It was, but it's an auto shop so they tend to spray a thicker coat. The lugs on this bike are nothing special, with no thinning or finishing to speak of, so I didn't mind the thicker paint.

I used an auto vinyl with adhesive already on it, just cut to shape. I found it on the 'Bay for a different project (car related). It's tough enough for auto final finish, so I figured it'd be perfect for a chainstay protector.

Did you do a thread on that? I'd love to see it.

Thanks for the interest and don't want to take from your cool Team Fuji project.

No specific thread on the faux BiC / Ocana tribute but have posted on some of the Motobecane and Junior racer threads. The search bar might help in finding more of it. It was really one of the more fun projects. To keep things in check and challenging, I stayed with a most strict budget. Consider that budget to what one would pay for a bike from Walmart :) Would be senseless to get carried away on such project where one could probably just buy a decent Team Champion. The final piece yet seeking is a Vitus 888 decal. I'm very pleased with the results and really a fun riding bike that turns heads.

Here's the before and after + specs:
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=480770
http://www.bikeforums.net/attachment...0&d=1432747054

It's really coming together now - I'm looking forward to the final product. Still can't believe that paint job only came to $250, masked panels and all. Sweeeeet :)

DD

Finished...pics coming soon!

Very nice and tasteful. I was already planning on redoing my '73 Moto Grand Record in orange and white and now I'm even more convinced that's the way I want to go. Good job, sport

Well, a day at home with a nasty head cold, coughing up a storm...what to do? Oh, right...my shop is inside! In between hacking up a lung and downing a lake of fluids, I slowly finished the Fuji. Done and done, but no test ride until it's dry outside and I'm not coughing. I'll post some shots in sunlight when that comes back, but here's the gist:

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5800/...4d4a079e_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]


Cracked chainwheel? Nope, just a bit of rag string. I also re-cut a new chainstay protector, other one was too short.

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5784/...32930051_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5689/...ed973e39_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5687/...2df6c6b4_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5817/...828616cf_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5756/...7a58e0d3_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5730/...cf3fa934_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

This cool alum stem cap is avail from a guy in Poland on the 'Bay, just search "600 ax stem cap:"

[IMG]https://farm1.staticflickr.com/705/2...e74486c5_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5792/...3d7083f1_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

Fun project, it's killing me to just roll it back into the shop room and let it sit. Still, made me forget about being sick for the day! Oh, and you didn't think I'd leave that light brown tape on, did you?

That looks really nice! Great job.

excellent !

That is one gorgeous Fuji!

Wow, what a result! And for such a relatively low cost. This has to be one of the budget-builds of the year.

While I wouldn't wish a cold on anyone, it did ensure the bike got finished and we got to see the finished article. Bonus :)

Hope you're feeling better soon!

DD

Thanks DD! I'm home again today, just can't seem to shake this thing. Missing this great fall weather is really the pits, it's gorgeous in DC.

Going about 45 mph sitting still. Great build.

Beautiful bike in my favorite color.

Love the two tone. Beautiful project. If I ever do a custom frame, that's the scheme I want. That and chromed lugs...

Awesome build! Hope you get a ride soon.

Orange bikes and Sachs New Success shifters? Groovy.

How come you refer to your shifters as ARIS? Wasn't ARIS just the Sachs acronym for Advanced Rider Indexed System? I mean we don't refer to a Shimano shifter as an S.I.S. shifter we'd usually just call it say an Ultegra 9-speed, or 6500 shifter. I don't think I've ever seen anyone refer to New Success shifters as ARIS. My understanding is that there were different group levels within the Sachs hierarchy, after the ARIS indexing changes, with New Success being above Rival. I love the use of the New Success shifters. Sachs New Success is some of my favorite kit.

Now that I'm learned up on Centurion, I think the most beautiful bike with bang for the buck in mind is the mob of orange Centurion bikes that can be found on craigslist. Beautiful paint and nice chroming. Usually can be found in immaculate condition considering almost every LBS back in the day (and many today) don't bother to properly fit the customer, and the bikes left them with aching wrists, necks, backs, etc. as the size and fit were usually just all wrong (but was already built up!). Its astounding how many of these are in nearly perfect condition for stupid cheap.

It may sound insane, but I'll put a nice condition orange Centurion Lemans or Super Lemans up against a Joe Bell or Rivendell anyway. They are just gorgeous in my mind. Good solid epic bikes from the hey day of "peak Japan." Only with a US nameplate. I still sometimes wonder whether Dorel actually owns the rights to the Centurion brand or just DiamondBack. I wonder if they'll ever try to revive it if they do own the rights.

Its interesting to me that you managed to top the Orange Centurions and did it on a $250 budget for your respray and decals. Thank you for sharing the Manassas shop that did this for you. I think they'll be getting some business from many of us relatively soon. That is just a beautiful bike.

As for the Conti Contact tyres I'm a HUGE fan of the old Top Touring 2000 tires that you used to able to get that were handmade in Germany with the gum walls. Down to my last sets now, and they admittedly are starting to dry rot (actually long ago) enough to spook me. I love the Conti Top Contact II, TourRide, Touring Plus, Contact II, etc. and they are my default go to tire depending on whether I need a stronger sidewall for the tandem or the touring bike, or want a faster tire. I almost never build a bike with slicks almost always building up bikes with a Conti touring tyre. The maddening thing about Conti to me is that they don't offer their touring tyres in a 700-35 offering. They jump from 28 to 32 then 37, then 42 and 47 with no 35 offering. I know they make their 'cross tyres in 35 why not touring tyres? I was so frustrated on a recent tandem build that I couldn't use a 37 Conti because there wasn't enough chain stay clearance with the Velocity Chukker rim I was using. Instead of just moving down from a 37 to a 35 I'd have to fall all the way to a 32 if I wanted to stay with Contis. Schwalbe, Panaracer, and seemingly every other touring tire maker offers 700-35s. Sadly I don't have a Conti on the rear of the tandem anymore. Which makes my eye twitch. May just go to 32s even though I know better. Don't let anyone tell you they don't like the Contis on your bike. That's a bike to ride, not a race day queen.

