Other Hobbies / Interests

Post off topic or stuff that otherwise dosen't fit into a specific category here.
User avatar
SwedeSport
Posts: 3021
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:52 am
Number of Saabs currently owned: 5
Location: Pottstown, PA
Contact:

Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby SwedeSport » Thu Dec 02, 2010 4:56 pm

I would assume that most of the fine folks on the forum have interests other than SAAB stuff. I myself have too darn many hobbies. I figured I could start a new thread for the purpose of sharing/discussing other common interests or hobbies that we all have.

Im into all kinds of stuff besides my passion for SAABs. I have many projects going on and probably always will. This is one of the reasons I rarely finish a project, and Im sure some of you are no different.



Ill kick it off by sharing one of my side projects. This one does have a relevance to the SAAB world, but some of the others do not. Im a huge RC buff. I have 10 RC planes, 2 RC boats, and 9 RC cars. Here is a small scale electric powered pusher prop Parkjet. Its approximately 2 feet long by 18 inches wide. It just happens to be a SAAB Gripen. Its made of 6mm Depron foam and uses flaperons for controls. Its powered by a Speed 400 motor. I bought this one as a kit from Germany. But before assembling it I made patterns of all the parts so I could easily make new panels to repair it. It dawned on me that I could reproduce the kits and sell them if anyone is interested. I can also make a larger scale plane by doubling the pattern sizes. It glued together using Devcon 5 minute epoxy and then sanded to smooth and radius the corners and leading trailing edges. I painted it with standard craft acrylic paints and added some vinyl decals to finish it off. As it stands it is ready for the electronics and final details. Enjoy!
Attachments
GRIPEN2.jpg
GRIPEN1.jpg
Last edited by SwedeSport on Thu Dec 02, 2010 4:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Swedesport Motors, Apparel and Accessories for SAAB Junkies.
Http://Facebook.com/swedesportmotors
Swedesportmotors@gmail.com

User avatar
SwedeSport
Posts: 3021
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:52 am
Number of Saabs currently owned: 5
Location: Pottstown, PA
Contact:

Re: Non Saab Interests

Postby SwedeSport » Thu Dec 02, 2010 4:58 pm

one more photo.
Attachments
GRIPEN3.jpg
Swedesport Motors, Apparel and Accessories for SAAB Junkies.
Http://Facebook.com/swedesportmotors
Swedesportmotors@gmail.com

KPAero
Posts: 409
Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 6:42 pm
Nickname: Pascal
Number of Saabs currently owned: 2
Location: Ipswich, MA

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby KPAero » Thu Dec 02, 2010 7:45 pm

I like the decals, how hard is it flying those?

My second big hobby is sailing/boating. I used to race 420's, one of the more popular dinghy racing class boats. Nowadays Im generally out in my 1967 13' Boston Whaler, or in one of my friends sail boats. I also have a sunfish, but I have not managed to get that in the water in a few years. I did find another use for it's sail though.

Two years ago I was taking to someone who used to have an ice boat, and I thought it sounded like fun. I decided to go about building one, like most of my projects I had no real plans, only a shape in my head of what it would look like. Anyway, I ended up making the main body with a wood skeleton, with fiberglass cloth laid over the top. Then I used a big piece of ash for the rear outriggers, something like 10'X6"X1.74". And another piece of ash out the front for a single skate, that is steered via a bar down by your feet. Right now it has a cable steering system, that is on it's second version, but it still does not work all that well. Im planning to change that out and to use a solid piece of tubing instead. Ive also had difficulty getting the edges on the skates right. The first year they were too dull, and the boat always wanted to slide sideways. This was sort of fun because it required a lot of counter steering, and work with the sail to keep it going straight. (Think real wheel drive on dirt) But it limited the top speed that I could achieve. Last year I sharpened the edges too much and they dug into the ice. Hopefully I can get it just right this year, as getting good days where there is enough breeze and solid smooth ice has proved difficult.


Image
Image
Image

User avatar
SwedeSport
Posts: 3021
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:52 am
Number of Saabs currently owned: 5
Location: Pottstown, PA
Contact:

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby SwedeSport » Thu Dec 02, 2010 10:55 pm

That thing is wicked bad-ass man! I think I may have daydreamed of building something like that. I have done the sailing thing, just on water.

A buddy and I sailed his H16 in regatta's for about 2 years. We were not very competetive, but we were having fun and meeting some cool people. The previous owner cut cockholes in the top of the pontoons right in front of the forward cross beam. Under a big blow the right pontoon was buckling. It turned out to be from the covers being cut into the top, causing it to delaminate. We are on the lookout for a new boat, because Im not racing in 40 knot winds until we get one.

