Custom Bike Project

[Tombag]

Hey guys, I'm new to this forum but hopefully I can begin with a bang. First things first I'm not experienced in modelling so you'll have to forgive me if I'm slightly misdirected at times!

Basically I'm planning a project to build a bike which doesn't exist in kit form or any other for that matter, so I'm having to go with what I've got. That means there's some things I'll have to get made from scratch so for a first serious model it's not exactly a small endeavour.

This is the bike, I have plenty more reference images however they're from over a few years where sponsors and tiny bits changes which is a pain.



I'm using a Tamiya Guzzi V10 Centauro kit as a basis for the frame, engine and other small parts. There are definitely bits of that kit which are inaccurate but I'll have to figure things out as I go.

The gigantic issues I'm faced with at the moment are bodywork and decals. I haven't been able to find donors accurate enough for the fairings / fuel tank and honestly I don't think I'm going to, as a result I've been thinking about resin casting. With no scaled original to go on though I can't even make a mould! Does anyone have an idea how I can get these parts made?

The decals will have to be custom printed as well. I can design the sheet myself no problem but I just need to find who can do proper decal printing.

All in all I have plenty of hurdles to clear but hopefully you can offer some guidance.

Cheers!
Tom

[joelwideqvist]

First of all, very welcome! Interesting project that you have chosen, and as you say yourself, perhaps a bit tough but you'll probably learn a lot.
As for the tank and seat and the lack of donor kits, I guess you'll have to start creating a master from some material and then cast that in resin. I know Roca46 on this forum has done some challengin attempts on this so have a look at his threads and get yourself a lot of ref pics.
Do you have some special memories regarding this bike? I guess you do as you pick it as one of your first builds. If you don't mind I think it would be interesting to know more.
Best of luck!
/Joel

[Tombag]

Originally Posted by joelwideqvist

First of all, very welcome! Interesting project that you have chosen, and as you say yourself, perhaps a bit tough but you'll probably learn a lot.
As for the tank and seat and the lack of donor kits, I guess you'll have to start creating a master from some material and then cast that in resin. I know Roca46 on this forum has done some challengin attempts on this so have a look at his threads and get yourself a lot of ref pics.
Do you have some special memories regarding this bike? I guess you do as you pick it as one of your first builds. If you don't mind I think it would be interesting to know more.
Best of luck!
/Joel

Cheers for the response, I was worried just at the thought of creating masters since I definitely don't think I have the skills to do so. I'll be reading more WIP's tonight for sure as they're a great insight!

As for the bike itself my Father developed it and ran the team from 1994 until 1997 in which time they won 2 international championships and gave John Britten's boys a very hard time at Brands Hatch in 1995 - I've been meaning to get the race on YouTube for ages! I believe it's still the world's fastest Guzzi since '96, either way it's a massive part of my childhood and I want to build a replica for the old man.

I have some photos on my PC of the bike at various stages and it in its current state (If only I had £23,000!). I'm living in London now but there's a bunch of magazine articles and photos back home so I'll check those when I'm next there. I might even visit the dealership it's at now and take measurements.

[Twowheelsrule]

Welcome to the board! Your bike's body has some likeness of the Ducati 888 superbike racer. Of course it would take some work but it might help you get closer.


Good luck,
Mark

[KevinENG]

If I am right i remember Paul Lewis riding the bike at brands and it flew i can remember seeing him fight to keep the front end down it had so much power good luck with your project and hope you get things going ok

Kevin

[Tombag]

Originally Posted by KevinENG

If I am right i remember Paul Lewis riding the bike at brands and it flew i can remember seeing him fight to keep the front end down it had so much power good luck with your project and hope you get things going ok

Kevin

Yup, that's the one! Thanks for the support, as I said I hope to upload that race at some point but it'd probably have to be a chopped down highlights version. I was going to make the '95 Brands Hatch incarnation of the bike but I was talking to my Dad about it and his favourite was around '97 when it was at it's peak of development (He doesn't know about the model though as it's to be a surprise!). It'd be the number 1 - a little cliche I know - which was ridden by Ian Cobby at the time.

