From 78c to 79s clone

[chuck hahn]

https://www.thegsresources.com/_foru...1000C-in-Texas

So now that the TURDS with her new owner its time to start the red Cooley clone build. The starting point is the free blue 1000C from Texas. See the thread link above for pictures. Decal sets ordered tonight and im picking up paint tomorrow morning. Should have tank lined with POR15 and filler in the little dents in the tank.

My plan of attack is to get the body work done first and stored away while its still hot and dry out, Then strip down the bike and get frame and rims painted. The spokers have been given to Richdesmond and a set of 78E mags on it now. Not much to see thats spectacular as far as the build...just the same process i follow on all the others.

I have the 79 tank and tailpiece on hand

 

[steve murdoch]

Great! Another one to follow.
Just curious, are you doing the red and white scheme from Australia or the same pattern as the north American paint scheme in red?

 

[chuck hahn]

Im doing a mix match. Ive seen pics of some reported "had it since new" Aussie steeds which had plain 78 / 79 1000 dashes which is perfect because thats whats on it now. Im gonna trace masks from the bodywork on my blue Cooley so i can lay out the red to white borders. I will eventually get an Airtech fairing and windscreen to complete the look.

Anyone from OZ reading this and owning a red Cooley please by all means snap pics o the bodywork, dash, mirrors etc etc to give me guidance.

 

[chuck hahn]

And so it begins. Acid boiled all the crud out and it came out very very clean. Soaked up residual water through the sender unit hole and dried with the heat gun. How hot you ask?? So hot i needed to use oven mits to touch it. Pay extra attention to the crimped edges where the two halves are joined because there is where waters gonna cling. POR15 tank liner (sealer ) going in .

 

[chuck hahn]

I sanded a block on the vertical sander at work for my block sander. I had to grind the emblem tabs back then fill with filler. Didnt remove them...just relieved them enough to be below the contour of the tank. I gotta do the acid bath electrolosis to dechrome the front fender then get that prepped and im ready to prime and start throwing color. Im gonna trace a pattern off the blue Cooleys decals for placement of the tape when i mask off for the red. Same tracing will be used as a template for pinstripe placement.

 

[nvr2old]

Hey, Chuck. Are you sanding the plastic filler using water? Plastic absorbs water real easily..you'll want to be careful if you are. You might even skim coat the entire area where you have plastic filler to bring it all together. Sanding the entire surface with dry 80-100 grit will set you up nicely for the first round of primer coats. I don't want to sound like a know-it-all, because you have come so far in your painting skills. Just throwing out a couple of tips.

 

[chuck hahn]

Yes. IM way ahead of the weekend which is the only real time i have to paint. Ive qwet sanded parts before and theyve sat 3 or 4 days in the hot storage unit baking away. Seems to cook any absorbed moisture away....

 

[chuck hahn]

Got a day that i didnt have a customer bike to work on so i took advantage and primered up the tank, side covers and tail cowl. I did the tank with Duplicolor rattle can etching primer. All plastics got a water based primer / sealer to be certain any contamination left after washing with dish soap..then two excessive wipes with rubbing alcohol..then sanded and the wash sequence repeated.

Im pretty confident the overkill of cleaning on the plastics will prove sufficient. Seat trim has been mended where it was snapped and now has bondo applied. Some clean up on it and it too will be ready. I got the decal kit today so its time to make some tracings off the blue Cooley for templates on where to tape off when its time for red paint. Of course i need to get everything in white first. Ill snap some pics tomorrow.

 

[nvr2old]

I've never used a decal kit before, so I was wondering if after painting the parts white, could it be easier to lay the decal stripes on and let them lay where they will, spray a couple of coats of clear to hold and protect them and then paint the red inside of them..? That might save the hassle of making the stripes fit your layout transfer from the blue one which might be a bit different. Those stripes probably don't want to bend without wrinkling to conform. Just spit-balling.

 

[chuck hahn]

Guess i can lay them on the blue bike to see how close they are and adjust. Good point Larry

 

[chuck hahn]

Got white on a few things. Only did the bottom of the tank. I still need to prep fender and get that in sealer so ill do the top of tank when i do the fender. Ithink its moving along rather nicely. Whites smooth and no runs so im real happy about that aspect.

 

[chuck hahn]

All the customer bikes done and a weeks vacation done its time to finally get back to painting this weekend. Pics to follow at some point.

 

[chuck hahn]

Got the tank white today. Masked off the parts that were already white and shot color. I took the decals to the supply house and got a 97.5% color match for the "red"...which came back to a orange....whatever. Its pretty darn close as you can see with the decal laid on top. Its Limco paint and i took pics of the label...

ORANGE SOLID 02..........NOT EXACTLY A RED...HA HA

 

[chuck hahn]

So do you guys think my paint guys did good matching the paint to the decals?

 

[steve murdoch]

Absolutely he did.
Are you going with an orange S on the tailpiece as well?

 

[chuck hahn]

Yes...its in the decal set....im even gonna put the "s" on the side covers too. Completely fake...lol

 

[nvr2old]

Looks like you got a good start on things, Chuck. The red/orange matches the decals nicely. In for a penny in for a pound..of course you have to put the "S" on the side covers. Did you decide whether to stripe the tank and fender before putting on the red? Seems it would be easier to fill in between the stripes (after protecting them with a couple of coats of clear) rather then trying to get the stripes to fit the already sprayed color. The tail and side covers are a breeze with straight lines...I always did them first, too.

 

[chuck hahn]

Larry,,, i went to Hobby Lobby and got some tracing paper in the art department and traced the center of the stripes on my blue Cooley. Made index marks and lined them up accordingly on the tank. I then laid down 1/4 inch pinstripe tape, used green tape to mask everything off. I just now got home from spraying the red on the tank.Was planning on a clear before laying decals. Its nice having a factory bike to measure off of right at your side too. Im pretty confident in the layout.

 

[chuck hahn]

Unmasked everything and shot first clear tonight. Starting to lay graphics tomorrow and may even get a clear over them as well this weekend. Ill take pics before doing decals in the morning.

 

[chuck hahn]

To those long awaiting me to remember to take my camera with me here is where things stand now. Gotta clear everything a few times and lay out the fender. I just shot the white on fender about an hour ago. Tomorrows another day. Sure was nice having my blue bike there to measure off for correct placement of decals. Got one tiny sliver of red to cover but for my first Cooley ( and the most intense paint and stripe scheme ) ive undertaken im super happy with it.