# Making 1941 Tall Tank Western Flyer Old Again



## bairdco (May 18, 2016)

I threatened to give it the bairdco treatment if no one bought it, so...

Sandblasted it all pretty.




 

Then I painted it, went back in time and left it outside for 75 years.


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## Jarod24 (May 18, 2016)

That looks great!


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## CrazyDave (May 18, 2016)

Whaaaaaaaaa? (my best minion voice) Entertaining and informative as always man.


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## bairdco (May 18, 2016)

It looks way worse, err, better, in person. My phone camera is getting dull.

Took me 5 hours, from bare frame to old timey.

Used hydrogen peroxide and salt on the bare metal, painted it Rustoleum "colonial red"  while it was still wet with the peroxide, painted the darts on with ivory over black while it was still tacky.

Then when it was mostly dry, layed strips of masking tape over the paint and ripped it off, taking chunks of paint with it.

Another spray down with hydrogen peroxide and salt (awesome to watch rust form in seconds,) hosed it off and let it dry.

I've been looking for a crusty rider for a while, but figured I'd just make one myself. 

Fenders and the rest are waiting their turn.


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## rollfaster (May 18, 2016)

Great job man, I like it!


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## rusty.kirkpatrick (May 19, 2016)

Nice work, looks authentic.


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## Dave K (May 19, 2016)

Amazing!!!!  Wish I had your skills


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## bairdco (May 19, 2016)

It's the first time I tried it, so I had no idea how it would turn out. So, it's a new skill I just learned. 

My buddy saw the bike when I got it, saw the frame sandblasted, then saw it after I crusted it up and asked, "where the heck did you find another tall tank?" So I guess it looks real.

Real enough, anyways. 

I purposely made the darts different from the original (OG has the two pointed darts on the sides) for two reasons.

First, because it's easy and I didn't know if it would work, and second, so it won't fool an "expert."

It looks good enough that if i sell it, someone down the road might try to pass it off as "original paint."

I've got enough rusty CWC parts to build it all up, except for a fork with a friggen giant steer tube.

Stupid one-off frames...


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## bulldog1935 (May 19, 2016)

looking forward to the assembled photo


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## bairdco (May 19, 2016)

Me too. Can't wait to ride it around and have non-bike people go, "what a piece of crap!"


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## bricycle (May 19, 2016)

you yank'n our chains?


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## CrazyDave (May 19, 2016)

bricycle said:


> you yank'n our chains?



Hahah, I have been wondering that since he posted it.....the thought of intentionally giving something a messed up paint job...lololol....interesting.


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## bairdco (May 19, 2016)

C'mon, faux-tina jobs are all the rage these days...

But I was thinking the same thing. While everyone else is trying to make old bikes all shiny and new (me included with my twinbar,) I'm making one that looks like it came out of the dump. 

But, here's what it looked like when I got it.




 

No matter what I do to it, it can only get better.


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## bairdco (May 20, 2016)

Old-erized the fenders today. 

They got the same treatment. Sandblasted clean, then put thru the wayback machine.

Half-assed tape job:



 

Star trek paint (cat approved,) :



 

Quick and dirty pinstripes:



 

I had to make a conscience effort to forget about perfection. Another hydrogen peroxide/salt bath:


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## bairdco (May 20, 2016)

Finished, except for the black is too thick. I'll wipe that down with some carb cleaner to thin them out later.



 



 

Money shot:


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## bairdco (May 20, 2016)

Next is the rims. I've got one perfect drop center for it (meaning it was naturally aged.)

The other one I sandblasted and gonna see if I can make it match. If not, I'll blast them both and give 'em the business.


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## CrazyDave (May 20, 2016)

Well I guess your not joking...Amazing new found skill you have of ummm patina painting? a bike!   Good job, it sure would fool me.


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## bairdco (May 21, 2016)

Nope. For once, I'm not joking. I've always liked crusty, original paint on old bikes. Something about immaculately restored, shiny 70 year old bikes just doesn't look right to me most times. 

And my 39 twinbar project is such a pain to get everything perfect, so it's fun to just crank out a bike without worrying about scratches and perfect lines.

But I guarantee it'll ride better than it did when it was new.


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## bairdco (May 23, 2016)

Got it together yesterday.  Rusted up some newer handlebars, but I don't like the style. Gotta find some original trashed ones. And the old stem sits funny. It's too high. 



 



 



 



 

Rides great. Took it to my local bar and all the old guys thought it was original, and the bartender wouldn't go near it. 

So I guess i could have a pretty good career in faking old bikes. Not that that pays anything.

Oh, and got a flat on the way home.


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## RustyK (May 23, 2016)

Very nice! Is that an old scooter in the background?


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## bairdco (May 23, 2016)

Yup. It's a 1956 Puch SR 150. I need a magneto for it (and tires, seats, cables, gas tank, etc.)

Never imported into the US, so parts are impossible to find. There's a company in Austria that makes a mag, but it's 400 euro. So it's lawn art until I get some money to waste on it.


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## bairdco (May 24, 2016)

This bike is more done now. Put some grand tycoons on and some different bars. I think I can quit working on it and start riding it finally.


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## Joe Buffardi (May 25, 2016)

Nice effin job man!!!


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## spoker (May 28, 2016)

first tribute muscle cars and now tribute bikes,kool,but there anint nothin like the real thing[baby]


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## bairdco (May 28, 2016)

Never thought of it as a tribute. More of an experiment.

I've painted flames, snake scales, sparkly bikes, and every colour you could imagine, but never tried rust. 

I bet the gas monkey guys would be proud...


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## SJ_BIKER (Jun 1, 2016)

most people spend there time and good part of life learning new skills to restore a bike to perfection while others like you prove that all that glitters is not always gold.....well done!!


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## bairdco (Jun 3, 2016)

Thanks guys.

Had to give it a matte clear coat (the professional way, leave the bike together and spray the whole thing.)

Rode it all over the other day and my jeans had rust all over them.


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