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