[deanevo]

Trying to turn my VN800A into an oldschool 60's/70's theme with keeping modern functionality.
I was just starting off this little budget project and scavening anywhere for 2nd hand stuff and bargains is required.
The 60's/70's era is marked by apehangers, lot's of chrome, flaked paint and flames etc.

So far I bought and installed a chromed fender which needs cutting.
The tailight will be the HH "Doc" type.
Also I found a 70's universal sissybar that still needs some adapting to fit on the Kawi.
After that, the apes will be mounted, the saddle re-done and the frontfender will be cut.
then some shortstem turnsignals and other mirror.
If I have some money left, chromed side covers and grips.
And last...the flamepaint job.

Here the chromed fender that came luckily really cheap

Installed the fender

Here with the seat on
Imagining with a piece of carton where to put the light and where to cut.....
As I modified the stockseat into this last summer, it needs to be re-done into oldschool

The oldschool 70's sissybar which came cheap too

 

[deanevo]

Yes exactly, it has slide tubes with that bolts.
however, the bolts are stuck and rusty.
One bolt even needs drilling, pherhaps both of them.
The tubes are also too long but can simply be cut.
Unfortunately there was no rack with it, I can see there are preparations to put a rack or something.
Coming weekend I will try to replace the bolts and put them on with some rubber nuts cause they will really scratch my chrome on the rear fender brackets.
The sissybar also has this typical backward bend on the top-end.
And the rearfender?...hooters!! haha

Hey Maurice I remember those sissy-bars. They're cool looking. Does it have an allen head bolt on each side on the bottom which lets you slide the tube inside in or out? If so they were universal to fit the old 4-banger Jap bikes.
I'm sure with a little cutting and maybe welding you can get it to fit.

Man that rear fender looks ****.

 

[deanevo]

Cutting time

No succes today with the sissybar.
The bolt won't come off, even drilling didn't help.
I'll bring it to someone with a real good drill to nuke it.

Cutting the fender was more fruitful.
Here some some pics after raw cutting. (pics are not very sharp...again..it's that cellphone camera)
Maybe I''ll cut the tip a tiny bit more.

 

[deanevo]

Nah,
Sure that would look better, but my pegs are already scratching the tarmac...

 

[deanevo]

After some painstaking work, the sissybar has been mounted, although some more needs to be done to fit it 100% correctly
The length is good for the right effect and the angle is perfect I think.
It will reach about the same height as the top of my helmet...

 

[deanevo]

Yes, the laidback look.
The rear seat needs also to lean a bit backwards for that typical look.
I will re-curve that when the apes are on.
I remember with these 60's/70's bikes, the passenger was always leaning much more backward than these days (probably 'cause of smoking pot)
The front arms of the sissy are no problem to bolt on, they fit righ on with a tiny of bending.
The rear arms however are the hardest, cause they are wider at that point.
The arms first go wider and then come back together at the end of the arms again.
Coming week I will buy some longer bolts and then it's done.
I can't remove the luggage rack tabs, unless I go medieval on it, they are welded on.
Here a pic in another angle, to get an idea about the arms.

 

[deanevo]

Yes, that would be a good idea.
Will shop around in the weekend...

Maurice can you use some spacers to compensate for the width difference on the rear bolts?
You can find them here locally at the hardware store. Chrome also.

 

[deanevo]

No no no...not with the tassles!..but with fur!!.haha.
For the rest, I need to buy all the albums of The Byrds and Steppenwolf, some bell bottom jeans and grow longer sideburns LOL!
Billy!!! Get your bike!! Billy!!!...Where the hell went that hippy??!!

I see you already have the Captain America helmet. Have you found a leather jacket with tassles to wear on that bad boy?

 

[deanevo]

Turnsignals

Some new oldschoolish turnsignals and the sissy properly mounted..
I think the bike needs some lowering kit...

 

[deanevo]

Thanks mate,
Just like you said, oldschool rules...hehe
This little project is challenging enough, as there is not much reference of any VN in this 70's direction..

She looks great man.
Turn signals look like they were made for this particular set-up.
Sissybar looks better than the OEM backrest IMO. Very impressed.
Me likey alot if I find one at a swapmeet someday i'll scoop it up and do the same. Never have seen a VN800 with this particular backrest. I think your the 1st person to do this, Maurice.

 

[deanevo]

 

[deanevo]

Some outdoor pics.