New here: Nishiki Alien Build

[FlightPilot]

Hey all you Retronauts (is that word? if not it is now, I'ma use that...)
Here from the Mile High city (no jokes please)
So I used to have a Nishiki Cascade in the neon yellow. Its the bike that got me into riding. Saw a magazine ad when I was in jr high, and said; I HAVE TO HAVE THAT BIKE!!! After hunting one down and putting it on layway, I finally got it! Slowly upgraded parts. and it was awesome. then it cracked (I think) had it warrantied for a lame Aluminum regular non E-stay frame... Cracked that.... Picked up a Amp B-2 (under the mongoose name.... cracked that...) The I decided to start my own brand and build my own bikes and parts...

Anyway, so I always had in the back of my mind to find another cascade or ariel, or even alien... but never though much about it... till a few weeks ago... On a whim I decided to see what I could find.... BEHOLD, a VGC green alien frame... just like the one I'd seen in the shop once!.... YES! I just had the guy ship it to me!...
Started thinking of all the old parts I have at my moms house (how do you describe bike parts to your mom?....If its blue green or purple, just ship it to me!)

the past couple weeks ive been thinking non stop about building this thing up!
Wheels Machine Tech, blue, with Mavic sunset Ano rims, with rainbow nipples (gonna have to fix, that, don't want anyone to get the wrong idea!)
King turquoise headset (no logo)
XTR shifters/lever (m950)
original XT v brakes (id like to actually stop, so no way am I using cantis)
Marzocchi DH3 in green ano!
NOS Tioga psycho amber tire (rear) NOS Michelin Green wild gripper sprint 2.1 (Front.)
Cranks: NIB Tioga Revolvers!!! Yay just found them!!(will have the spider ano blue)
Blue ano Odessy mtb pedals with Ti spindles, and neon green or yellow cages
OR Time Atacs with yellow inserts
and SDG green metallic flake saddle!

OH AND I have 2 power posts, one green ano and one turquoise! Will decide which and sell the other.

Also I have 2 Bell Image pros, and XTR shorts AND blue with yellow and orange Sidi Adrenalines (3/4 tops)


So I started riding, that Cascade in Houston, but never got to Ride it here in CO, so Finally Ill get to ride, OG here in the Mtns! full circle!
(oh and I even actually spoke with Richard Cunningham on the phone, a few years ago)

You know that scene in Seinfeld, where Kramer is testing the Saab jerry wants to buy, and Kramer and the sales guy see just how far past "E" on the fuel gauge they can go, and do a Thelma and Lousie re-enactment? Its like that!

Actually Im even considering making a slightly modernized version of the frame

 

[raidan73]

Welcome to the forum

That sounds like a whole lots of colours you've got going on in your build, lets have some pics!!

Oh and what is/was your brand.

 

[Tc]

Pulling up a chair

 

[FlightPilot]

Ok So the frame just arrived.

Basically the way im going about it is as if I had it from new back then, where I would have slowly upgraded parts over a couple years. so up till about 1998 or so.
Im debating some of the parts such as possibly using either xtr or Magura brakes (in one of the brighter colors of course)
Not completely sure what im gong to do as far as the stem(threadless). I had a stem I made but I cant seem to find it. it was cool as it had a sleeve so you didn't need spacers and could move it up and down to where you wanted and even pull it off with out dropping the fork. (actually we are talking about making a new verison of that stem)

also think Im going to re set up an anodizing station.

 

[elPedro666]

Welcome to the forum

That sounds like a whole lots of colours you've got going on in your build, lets have some pics!!

Oh and what is/was your brand.

^^^What he said!

 

[incorrigible]

Pulling up a chair

+1

 

[FlightPilot]

Ok well Im back at it.... Does anyone have a paint code for the Alien green? (I went to the automotive paint supply we use, and their paint match scanner, just went nuts and said "NO")
I have to have my welder repair the cracks and Im going to have him just do them from the inside, Not sure if it will burn the paint.....


Have a pair of of Spins, and a set of wheels im building with Sunset 217 ano rims.

 

[FlightPilot]

also does anyone have Logos for the Alien frame (including the RC signature?)
OR does anyone want to split the costs of paint and decals?

 

[incorrigible]

Ok well Im back at it.... Does anyone have a paint code for the Alien green? (I went to the automotive paint supply we use, and their paint match scanner, just went nuts and said "NO")
I have to have my welder repair the cracks and Im going to have him just do them from the inside, Not sure if it will burn the paint....

I could be wrong, but from what I can tell looking at a green Alien frame that I have, the paint appears to be multi-stage; the first stage being chartreuse , and the second coat being a candy yellow with either pearl or very small metallic bits, or both.

Trial and error is probably the only way to match that paint, and make sure the trial paint dries before making a decision because wet paint looks brighter than dried paint.

House of Kolor (HOK) has a tremendous selection (in fact, probably the BEST selection) of automotive-grade paints, metallics, pearls, etc.

http://www.houseofkolor.com/about/about.jsp

Both Coast Air Brush and TCP Global are distributors for HOK paints, and TCP also has their own "in-house" brand of competing products.

http://www.coastairbrush.com/index.html

http://www.tcpglobal.com/

Here's a link to a starter kit offered by TCP Global:

http://www.tcpglobal.com/HOK-KIT-STARTER-4Z.html

As for decals, I have read countless posts on RB about the high quality of the decals produced by RBer gil_m, so I'd say PM him for more info. After applying decals, a catalyzed (hardened) clearcoat applied over the entire frame will protect both the paint and the decals for a long time.

If I were you, I'd match the paint, and then strip the frame completely and have it repaired, and then start over.

Best of luck to you, and of course we'll want to see pics when you're done.

 

[lewisfoto]

Mile High City


Yes indeed the meaning of that sure has changed….