I am restoring a 1972 MacGregor Venture 17, althought the project is currently stalled. I took it apart to fix a crumbling keel and replace some bulkheads and stringers, and it turned into a pocket yacht project. I have a ton of time in it and I hope I finish it. At least I got to sail it a few times before I dismantled it. Its been apart for nearly 3 years. Hope to rejoin the deck and hull this winter.


As far as flying the planes, I couldnt give you an opinion yet. I have been building planes for about 10 years, and a few are 90% complete and some less. The only one I managed to fly was a 60 inch wingspan electric glider. It wasnt pretty, I figured it wasnt gonna last. I managed to get about 10 minutes of flight out of before the vertical tail broke off. The plane stuffed the nose into the dirt and broke into bits. Its kinda put back to about 95% but I never got back to the field yet.

I started RC when I was a kid. My Grandpa had a bunch of tug, fire and warships. All super detailed, moving guns and squirting fire hoses and such. But I got into cars and used to race at a 10th scale dirt oval track here in town. Mostly RC10's, but I was moderately competetive with a heavily modified Tamiya Fox. I turned a Lamborghini Countach body into a Redneck Late model Racer. I wish I still had that car. It was fast and well set up for a real scale clay oval. I bought a bunch of Cars over the years. Still have some of them.
Attachments
fleet.jpg
Swedesport Motors, Apparel and Accessories for SAAB Junkies.
Http://Facebook.com/swedesportmotors
Swedesportmotors@gmail.com

User avatar
SwedeSport
Posts: 3021
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:52 am
Number of Saabs currently owned: 5
Location: Pottstown, PA
Contact:

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby SwedeSport » Thu Dec 02, 2010 10:58 pm

a few other pics
Attachments
HOBIE 1.jpg
Swedesport Motors, Apparel and Accessories for SAAB Junkies.
Http://Facebook.com/swedesportmotors
Swedesportmotors@gmail.com

User avatar
SwedeSport
Posts: 3021
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:52 am
Number of Saabs currently owned: 5
Location: Pottstown, PA
Contact:

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby SwedeSport » Thu Dec 02, 2010 11:03 pm

couldnt fit em all.
Attachments
trailer.jpg
venture.jpg
venture.jpg (85.42 KiB) Viewed 8883 times
Swedesport Motors, Apparel and Accessories for SAAB Junkies.
Http://Facebook.com/swedesportmotors
Swedesportmotors@gmail.com

User avatar
99Super
Posts: 1061
Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:14 pm
Number of Saabs currently owned: 13
Location: Boise, ID
Contact:

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby 99Super » Fri Dec 03, 2010 9:18 pm

I have a couple of other hobbies, some with projects that never seem to be finished.
This one I finished today:
PC030011_2.jpg
PC030011_2.jpg (59.15 KiB) Viewed 8835 times


The frame was built in 1990, but never assembled. I found it and bought it 3 years ago this month. I finished it out using classic Campagnolo NOS parts, excepting the drivetrain. That's a modern Campy Centaur 10 Speed Groupo. The bars and stem are NOS Cinelli, the saddle is a Limited Edition Brooks Professional (Deb bought that for my birthday).
I built the wheels using modern Mavic Open Pro rims w/ DT Swiss 14/15 ga. Double Butted spokes. The front hub and skewer are Campy Super Record, the rear is a Campy Mirage w/ Super Record skewer. I just got that in the mail today...

The point was to build a bike that looked classic, but rides modern.

I rode it a bit this summer w/ a different sent of modern wheels, but I only got the rear hub I had been looking for a few weeks ago. I assembled the wheels last week and had them trued (I'm not a very good wheelsmith), then the skewer today.

Finally, a 100% complete project!

john
_______________________________________________
"I don't want no Commies in my car!... No Christians either!"

User avatar
Luke
Site Admin
Posts: 3387
Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2006 11:12 pm

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby Luke » Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:50 am

99Super wrote:I have a couple of other hobbies, some with projects that never seem to be finished.
This one I finished today:
The attachment PC030011_2.jpg is no longer available


The point was to build a bike that looked classic, but rides modern.

john



ahh, I can jump in on this one, I have a bunch of bike projects always competing for time with the saab stuff. Currenly a 82ish Bianchi with a nice columbus frameset with a bunch of pantographed campy record stuff, a partially complete craigslist score that I need a few more pieces for.

