Rear End Progress

Rear wheel with new tire is on. That's kind of a pain the first time, like everything. It's starting to look like a motorcycle again, though.

Before installing it, I cleaned up the rear brake some and greased the cam that pushes out the shoes. They tell you to loosen the final drive bolts before installing the wheel, but not before taking it off. I thought that was weird until my new tire wouldn't fit without loosening those so the unit would move a little bit. I also had to loosen the rear fender and pull it up some. I'm guessing at all the torques on the bike, so hopefully it doesn't fall apart at 80 mph.

At some point, I need to get a torque wrench.

I still need to fix the cut wires and fill and pressurize the forks. I don't know if they have fluid or air pressure.

Sam is about to bleed and is making it hard to focus, so that's all for now.

Front End Progress

The new fork and wheel are on, as well as the brakes, speedo cable and refurbished fender. They're shiny! I'm not sure if the fork has oil in it, so I still have to figure that out. I pulled a little bolt out of the bottom, and it gurgled, but nothing came out. I'm not sure that means it's empty, though.

I charged the battery overnight, and for a couple more hours this afternoon. It feels charged.

Battery

The new tires are mounted, (on the wheels), balanced, and the battery is charging. These are both technologies that I know little about, but as long as I don't ruin something I'm happily learning. Tomorrow morning I'll take the battery of the charger before work, and maybe mount the fork after work. And fix the wires I cut.

New Tires

Bike shop wants $25/wheel to replace and balance tires. Bent bike was closed yesterday, so I went to buy tires today. Those guys mount and balance for $8/wheel if you buy them there, so I paid for the tires and mount/balance today and will take the wheels in tomorrow. I left the new tires there. $212.00 was the total! :)

Unexpected Progress

I got a fuel filter from Shucks. The guy knew exactly what I needed--it was weird.

And I found some instructions on how to clean out the tank, so I did that. Flushed with MEK, flushed with water, flushed with alcohol, air dried, put in mix of oil and gas and sloshed around, drained, and called it good. It's still rusty inside, but the big stuff is gone. (I didn't want to tackle the muriatic acid method of completely eliminating the rust just yet.)

I routed the breather line inside the air box, (clamp was a bitch), and installed it. I put all the associated electronical components back on, and then installed the cleaned secondary tank. Then the rear fender and associated electrical stuff went back, as well as the rear rack and toolbox holder that sits behind the passenger backrest. The I installed the used air chamber using the new clamp. I tried to put the new one on, but the carb holes didn't line up, and I didn't want to screw with it. The breather is mashed between the air chamber and the rear cylinder head, but I see no other way. Also, the cylinder head seems to have had a hose there in the past, and the hose that came with my Ebay airbox seems to have been smashed in that area.

But wait, there's more!

I removed the front wheel and then the fork. That's easier said than done, but it's done. The bike is now precariously perched on a piece of wood on a car jack on a car stand. The new fork looks like a perfect fit, but I'm calling it quits for today. I notice that the throttle cables are poorly routed, and will have to be done right when I replace the handlebar.

Tomorrow I'm going to stop by my local bike mechanic and see if he will replace my tires and balance the wheels if I bring them to him. And I'm gonna get some electrical connectors to fix the wires I had to cut to remove the rear fender. :)

Oh, and get some PB Blaster. It's the best penetrating oil ever!

Major Rear End Disassembly

The center stand is on--that was a bitch. The fork is in the shop and ready to go, but that won't be for a little while.

I got my shelves from my mom's house, which is being foreclosed on. However, they are filled with all the stuff that was on them there, so my work area is actually smaller now. That's rad.

The air box arrived also, and it turns out that I have to use it, because the asshole that screwed up this bike screwed that up too.

I stopped by Napa and picked up some grease, rags, penetrating oil, cotter pins and air tool oil.

I took off the back wheel, but that was a chore. It was so tight, my impact gun didn't work. I had to put my hella long Snap-On 1/2" ratchet on the axle nut and jump up and down on the end of the handle. Ridiculous.

I then removed the rack, rear fender, secondary tank, (also a bitch), and air box. To remove the air box, I had to move and remove way more electrical components and wires than I'm comfortable with, given that I left my camera at work. Now I'm scared. I've really made a mess.

The fuel filter is full of black crap, so I took it off and went to Napa to get another one, but they were closed. The secondary tank is full of black crap, and I have to figure out how to clean it out before re-assembling. But I need to re-assemble this thing fast before I forget how the wires and electrical stuff is routed and positioned.

And today is Saturday, so they probably won't be open tomorrow. And then I won't have much time to work on the bike till the next weekend.

This is a fairly difficult thing to do, and I haven't even put anything ON the bike yet!

Acquiring Parts

I got the fork assembly for $42.00 pluss $40 shipping. That's a screamin' deal. I'm still set to get the airbox with the associated parts I need for $10.00. I bought a center stand for $25.00 on Ebay, too.

