"I'm Still Sanding"

Every time that Elton John song comes on the shop radio, "I'm still standing", that's what I'm singing along in my head "I'm still sanding." There is a lot of time that goes into building one of these crazy one off show cars, even if you are not trying to be perfect, its still a ton of work, even to just look good. I tipped the body on its side and let it rest on an old car tire, and got the passenger side cove finished off pretty nice. It was a bit of a hassle to get the body filler on the under side of the body flair, but I got it done, and it looks real good to me. So far the count is 14 gallons of filler. I'm betting that there are maybe 2 or 3 of 'em laying in dust on the garage floor. I got the frame into primer, and even got it painted gloss black, but I only have a pic of it in prime right now. I got a bit slowed down 'cause I had to do a rush custom paint job for my mate "Hugh" of Sixth Street Special" in New York City. I'd post a pic for you guys, but we are making Hugh sweat it out, I don't want him to even get a spy shot sneak peak, till he opens the boxes after UPS drops them off. Sorry Hugh, but we just love to torment ya mate. After painting Greaser MIke's flat track Triumph race bike, it seems Hugh just had to have some Fritz Flash also. The race track has never looked so good! Remember you guys that bought a dvd from me, lets see how you are making out with your project. If I use it on my blog, I'll ship you a FREE T-shirt! That's right a FREE T-shirt, just for doing what you love to do anyway, That's a deal and ya know it! I want to wish all you crazy freaks a very Merry Christmas, Seasons greetings, what ever you are into, and a happy, safe and fantastic new year! Keep them stick welders buzzing, and the shop light burning ! Get out in the garage and build something ! Fritz

Look ma, no hands!

I keep telling you guys to send me pics of your projects. I truly mean that. I wanna see what ya have going on, and I know the other few thousand people that read my Blog would love to see also! With that said, I think I will start a new program here at "Spritz By Fritz". If I use your e-mail and pics on my blog I'm gonna send you a FREE T-SHIRT! You got that right, I know a shirt aint much but, when was the last time you got somethin' fer nothin' for doing something ya love! The First T-Shirt recipient is Chris Valentine. He bought my "How to Paint Your Motorcycle at Home" DVD and has never done any painting before. That didn't stop him from ripping into his childhood trail bike and giving it a fresh look, so his kIds could look all pimpin' rolling around the yard! Here is the e-mail that Chris sent to me. I gotta say, I am glad that I can help you guys get dirty and have a bit of fun in the garage. Any one can do anything as long as you put your mind to it. Get out to the Garage and build something! FRITZ_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________"Hi Fritz, how are you? I recently bought your " How to paint a motorcycle at home" DVD and after I'd sent you a few e-mails with some questions which what would have looked a little ridiculous to you, you answered them in great detail, so thank you... I can honestly say I had never in my entire life attempted spraying anything, nor has anyone I know so I was relying entirely on your e-mailed advise and of course your DVD. So after dealing and beating my nervousness my first little project got underway and has now been completed & finished. I can say with great delight & amazement considering it was my first time spraying that it has come up amazingly thanks to you :) It was only a small little project and you'll probably laugh when you look at the pictures because its a 1969 Honda Z50a minitrail bike. It was a small little bike Id had since I was a youngster ( it's been in the family for 30. Years ) and just wanted to give it a fresh new look for my children to enjoy for many more years to come.. Again I just wanted to say a huge, huge thank you couldn't have done it with out you :) I've attached a few photos of the bike from before it was sprayed through different stages of spraying & of course the final product... I look forward to you seeing them and you giving some feedback on what you think. Thanks Fritz"

Pushing The Old Sanding Block Around!

Every night after work I come home, have a little snack, then head out into the garage and do a little mud work. I work at sanding and shaping an area on the Bandeeto's body, then mud it all up for the next nights work. I've been bouncing back and forth between two areas as you can see. A little progress is better then nothing. I have the frame back from the sandblaster, and I'll be painting that at work so I can keep moving on the body work. This weekend I'll be picking up my stuff from the chrome shop, so as soon as the frame is painted I can start to build the rolling chassie. I am also waiting on UPS to deliver a big 'ol box of white monkey fur, Its cool stuff! You guys been out in the shop building something rad? Let's see it then! Get out in the garage and build something Fritz

It's a Grind!

