Go speedracer!

Do you ever get one of those days where it seems you're going 100 mph even though you're stone cold sober?
I had a day like that today.
Lemme tell you all about it.

First, I finished a Honda tank in a very bright green. It's a copy of a damaged tank so alas, no creativity but a nice result anyway, when you think I had to custom mix the color to match the existing one!

In between layers, while waiting for the paint to dry, I did some silver leafing. I started painting this sportster months ago to try some cobbwebbing techniques but due to a busy schedule, never got around to finishing it.

First I sprayed glue on the taped off parts like so:

Here you can see the glue after removing the tape, this is where the silver is gonna stick.

The glue has to dry for 3 hours so I picked up another project that had been lying around the workshop for months, my UFO. It started life as a small electric heater. When I found it, it looked suspiciously like a UFO to me. I built in some lights and the illusion was complete.

However, the light was too strong and the paint burned after it had been lit up for weeks.
So I decided to repaint it. First a metallic silver with some small green flakes.

Then some taping and some of that green from the Honda tank:

 I wanted to try a new special effect paint: Crystal FX. You spray it on wet and when it dries it forms chrystals, check it out:

Next I misted some black over that.

Scrubbing off the black reveals the chrystals:

Next I airbrushed a glowing green fade along the edges of the tape.

After pulling the tape:

Now I have to figure out what to do around those shapes, cause they look kinda out of place on the silver. Perhaps some dark outline or somping.
The Chrustal FX effect is super, though!

Now, back to the silver leafing. First some inspiration from this great sticker in my workshop. What's that you say, honey? Rub this oil all over your body? Sure baby!

Concentrate! Silver leafing is tricky business, the stuff is so thin, just breathing too hard blows it away.

Brushing off the excess leaf...

Nice!

After clearcoating all this stuff I went back home and a package was waiting. Vintage faceshields! Awesome!

Finally, I found this great Custom Van for sale right here in the Netherlands at Perry's Rodshop! Someone snap it up! Looks like a great van!

 What a day! See ya next time!

Keep on Flakin'

Flakes are the shit. I added some yesterday and it looks slammin'!
I used the Glowble flakes from Metalflake. Not the biggest on the market but certainly the shiniest. Look at them smiling at you, even from the bottom of the mixing cup.
I sprayed a few layers over a dark grey base. It shines!
You can even see reflections in the flakes. Now I have to add many a layer of clear, and then some green Kandy. Tune in next time for more crazy paint.

My Hero

This week I rolled the Green Machine into my workshop to prepare it for the Rockin' Jalopy show (21 november at Autotron Rosmalen). It needs some touch-up work on the paint, a new clearcoat on the top (california sunburn) and I will add some special paint.

On the last trip I noticed that the heater wasn't working. I soon dicovered that the heater control valve was pretty rusty. I looked up some parts websites but a replacement was expensive; around 250 euros! It's just a valve with two pipes attached so I decided to try to repair it. I visited a friend to ask for advice. He looked at the part and dug up a very similar looking one from his collection of parts. He wishes to remain anonymous but thanks, M! I have a working heater now, it just gets better and better with my van!

After that, I painted and striped the headlight for the Cross Chop and did some polishing on the tank and fender. It's ready to go!


Next time I will add some more colour to the blue sportster, see ya!

Keep on truckin'

I want to introduce you all to my latest passion: Vans. They 're making a comeback and I can see from first hand experience why.

I bought this 80's survivor a few months ago:
It was built in the early 80's by some guy in the US with all the period goodies like Thrush sidepipes, front airdam, fender flares, Keystone Klassic wheels, custom grille, Doug Thorley headers, CB-radio, television, complete custom whorehouse interior and many more too-cool-for-school items. It was pinstriped by Herb Martinez at Hermosa Beach, California in 1983. Here you can see the oktober 1984 issue of Vans & Trucks magazine which features this car.
It toured the show-circuit and was then stored for almost 20 years in a museum. Last year it was sold at an auction and brought to the Netherlands by Perry's Hotrod Shop in Eindhoven. That's where I bought it. I have since driven it all around the country and to the Hotrod Hayride and it's a joy to drive. I'll keep you posted on developments as I plan to change some things and spice up the paintwork in the near future.

Until then: Keep on truckin'!