Like most people I love your build. I hate the Flite saddle, that looks like it will make your willy go numb, but other than that a beautiful bike. I'd change the saddle, stretch the frame to my size, and maybe change the calipers to something more modern that would stop a little better, but beyond that I LOVE the build. Orange plus New Success shifters, is enough to get my attention.

Would you post a walkthrough of what you did post paint to put the decals on the bike? Did you send it back for a clear coat after applying all the decals?

Gorgeous bike. Just truly a gorgeous bike.

Thanks for the kudos guys.

As far as why I call the New Success "ARIS?" Simple, typing "ARIS" is way quicker! I guess I could use "NS," but with the S/H stuff being less known it's not like using DA for Dura Ace. I'm lazy as a typer!

I did not clear over the decals. The whole point of this repaint and refit of my Fuji was to keep the cost low. Having them respray clear after I set the decals would have driven the cost up too high. Laying the decals was very easy; since this wasn't a $600 paint job I didn't mind just peeling and sticking. Velocals come with excellent instructions on using a soap/water solution so the decals can be properly positioned after putting on the frame, but I just slapped them on...carefully. He coats them with a shiny clear UV topcoat that looks just fine without a clearcoat anyway. I use blue tape to position side to side around a tube, but it mostly came down to just being confident, and since this is a mid-grade frame that wasn't hard.

As to the brakes; I gotta say, those 7400 DAs stop like nobody's business, even with those stock black pads. I was quite surprised when I did this build back in 2011 how well they worked. Maybe it's the combo of this rim to caliper, I don't know, but they work every bit as well as the 7700 DA dual pivots on one of my other rides.

The flite saddle is one of my favorites; I have always worked well with either Brooks or Flites saddles. This one was the special edition model that came out for a brief period in 2010.

[IMG]https://farm7.staticflickr.com/6218/...eea04d4a_b.jpgP1010712 by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

I don't know what they used to screen print the leather, but I have ridden this one a lot and it still looks crisp and new. Saddles are definitely the most personal choice on a bike, and this model happens to work great for me, I have 3 bikes with them on.

Thanks again guys, I appreciate the comments and kudos! I'll get a few pics out in the sun to show off the gorgeous pearl paint in the near future.

Beautiful

The polish, the details! Cream panels, not plain white. Truly magnificent results!!!
Eric

Very nice - that looks like it was a fun project up to this point, and the real fun hasn't even started. Get better and enjoy.

http://www.zoominto.com/zoomapi/ZoomButt.gif


I was going to say something about that brown tape, but decided to be polite. And that brown saddle is cool in it's own right, but I'd go matchy-matchy with a black one, if it was me.

Love this bike! I don't think the paint looks "too thick," either.http://www.zoominto.com/zoomapi/ZoomButt.gif

Finally...a ride! After a hellacious week of 15 hour days while sick, today is a gorgeous crisp 50s autumn glory. I took her outside and got my first look in the sun. Yeah...every bit as cool as I had hoped that paint would look. In the low fall light the pearl really comes out, and the combo with the off white creme panels works well. Took her for a ride and it's the exact same bike...and not the same bike. Rides and shifts like always, but boy when I look down it's hard to look back up, it's such a nice paint job.

Hope you guys like her as much as I do!

[IMG]https://farm1.staticflickr.com/604/2...9f6a53d0_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer (in sun) by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5781/...ee3f6ceb_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer (in sun) by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5745/...c991ebc5_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer (in sun) by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm1.staticflickr.com/762/2...448502f1_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer (in sun) by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5811/...a9bbdea7_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer (in sun) by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5709/...0a8c44f6_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer (in sun) by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5798/...87322598_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer (in sun) by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm1.staticflickr.com/581/2...8c52a1d8_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer (in sun) by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5822/...b32acb28_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer (in sun) by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5818/...05cf38ac_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer (in sun) by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

So a nice relaxing 20 some mile spin down the trail:

[IMG]https://farm1.staticflickr.com/766/2...6494408c_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer (in sun) by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

Brought me almost unexpectedly to my favorite local brewery on the trailside, Caboose Brewing for a celebratory schwarzbier pint of happy goodness:

[IMG]https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5728/...713e5140_c.jpgFaux-Ji Special Road Racer (in sun) by Mark, on Flickr[/IMG]

This was a thoroughly enjoyable rebuild project and worth the roughly $300 in paint and decals. As side benefit, the handling is very improved as I had not even noticed that my headset had become "indexed." The "new" 600 setup is smooth as butter. The Compass SKF BB is still going storng, along with the S/H Aris New Success mech gear. I keep thinking I should replace the original pads on the DA stoppers, but they bring this bike down to a crawl with barely more effort than my 7700 series, so they stay for now. So, there it is. Done and done, ready for some autumnal leaf-crunching, vest wearing, cider drinking pre-winter rides.