This would be the part of doing a fiberglass body that sucks! Lucky for me fiberglass doesn't bother me all that much but, it still makes me itch, just not as bad as most folks. I have the body bolted to a dolly I made out of old shopping cart, wheels, and steel square tubing from old weight benches people would put out for trash. A lot of cool cars have been on this dolly! Ed Roth's "Druid Princess", the "Mega Cycle", and the clone of Roth's "Outlaw" that is now at the Speedway Auto museum in Lincoln Nebraska. Also The "Roswell Rod", "Big John Mazmanian's" Austin, and now the "Baja Bandeeto". I have a rather large batch of parts out at the chrome plater, and it should be ready any time now. That's gonna hurt the old wallet! I'll get the raw fiberglass all ground down so it will be ready for body filler, and then I will probably move along onto getting the frame sand blasted, painted, and start putting all of the rolling stock back together. Get out to the garage and build something guys. FRITZ

The Bandeeto & Bikes.

While I was on the east side of the USA at the Carlisle, PA swap meet I figured I was only 4 hours from Long Island so I went to visit with my folks and friends. I picked up yet another project. I don't know why I just can't help myself when I find a cool motorcycle basket case project. The crappy economy has been making Harleys a much more affordable thing to obtain. I got this 1969 XLH 900cc roller, for a few hundred bucks. There is enough there to make it run and ride but I would just love it if I could restore it back to factory, sitting on the show room floor stock. I know, I know, Sportsters don't bring big bucks you say, its a bad investment you say, it aint about that for me. I work on most of the junk I buy and build out of the love of the project mostly, or I just resell them to fund other projects. Its a disease they tell me. I am still plugging away on the "Baja Bandeeto". Been doing a bit of fiberglass touch up work on the underside where I had made cuts and adjustments in the body lines. The gray tubes you see that I glassed in is pvc electrical conduit that I will be running the wires and stuff through. I got the licence plate bracket glassed in, and that area cut to shape. I know its hard to see with the body upside down but I cut the dash board out to trim and shape it out, cleaned out the plaster and newspaper I couldn't get at with it in place, and then glassed it back where it belongs. After some body work and paint it'll look like it was all meant to be! The weather is getting colder and I am sure you guys are getting your garages ready for those winter projects. I'd love to hear about them and see some pics, e-mail 'em and share them with the rest of us wont ya? Get out in the garage and build something! Fritz

Bandeeto & Bikes

Where have I been for the last week? . . . at the Fall Carlisle, PA swap meet. I have tried to go as often as I can. I have been going for over 30 years now! I went back in the 1970's for the first time with my dad as a kid. Dad had a 1938 Chevy. That was the first "old car" I have had the chance to get up close a personal with. I remember walking up and down the aisles looking in the old beat up boxes and on folding tables for stuff. It's something that I always enjoyed, and that's why I make the two day drive from Kansas City to attend! Enjoy the pics gang. Were you there also? You have any pics to share? Fritz

Welding the Bandeeto

Well Gang I have the "Baja Bandeeto" all torn down and its time to do all that final welding. In the process of building, I just kinda tack welded stuff to keep the project moving. Cutting my arm open, and being out of commission for a few months wasn't such a big help either. So I'm a little behind on getting this thing done. Usually, this time of year, I am starting a new project, not finishing one up. I'll be taking a big batch of parts up to the chrome plater in the morning, so I'll want all this welding done as soon as I can finish it. Cause the minute the chrome guys call, I'll get the frame sand blasted, then painted, and I can start building the rolling chassi! But, I will have about 4 to 5 weeks before I get the chrome. So, the frame will be finished, sitting on the side, while I get busy with the fiberglass grinding and body work for the body. The cooler weather is upon us guys! Its time to get those garages cleaned and tidied up so we can . . . "GET OUT IN THAT GARAGE AND BUILD SOMETHING" FRITZ

Davenport Iowa Antique Motorcycle Meet

I'm a big antique motorcycle fan. I don't just mean old Triumphs and Panhead Harleys. I'm talking really old stuff, World War I kinda stuff. Living in New York City, it always seemed like a dream and a long two day drive, so I never went to the grand daddy of old bike meets till this past Labor Day weekend. Now that I live in Kansas City, I'm only six hours away! I didn't buy anything, but I sure did a lot of looking. It made me realize that I do truly need, to pull a certain twin carb Knuckle head chopper that I started five years ago, off the shelf, and start doing something with it. That's all I'm gonna type 'cause I want to pack in as many photos of these old gems as I can. Get out in the garage and build something! Fritz

Breaking the Mold Ed Roth Style!

