Bike build: air gas hybrid

[saxman]

Making progress on the gas tank. Painted blue briefly to make the shaping a bit easier. The final molds aren't too far on the horizon. Then it's cf/kevlar time. Going to leave it floating a bit so that all the hybrid components are visible on the intake side of the motor.

[JB848]

Wow..you got your hands full of dust!

[saxman]

Wow..you got your hands full of dust!

Now I really do. Damn stuff is everywhere.

Tank is almost ready to go though. Hopefully this weekend it'll be time to start pulling molds off of it.

Everywhere that is blue still needs to come down and be surfaced, and I've started a final skim coat. Then primer and final surfacing.

[kml.krk]

nice progress. nice neighborhood  is that Porsche in the background of the first pic?

[Paulcet]

Neat concept.  But can it do this?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cM9S2AzU28

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG57XNgKPNU

Watch the one in the quotes then watch this one. funny stuff.

Hilarious!

[redhenracing2]

is that Porsche in the background of the first pic?

Looks like a 928. My favorite.

[saxman]

nice progress. nice neighborhood  is that Porsche in the background of the first pic?

Yup... that would be my 94 968

[JB848]

Very nice "I have the book" Been a Porche/VW fanatic since birth!

[saxman]

Today's progress....

shaping is like 95% finished... now fun with surfacing and getting everything perfectly smooth. The carbon parts will have the same surface finish the plug I pull the final molds from does, so this will end up getting smoothed out with up to 2000 grit paper, then buffed and waxed before I pull molds.






Here's all the work on the bottom of the tank compared to a tank bottom straight out of the first mold. The sides were brought WAY down so it's nearly flush across the bottom, major flattening was done near the back of the tank to allow for mounts for the fuel pump to be attached in and the overall tank bottom has been smoothed to make it easier to lay up.

[redhenracing2]

Seeing that you had a stand from harbor freight, I decided to look into it. I must say it is the best $40 I have ever spent. Excellent find, sir 

[ragecage23]

I'm sorry to ask, but what are the molds going to be used for?

[redhenracing2]

My reading comprehension is not the best, but I believe it is to form a carbon fiber gas tank, modified to accommodate a fuel pump for his custom FI setup.

[saxman]

I'm sorry to ask, but what are the molds going to be used for?

Carbon fiber gas tank set up to accept a gsxr fuel pump for part of the fuel injection system.

[saxman]

My reading comprehension is not the best, but I believe it is to form a carbon fiber gas tank, modified to accommodate a fuel pump for his custom FI setup.

Apparently you're 30 seconds faster than I am

[redhenracing2]

Yet you are years ahead in fabrication technique 

[saxman]

Yet you are years ahead in fabrication technique 

You too can spend endless hours in the garage sanding bondo.

[redhenracing2]

I do paint and body work. Sanding bondo is one thing. Fabricating a carbon fiber gas tank from custom made molds to retrofit a fuel pump for my custom FI half gas/half miracle engine is another.

[Fry]

I do paint and body work. Sanding bondo is one thing. Fabricating a carbon fiber gas tank from custom made molds to retrofit a fuel pump for my custom FI half gas/half miracle engine is another.

Well said, hell I can't do either the Bondo sanding or the fab like this gentleman possess.

[saxman]

Some of it is experience, some of it is education, but honestly, the biggest hurdle is just going for it. You'd be surprised what can be done if you dive in head first.

[saxman]

After WAY too many hours of sanding...


About ready to start pulling molds.