RADBMX.CO.UK
Technical & Reference Section => Tech and Restoration => Topic started by: splodge on September 10, 2009, 08:50 AM
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I know after reading on here a few people have done Kuwahara ET restorations. This is my actual bike from Christmas 1983 - I loved that bike more than anything & rode it everywhere, I broke the world record for front wheel hops (at the time the world record was 140 & I did 165) & over the years it was sprayed white, green & finally blue. Theres not many bits that I didnt break & up graded but the frame stayed strong.
Now its 2009 & the poor beast resides in a damp shed feeling abit sorry for its self :(. Time to restore it to its former glory & get it back to its original condition. Heres how I found it 3 months ago in the shed where I left it 10 years ago:
(http://inlinethumb14.webshots.com/44045/2510164250096618541S500x500Q85.jpg)
Getting it home:
(http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/43627/2104278050096618541S500x500Q85.jpg)
'Eddies handles'
(http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/43311/2855373290096618541S500x500Q85.jpg)
Skyway spinmaster!
(http://inlinethumb24.webshots.com/44887/2927575980096618541S500x500Q85.jpg)
Mushroom II's!
(http://inlinethumb21.webshots.com/44052/2285868630096618541S500x500Q85.jpg)
Then down to work, out with the spanners & i was amazed how easily everything came apart. the bearings well still well greased & nothing was a problem. Some bits like the haro tyres had seen better days.
(http://inlinethumb44.webshots.com/42667/2976831820096618541S500x500Q85.jpg)
I then began stripping the paint, just using a bit of wet n dry sanding paper & it came off pretty easy
(http://inlinethumb52.webshots.com/43955/2064425560096618541S500x500Q85.jpg)
The weld on the tube on the right was actually done by my Gramp at Rolls Royce. He took a break one lunch time & stopped making Tornado engines at Filton to weld a small crack that started to appear,probably the strongest bit of the frame!
(http://inlinethumb09.webshots.com/43848/2331990020096618541S500x500Q85.jpg)
After 3 resprays in its life I was surprised to find original red paint:
(http://inlinethumb33.webshots.com/12896/2610571660096618541S500x500Q85.jpg)
Back to bare metal & ready for the first undercoat:
(http://inlinethumb58.webshots.com/30969/2632601090096618541S500x500Q85.jpg)
First coat:
(http://inlinethumb15.webshots.com/32270/2863189270096618541S500x500Q85.jpg)
After completely screwing up the first attempt at the white I decided there was only one thing & that was to start from scratch again. So paint stripper, rubbed down, bare metal, undercoat then white again, second time around & it went beautifully, no runs, good even coat, well happy. I was then on the look out for the right red, as you know its more of a metallic deep cherry.
Bits & bobs kept arriving, I was keeping an eye out for a 44t sugino black chain ring & the elusive Elina Et seat. Seen a couple selling between £70 & £100 & I cant bring my self to pay that for a seat.
(http://inlinethumb01.webshots.com/42816/2300466420096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
... the quest continues...
After a couple of weeks I finally found what looks like the right red, you never can really tell but thought it was near enough. The spray job went perfectly, no runs or drips. Here its just after I sprayed it:
(http://inlinethumb11.webshots.com/11274/2058172470096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
Now drying:
(http://inlinethumb25.webshots.com/24984/2294787690096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb11.webshots.com/29450/2224437030096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
This is of course what we are aiming for, the advert for the bike back in '82.
(http://inlinethumb53.webshots.com/42356/2579378220096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
I ordered a full set of ET stickers (all the way from Oz) & the plan was to then wait for the red to dry in a few days then ill sand it smooth & get a nice even matt finish then stickers & a few coats of lacquer. Let that dry for a couple of weeks then build it!
Some before & after pics:
(http://inlinethumb06.webshots.com/44741/2736542240096618541S425x425Q85.jpg) (http://inlinethumb12.webshots.com/9867/2294787690096618541S425x425Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/46015/2259484680096618541S425x425Q85.jpg) (http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/42657/2224437030096618541S425x425Q85.jpg)
I finally managed to get the red/white fade fairly good, not perfect by any means but its the best I can do. Stickers arrived from Australia & the blue (soon to be dyed black) genuine ET Elina seat has arrived from America.
I'm happy with the stickers but now I look at it I should have had the 'Kuwahara' on the down tude slightly lower & one of the kuwa's on the forks have a bubble but its ok. Again, best I could do.
Its now lacquered, that went on perfectly, a real deep shine & nice & even, its now in the dining room drying for a couple of weeks. Not the best of pics but here its is:
(http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/42223/2229375830096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
A shiny new old stock pair of V bars arrived and so when the paint has hardened i'll build it, looking forward to that! :D
Now the lacquer is a few hours dry I cant leave it alone, how can I wait 2 weeks!
