# Blasphemy?????



## yewhi (Sep 5, 2010)

As much as I enjoy seeing accurate restorations I couldn't resist a little personal freedom of expression on this one...

Before...





After...


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## mre straightbar (Sep 5, 2010)

looks alright to meal of mine i just spray with an oil and fix them to ride
and adding a few nicer parts as i go


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## Bikephreak (Sep 5, 2010)

Criminal, man... Criminal... (in a Beatnik voice)... VERY cool! (in my voice)!


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## yewhi (Sep 5, 2010)

Bikephreak said:


> Criminal, man... Criminal... (in a Beatnik voice)...




Ain't it?  BTW this is the build those blunts/amsterdams are intended for.  After seeing them on yours, I think it'll be a very nice match.

Thanks Again!

Tim


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## Bikephreak (Sep 6, 2010)

Cool! Mine rolls really nice & looks period enough to maintain the look with the added bonus of easily serviceable tires. Every friend that has seen my set up has flipped. I still have some work to do to finish it, but it has been saved from the slow death of entropy. I hope to see pictures of yours when it gets completed!


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## bikesnbuses (Sep 6, 2010)

It looks good!!


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## Adamtinkerer (Sep 6, 2010)

As hard as it is to find parts for these, and the uber expensive repop tires, I see no foul on that! I have a couple frames like that which will get built up to ride.


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## grey3speedfrmeuro (Sep 6, 2010)

Thats fantastic, I want to see the total project completed. Are you going with metal or wooden rims? How about handle bars with or without the stutt?


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## yewhi (Sep 7, 2010)

grey3speedfrmeuro said:


> Thats fantastic, I want to see the total project completed. Are you going with metal or wooden rims? How about handle bars with or without the stutt?




Thanks!  I'll be sure to update this once I complete the project.  As for the wheel set, I've ordered a set of Velocity Blunt 29er (700c) sized rims that will be laced to a new departure model D and a WL (I believe).  Both hubs are being rechromed and rather than leave the anodized finish on the rims I will paint them a gloss black and pinstrip them in gray similar to the primary color of the frame.

Regarding the stem/handle bar, I picked up a stem similar to what I believe was on the original and a set of handle bars with a brace.  Unfortunately, the chrome on both were totally shot.  While I'm having some parts rechromed I'm still working within a budget so I chose to strip these and paint them to match the head tube and darts.  They are pictured below.





Cheers,

Tim


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## Zephyr (Sep 11, 2010)

Very nice! Gives me great ideas for my Zenith.


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## yewhi (Nov 11, 2010)

*A couple of steps closer and even more blasphemy!*

Starting to get everything put together at least as a mock up.





...and I finally got the wheelset built.  New Departure hubset laced to velocity blunts.




This actually brings me to a question.  The model D was turning slowly with a lot of resistance.  I cleaned it, packed it with grease and put it back together before having the wheelset built.  It turns "OK", but not great.  Is there a trick to these?  I used Park grease.  Is a lighter grease more appropriate?  Any input would be a great help.

Thanks!

Tim


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## KansasJack (Nov 11, 2010)

It looks fantastic. How did you paint it? Was it professionally done?


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## slick (Nov 11, 2010)

I am so jealous!!!!!!! That is absolutely beautifull!!!!!!!!!!!!! Finish it already. The anticipation is killing me! It's worse than christmas!!


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## yewhi (Nov 11, 2010)

KansasJack said:


> It looks fantastic. How did you paint it? Was it professionally done?




Thanks to you both!

I did the paint myself.  I used a good quality automotive acrylic enamel from TCP.  Not cheap, but it has a nice gloss that appears to be tough and doesn't necessarily need a clear coat.  I bought a set of stencils off Ebay for the points.  I used the triple point for the top tube and cut/pieced together the rest with scissors and blue painter's tape until it had the look I wanted.




These stencils work really well and I'm really happy with the result.




The wheels were also pinstripped using stencils.  The Velocitys are nice in that they are powdercoated and not anodized so it was just a matter of laying down the stencil and painting them.  However, if I had to do it over I would've chosen a single stripe rather than the dual because I think it might have come out a little cleaner.

Hopefully I'll get it completed in the next month.  I still need to find a decent saddle and pedals and have the crankset and chainring chromed.  It's definitely a long process made even longer since the purchases are done piece by piece as an attempt to keep it under my wife's credit card surveillance.  

Thanks again for the kind words!

Tim


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## yewhi (Nov 20, 2010)

Starting to come together...


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## rustyspoke66 (Nov 20, 2010)

Wich tires are those? They kind of look like the tire Electra sells.


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## chitown (Nov 20, 2010)

Looks really sweet. Great color combos. Gonna do a natural brown or black saddle?


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## twowheelfan (Nov 20, 2010)

beautiful!!!! cant wait to hear how it rides!


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## yewhi (Nov 20, 2010)

Thanks!  Good eye! The tires are Electra Amsterdams on Velocity blunts.  As for the Saddle I don't have one yet.  I'd like to get a vintage troxel style saddle but finding one that is in decent shape that doesn't cost a mint has been really really tough.  If I can't find one I'll probably end up with a brown Brooks B135.  Good alternative with a vintage feel and only about 120.00 from Chain reaction.  Really want a vintage one though!


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## indianfaze (Nov 20, 2010)

that bike is looking incredible. props on the paint job....very impressive!


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## mazdaflyer (Nov 20, 2010)

Looks great.  Original patina is great if you have the whole bike but new finish freedom of expression as you say.


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## yewhi (Nov 20, 2010)

mazdaflyer said:


> Looks great.  Original patina is great if you have the whole bike but new finish freedom of expression as you say.




Thanks and I hear ya'.  I think had there been any shred of originality left when I bought it it would've been a different story.  When I received it frame etc. it had what appeared to be a wasted blue and white paint scheme that wasn't original as I found clues to the original red in the BB.  Then a very cool CABE member sent me a ton of pictures of an Identical bike he had just sold in the original red.  See below.






So I can't claim ignorance regarding its original paint scheme and in all honesty, my first impulse was to restore it to the original.  Unfortunately, I just didn't like it for lack of a better excuse.  So I've managed to put together the a very similar parts mix (with the exception of the wheels) right down to the chain ring.  While acknowledging that I've taken quite a few liberties with the build I've also tried to keep it reasonably close to it's roots. 

This is going to be a really fun bike I can take out with my kids and just have a ton of fun on without having to worry about it.  Best kind of build!

Cheers!

Tim


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## Flat Tire (Nov 20, 2010)

Nice job Tim, thats a very cool lookin bike!!


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## yewhi (Dec 4, 2010)

Finally got it about 95% for the way there.  Couldn't resist a picture of the two siblings.


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## MartyW (Dec 4, 2010)

That came out Great!


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## yewhi (Dec 4, 2010)

MartyW said:


> That came out Great!




Thanks Marty!


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## chitown (Dec 4, 2010)

Very impressive. Looks great with the brown saddle. Inspiring to see the creative, clean, sharp & stylish work you've done. Bravo.


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## yewhi (Dec 5, 2010)

chitown said:


> Very impressive. Looks great with the brown saddle. Inspiring to see the creative, clean, sharp & stylish work you've done. Bravo.




Thanks!  I appreciate it.  I'm definitely going to enjoy taking this one out.  Thanks again for the complement.

Tim


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## indianfaze (Dec 6, 2010)

nice work. it looks tough as nails.!!


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