Dreads 13 mk2
The picture above is my Zed as it looked when I bought it. It wasn't a rat but nothing special apart from being a Z13.
I quickly re-sprayed it as we where going to a NCC bash in Wales. It looked better but still not special. I polished the casing as well as you can with a duster and autosol, it always drew a crowd but it wasn't quite right yet. I was dumb enough to take the bike onto the track and had a spill smashing my engine on the way. In fact I smashed the engine, fairing, indicators, crash bar, tail piece etc.. you get the picture.
Now as those of you who follow the site may know I have been working on the 13 for a couple of months now. I think the picture above show's that the hard work has been worth it.
It hasn't been an easy ride...
Firstly I ground off the badge lug's and filled the tank. (Where ever I say I, I mean Dave in most cases!) I bar-coated the tank then primed it. I then allowed it to go hard for a week, I'm slightley over cautious but I didn't want any mosture to still be in the primer after it was flatted.
I then painted it in metallic blue. Three coates:- one key coat one medium covering and one finishing coat. (With metalic the finishing coat is not as important as a straight colour because you will lacquer it.) Then I lacquered it three coates again. (2 pack. Note this will have some bearing latter on.)
I took the blue tank and panels to Dave who masked the design onto the tank. But disaster struck the masking tape irreparably ripped some paint of the tank. I went mad at the paint shop who admitted to selling me car lining tape not masking lining tape. One peels one sticks forever. Back to the drawing board I barcoated, primed, painted and lacquered the tank then back to Dave's with the correct lining tape.
I then sprayed pearlescent Ivory over the masked blue but yet another disaster the paint reacted. The effect on the above right picture is crazing. Nice if you want that effect, I didn't Straight on the phone to the guy's who supplied the paint and asked what the heck has happened? They said I did everything right and it shouldn't have reacted. Great, I had no paint left. They decided to give me all my paint free of charge but no compensation for days lost.
I rang Dream Machine for advise, they wouldn't give me any. Screw you!!! You'll never get my business with that attitude. I rang another custom painter who told me where I went wrong, I should have used single pack lacquer as an isolator because the second colour has thinners in it that reacts with 2 pack.
Back to the drawing board. I must take this opportunity to say to Dave thanks for not telling me to piss off and thanks to Julie (Dave's ball and chain) thanks for putting up with all the set backs. In fact Sandra my ever tolerant rock deserves a mention. Thanks for all the coffee and endless support you gave us.
The rest of the picture are the nearly finished machine. I say nearly coz it will never be finished.
One other thanks to Metmachex Engineering for polishing my wheels and forks and welding up my engine casing. Top job guy's.