(http://inlinethumb40.webshots.com/45543/2408279440096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb26.webshots.com/45529/2763362430096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
Thats it, not touching it now for ages. Another job to do was to dye my beautiful ET Elina seat, all the way from California, its blue & needs to be black. A lot of ET builds have Elina lightning bolt seats but mine had the ET seat, it doesnt have the lightning bolts on the side but ET logos on the side & top.
I followed Waxintaxin guide to dye it so thanks for that, a great help, here goes:
(http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/43935/2229803040096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/42832/2037141860096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb10.webshots.com/26057/2152308320096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
Then simmering for 2 1/2 hours heres the result, before & after
(http://inlinethumb34.webshots.com/2529/2882649430096618541S425x425Q85.jpg) (http://inlinethumb28.webshots.com/46043/2875026380096618541S425x425Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb51.webshots.com/42290/2028555920096618541S425x425Q85.jpg) (http://inlinethumb56.webshots.com/21623/2340183710096618541S425x425Q85.jpg)
Well happy with the end result, the gold logos stayed exactly the same. Now starting to build it:
(http://inlinethumb07.webshots.com/5382/2072707280096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
Yesterday I started to put it all together & I wanted to get it finished that evening:
(http://inlinethumb59.webshots.com/6650/2183518150096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
Now some of you will think i'm a soft tw#t but as this was my bike from 1983, it really was quite emotional seeing it come together, sliding the crank in, putting the wheels on etc, an odd feeling.
Then completed:
(http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/45407/2281620530096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb23.webshots.com/45590/2730264410096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
Some before & afters:
(http://inlinethumb17.webshots.com/8656/2855373290096618541S425x425Q85.jpg) (http://inlinethumb05.webshots.com/39108/2327447510096618541S425x425Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb64.webshots.com/43007/2927575980096618541S425x425Q85.jpg) (http://inlinethumb50.webshots.com/43185/2059456840096618541S425x425Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/21393/2579378220096618541S425x425Q85.jpg) (http://inlinethumb15.webshots.com/4174/2079406670096618541S425x425Q85.jpg)
And finally!!
(http://inlinethumb43.webshots.com/44970/2107440430096618541S425x425Q85.jpg) (http://inlinethumb02.webshots.com/42433/2462257680096618541S425x425Q85.jpg)
Thats it, I'm really happy with how its gone & the final result, I now just need to find a place to hang it up. :D
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Fantastic. That looks amazing! :daumenhoch:
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well done mate thats a quality build, so lucky to still have your original bike from your childhood, my mam made me sell mine when i got knocked off it, wish i could find it or the same bike again......
p.s how long did you hold the world record for? :LolLolLolLol:
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Excellent topic, thanks for sharing all the process :daumenhoch:
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nice work :daumenhoch:
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Great work mate :4_17_5: bet your really pleased with that :daumenhoch:
It's great having your original bike from BITD . I still have mine :smitten: and everytime I look at it the memories come flooding back ........................... happy days :)
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p.s how long did you hold the world record for? :LolLolLolLol:
;D well me & my mate were watching record breakers when someone did 145, we went straight out & my 'witness' mate counted me to 165. No dout every kid who had a bike went out & did the same but its my claim to fame! :D
Thanks for the comments chaps :daumenhoch:
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we like a good step by step resto here
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Great resto job :4_17_5: love seeing them back from the dead
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Now that is something special :4_17_5: :smitten:
I had exactly the same feeling a few months ago when I restored my original bike from bitd :daumenhoch:
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I always forget to take some photos right at the start of a project - So its great to see those 1st few
Nice work :daumenhoch:
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:4_17_5:
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Great thread this is, loved the step by step process and the outcome well done! :coolsmiley:
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Excellent resto mate! Looks fooking lovely :4_17_5: :4_17_5: :4_17_5: :4_17_5: :4_17_5:
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superb :daumenhoch:
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awesome.
your bike originally, you sourced the parts, you restored them, and you built it.
i think thats a bmx grand slam :D
nice work dude.
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Great story
Great resto
:daumenhoch:
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Yeh lovin it man that's probably the best build you can ever do from a personal point of view...looks brilliant :daumenhoch:
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Thats spot on :daumenhoch: a real labour of love, you must be over the moon with the way it turned out :4_17_5:
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Thanks for your comments guys. I've had this bike since new apart from 3 days when it was nicked. My world fell apart when it was stolen about 6 months after Christmas. A few days later I was chatting to a mate who went to a different school than me when he said there was a guy selling an ET Kuw for £40, if someone wants to buy it the go to the fighting cock pub that eve. Well me & another mate rode straight down, luckly on the way I bumped into my Dad who was driving the other way, I flagged him down & got in the car, leaving my mate Lee to take my sisters bike home!
