SPACELINER CONVERTIBLE (A Non-Invasive Sex Reassignment)

[The Renaissance Man]

Initially, I had intended on a simple repair, clean, and lube type of restoration (not really interesting enough for a build thread), but the planned resto of this early 60's Spaceliner has now taken on a more ambitious sex reassignment twist.

The idea is to make a boys style tank to convert the girls bike by simply swapping tanks. In this way, nothing about the original bike is compromised in the process and can easily be swapped back.

This thread will mainly chronicle the tank creation as well as the complete bike.

Here is the starting point:

Here's the concept:

More to come...

 

[gcrank1]

Im curious as to how you are going to whittle that out.......

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Today I made a quick mock-up of the trailing end of the tank. I needed to test how the end will fit around the seat stays before I make my patterns for the full tank halves.

The material is High Density Urethane.

 

[kingfish254]

I look forward to following this artistic sculpture!!!

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Looking forward to this, keep it coming!

Luke.

 

[Gold Street Customs]

This should be good!!

 

[SCHWINNRAY69]

This is gonna be good!!! Can't wait to see some progress

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

This is gonna be fun (for us).

Is that sign carving foam?


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[pick]

This WILL be good!

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Is that sign carving foam?

Yes it is. I always save back the scrap pieces from any sculpted signs that I make.

This test piece was just to help determine the thickness of the tank at the ends where it will intersect with the frame.

Hopefully I can cut the basic shapes for the tanks halves tomorrow.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Got the basic pieces cut out on Monday. Not much to see but I wanted to post an update.

I won't be getting any more done for another week while I'm recovering from deviated septum surgery (septoplasty) that I had yesterday, but I have been working out details in my mind between Lortab naps.

 

[LukeTheJoker]

Get better soon, look forward to seeing more when you get to it!

Luke.

 

[ifitsfreeitsforme]

OUCH man. Best wishes for a quick recovery.

 

[sean1960]

Nice to see someone else that works with foam. I've been working with expanded polystyrene for over 14 years at a couple of different shops. We don't do much out of Urethane foam but we just got a used cnc router so I'm sure we will start to use more of it. What are you going to put over the foam before you paint it?

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Thanks for encouraging thoughts Luke and ifitsfreeitsforme, I had the packing removed today and am already feeling more comfortable.

Sean, if you like the polystyrene, you'll love the urethane board!

Unlike EPS, the HDU material is impervious to solvent based paints, so I'll be using automotive primer and filler for the body work. At that point it will be painted with a special primer made for fiberglass mold making.

Once the molds are made then I'll make the actual parts from hand laid fiberglass with a gel coat finish ready for paint.

Needless to say, this is not going to be a simple weekend project!

 

[sean1960]

That's cool I didn't no you were going to make a mold. We've made a number of molds off things we sculpted. We spray polyurea or polyurethane "hard coat" on most of the things we make. You should make several tanks while your at it then you could swap them out whenever you want.

 

[deven_science]

That's cool I didn't no you were going to make a mold. We've made a number of molds off things we sculpted. We spray polyurea or polyurethane "hard coat" on most of the things we make. You should make several tanks while your at it then you could swap them out whenever you want.

Or sell them to others with a girl's Spaceliner frame.

 

[jd56]

Jim, hope your recovery is quick.
I love the new shape of the tank.
Would love to see the front of the tank and the bezels.
has the look of this 37 Roadmaster Supreme

This chainguard would look great on the bike.

 

[The Renaissance Man]

That's cool I didn't no you were going to make a mold. We've made a number of molds off things we sculpted. We spray polyurea or polyurethane "hard coat" on most of the things we make. You should make several tanks while your at it then you could swap them out whenever you want.

Do you use a hot wire? When I've tried sanding it, the pebbles crumble off and it's hard to get it smooth. Maybe there are different grades of material that is better suited for sanding. That polyurea sounds interesting, but do you have to use specialized equipment to apply it?

 

[The Renaissance Man]

Or sell them to others with a girl's Spaceliner frame.

I've been thinking that I could sell the tanks if there is enough interest in it. I guess that will depend on how well it turns out!

One good thing about it is that there are more girls bikes available and usually for less money!