VintageVmax.com

Well no one is using this sections, time to fire up some interest.

My project started as someone elses nightmare, never got it out last year. Now thats its been sitting in the way all summer I decided it was time to start.
After really looking hard, it was clear she's a little to rough for a total restore, at least for me. St decals on the tunnel were pretty faded and a few dents in tunnel, decided it was time for a polished tunnel again. Came out pretty good after stripping it, dents show up more, but not that bad.
The part I didn't like is the belly pan is pretty beat, I tried to straighten it out but its stretched to much, just no way to make that look good any more. Painted it black just so I can clean it out and get the oily crap out. I hate dirty sleds.
I already got rid of the oil inj. system and air box. IMO both un needed and extra weight. Also want to find some small silencers for the pipes, that st can weighs a ton.

Thats where I'm at now, next up sending the pipes out for Ceramic coating, (I also hate rust), then its on to either the engine or painting the body. Bob

right on... dont forget to take pictures of the process... youll regret it if you dont

Ya, now that my kids are 30 I feel the same way about them

Ok, so its been since the beginning of Aug, and I haven't done much, but I'm back on it now.
The original '83 hood and panels we in good shape including the decals, so I found some others and started body work today Hood wasn't bad, one small crack. Both side panels were hammered, alittle welding, lots of Bondo, were getting close.
Something I noticed, the replacement hood had stock decals and appeared gloss black. When I sanded, the dust was a very distinct darker, blue/aqua. Anyone else ever see that?

Well, I have most of the graphics airbrushed now, getting close to clearing the paint. Not sure if I want to go with the normal gloss clear or try the matte look thats around on things now.
Really what I'm thinking, but never tried, is using a gloss over some of the main art, then blending the matte finish over the rest

heres afew pix's not cleared yet but getting close

Pictures look sort of fuzzy, don't work well with cameras, too many buttons

The orange peal and roughness is from a protective clear untill I finish shading in the airbrush work, then it will get cleared. Can't make up my mind if it should end up gloss or Matte finish.

very cool bob nice graphics!Did you paint them yourself?

sweet i like the tribal image

Yes I did them, that was my job for 30 years, more paint work on our site linked below.
Most of my sleds have "normal" custom paint, I thought this one needed something more evil, the V Max became VooDoo Max which lead to the tribal/tatoo stuff, what can I say, no one ever called me normal
I got so sick of thinking about the paint that I put all that aside today and unburied the chassis.
To get the plastic gas tank cover off, do I really have to take the handlebars off?
My problem is I like to get all the B/S work I don't really wont to do out of the way before I get to the work I do want to do, which is the engine, and I still have to con my wife into upolstering the seat. I'm running out of time, again

yep you really gotta take the handle bars off to get the plastic off...

I took the easy way and painted it on the sled. Got bored last night and wrapped it in barbed wire I'll take pix after I clear it, which I thought was going to be today. The kid is so backed up with 120 sled engines that the mill has been running since noon. I hate painting in a machine shop

Heres the body work just sorta sitting on the sled. Right now everything but the VD Max and the skull is matte finish, the artwork if buffed to gloss. Haven't made up my mind, the flat finish looks cool, but it also looks good shiny
BTW, the last picture is my wifes ride, and a few of the others. The last is the VM as I bought it. I saved that body work, so other then the polished tunnel, it could go back to stock in an hour. In that pic, you can see the crappy windshield and also notice the " Special Edition" badge, I haven't found anyone that knows anything about this. I can say that it is mounted just like, and uses the same clips as the VM badger on the other side, my guess is it did come from the factory

Bob, you do some neat projects ! I'll bet the Special Edition Badge came from an Excell or Enticer ?

I was hoping it originally came with the deluxe AM/FM/ 8 Track stereo, Air conditioning and a chrome mud flap, but actually, I think your right
I played around with that A/C sno pro sus, but would take alot of work getting the front to fit. Last Sat I went down to a Grass drag / swap meet to help some of our 120 customers. Ran in to a guy with a Pol. Xtra 10 with rebuilt fox shocks, 97 bucks later it was mine. Have it all back together now and hope to get it in the sled this weekend. Key word hope