It's been a hard day's night and I've been working like a dog.

It's been awhile since I have sat down at the keyboard and bored the world with my rambling. That's because it's been a hell of a week.

First my cat got hit by a car sunday a week ago. He was pretty messed up, blood coming from his eyes, nose and mouth. We took him to the emergency vet and it turned out he had a broken jaw and a concussion. With a brace in his jaw and some painkillers, we took him home again. He will probably be fine in time and I hope he learned to stay away from cars.

Here he is in his better days:

Next day, I blew the head gasket out of my Honda while the Green Machine was in my shop for maintenance and repairing and respraying of the fender flares and spoiler. So I had to keep driving that for a few days while it sucked up coolant like there is no tomorrow. I have been having lots of trouble with that car lately and it's time to say bye-bye.

The flares and spoiler of the Green Machine were cracked in several places and I have been wanting to repair them for some time. I decided it had to be done and sanded them, repaired with glass fibre and sprayed them in the same green they were. It was a bitch matching the kolor but it turned out pretty good.

 Then I had to finish prepairing for the Rogues MC Chopper Shwo, which was a blast!
Here's the stand, with my van, some 70s furniture, Niels' Triumph Chopper, Tjeerd's XS650 Chopper "The Reaper" and ZZ-Chops Barn-find Dresser.

The show gets better every year, the best of the Netherlands is always there. Too much to mention but here's some personal favorites of mine:

The Rogues MC is probably the MC who is building the most bikes at the moment. And the most interesting bikes as well.

This could end up one fine bike. I'd like to paint that!

Schapekoppen were present with a nice lineup. These guys are here to stay!

This unicycle was built to race. I'd like to see that some day! Are you brave or stupid to ride that? Like the song says: if you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough!

The weather was a perfect sunny 25 degrees so there was a huge amount of bikes outside, as well.

My favourite from last year was there again. Check out that beauty!

I had a blast and want to thank the Rogues MC for the hospitality. On to the next show in 2012!

XS650 DPP Coffin

This needs to be finished for the Rogues Show next weekend. Godspeed Tjeerd!

Seventies Crappy Paintjob...

that was the brief I got from Tjeerd to paint this coffin tank. It will go onto an XS650 sissybarred, springer-front-ended, invader-wheeled chopper, of which I will post pics later. Here's the tank:

Chain gang

I have some time after catching up with customers work. So I have been busy with the Green Machine. Mounting chain licence plate frames. Lookie:

And the chain steering wheel! Sweet!

Bell

Of course, I was mistaken, Alexander Graham Bell didn't invent the Bell helmet...
He invented the Bell-housing, between a cars engine and gearbox.
On with the show:

Alexander Graham Bell...

... inventor of the Bell helmet, would turn in his grave when he saw what I'm doing to one of his helmets...

This early Bell full face helmet wears a cream pearl with metallic gold scallops. It needs outlines and something on the back. Stay tuned for more updates.

XS500 finished

Yesterday I was at Short-Cut choppers and we test-fitted the tins I painted. It features a matt-grey base with satin flames and a high gloss outline. Another great project finished!

Spreads like butter, hardens like rock!

A time for work and a time for play...mobil

It's ready! A lot of work has been done by my apprentice Martijn. Well done, grasshopper!

Haunted House: the final insult.

Playmobil Helmet

New helmet project, check it out!

It'll take some shaping and sanding and a nice kolor, but I'm laughing every time I see it!

XS500 for Markus

Another chopped Yammie from Short-Cut Choppers, this XS500.

I sketched out a flame design to show Markus and suggested matt grey with satin black flames and a white outline.
I mixed up a grey, added pearl powder and lots of matting paste.

Next week I'll add the wihite outline.

Out and about...

Brought out the beast to stretch it's legs after a long hibernation.
You can hardly spot it between all that greenery, with it's camouflage kolors!

Perfect Getaway Car of the week

What would be your perfect getaway car?
Behind the iron curtain in the 60s, the Tatra 603 was built for diplomats and other big suits only. It was a big streamlined luxury car with an aircooled hemi V8 in the back. The Czech peasants drove Skoda's. This commercial shows it has everything you want in a getaway car: fast highway cruising, off road capability, bomb-proof engineering and a luggage compartment you can fit a body in...

Vintage Flakes

Went to visit an ex-custom painter yesterday. He's been into building choppers, hotrods & custom cars since the early 80s. He was around when Metalflake was at it's peak and he still had some o' the old stuff lying around. He gave me that shit to use for future paintjobs, thanks, Art!

From left to right: Kelly Green, Green Apple, Nile Green and Chartreuse. All in original packaging. The bag below is a deep gold flake. Only deep gold and kelly green are still available today, the other kolors are no longer being made by Metalflake.

So, if you want a genuine vintage 70's or 80's flake kolor, you know who to call!

Sneak peek

The hole in the top will have a round plastic bubble, to be painted like the full moon, lighted from behind. Tune in next week!