Catfishjohn's new ride build thread.

[Catfishjohn]

Well, I've been wanting to build a second bike and have been looking here and there for ideas. I put alot of thought and research and wore out a couple of them internet search engines looking for answers. Just when I thought I had a plan and finally made my mind up it all changed. I was returning one evening from a bike ride with Motorbike Wanabe when my radio crackled "Cruiser bike on the side of the road!" (Yes we have radios with headsets for our bike rides) Mr Wanabe spotted a bike apparently put to the curb for the trash pick up the next day. We turned around and got it. It was a nice cruiser bike with two flat tires and a rusty chain. We wheeled it back to my place and it has become my new project. Its a Western Flyer with "Grand Trophy" on the chain guard.

I started today removing everything from the frame to sand and paint flat black. I'm thinking maybe a chopper look with 24" rise ape hangers on it and updated wheels with larger gauge spokes with front wheel drum brake. We will have to see how this all develops. Check out my before pictures below.

 

[Porkchop]

Definitely worth taking home !

 

[motorpsycho]

"Yes we have radios with headsets for our bike rides".

Ummmmmm...okay?????????


and WHY flat black??? the rat rod look has been done over and over and over....it's getting old.
Why not throw a nice shiney paint job on it and make it more unique?
It's your bike, do what you want to do...just stating my opinion.

 

[Catfishjohn]

"and WHY flat black??? the rat rod look has been done over and over and over....it's getting old.
Why not throw a nice shiney paint job on it and make it more unique?
It's your bike, do what you want to do...just stating my opinion.

Thanks for your opinion but I just want it that way. I always wanted one. I might later add some color to it but for now its flat black

 

[Motorbike Wanabe]

Very COOL!

I guess now I can't say, "Why can't I ever find anything like that?!!!"

I guess now I should start saying, "why can't I keep my mouth shut when I find something like that?!!!"

I've seen the painted pictures of the bike with some shwanky new black rims and white wall tires. I'm a sucker for wide whites.

We'll get it all duddied up and she'll be standin' TALL!

And yeah, we ride with radios! When you're shunned by the motorcyclists, hated by the peddlers and envied by the moped-ists, what do you expect?

I smell envy......

 

[chefdouglas]

Good find. When I only road motor cycles I would see side walk free bikes all the time now that I ride both I never see any. Flat black is more than a faction statement, flat covers imperfection in the metal and the paint job. You never need to wax and scratches don't show and can be fixed easily. I've seen some red wall tire that look sharp and a pinstripe makes a nice custom. Please post some photo's after painting. Chrome goes with every color.

 

[Motorbike Wanabe]

Flat black is more than a faction statement...

That is true Chef. It's funny, in the rat rod (streetrod) realm, I've seen REAL hot rods turned away because they didn't have enough cliches. They were the forefathers of what everyone else was trying to emulate! True, flat black has been overdone, but it doesn't get done enough by folks who "really get it". I think Catfish's bike will be way cool when finished.

Motorbike

 

[motorpsycho]

Good find. When I only road motor cycles I would see side walk free bikes all the time now that I ride both I never see any. Flat black is more than a faction statement, flat covers imperfection in the metal and the paint job. You never need to wax and scratches don't show and can be fixed easily. I've seen some red wall tire that look sharp and a pinstripe makes a nice custom. Please post some photo's after painting. Chrome goes with every color.

you're wrong about black...glossy or flat.
Actually, go ask ANY professional automotive painter and they will tell you the opposite.
Black will bring out every imperfection in the metal.
If you want to hide imperfections you need to use lighter colors....white is the best color to hide imperfections with.

here's my problem with flat black.
I'm a hot rodder and yes, i have a custom car from the 50's. no, it isn't flat black with red wheels.
EVERY car show that i go to, there is ALWAYS someone who has a car, painted flat black, with red wheels & whitewalls.
That color combo was popular in the 50's because the average joe didn't have any $$ to get a real paint job...so they did what they could with what they had.
The problem now is that people today think that flat black paint and red wheels was done by choice back then.
sure, it did look cool at one time, but now it seems like everyone is painting things flat black & red, and calling it a rat rod. (i have seen honda civics painted like this, and people calling them rat rods).
the term "rat rod" never existed until about 10-15 years ago. a few hot rods were built, and they were poorly built, unsafe cars painted flat black & red. someone said "man, that rod looks ratty"...and thus, the term rat rod was born.
cars from the 50's were hot rods, not rat rods and if you tell someone who has an actual hot rod from the 50's that they have a nice rat rod, you might get a knuckle sammich.
rat rods are cool to a point, but i hate the term, and i hate flat black & red on ANYTHING these days.
i think that's because i see it so often on so many different things it isn't cool anymore. it's like hearing the same song on the raido every day...eventually, you get tired of hearing it.
just my opinion, and this was not meant to cause any ill feelings or to provoke an argument.

 

[chefdouglas]

Color is a matter of personal preference, you (motorpsycho) don't like it many do. Your right about the reason it was used in the 50's. I have British motorcycles from the 50's none are flat black but my MB is because it is a rat rod, in a way, put together for very little money mostly with stuff I had around. Any flat color hides imperfections black included gloss black shows everything.Often flat black was used as a primer with the idea of a pro paint job in the future. Now I think it is often used to show that the work was done by an owner who is proud of a job they did rather then showing the money they had to spend. If you don't like it don't use it but let people be happy with what they like. I've listened to some songs a thousand times and still enjoy them but I agree with the idea.

 

[Motorbike Wanabe]

I'm sure we can all agree to disagree. I hear you Motopsycho, but, having seen Catfish's bike first hand, I say that I like it. I'm a sucker for wide whites!

Right now, he's got about $3 in the bike. Not bad for a bike that stands out from the crowd.

I've seen a few clasified "rat Rods" that in my opinion, try too hard. They've got too many cliches in trying to make a point. I've also seen "rat Rod" cars that were actually great studies in engineering and design. They lacked chrome, not safety or thought in assembly. There's so many different variations. I say, if it looks cool, it's cool. If it tries to be something that it isn't, why do it.