Also I took a french bike boom 10 spd and made a very simple single speed in the vintage french style nicknamed "la moutarde" (the mustard) for the paint color i chose
sept08 017.jpg

stuff 059.jpg

User avatar
99Super
Posts: 1061
Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:14 pm
Number of Saabs currently owned: 13
Location: Boise, ID
Contact:

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby 99Super » Sat Dec 04, 2010 11:16 am

I Like It! I have a number of classic French bikes. A '76 Motobecane Grand Record in VG cond, 531, original Campy Nuovo Record, Brooks, etc., that I'm keeping exactly as I bought it. There's the '76-ish Bertin (very similar to your Jeunet) w/ Campy GS, rideable, but I'm planning a similar overhaul to your "La Moutarde". Also an '83 Peugeot PSVN-10....
Did you do the paint on "la Moutarde"? It looks great! Maybe when I get to refinishing Deb's '81 Miyata 912 (Shimano 600 "Arabesque"), I'll send it to you ;)

john
_______________________________________________
"I don't want no Commies in my car!... No Christians either!"

User avatar
SwedeSport
Posts: 3021
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:52 am
Number of Saabs currently owned: 5
Location: Pottstown, PA
Contact:

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby SwedeSport » Sat Dec 04, 2010 11:46 am

Road bikes are awesome. Extremely light and incredibly fast. I had a buddy who had a few and we would do some touring with them. I never owned one myself, as I was more into other types of bikes. I think I have owned about 30 bikes over the years.

I was into BMX racing when I was a kid. I owned a Diamond Back Silver Streak, that I later sold to get a Redline 500b. I still have the Redline, and Im restoring it. The parts have become so collectible that its gonna cost about 1200 bucks to collect all the vintage parts. I wish I still had the DB as its worth alot to collectors now. I quit racing when they closed my local track. I had some other bikes too ranging from Predators, to a Vintage Schwinn Sting. a few I sold, A few I destroyed, Some were stolen, and one is probably still under 30 ft of water after we had this great idea to build a jump into the pond at the local quarry.

I later got into Freestyle Bikes, and got a magenta Diamond Back Strike Zone. I later tore it apart and repainted it with a Boyd Coddington Candy Grape color. I currently have a Haro, Dave Mirra 540. One of these days Ill drag it to a rally and get his autograph on it.

I then got into mountain bikes and had a Schwinn that a buddy gave me, I used it to commute to work when I lived in Myrtle Beach. It got stolen off my porch. I unfortunatley smoked for a bunch of years, and Marlboro was doing the "Miles" promo. I saved up Miles to get the FUJI folding mountain bike. I always thought that I should have used the miles for a free week on the heart and lung machine, might need that someday. I just sold it on Craigslist about a year ago. I currently own a Diamond Back that I plan to tear down and repaint and fix up. It rides nice but its not my style. Im not crazy about the color.
Attachments
hollywood.jpg
hollywood.jpg (80.06 KiB) Viewed 8798 times
speedster.jpg
speedster.jpg (72.64 KiB) Viewed 8796 times
mirra.jpg
mirra.jpg (62.31 KiB) Viewed 8794 times
Swedesport Motors, Apparel and Accessories for SAAB Junkies.
Http://Facebook.com/swedesportmotors
Swedesportmotors@gmail.com

User avatar
SwedeSport
Posts: 3021
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:52 am
Number of Saabs currently owned: 5
Location: Pottstown, PA
Contact:

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby SwedeSport » Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:17 pm

I was trash picking bikes a few years ago and making some side money putting together good bikes from the parts and then selling them. I probably flipped about 10 bikes in a year or so, and rolled that into flipping old Schwinn bikes. The profit is a little higher and those old classics are just cool.

I bought a 73 Cool Lemon Speedster, cleaned it up real good, and sold it a year later for a nice profit. Bought a P.O.S 71 24" Hollywood Girls bike and restored it, Painted it a real pretty Emerald Green Metallic, cleaned up the chrome and sold it. I invested about 50 bucks in the bike and got 100 bucks for it. Im currently looking for a early Schwinn 24" Cantilever frame set, and the associated springer fork for a Hot Rod project.

I took a childs Runt bike and welded on some curved steel rod, modified a real Schwinn chainguard, and added vintage Schwinn parts to create "The Sting Runt". I mimicked the classic metallic blue, with white concept. I painted the whitewalls with Fusion plastic paint, recovered the banana seat with white vinyl, and bought repro handle grips. All it needs is final assembly and the custom decals that parody the originals. Its about 90% right now.