Here's a photo of Paul at Brands, as you can see it's slightly different decal / number wise:


And another rider ditching it in the rain at Monza in '94, quite a funny photo!:


Finally Cobby riding in '97, a Dutch magazine did a big front page feature on it around this time so that should be great for references:

[joelwideqvist]

The Guzzi engines are SO beautiful!!
/Joel

[Tombag]

Originally Posted by joelwideqvist

The Guzzi engines are SO beautiful!!
/Joel

Indeed! Wonderful V-Twin grunt...

I received the Tamiya Guzzi V10 Centauro last night, there's a lot more parts that I can use than I initially thought due to how some of it is broken down.

I still need to get paint and everything but hopefully I can start working on that soon. Although the kit gives some specification, what Tamiya paints would you guys recommend for the engine to give a nice accurate look?

Over on another forum there are a few people who have ALPS printing capabilities so hopefully someone can help print up some decals. I haven't thought much more about the cast conundrum but I may be getting some 3D models made soon to help visualise the elements into one, rather than awkward reference photos.

I've been looking at Hiroboy for metal piping, which type would be best and how is most efficient to cut and bend it? Here is their range:
http://www.hiroboy.com/catalog/index.php?cPath=21_27

[ALEX GAROLI]

Welcome!!!
This is the kind of work I love, building bikes that doesnt exist in scale, just for the fun of having a unique scale bike in the shelf.
Ill follow closelly this thread!!!

[Tombag]

This might be a slightly silly question but how do these work?
http://www.hiroboy.com/catalog/produ...oducts_id=1619

In other news I'm still just sorting out a bunch of materials but hopefully I'll start doing something with the Centauro kit in the next couple weeks and will have some pictures to post. There are lots of bits that I can use from the kit but at the same time a lot of annoying little modifications I'll need to do.

[Roca46]

Hi Tom,

Sorry to write so late, I replied your email.

Hope to see more pictures of the build, I will upload here the work I will be doing with the body.

Cheers
Roca.

[Twowheelsrule]

Originally Posted by Tombag

This might be a slightly silly question but how do these work?
http://www.hiroboy.com/catalog/produ...oducts_id=1619

Those are tightly wound springs that are supposed to support the tubing while you bend it. They should keep the tubing from kinking in the center of the bend. I have not tried them yet but, I have a set.



Mark

[Tombag]

Originally Posted by Twowheelsrule

Those are tightly wound springs that are supposed to support the tubing while you bend it. They should keep the tubing from kinking in the center of the bend. I have not tried them yet but, I have a set.



Mark

Cheers Mark, so is tubing like in the link beneath able to be hand bent using them or does it require an extra tool other than those benders?

http://www.hiroboy.com/catalog/produ...roducts_id=547

Also since I've only recently learned about Tamiya metallic paints being withdrawn from the EU, can anyone recommend good but cheap alternatives?

[Twowheelsrule]

Originally Posted by Tombag

Cheers Mark, so is tubing like in the link beneath able to be hand bent using them or does it require an extra tool other than those benders?

http://www.hiroboy.com/catalog/produ...roducts_id=547

Also since I've only recently learned about Tamiya metallic paints being withdrawn from the EU, can anyone recommend good but cheap alternatives?

I believe you can still hand bend your tubing and no extra tools are required.

An alternative to Tamiya metallics could be Testors Metalizers. They come in airbrush ready jars, and spray can. You will need to use their Metallizer sealer or clear cote over each color. They are Laquer so, I don't know if that we help you in the EU.

Mark

[Tombag]

Originally Posted by Twowheelsrule

I believe you can still hand bend your tubing and no extra tools are required.

An alternative to Tamiya metallics could be Testors Metalizers. They come in airbrush ready jars, and spray can. You will need to use their Metallizer sealer or clear cote over each color. They are Laquer so, I don't know if that we help you in the EU.

Mark

Yeah, a friend from Canada recommended Testors but it turns out no one supplies them in the UK. Plus I can't afford an airbrush either way . There's stuff like Alclad here but again that really needs to be airbrushed and isn't exactly cheap. Cheers anyway, I did recently find a Tamiya/Humbrol/Revell conversion chart so either Humbrol or Revell might be ok. They have a good range and are both cheap, does anyone have experience with either brand and if so what's the quality considering what you pay?

I'm a step closer to getting the reference images from home, hopefully then the floodgates will open for accurate bodywork, decals, wheels, brakes and other small details. Otherwise I can't really build any of the Centauro (No supplies, currently on order) or make progress in other areas at the moment.