Jessie James genuine West Coast Choppers Dragster! "The Jesus"

Jessie James genuine West Coast Choppers Dragster!

"The Jesus"
With the "Red Wine" finish, the customer thought they could call it "Jesus turning water into wine", then it got shortened to "The Jesus".

A friend of mine at the local bike shop (The Bike Barn Parramatta http://www.thebikebarn.com.au) has dropped an absolute gem in my lap. He found this Chopper in a horrible state... Someone had come across it and the chrome was getting some surface rust so the previous owner decided to spray it red with just cheap spray cans from his local shop. Old mate from The Bike Barn has more pride than that, he has trusted me with the paint job on his restoration project.

THIS BIKE IS AMAZING!!!!

The colour scheme he has chosen will really make it stand out too.

Frame, Handlebars and Seat Post - High Gloss Pearl Red Wine over a black base coat

Wheels - High Gloss Black

Forks - High Gloss Pearl White

What it originally looked like:

Before Photos:

  

Step 1. Now that the parts are dis-assembled, I have applied Etch Primer and base coats to the main frame parts. I forgot the handle bar stem, the seat post and the pedals. Here are a few pictures of the work in progress:

Step 2. Paint the parts I forgot to do. Apply White Pearl finish to all white parts. Apply Wine Red finish to frame. We managed to find another Jesse James Chopper in Penrith that had a few parts that we needed. We are going to take the seat, wheels, chain guard and a head set from this bike.

Update on paint progress. I had configured the forks incorrectly, I have had to pull them apart and go back to the drawing board with these ones. However I have finished the chain wheel and rear wheel guard and the Red Wine is on the frame with the clear coats ready for sanding and buffing, I just need to leave the frame for a week to cure properly. The rear fender and chain wheel are sanded and buffed, I have some rework to do on the chain wheel, I found a paint run I need to sand out. I have also done the Seat Post in gloss black and I put a little pearl in the clear coat to give it a shine and a metallic look. Can you see the flake in the seat post photos below?

 

 

 

Step 3. Sand all parts with Wet 1500 Grit sandpaper to remove Orange Peel. I will be completing the frame within the next week and hopefully I can help the forks move along to be able to be sanded and buffed this coming weekend. I think some night time painting is needed.

Progress photos on the wet sand. I have finished the top pipe and the down pipe and it is starting to really take shape, so smoooooooooth. Now just to do the rear half of the bike and polish, photos of the frame so far below. Will post more when wet sand is finished.

Step 3.1: The client requested that I use the original chain disc on the bike too. So I had to get surgical with my stanley knife and cut around the edges of the crank arm where it joined the chain disc and slowly remove the pearl white chain disc away from the crank arm. Pictures below:

Step 3.2: The client just sent me some before photos. I think we are going to have a dramatic change here when it is re-assembled. I can't wait!!!

Step 4. Polish all parts with T98 cutting compound to produce that "Glassy Deep" look.,

I have polished the rear fender, crank and now the frame. I just need to finish the forks and clear the chain guard. Pictures of the polished Frame, it looks AMAZING in person, pictures really don't do it justice.

Update on the Forks:

I had the top bracket in the wrong spot and I couldn't get the stem onto the bike. I have had to re-sand blast and respray the forks. Pictures below of the forks done with 1K Etch Primer. Hopefully I should get the white, pearl and clear on this weekend so I can finish them off next week.

Step 5. Assemble bike

The bike has been assembled and we have taken it for a maiden voyage. However there is an issue with the rear wheel hub. The axle is bent and the bearings are loose. The client works in a bike shop so he has taken a spare wheel and his wheel and making one from two. We should have the bike complete again by Thursday night. At this point we will ride along the M7 bikeway. Here is a complete pic after we rode to Seven Eleven for a celebratory Slurpee.

Step 6. Bask in the glory of the Jesse James Chopper bicycle in custom paint finish and take for a maiden voyage. 

More pics as the bike is now complete, the rear wheel is repaired and been delivered to the owner's home.