was left unsupported they'd last about 4 minutes!
Then it was my usual formula -
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Paint
Mask
Paint
Mask
Paint
Mask
Paint
Lacquer
Lacquer
Lacquer
Lacquer
And assemble ................
This is possibly the most frustrating bike I've ever had to finish but I have to say that when I rolled it out of the workshop it became one of the most satisfying.
I must stress as always that what you see here is 100% painted. There isn't a single sticker or piece of vinyl on this bike, every last inch is out of a spray gun ...........
In my usual fashion, I'll let the photos do the talking .....
IMG_0278 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0280 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0570 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0572 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0582 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0603 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0605 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0609 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0614 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0619 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0626 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0628 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0610 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0616 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0655 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0673 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0674 by tunneruk, on Flickr
IMG_0676 by tunneruk, on Flickr
_MG_7958 by tunneruk, on Flickr
_MG_7959 by tunneruk, on Flickr
WP_20151012_12_45_06_Pro by tunneruk, on Flickr
_MG_7984 by tunneruk, on Flickr
_MG_7993 by tunneruk, on Flickr
_MG_7997 by tunneruk, on Flickr
_MG_8015 by tunneruk, on Flickr
_MG_8011 by tunneruk, on Flickr
I've never been so relieved to get a project finished!!!!
Back in July I got a phone call from a fella called John, he'd got talking to a guy at a show who's 350LC I had painted recently who passed on my details ... That's the nice thing about classic shows, people actually talk to each other!
"I've got an RD500 and I'd like you to paint it" he said ...
We exchanged a few emails and I got to see some photographs. It turns out that the bike was a hybrid, R6 front end and R6 Rear end and swing arm. The front and rear subframes had been modified to suit the full race replica bodywork which was now (albeit loosely) fitted. The engine was an all new Bob Farnham 580cc Stage III tuned unit running 'Race use only' 40mm carbs and hand built expansion chambers.
John bought this bike already converted and partially built, he'd finished nailing it all together but it needed finishing properly.
His brief was to re-create a Wayne Rainey race bike .... his wish I guess was my command
The tank had been modified, it's fuel filler moved backwards towards the rider by about 8" and was in need of final fit and finish prior to paint.
The rest of the bodywork was replica fibreglass. A mould was taken from some original race bike panels back in the day, then a mould was taken from those panels, then a mould was taken from those panels, then a mould was taken from those panels, then a mould was taken from those panels, then a mould was taken from those panels, then a mould was taken from those panels ..........
.........Then the panels from this bike were made from the last mould and sold to the guy with a dream of building his own replica race bike, he then sold it to another guy with the same dream who then asked me to paint it for him. To say that the panels needed a bit of work was an understatement, I have never in my life worked on worse panels. Many times I had to walk away and have a coffee to stop me from throwing them out the door
However, patience prevailed and slowly I wrestled the whole thing into submission. I had to manufacture new lower belly pan mounts from scratch as if it was left unsupported they'd last about 4 minutes!
Then it was my usual formula -
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Prep
Paint
Mask
Paint
Mask
Paint
Mask
Paint
Lacquer
Lacquer
Lacquer
Lacquer
And assemble ................
This is possibly the most frustrating bike I've ever had to finish but I have to say that when I rolled it out of the workshop it became one of the most satisfying.
I must stress as always that what you see here is 100% painted. There isn't a single sticker or piece of vinyl on this bike, every last inch is out of a spray gun ...........
In my usual fashion, I'll let the photos do the talking .....
IMG_0278 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0280 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0570 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0572 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0582 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0603 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0605 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0609 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0614 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0619 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0626 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0628 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0610 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0616 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0655 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0673 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0674 by tunneruk, on FlickrIMG_0676 by tunneruk, on Flickr_MG_7958 by tunneruk, on Flickr_MG_7959 by tunneruk, on FlickrWP_20151012_12_45_06_Pro by tunneruk, on Flickr_MG_7984 by tunneruk, on Flickr_MG_7993 by tunneruk, on Flickr_MG_7997 by tunneruk, on Flickr_MG_8015 by tunneruk, on Flickr_MG_8011 by tunneruk, on FlickrI've never been so relieved to get a project finished!!!!
