[LiLBull]

Hi all after building vintage cars street and vintage racers .I started into cafe racers lol Ive been so wrapped up in vintage cars I forgot I loved the style and custom cafe racers thank god for the net.Im finnishing the first LiL Bull its a 74 Honda 360 with a honda steel production tank the rear seat and tail piece were hand fabricated ,the tail is the back of the original gas tank .I put clipons and will finnish with no paint I like the raw look maybe a strip to show it was intentionally left raw .next up is a 81 KZ 550 and 81 GS suzuki 550,and a CX500.
www.georgescustomcars.com
and see some pics of it .just scroll down third page till you see honda 360 .So hello to all you cafe racers street and track ...see you around on the road and tracks.George

Updated pics of cb450 named "War Horse"and cb400 named "Boxer"the bike " LiL Bull" was sold to a friend the two current builds are available at any stage or finnished check them out !

http://www.georgescustomcars.com/Untitled2.html




Edited by - LiLBull on Oct 16 2005 6:05:23 PM

Edited by - LiLBull on Oct 31 2005 08:48:09 AM

Edited by - LiLBull on Oct 31 2005 7:22:29 PM

Edited by - LiLBull on Oct 31 2005 7:25:52 PM

Edited by - LiLBull on Oct 31 2005 7:53:34 PM

 

[joe c]

a cx500 huh?? id like to see that when its done. hey, is that a cl350, 360, or 450 in that pic?? did you do the pipes for the 360?? is that a stock front end?? what did you do to the motor? do you have the cj model with the 6 banger? questions questions. mikeo ran one for a long time. we enduranced raced it and just plain bit the shit out of that thing. man, what a great bike that was.

jc

 

[LiLBull]

joe c ,
CX500 is the japanese Moto Guzzi,Im building street bikes ,the picture on my site now is a 74 cb360,right now its relatively stock Im speaking with forks by frank on some front end options .Again street bikes ...On this bike I concentrated on the "look" first.As all the cool tanks are aluminum from uk expensive or fiberglass(not what I want on a street bike.So finding cool looking stock tanks and custom fabricated steel tanks will be my path ,besides its what I like doing is the one off fabrication,I have more design Ideas then money!In the shop I have a 74 Honda 360 scrambler ,a 81 KZ550 and a 81 GS Suzuki whats up with all the 81's is beyond me but its just how it happens I guess .for the 360 im looking into mods from tod hennings site and looking at a few more mostly mild options and reliability (there getting old these motors)I liked the twin leading shoe brakes on the cb360 scrambler as it looks and has more pad area then the tiny disc on the other cb360 it came with.Its also alot of fun fabricating different looking seat tail pieces.

 

[LiLBull]

Ill be posting recent STREET caferacers Im working on This week end ...lol no threat just a promise. I want to post as well as JB .He is text book perfect and some day I may come close...maybe.
George

 

[LiLBull]

First there was one now there are two more "LiL Bull" has been sold
cb450 "War Horse" is coming along and available
cb400 "Boxer"just detailed the motor frame will be resprayed tonight and its available. So check them out and tell a friend thats not so mechanicaly inclined or doesnt have the time to go thru a rebuild .

http://www.georgescustomcars.com/Untitled2.html



Edited by - LiLBull on Oct 31 2005 09:32:10 AM

 

[LiLBull]

Ive modified the post so you all can look at whats going on lol when Im not here !!

 

[Geeto67]

I still want to know where you got those tanks.

 

[LiLBull]

email me [email protected] Ill tell you Im sure someone figures it out ..I thought you for sure Geeto67 would guess after a few looks at it .I still rather let you tell me what tank that is..Is originally on a production bike but everyone, till now, that I have shown them how cool it is ,on another bike...some one will figure it out ..my money was on you Geeto67!!!

 

[Geeto67]

Let me guess then....They do look familar.

 

[Geeto67]

sent you an email...I think I got it. The tank looked very familar but I couldn't place it. I actually have one but I didn't recognize it without the paint and emblems.

I'm not gonna tell anybody unless you give me permission, just tell me if I am right or not.