When we got to the pub sure enough there was a group of lads stood around a matt grey (primer) bike, my Dad went straight over & grabbed the bike & checked the frame number.... it was mine! :D
We just chucked it in the boot of the Cortina & shot off, didnt want to ask any questions, didnt care who nicked it just happy to get it back. I often wonder what i would have done if i didnt meet my Dad, I was 13, these lads were alot older than me, theres no way I would have got it back. As many of you know once a bike it nicked its usually gone for good.
I do feel attached to this bike which made this build feel special. :smitten:
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Heart warming bmx story, with a corker resto to top it off, excellent :daumenhoch:
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Great story,thanks for sharing and a Top Job there :daumenhoch:
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Awesome story , awesome build, awesome result ....
I hope mine turns out as good as yours splodge :daumenhoch:
Si
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Great story & pics , top job :4_17_5:
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as said already......superb story and superb resto!!! blooming gorgeous!!! :4_17_5:
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What a fantastic thread :daumenhoch:
Great personal history of the bike, top class resto story with great pics and a belter of a build to top it all off 8)
Well done that man ;)
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:4_17_5:great job matey you have done wonders 8)
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Indeed, great post and pics, nice one :4_17_5:
I reckon a lot of us would like to have kept the bike we had bitd......you gotta be proud of the result :daumenhoch:
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Awsome :4_17_5:
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now thats what i call a resto,amazing!! :4_17_5: :4_17_5:
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Great work, well done, can't beat a good E.T. :4_17_5:
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I love these threads, cant beat a resto of your bike from BITD. I dont have mine unfortunately, but if I didi'd be well proud to do half as good a job as you have there.
The fact you even painted it yourself is great. Too easy to send it for powder coating, but its got the personal touch stamped all over it.
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Brilliant, you must be well proud of that. :4_17_5: :4_17_5:
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bloody superb mate ,,,,great write up ,and a top job ,,even more as its yours from bitd :4_17_5:
wish i hadn't entered bike of the month now ,this is surly the winner :daumenhoch:
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Best build up thread for ages & a lovely bike as well ..................... Top job :daumenhoch:
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Excellent resto, very detailed and great to read (:, are you based in Bristol? I race just up the road from Rolls Royce Filton in Patchway, Bristol's only BMX Track :daumenhoch:
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well done :4_17_5:
restoring is the best bit.
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Excellent resto, very detailed and great to read (:, are you based in Bristol? I race just up the road from Rolls Royce Filton in Patchway, Bristol's only BMX Track :daumenhoch:
Yup, i'm in Bristol, I know where the track is & remember SR cycles in Patchway. There used to be a track in Stockwood & thats where i used to ride, aswell as St George park & Bedminster.
Thanks for all the comments chaps, when I mucked up the white first time I remember thinking I really hope people dont see this & think thats the worst ET i've ever seen. I think I rushed it first of all then had to take a step back, calm down & start again, everything went perfectly from then on.
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Nice story, Excellent build :daumenhoch:
When was the last time you watched the film? For research purposes :)
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great resto and great story. :4_17_5:
love kuwahara et's,always wanted one bitd.....
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great resto job :daumenhoch:
love it!
phone home motherfooker :shocked:
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Excellent one mate, your bike from being a youngster Wow that one's a keeper :4_17_5:
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That's a super lookin' ET :smitten: This hobby is very addictive so do you have any more projects in the pipeline? It's hard to stop at just one bike ;)
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What a great story and resto thread! Top job to, the results are astounding, I even had a tear in my eye reading through the topic. Superb. :4_17_5:
:smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
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Quality, a super restoration and really nice to see the old girl being brought back to life :4_17_5:
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that beer fridge is frickin awesome :4_17_5:
the bikes alright too >:D
excellent story and job mate, nice1 :daumenhoch:
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Absolutely brilliant job there mate. :daumenhoch: I love it that it is your own bike that you have brought back, I luckily kept my Haro Gen 1 and brought that back to life a bit back and like you say it quite emotional putting it all back together and seeing the end result.
Top stuff :4_17_5:
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Great thread , superb job , its so much more rewarding when you start from scratch and do it all yourself .. :daumenhoch:
Well Done indeed
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Great Story that mate.
AWESOME Resto :4_17_5: :smitten:
That fridge is something else as well :laugh:
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Great Story that mate.