The green 79 Sting Ray is my latest project. Im doing a Hot Rod out of it. Its gonna get a metallic lime green paint job, but all the chrome is going to be stripped, and the metal will get polished, and then Im gonna use gun blueing. Its gonna get a whitewall knobby on the back, and a brick pattern whitewall up front. I have a 3 speed coaster brake hub for it. Im hunting for a springer fork for it as well and the older style spring seat will mount with a custom seat post to keep it really low. Im gonna go with the standard cruiser bars on it in place of the BMX style ones that are on it. It most likely to get white seat and grips.

The funky looking suspension bike is going to get stretched and modified to accept a set of batteries and a wheelchair motor, and will resemble a crotch rocket when done. But I have not gotten very far with that one. Need to collect more parts before I cut it up and start the design process.
Attachments
sting runt.jpg
sting runt.jpg (43.76 KiB) Viewed 8779 times
hot rod.jpg
hot rod.jpg (41.24 KiB) Viewed 8778 times
susp bmx.jpg
susp bmx.jpg (41.55 KiB) Viewed 8778 times
Swedesport Motors, Apparel and Accessories for SAAB Junkies.
Http://Facebook.com/swedesportmotors
Swedesportmotors@gmail.com

User avatar
SwedeSport
Posts: 3021
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:52 am
Number of Saabs currently owned: 5
Location: Pottstown, PA
Contact:

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby SwedeSport » Sat Dec 04, 2010 12:26 pm

This was a Black Friday surprise at WalMart a few years ago. Each store only got 2 of them. They were all black. Collectors refer to them as the Black Friday Krate. Its a repro of the Krate bikes from the late 60's and early 70's. Although they are not a true repro, and are made in China (as are all Schwinns now), they are still collectible. I paid 80.00 for it, and collectors are paying up to 300 bucks for one in really nice condition. I ride mine, but kept all the tags and labeling that came with it.
Attachments
BFK.jpg
Swedesport Motors, Apparel and Accessories for SAAB Junkies.
Http://Facebook.com/swedesportmotors
Swedesportmotors@gmail.com

User avatar
99Super
Posts: 1061
Joined: Wed Jan 24, 2007 5:14 pm
Number of Saabs currently owned: 13
Location: Boise, ID
Contact:

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby 99Super » Sat Dec 04, 2010 2:39 pm

I've had so many Schwinns over the years...

Now I have a 79 Cruiser5 in that same blue n white pattern. HevyDuty wheels, Ashtabula forks, Atom drum brake and Shimano's first-gen Index Shifting. I've replaced the 52 tooth front sprocket w/ a 42-tooth unit from a Collegiate. Let's me use my rear cogs more efficiently. I installed Michelin City slicks and use it as my around-town speedster w/ no fenders. I took off the original saddle and am storing that, now I just use a generic cruiser saddle. I have an original springer fork I picked up at a swap this summer, but there's no head tube. I'll likely buy a Taiwan re-pro just for that part...

Deb also has a 79 Cruiser 5, black n white, but we are keeping that one original.

Twin Schwinns.jpg
Twin Schwinns.jpg (194.5 KiB) Viewed 8761 times


Ya gotta admit, it's easier to have lots of bikes than lots of SAABs! :crazy:

john
_______________________________________________
"I don't want no Commies in my car!... No Christians either!"

User avatar
SwedeSport
Posts: 3021
Joined: Mon Jun 15, 2009 9:52 am
Number of Saabs currently owned: 5
Location: Pottstown, PA
Contact:

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby SwedeSport » Sat Dec 04, 2010 3:17 pm

Unfortunately I have both, a pile of bike projects, and a pile of SAAB projects. It sometimes takes a few years to conceptualize a new bike and hunt down all the parts. But once its all collected, they come together really fast.

My buddy built a badass 66 Sting Ray. It had the rare apehanger bars with the steeper dropdown. It was done with House of Color satin black. Had a whitewall slik and whitewall front tire. He had the rims powder coated with a candy magenta. It has the nutbusting 3 spd stick shift. It has dice valve caps, and an 8 ball shifter, and an original headlight.

He was partially responsible for the resurgance in my desire to play with old Schwinns.
Attachments
66wgz.jpg
66wgz.jpg (61.84 KiB) Viewed 8750 times
Swedesport Motors, Apparel and Accessories for SAAB Junkies.
Http://Facebook.com/swedesportmotors
Swedesportmotors@gmail.com

User avatar
Jordan
Site Admin
Posts: 4068
Joined: Fri Oct 13, 2006 2:38 pm
Number of Saabs currently owned: 6
Location: Vernon, CT
Contact:

Re: Other Hobbies / Interests

Postby Jordan » Sat Dec 04, 2010 4:09 pm

So this is what happens when we run out of gasoline... :bawl:


Return to “Random Thoughts”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest