# 2000 Iver Johnson Major Taylor



## Duchess (Aug 23, 2015)

I never liked the original paint on my road bike, but couldn't come up with a good reason or color scheme worth changing to. Then I got the ~1912 Special Racer and read up on the history of Iver Johnson and Major Taylor, it occurred to me that my road bike was a 2000 and if Iver was still in business, perhaps they'd celebrate the 100th anniversary of Major's 1900 world championship with a special edition racer. And, so I figured out my new color scheme and now it is finally done. I made a head badge with a machine turned gold insert instead of the red, but I really like the bike without it, so I might not put it on.


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## Handyman (Aug 23, 2015)

I love it !!  Nice job !!  God I would love to have a "Major Taylor" anniversary Iver !!  I have two thoughts #1 I think it needs an Iver Johnson badge on the front head tube, just doesn't seem to be complete without it.  #2 Who did that double hairline pinstriping !!  Looks great.  Pete in Fitchburg


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## Duchess (Aug 23, 2015)

I made a badge, but so far, I like the polished head tube plain. I might put it on later, though I'm also thinking about redesigning the old Art Nouveau badge to reflect a more modernized version and replicate how most companies change their logos over the years.

I did the pinstripe using "The Striper" pinstriping tape from Finesse Pinstriping Inc. using gold leaf paint, which actually looks like the real deal. The corners where the tape overlapped bled a tiny bit, so you have to either trim them perfectly neat to each other so they don't overlap and leave room for the paint to ooze in or clean it up after. I ended up doing the latter, but it was easy and I just used my thumbnail to take it off before it was completely dry. I highly recommend both. The paint is 2K Dupont Chromabase, which shot beautifully and easily with a Preval sprayer. The clear coat did not and I ended up having an auto body shop do that. As a consequence of fixing the mess the Preval and I made of the clear coat, the off side Iver Johnson decal lost a little of its black outline, but it's hardly noticeable.


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## Handyman (Aug 24, 2015)

Thanks for the tips Duchess,
 I'll use that "Finesse" pinstriping tape on my Iver restoration.  A couple of quick questions, what number *(stock #)* tape did you buy from Finesse?  Did you match the size of the double stripes up with your 1912 Iver Racer or did you just pick a double strip from them that you liked?  Also I noticed Finesse only offer two colors of gold, a *C-5 "Imitation Gold"* and a *C-13 Metalic Gold"*, did you order the paint from them or use another type?


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## Freqman1 (Aug 24, 2015)

Nice job! I like the idea of a 'modernized' Iver badge and thik it would make a nice finishing touch. V/r Shawn


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## Duchess (Aug 24, 2015)

I got the F19 tape, which pretty much matches the Special Racer for line weight and spacing, though that was hand painted, so it varies a little (particularly the spacing). A real 2000 Iver wouldn't be hand painted anyway. The paint is "Liquid Leaf Classic Gold 6110". I probably got it off Amazon. Seems very much like the enamel I used to buy when I made model aircraft when I was a kid, so the familiarity made it easy to use (including the old fingernail scratch fine tuning technique to clean up slight bleeds). The only thing I don't like about the tape is it didn't want to stretch to be able to do the rims. Were I not so lazy, I'd have disassembled the wheels and run the pinstripe tape along the spoke line, but the wheels are not real high end and I expect them to get a little beat anyway (they didn't even get the good clear coat, they got Krylon).

Yeah, I think a modernized badge would be the same basic form, but simplified without the little lumpy flourishes, the lettering, and a different font. I'll work on that when I have the time, probably this winter. I would also like to cast it in something stronger than the resin I used for the current reproduction, maybe a low-temp metal or something.


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## Handyman (Aug 25, 2015)

Hi Duchess,  This has always been one of my unanswered questions..............I have a 1935 Iver "Special Racer" that has just a few traces of the double striping left.  However, the few that are left match up perfectly with the F-44 tape from Finesse.  However, a "Special Racer" I went to look at a few weeks ago, is more like the F-19 that you mentioned, soooooooo still up in the air as to what route to take !!  Did you use any kind of special solvent to clean the paint surface before you applied the pinstriping, I'll need to find a decent one ? I had a very nice "vision" for your 2000 Iver, how about a repro 1900 Iver badge!!  That was a one year only badge and would look awesome if it were brought back on a new bike in some fashion.  Pete in Fitchburg


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## Duchess (Aug 25, 2015)

I thought of that, but I'd need an original badge first. I just cleaned with light alcohol and applied the two coats of the paint right to the base coat. Even with wet sanding the orange peel clear coat and scuffing the finish with a gray nylon pad, there's only a couple small areas where it got thinned out. If it wasn't cleared over it, it would probably be subject to wear in the same manner as the original over lacquer, which might be desirable in some cases.


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## 48b6 (Sep 2, 2015)

Very nice!


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## 37ccmflyte (Oct 12, 2015)

Very nice. I like the way you think.


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## Dale Alan (Oct 12, 2015)

Thing of beauty,you did a great job.


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## Duchess (May 18, 2017)

First attempt as acid etching an imagined newer head badge. I may do another one a little cleaner with some changes, but this will do.


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## Ed Minas (May 19, 2017)

I absolutely love what you have done and story behind it.  You have created a very nice riding machine!


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## Duchess (May 20, 2017)

Thanks! The badge really makes it look finished, not like the headtube hasn't been painted yet (as I had someone ask). I think it's my best looking bike, but almost nobody looks twice as these curly-cue bar bikes. The race guys only seem to care about the newest and highest end gear and the spec (and cost, it seems) and the regular people aren't interested in road bikes because I believe they associate them with the "gear" guys and think them uncomfortable to ride. Oh, well, it didn't come out perfect, but I'm happy with it.


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## WVBicycles (May 27, 2017)

Oh man this has to be one of my favorite bikes I've seen on this forum job well done


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## Handyman (May 27, 2017)

Very Nice Duchess !  Think about bringing it to Fitchburg during our "Fitchburg Rides" event to display inside the Historical Society with all the other Ivers !  I think it would be a pretty good attraction.  Pete in Fitchburg


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## Duchess (May 29, 2017)

I'd like to show it with my 1912, but I won't be able to make it this year with weddings, birthdays, and selling and buying a house pretty much already accounting for my summer.


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