AWESOME Resto :4_17_5: :smitten:
That fridge is something else as well :laugh:
One of the fridge! We got it off a newsagent that were buying new fridges & slinging this one out as it was on its last legs, that was about 8 years ago & it still works...just. >:D
(http://inlinethumb61.webshots.com/22460/2458667720096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
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Pristine E.T :daumenhoch: . and massive fridge full of beer,you mate are living the dream!!! :daumenhoch:
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Dragging this build thread up from last year but I just wanted to post these pics of the ET with white Tuff & whitewall tyres. I have always wanted to see what it would look like & after 27 years of ownership I finally found out yesterday. :)
(http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/40701/2221552180096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb18.webshots.com/14289/2143137630096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb62.webshots.com/42941/2201568910096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
(http://inlinethumb48.webshots.com/38767/2187740740096618541S600x600Q85.jpg)
Not original of course but I love it! :smitten:
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Great Stuff-Looks Cool :daumenhoch:
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Looks mint that! :smitten:
Changing the subject so does that beer fridge :smitten:
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Nice build
You have a pool table, a drum kit, a full beer fridge and a significant other that cooks BMX seats in the kitchen...what a set up!!
Seriously though...how do you have a full beer fridge? You must have some willpower!!
:daumenhoch:
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decals are on the wrong way :(
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really Daz?? they look exactly the same as the advert to me? ???
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Nice build
You have a pool table, a drum kit, a full beer fridge and a significant other that cooks BMX seats in the kitchen...what a set up!!
Seriously though...how do you have a full beer fridge? You must have some willpower!!
:daumenhoch:
Unfortunately since the original build the house has changed a bit. Having a 7 week baby boy has meant the beer fridge is now a tool cupboard in the garage, its full in the pic as we just filled it, its was soon empty again! The pool table has also gone & replaced by sofas, wife & drum kit are still there though :D
decals are on the wrong way :(
Which ones, where? the small ET's by the rear brake are facing up to much instead of to the side but thats it I think?
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Only joking :D bike looks stunning mate :daumenhoch:
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Only joking :D bike looks stunning mate :daumenhoch:
:2funny: And i've been looking at the thing checking & wondering what it could be, its been on my wall for over a year & I still had to check! :LolLolLolLol:
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Fantastic job there fella, love seeing these wreck to restored bikes, top stuff :daumenhoch:
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what can you say to that other than what a lovely restore. Wrecks to riches good work :4_17_5:
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Good to see you still have it, I still have mine too hanging on my living room wall :)
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Good to see you still have it, I still have mine too hanging on my living room wall :)
Any photos? Show us a pic, i'd love to see it :coolsmiley:
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just found this fantastic thread.great work.i no longer have my first bike but i did find one just like it.ive restored about 7 bikes now,and althogh it wasnt my original bike,it still seemed strangely familliar and special when began the resto.youve got something to be really proud of there. :)
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Good to see you still have it, I still have mine too hanging on my living room wall :)
Any photos? Show us a pic, i'd love to see it :coolsmiley:
(http://www.radbmx.co.uk/archive/albums/ee43/jp_rebel/IMGP1691.jpg)
That's mine hanging in the house.
And below is my original thread when I finished it last year.
http://www.radbmx.co.uk/forum/index.php'topic=95891.0
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digging out this one...
I need help with the red color on my ET... what kind of red did u guys use? any names or RAL codes for me? :angel:
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Just finished my DP Firebird, restoration and shared all the same frustrations and immense satisfaction that you obviously did! Very nice mate, more so because of the back story.
Gordy
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digging out this one...
I need help with the red color on my ET... what kind of red did u guys use? any names or RAL codes for me? :angel:
I did mine with a rattle can from the local car spares shop, I looked about in different shops for a few weeks before deciding on which one seemed right.
I think its recognised now that Peugeot Rogue Lucifer is the nearest you'll get to the correct shade. I kind of wish I did mine with it now but it might not look much different. The thing with the deep red is it looks so different in different light, photos taken indoors, outdoors, sunny, dull, they all make the red look different. If I had to do my ET again in would be Rogue Lucifer.
Good luck & remember to take plenty of pics as you go. :daumenhoch:
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Thanks mate, i will have a look out for that peugeot color :daumenhoch:
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Drop 'meticulous' a PM. He did a cracking job on his recently.
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its candy red :daumenhoch:
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Im loving it mate, a great restro and a great bit of history you have with it too! Im trying to finish mine off but getting hung up on trying to get it as close to stock as I can, think I just need to get it finished and enjoy it. I think that bike will be with you to the grave, well done fella. :daumenhoch:
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Peugeot Rogue Lucifer and Decals from Del :4_17_5:
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Awesome build that fella :4_17_5:
what did you do with the white skyway ??? 8)
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what did you do with the white skyway ??? 8)
Still got it, theres loads of hairline cracks all over it but I might use if for a future build, sorry mate, not for sale :)