Edited by - Geeto67 on Oct 31 2005 10:29:14 PM

 

[LiLBull]

Geeto67 No! Im telling you this it doesnt stand out at all on the bike it is made for...but the bike you guessed is not it .Now Im sure it will slap you in the face omce you see it..and your right it looks totally different stripped of paint and emblems.Its not a big secret Id just thought youd figure it out after a few trys.Im telling you all the bikes I have sat that tank on it just ads a very agressive look to it but the bike its fitted to originally it just gets lost a VERY COOL Tank and its rather big and its way under 500dollars and its Steel for street use, not a fiberglass Eggshell!

George



Edited by - LiLBull on Nov 01 2005 05:42:48 AM

Edited by - LiLBull on Nov 01 2005 06:53:44 AM

 

[Geeto67]

think I got it now....


the next question is how are you making your tailsections. Since I don't have a tig setup I am riviting mine together. They are cone shaped right now because I am expirementing making my own, and have no real metal working tools outside of a few hammers and dollies.


Edited by - Geeto67 on Nov 01 2005 06:03:57 AM

 

[LiLBull]

geeto67 I have been cutting the back of the original gas tank that is on the bike ,use cuttoff wheel only cut the tail section off then cut it in half down center front to back.I then mount it to the bike with clamps(vise grips) then clamp them center section once I get the tail piece the width I want it .I then clamp the center line and use masking tap to define my center line .Keep centerline clamped and carefully unclamp the sides then cut center on bench wallah you have your tail section.then fill in very bottom or use it to fit a tail light .I mig weld the tail pieces and seat pans together.as a unboltable unit i relocat the battery and use the battery screw holes for the seat mount and use the rear fender mount under the seat for the rear pan mount,for the front mounts i drill the pan so I can access mounting from the top of the seat pan ,the holes are covered by the velcro mounted seat pad.

Alot of ugly or harley shaped stock japanese tanks the rear sections make great tail pieces .Geeto67 do all the fitting and Ill weld it together for you.

"SAFTY TIP" drain gas ,I use compressed air and drying it out best I can leave it un caped and open over night .next day pour a cup or half cup of laundry liguid detergent and slowly slosh the intire inside of tank till you think you have a coat on the inside completely dump out excess. then cut up tank from the bottom leave as much of the sides as the lower stock lip matches the lower lip of a gas tank so it matches for a professionall designed look vissually when your done.After cutting just take a rag and wipe dry the cut off section it no longer smells like gas it smells Spring Fresh ahhhhh!!

Tip for the parts left over cut out old mounts on tank I use them to weld to tanks to make the fit in stock location without having to fabricate my own . the other thing is save the tank filler neck and cap no matter how bad the chrome is can all ways be rechromed or painted ,but you may want a tank with two fillers or relocate one to some where else on the tank it cost you nothing at this point to save these pieces then throw the carcass away.You may want to save the front bubble shape in the front part of the tank its the easiest way to make a knee cut out ,the trick is to reverse it so the left hand front bubble of the tank is now the right hand rear knee cut out (inside facing out)of the tank .Use the front left front bubble to trace the line on the rear left of the tank so it will match up with the shape of the then fitted reversed left front bubble.the tank will look so professional it will be as evenly made as the original tank and all steel no fabrication looks so damn cool.pure imagination at its finest.

for any one with no skills or tools or shop I can make this for you inexpencively ,so get in touch its what I do.



Edited by - LiLBull on Nov 01 2005 06:47:15 AM

Edited by - LiLBull on Nov 01 2005 06:59:16 AM

Edited by - LiLBull on Nov 01 2005 07:02:18 AM

Edited by - LiLBull on Nov 01 2005 07:26:09 AM

Edited by - LiLBull on Nov 01 2005 07:35:28 AM

 

[LiLBull]

Geeto67 You got it see only two tries I knew youd find it.

 

[Geeto67]

that tank idea is pretty neat. I had a similar idea a while back but never got around to trying it because cb750 tanks are getting expensive and I use the stock tank most of the time anyway. I'll have to get a completely junk tank and try it.

 

[imslow]

don't know if works on gas tanks, but when we cut apart oil tanks, we run a hose from a running car exhaust into the tank . . . The fumes will stop any ignition from occurring.