I have a friend Dave who also has an Ed "Big Daddy" Roth VW trike like I have. But, somewhere along it's long life, some one butchered the seat on it, and glassed in a fiberglass dune buggy style seat ????? What the hell man? (My Ed Roth Vitamin E style VW trike.) So Dave, knowing I am the worlds biggest Roth fan, asked me to make a quickie mold off my trike body, so he could undo the ugly terror that had been done to his. I like to think I did it the way Roth would have. I painted the area I would be working on with latex house paint, three coats. After it was dry, I gave it a real good slathering of paste wax. Then I just layed up three layers of fiberglass matt on top of it all. It was a bit of a bitch to start pulling it off, but once it got going, it really did just "pop" right off! (The area in question, the baby blue is the house paint I put on as a mold release.) (This is the piece I popped off of my trike for Dave. Down and dirty and done!) This is all I really got done over the last week. I have been finishing up some doo dads on the "Baja Bandeeto", and am waiting on a brake fluid reservoir to come in so I can finish making and fitting a few things. Then I can disassemble the rolling chassis for paint and chrome. After that I will focus on the body. What have you guys been building? Let's see it! Get out there in the garage and build something! Fritz

More fun then a barrel of wet newspaper and plaster!

We got a bunch done over the weekend gang! After I fiberglassed the panel behind the seats, I turned around and went after the dashboard. It's not much, just a little something to hide the bracing that holds the steering shaft, and an area off to the passenger side for buttons and such. The first pass with plaster and newspaper spit wads. Plaster and vermiculite mix, plastered over the spit wads and gooping it into shape The dash after it was fiberglassed and some of the plaster knocked out of the back. Jason rock of Rocksrodandcustom.com came by and gave me a much needed hand lifting the body off the frame. You can see I have a bit of clean up and scraping to do to get all the plaster and newspaper mix cleaned out and tossed in the trash can. All the goop was still clinging to the fiberglass, but it does peel off easy. If you bought my dvd you know how easy it is to do. More plaster mess to get cleaned up and trashed. A view of the body off and on its side. Jason and I got it up and onto a dolly I made from old shopping cart wheels and square metal tubing I got from old weight benches people tossed out for trash. Well, thats where I am as of this weekend gang. I'll be plugging away every night after work and I'll keep ya posted as I "get 'er done" I took this pic for you guys that think yer garage might be to small, or you don't have enough room to do a project as crazy as this. I'm working in a two car garage that is attached to my house, and I'm making it happen a little bit at a time. Don't make excuses guys, just decide that its gonna happen and get out there in the garage and build something. Fritz

Fun with Play Doh!

I made a ply wood panel,(out of the old shipping crate my "Outlaw" body came in), to cover the battery, screw motor and gas tank. I want it to be easy to get at them, and not have to lay on my back to swap stuff out or do a repair. I welded 4 small tabs and threaded them so 1/4 X 20 bolts would hold the panel in place. To make up the difference around the removable wood panel, I mixed up some of that gooey plaster and vermiculite concoction and dipped my wads of newspaper into it, and started to build up a shape that would not interfere with the goings on in the engine compartment area and the cockpit area. I have it all shaped out and painted with old house paint. So, all I have to do now is wax it up a few times, and then start laying up fiberglass matt over it. I'll grind up the sides of the inner body, so when I put the fiberglass out I will glue it right to the sides of the car body and that will be that! After it all cures, I'll pull the body off and do some fiberglass touch up work and scrape the plaster off the back side. I think I will make up a dashboard before the body comes off cause I have all the stuff out to do it, and it will get me that much closer to being done quicker. What have you guys been building? Let"s see those projects! Get out in the garage and build something! Fritz