My old 650 Maxim

Dad gumm blastit! took too long.

Would be painted if life didn't interupt. 8) Sometimes wish I wasn't a do-it yourselfer.

 

After seeing the shine on big fitz's 550 Seca and my cousin's Harley, I been bedazzled and I just GOTTA bring the bling to mine.

The front forks and the motor en masse are getting a high polish, save for the fins in Satin Black 8)

Also solves the inevitable gas spill problem.

 

It's been almost 2 weeks since my PC went down, and believe it or not life went on. I haven't given up on My Old Maxim, steady progress but unsteady focus, and I'm still largely adhering to the build plan order, if not the time frame.

A change in focus; I LIKE IT!

The spokes are going to get the same "color keyed" look as soon as I get some non-aerosol paint and some type of applicator. (I'm brushing or rolling that on. Taping sucks!!)

Next step is frame repair and painting; Just waiting on the delivery of the lathe from my fathers estate. The lathe is also the reason my bike builder cousin needs me. 8)

After the frame is painted, I'll order all the "stuff" to get the chassis rolling again from Len.

 

You can decant the spray paint into a cup. That way you're using the same paint on the spokes that you did on the rim.

 

I know, I know, you're all waiting with baited breath on the progress of My Old Maxim since I have posted nothing in weeks.
Well, sorry to report, there has been none. This, my daughter's hand me down 3.2 liter 5 speed Sable, is getting all of my much needed love at the moment. My daughter and I decided it needs a makover and she don't like the color(she's getting black!) and I didn't like how much abuse and neglect my son heaped on it. Lot's of work and modest money and it's gonna be cool.

I bought a front clip due to a semi minor wreck my son was in (old pic) which kind of got the ball rolling on the color change because it was a good start on the change to black. (Dang my daughter is pushy and finicky! She didn't compromise on just what you can see on the outside, she wants it done COMPLETE!! Door jambs, trunk, etc. etc. Plus the calipers and the wheels get detail painted, similar to what I did to the Maxim's wheel. She removed all the emblems and lights herself, like her papa taught her.May she show mercy on her husband!) The mechanical issues will be done soon. ALL!!!!!!!!!!!! new brake lines, front to rear, done, sway bar link done, new wheel studs done, and a new alternator is in the mail.

And I still haven't picked up the lathe yet.

That Maxim wheel is stashed with loving care in the security of my bedroom for the time being.

 

Jeez! My dad made me do all of the work on my car.

 

My son did 90%+ on the original swap for sure, but my daughter, not so much. She's helping a LOT though and learning a lot. Aside from pulling the emblems and such, she's doing a good portion of the less skilled surface prep, some taping and some of the inner body color change itself.

I think my son's take-away though on this project was that he didn't wanna work on cars, even as a hobby. Hence the neglect.

 

Sorry gents!

Life happens, and an old bike is low on my wifes list of things for me to do, such as buying us a new home, dealing with my daughters hospitalisations and her soon to happen kidney transplant from my son, the death of my father, and his estate, the serious illness of my mother-in-law, Xmas, holidays, birthdays, training a puppy, feeding the pets, mowing the lawn, trimming the hedges etc etc.

But I'm inspired by Stormin! The bike is gonna get done.

Eventually.

 

I just had a car get in my way of the xj. Well it's a van. The wife's 08 sienna was making a funny rattling noise. Turns out the right front coil spring broke. Had to order a set of springs, they will be here in a few days.
Can't wait to see how your xj turns out. But take care of your family first.

 

*I* would probably have waited a full 24, if not 48, hours for that VHT to cure no matter the oven temps or time. One thing I've learned over the years is that rattle can ain't cured, ever, for at least a whole day. Once I learned that, my projects started coming out much nicer.

That being said, real good work! I like what you've done with a lot of this.

 

Thanks Skwerly, and I'll take your advice.

 

That Sable is still sitting in the garage honestly, all done except for new tires and the outer body paint. It is VERY hard to get someone to paint an old car like this satin black without paying an arm and a leg. Maaco and Earl Scheib doesn't do Matte Black, and it's not straight enough for gloss black and it never will be.

I'm still looking.

 

Sable is gonna get a slathering of matte black...

By me!

As soon as the weather warms up if it ever does. But it has to be soon 'cause I sold my Bronco.

 

Been a while I know.

Life has a way of slowing these projects down don't they...

Such as: I had JUST Gotten that Sable custom painted in Satin black with custom pinstriping, licensed and insured, had an appointment for an exhaust system, and then the daughter took it out late one night without my sayso and ran it into a house. Yes I said ran it into a house. Not just anyones house mind you, but a retired cop's house. She stayed cool headed.

I should scrap that body but I can't bring myself to just yet.

I bought a very nice real SHO roller to put that drivetrain into. Just got that running early this December. And, no, the daughter isn't getting it. Not sure what I'm gonna do with it though.

My dads estate is large and complicated and loaded with sentiment so no progress on getting that lathe. We're trying to not make it ugly by going slow, so....

I moved finally, just recently, like a week and a half ago. Our temporary diggs has little storage or yardage. So all my stuff is in storage, a 30x32 polebarn and a large shed worth of stuff. Some is outside, some is in and I gave that van and the Mustang to my son. Drag race 5.0 almost running.

But I did bring My Old Maxim here! Most of it anyway, in boxes and in the little shed, I need something to keep me busy this winter, and this new office is plenty big enough for just such a small project. ( I must say I thought long and hard about just scrapping it instead of moving it. I made the right choice!)

Life willing, I'll take the frame into work next week and do those repairs.

No more deadlines...

 

Woah, does this bring back memories..6 years ago! A LOT has changed, except for my Old Maxim..Got one of my dads houses with a nice polebarn but have so many other things to do that My Old Maxim looks like it's gonna be a retirement project, in about 5-6 years.

I DID get the lathe and I DID repair the frame though, stronger than new I'm sure, and invisible. It's solid round stock that I turned, formed and welded into place.

I'll report back in a few years.. Haven't given up!