I polished the front fender. That took about 2 hours of hand rubbing--not something I'd like to repeat.

I also spent some time with the manual learning what all the mysterious electronical gadgets found all over the bike are. I learned about the spark units, coils, starter solenoid, signal relay, and that might be all.

I still need to figure out how to turn the engine by hand.

There is no timing adjustment, thanks to an ingenious system that I do not yet understand. There is no valve adjustment either. And the clutch is hydraulic. There is also a low gas indicator. Along with the water cooling and shaft drive, this bike is pretty far from the chopper I plan to build, but it's mine and it's badass. And I'm learning hella.

Gas Tank

The new gas tank fits. Well, it does now! It was fine except the front mounts were too far apart, and the main line clamp needed repositioning. I bent the mounts (back?), and they work. The back end was very close, and with some persuasion, I got the bolt started. The bottom of the tank seems to just touch the frame, but I can't be sure. Sure looks pretty!

I'm still the high bidder on the forks at $29.99 and $9.99 on the airbox and all associated tubes and fittings. Getting a fork for that insane price will make me feel a little better about losing $250.00, but I'm still upset. That's just messed up!

I'm getting really nervous about the day I try to start it.

Lesson

A guy is parting out an '85 on Ebay. I got the gas tank for $133.00. I also found the air box parts, including the one I bought for $200.00. I'm currently in the lead at $10.00. That also means I wasted $60 on the KnN filter. Well, I'll use it cause it's better.

I'm also winning on the forks at $30.00. That's better than $2,300.00 from the NL!

I wasn't willing to pay more than $90.00 for the seat, so I lost it.

Mental note: ALWAYS USE EBAY!!!

Fan shroud is painted. That was adventure, too, but it's done and looks rad.

Battery is filled, but not holding a charge. That might have to be replaced.

Disconnected speedo cable and removed front fender.

Wrong Gas Tank

I got a fluorescent shop light from Home Depot and hung it over the bike. It's badass.

I test fitted the new air chamber, and tried to put the tank on. It's the wrong tank! That explains all the stupid modifications somebody did. It doesn't come close to fitting. I went to Bent Bike, and they didn't have a tank. Then I got online and found one on Ebay right away--weird. So I bid on it.

Oh, and my KnN filter arrived. It's useless without a tank, so it's on hold.

I got some distilled water and am about to test the battery.

Then I'm gonna clean and paint the fan shroud, remove the speedo cable and polish the front fender. Maybe remove the front brake too.

Bead Blastin'

The sand blaster works. I got half a bag of glass beads from work, hooked it up, and proceeded to blast all the paint and rust off the fan shroud. (It was the worst looking part on the bike--very rusty.) The compressor didn't want to keep up, so I had to stop a lot.

On the way home from work, I got some hi-temp orange paint from NAPA, and I'm gonna paint it tomorrow. The bike is black, so it should stand out nicely!

Paint cost: $8.00

I made a mess with the beads, and I'm pretty sure I have some in my lungs. I also have got it in my mouth, somehow. It's crunchy.

But bead blasting is the way to go. Someday I'll get a blast cabinet and just blast rusty parts all day long!

Power

My shop now has power! I crawled under the house through the cobwebs and bugs and dust and fiberglass with a Maglight and a power cord in search of the mythical hidden outlet. After some searching, I found it. I ran the cord halfway across the yard, (in the rain and dodging dog poop that Wade is incapable of picking up), plugged another one into it and ran it into my shed. I then stole a lamp and a plug strip from the living room, (it was buried behind crap anyway), and I let there be light.

Then I fired up Aaron's compressor. After some head scratching, I figured out that there was an open valve on the bottom of the tank and I closed it. Then I had AIR POWER!

I put my fittings on my air tools, found that they leak, and put teflon tape on them. I had the foresight to pick some up on the way home today. Now nothing leaks. I need a water separator before I try to run anything other than my air nozzle or sand blaster, though.

I brought in a shopvac from work, plugged it in, (hoo-rah!), and with that, my flashlight and air nozzle I cleaned off all the cobwebs, pine needles, bugs and crap that I could. It's still hella dirty, but I'm afraid to hose it down with all the open lines and holes. Obviously, I should have done that before putting it in the shed.

The sand blaster box is a piece of shit. I broke the worthless cover off of it off and threw it away. I plugged the resulting holes, and it's ready to fill up. I just need some blast medium, now.

I have to get some hi-temp metal primer and engine enamel to paint the fan shroud after I blast it. Shucks has the enamel, but not the primer!

Speedo cable, more rust removal, wire routing, air cleaner, AC chamber install, tires, final drive oil, battery, and probably some unexpected stuff still to go before riding. After that, forks, seat, handgrips, maybe new handlebars, and other stuff.