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Since I'm nearing the completion sometime soon, it's time...

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Saving Tempest

Cruisin' on my Bluebird
to start the chronicle of where Tempest is, building wise and follow it through to the finish and first ride as such.

Currently. I have Saddleman saddlebags mounted inside the trim rings of a for pair of fiberglass ones that were meant t have suspension and got rattled good without, leaving the lids to pop open when the locking arms jarred free. I have one amber nacelle from a motorcycle attached and the other one is awaiting my finding the black base, but the wiring to both is routed and slipped inside the tank for safe keeping on the other end. I have a nice large rectangular taillight from an old Honda ATC fat 2-tired motorcycle that I haven't attached yet and the fairing is waiting to be installed.

I have started to prepare the Pioneer car stereo and speakers for installation with the adding of a car adapter kit (large DIN plus size to two shaft kit) that I got for a few dollars at the local auction earlier this year. I am going to see if I can't build the back enclosure for the fairing with the Wald basket already in place but I will anchor the bottom on the crown on the fork and leave the axle to itself.

I have two plug-in bullet shaped ambers for the fairing's signals and a Stanley motorcycle headlamp assembly to aim and hold the halogen MR series lamp I plan to install while a GM Guide 5" lens with a bezel I got from eBay. The dual lamp taillight assembly and turn dignal will get the equivalent LED lighting and then I will beed to devisem the turn signal relay and switching. I intend to install a keyed switch to lock it from someone turning the lights of and draining the battery and also to the power to the analog tuning caar stereo when I'm not using it. Furthermore, I'll have to figure out a cover lock to protect the stereo and the speakers will likely be mounted from the inside of the enclosure to prevent theft.

All of this could prove somewhat heavy...so far though I've resisted the notion of adding a small engine even though it could make a nice commuter motorbike to get to my family 40 miles away. I'd honestly rather own a Honda Helix for that and gas would need to drop to around $2.50 or so to make a habit of it and get a license again.

I guess it would help if I went back to the motorcycle shop and found the proper parts for my 1970s vintage Honda Gold Line fairing.

Pictures are in order now!

Back from the bike shop with a new headset, after around sixty years!


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More pictures, including the fenders and two mockups...

And a few of my cats with the feeding shelter I made for them...

I don't know how to remove images though so I have duplicates.


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By the way, I have a Rollfast speedometer in need of cleaning and a full cable...I would like some help with that.
 
The fenders are going on this week so Tempest will be at the LBS...

who was helping me get the front fender on my Schwinn Saturday before he had to close. Hopefully that job will be completed tomorrow as well.

I have some Higgins rims to clean up and relace with a 1/2" coaster hub and chainring instead of the skiptooth...The 26" ladies Higgins is not really going to be a RAT so much as I want the person I give it to to be able to work on it without digging into stuff they may not have ever seen...the rest of it, paintjob etc shouldn't stray too far from Higgins convention. I do need a front fender for it though, I had a bunch of rear fenders and one front, which went on the Schwinn and give it a more muscular, motorcycle-like look as I like.

Now I have to figure out how to attach Honda Aspencade saddlebags to that Schwinn?!?
 
Great job

Great job on the bike. I think all bikes should have signalling lights because its dangerous to look behind when riding.

Do the boxes on the back add much weight to the bike?

Also nice job on the cat shelters - thank you! Lucky for cats there people like you around, it can be so hard for them to survive.
 
Those are the saddlebags! No, they are pretty light, and not really water resistant so I have to work on that.

I got the seat tube decal and the fender triangle a friend got me on eBay yesterday, the seat tube decal I wanted whether it's correct or not...the fender decal is to go on the rack cover coming later.

The last two pictures are of Tempest with her new adornment :)

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To fudge a little on Germaine's behalf...

Here is the Phantom tank, fully decorated and ready for installation!

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Nice paintjob :) - Germaine?

Germaine-feminization of GERMAN (Mr. Schwinn was German, no)? The green is paint and the white is vinyl wrap with green decals (same as the following)

Here are the dark green Honda Aspencade saddlebags I got on eBay for grocery getting after the sign shop cleaned the badge residue off and rally striped them as I asked...

PS A 50 or so year old Huffy 26" middleweight is on the way with extra parts...shipping only, another rust rescue!

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