 

[Geeto67]

fumes remove the oxygen from inside the tank so that a fire cannot start. It's a neat trick if you don't mind breathing exhaust. I used to fill the tank half way with water when I worked in the radiator shop and had to cut open a gas tank. Messy but I never had an explosion doing that. I have exploded probably two or three tanks in my life, not fun and I'm a little surprised that i'm still alive.

hey lilbull,

I had a thought, since you are using the back half of gas tanks, have you though about enclosing them toally and using them as oil tanks? Weld a bung in the top, throw a redliner inside of it, and viola the frame opens up like a race bike. Relocate the battery, and you don't even need sidecovers. Plus if you leave the tunnel in place on the bottom you can hide some of the electrics in it (although admitedly there isnt much a tunnel at the back of most jap bike tanks).

Edit: forgot to add that you could also add the filler necks off of modern sport bikes for those aircraft style fillers. Before you say they are not vintage, keep in mind that those style of filler caps were devloped in the 1940s, that my father's 1963 mooney had them, and that racers used them until the early 1960s when they were replaced with quickfils. the difference between those from the early days is that new ones are al billet and polished, while the old aircraft stuff was painted and cast. If you have a small airport near you, go over and ask the local A&P mechanic where you can get the throwaway aircraft skin and tank filler caps and mouths.


Edited by - geeto67 on Nov 01 2005 2:16:50 PM

 

[LiLBull]

see its endless just takes somethought.My liquid laundry detergent coating the tank works for me it kills the gas and gets rid of the gas smell while your fabricating with it.

Geeto67 wish you lived closer Im sure we could come up with some machines!

By the way a few people have told me ,Im giving my secrets away ....It still takes talent to make it work and figure out what looks best ,which parts of which tanks make best looking seat tail sections and tanks.But Its mostly design Ideas and I have endless Ideas so Ill always me ahead of the curve.Besides I like seeing what others come up with believe me If I ride up to some one with cool stuff on his bike ,Id ask and Id expect him to tell me if he doesnt hes a "dick"!! I have no secrets just long winded stories ah ha ha!!!

Edited by - LiLBull on Nov 02 2005 06:33:52 AM

Edited by - LiLBull on Nov 02 2005 06:42:32 AM

 

[Geeto67]

quote:
see its endless just takes somethought.My liquid laundry detergent coating the tank works for me it kills the gas and gets rid of the gas smell while your fabricating with it.

Geeto67 wish you lived closer Im sure we could come up with some machines!

By the way a few people have told me ,Im giving my secrets away ....It still takes talent to make it work and figure out what looks best ,which parts of which tanks make best looking seat tail sections and tanks.But Its mostly design Ideas and I have endless Ideas so Ill always me ahead of the curve.Besides I like seeing what others come up with believe me If I ride up to some one with cool stuff on his bike ,Id ask and Id expect him to tell me if he doesnt hes a "dick"!! I have no secrets just long winded stories ah ha ha!!!

You aint kiddin brother...I wish there were more people into this closer to me.

About trade secrets. It all depends on what you wanna do and what kind of person you want to be. What I have found is that very few people actually do their own work, or are skilled enough to pull it off. Even if you tell them how to do it, they still don't have enough gumption to go out and try it. The ones that do, will try it but they may have discovered it anyway since they probably have the welding and metal working skills to be doing themselves. Some of those guys will still have you do it because they might have other things to do and can't be bothered.

The shops I have known that "hide" their trade secrets usually end up with ok reputations - mostly because they don't give anything away for free (nickle and dime ya to death), despite being more than competent. The places that will freely help you with advice usually get good reputations because ...well... they are helpful. Bull is right, it still takes skill and talent to make it work, and a lot of people can appreciate that. If ytou show people that the community is more important to you than nickel and diming them to death for work, then you will get solid gold reputation.

Bull, Finish some of those bikes, get your work out there, and you will see people will seek you out.


BTW, that tail section you made out of the tank is just begging for a pair of 1959 cadillac taillights coming out from the tunnel part underneath. you know what I'm talking about.

Edited by - geeto67 on Nov 02 2005 2:19:50 PM

 

[LiLBull]

"LiL Bull" is getting a 32 ford tail light..on the tail .I havent started on a tail light mind set for "War Horse"Put I was thinking of placing two 50's Austin Healey 100 tail lights they are small round and convexed in a vintage way .See Geeto you like me the Ideas just keep on coming."Boxer" Im still imagining seat shape,I have the idea just honing its details.Itll be Cool!!!