2018 to 2019 Motorcycle Group Build is Timeless. Bikes will be with us til the end of time

Ken, that 1/6 Tamiya Harley looks awesome. Wow, it's big. Apparently a big difference between 1/8 and 1/6 scale. I really like the color scheme on the box art. Are you planning on matching it?

Ghost, you are underway AND posting pics. By golly, that is looking like a motorcycle motor to me.

Greg

Ken, that 1/6 Tamiya Harley looks awesome. Wow, it's big. Apparently a big difference between 1/8 and 1/6 scale. I really like the color scheme on the box art. Are you planning on matching it?

Ghost, you are underway AND posting pics. By golly, that is looking like a motorcycle motor to me.

 

Ghost Your motor looks great

Greg I'm planning to change the color to Black. I haven't had much luck with black in the past, but, I'll give it a try again

greentracker98

Greg I'm planning to change the color to Black. I haven't had much luck with black in the past, but, I'll give it a try again

Sounds good. Black always looks good on a bike.

That is looking really good Ghost.

Cheers

Tony

Ghost - looking good!

Funny - we'll all be posting motors first :)  My alclad titanium gold came in so I did the motor on the Ducati.  I noticed that Tamiya extra thin cement lifts the gold so, not sure how I'll touch this up... or just put a nasty wash on it and say it was after a long ride

And after the Alclad gloss coat... its not bad, but I really liked the finish before the coat.

That titanium gold is beautiful. Great detail on the cylinder heads or whatever they are on a Ducati.

That second pic is a bit hard to sort out, I think it might be a bit overexposed.

Often folk avoid clearcoats on top of Alclad. I like doing it to add durability.

John, 

The engine looks great, but, I agree with you, it does look better without the clearcoat. I can't remember if Alclad has a satin clearcoat, and wonder if that would have made a difference?

Is the other piece in the first picture a part of the frame? If I remember correctly, the Panigale doesn't have a trellis frame, but the engine is a part of the frame. That piece is bolted to the front of the engine, and the swing arm is bolted to the back of the engine?

And don't get me started on how sexy a single sided swing arm looks on a Duc! 

Ya - way better without the clear.

The second piece sits on top, bridging the cylinders.  And you are correct on the Duc frame.

Have a bit done on the Harley motor. All chrome parts stipped per previous pic, used 4 different metallic shades. Some Alclad, some Vallejo. Then two days later my new Mission Models metal colors came in. Yes, I have no patience.

I'm disappointed that the different metal colors sort of blend together. On a postive note, I used my new Mission Model clear (various degrees of gloss to matt on each subassy, then about an hour later was able to glue the assy together and enamel wash right away. Happy for that!

That looks so much better. How did you strip the plating?

Hey, thanks, Bill.

Somebody here at FSM told me about SuperClean. It's a purple-colored  degreaser in a purple/blue container. It works fast. Like 15 minutes.

Mustang Joe swears by brake fluid, which I've also tried and it works fine too. I prefer the SuperClean for some reason.

BTW, a bit off-topic but the VW Bug is still on the bench. Haven't given up on it.

looking good Greg!

Greg,

Your engine looks really good. Taking the time to strip the stock chrome does pay off well!

Ghost8100

 

Ghost,

I apologize, I forgot to mention how great your engine looks too! I'm looking forward to more of your progress.

That looks so much better. How did you strip the plating?

There are a lot of plated parts in'm looking to buy the yellow paint I need the model.

The only engine parts that are plated are the crank case end covers. I may leave them as is, but not sure.

Currently looking for yellow paint. Various Norton sites have an RAL color and a Revell paint match. I hope I can find the Revell paint stateside.

Bill

Thanks John, Bruce.

Bill, I use a stripper called SuperClean to strip chrome. Somebody here at FSM suggested it. Works fast, about 15 mins in most cases.

https://superclean.com/

I bought a gallon container at Wallyworld.

Just looked up your Norton. Wow, lots of yellow. Brave man, you. I'm curious why you mentioned the Revell yellow. Do the Italeri instructions call out Revell paint?

Probably beside the point but I watched a Mission Models review of a guy spraying yellow last night, looked good. I think you prefer enamels, right?

BTW, it is interesting that your Norton has so little chrome. Looks pretty cool on the box art. I have two BIG sprues of chrome, so I have plenty of stripping in my future.

On your crankcase covers, you have no seam to worry about so my is as long as the kit chrome looks pretty good, you're golden.

Ghost, if this were a race, you're in first place! (at the frame already)

Frame looks good. I see speckles in the paint. It it metal flake? Bear in mind I know about as much about motorcycles as I do about nuclear physics.

Greg I work on models about 16 hours a day. From the time I wake up to the time I go to bed I am at my work station. I am 100% disabled do to 9 back surgeries for scoliosis . The paint is Dodge Viper GTS blue metallic laid over silver ice metallic which if you look closely you will see a little bit of ghost flames in the paint. 

Sorry to hear of your scoliosis and disability. However, it is neat that you get to spend your days at your bench.

Wow, yes, you are really moving right along and I can see the metallic finish now.

It all good. Been dealing with for 25 years now. However my wife comes up with the paint ideas. I just put them into action. I started a chopper at the same time as the Harley so I am hoping to enter that one too. I painted the frame already but nothing is glued together as of right now

Ghost Your paint looks great infact, every ones is looking great. I too am on disability for back problems, but mine doesn't sound anywhere near as bad as yours. I haven't had any surgeries. It makes it hard to get around, but I manage. at this point, I will not get a handicapped parking permit. There are people who need the parking spaces more than me

Happy Building Everyone

Ghost,

That metal flake paint looks outstanding! Really sets that bike apart. Well done!

Tonight's update is a quick story, no pics, sorry.

After painstakingly stripping the lifter tubes (I reckon that's what they are), re-chroming then with Alclad, and getting the little peckerheads installed tonight....they looked pretty decent.

Then I decided the cylinder heads could use another slop of enamel wash. Ahem. I sort of forgot about the Alclad not exactly being dissimilar from enamel.

Luckily the glue wasn't quite try from setting them in place so here we go again. They were such a pain to paint the first time I had already hated myself for not just going with the stock chrome, flash and all. Wouldn't never have been noticed. Maybe by tomorrow I'll be able to report on how to sucessfully stip Alclad. Ha ha.

Whine, whine, whine. I was very busy thinking about the flasha and bad fit. I forgot the usual real enemy is me.

Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer.

If you clear coat with acrylic, and here I use the F word; enamel washes, or turpenoid/ oil paint washes, will not attack it.

And, if it looks like dog crap, you can strip it with windex and hopefully not mess up the lacquer/ enamel base colors.

I'm going to strip my crankcase covers. They should be a nice burnished aluminum, not chrome.

Also, I'm gonna start with the wheels just to spite y'all.

Just ordered the Tamiya RC 166. Think I will build her without the fairing to show off the engine.