Thread: 2/3 Harley Davidson 1920 JS

Trev,

We dealt a fair bit with bakelite when I worked (many moons ago)

Looked up and found photo of bakelite radio. (Colour exactly how I remember)

Do you have a Bunnings up in distant Mildura. They have been able to colour match printouts for me.

Hope this is of some assistance (if you are not happy with your colour) Reckon your build is great.

Regards

Keith

Bakelite.jpg

Thanks for that Keith.
Your picture of the radio got me looking online at other things made from Bakelite.
I found that what I'm thinking of is that classic bakelite light switch colour.



It shouldn't be to hard to find something very close to that in a spray can.

Mildura has a Bunning's along with all the other Mall's and fast-food outlets anyone could hope for.
Although I remember my Dad buying nails by their weight in brown paper bags.
Sawdust on the floor at the local Butchers and fish n chips wrapped in newspaper.
Ah the good old day's.

Cheers
Trev.

Originally Posted by Repliconics

I found that what I'm thinking of is that classic bakelite light switch colour.

That's the bakelite colour I know.

Craig

Originally Posted by CAG

That's the bakelite colour I know.

Craig

Me too mate.
I went and got some darker paint for the distributor cap, but I'm still not happy with it.
The colour is about two shades darker than it appears in the photo below but it's not there yet.
I think I'll just try a full on dark brown gloss and see it that does the trick.
If nothing else I'm getting a good collection of reddish/brown paint.



Everything was going great guns with the Coil, the nickel paint had a pretty good finish on it.
But when I took the masking tape off it had reacted with the black and left a horrible mark I cant remove.
I've marked the two areas with the arrows.



The Coil will need to have all the paint taken off it and start again.
The kool dude on the back of the Coil was looking good at the time.
A bit of a bother but at least I know it will look pretty good when its done.

So yesterday was one step forwards two steps back in a lot of ways.
But I did have some very good luck with the "Ye Oldie" braided wire I've been looking for.
There's a bloke in town who was repairing radios when I was kid and is still around.
He pretty much has the stuff on tap.
You gotta get lucky sometimes!.

Cheers
Trev.

You have done quite a bit correction quite a lot to the bike Trev since my computer died as I said in Kieth's thread. it is coming along just great and to your high standards, I am sure you will match the colour for the bakalite

G'Day Trev,
That dizzy colour looks good to me, the same as I remember from my first cars.....
Love the photos, your are doing a top job of the resto, sir..
Cheers, Peter

Originally Posted by Dalboy

You have done quite a bit correction quite a lot to the bike Trev since my computer died as I said in Kieth's thread. it is coming along just great and to your high standards, I am sure you will match the colour for the bakalite

Thanks mate.
I'm being a little picky about the bakelite colour and the detail of the sparkplugs but I think their both pretty close to being right now!.

Originally Posted by crowie

G'Day Trev,
That dizzy colour looks good to me, the same as I remember from my first cars.....
Love the photos, your are doing a top job of the resto, sir..
Cheers, Peter

Thanks Peter.
I think I'm dizzy from driving back and forth to the hardware store getting cans of paint.
Maybe I'm being a little to pedantic (like that's new) but I think the parts are looking better for it.

Here's the colour I settled on for the Distributor cap.



And this is the changes made to the sparkplug.



I'm pretty happy with both.
Although I may have a better way to get the Splitdorf script onto the side of the sparkplug than just writing it on.

Cheers
Trev.

I think that is about the perfect colour Trev

Spot on

Keith

Originally Posted by Keith_1

I think that is about the perfect colour Trev

Spot on

Keith

+ 1 for the colour

I had a very slow day working on the engine, I'm making the sparkplug leads.
I wonted to have the leads more ridged than they where before.
So I've used coat hanger wire and cover it with rubber air hose, then covered that again with braided fabric.

Most of the time was spent getting the fabric cover off six foot of electric cord from an old iron.
Then getting the rubber air hose to go back through it.
The braided fabric was originally a light brown colour so I've painted it flat black.
The best part is that with the wire inside it I can shape the leads in any way I like and they stay in place.
Don't mind the sparkplug being off centre it's only there temporarily.



I bound the end of the covering to get a better finish.
Only the shortest of the two leads is dry enough to handle at the moment and it still needs a second coat.
But I think their going to look "Much More Bettera"!.

Cheers
Trev.

Real nice work

Looking great Bud. I think you nailed the color for the distributor cap.

Originally Posted by johnnie52

Looking great Bud. I think you nailed the color for the distributor cap.

Thanks cobber glad you like it.
It took a few tries but I'm happy with it now!.

I got the sparkplug leads done today.
Still need to redo the sparkplug on the right.
But the engines starting to look more the go now!.



Got the old Coke can out for scale just so CAG knows it's still safe and sound!.





I really like the way the engine looks across the heads.
But the fit is pretty tight on the Harley so when the engine goes in the frame most of the detail will be lost.



I may not get to much done on the engine over the weekend.
Believe it or not Crowie I'm planning on cleaning up the carport (Workshop).
There's so much bodyfiller, fibreglass and sawdust out there I can't find a thing.
But it's fair enough a good clean up once ever four or five years isn't to over the top!.

Cheers
Trev.

Those photos are ace Trev! The top view is great and, as you say, it will almost be a shame when the motor goes back into a frame.