robs ss
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- Aug 16, 2016
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I'm in the process of rebuilding a 1964 650SS that was imported from South Africa to Australia about 3 years ago.
It is my dream rebuild but also gives me some distraction time whilst looking after my better half who is very unwell at present.
I'll start with a few shots of the motor (test assembled without pistons or timing gear) together with some info on the motor to date (I'll post more later as time permits):
* The crankshaft is in good condition, original journals size so I disassembled, cleaned, rebuilt and had dynamically balanced to 65%.
* The conrods were mismatched so got some good commando ones of evilbay.
* Pistons and rings are good, like new - first oversize
* Carbs are original - with June '64 date stamped on flanges. Thought they would need resleeving as slides were quite loose. Got new slides from Burlens and they wouldn't fit, it worked out the bodies were out of round - a bit of careful "oversqueezing" with soft timber and clamps and they're like new!
* Main bearings only had 0.001" shrink in cases. This together with the fact that I want to fit lower rear reed valve crank breather (Jim Comstock design/idea) and did not want to adulterate the matching numbers casings meant a hunt for an "orphan pair". Eventually found some on evilbay that gave 0.0035" shrink on bearings (they're 1960 numbers - so at least a bit of Bracebridge Street on the bike)- you'll notice the oblong ports (bigger to minimise pressure loss) and tappings for the reed valve in the closeup rear photo.
*Using superblends, shimmed the outer races to 0.010" crank endfloat
* Spent some time with 1/4" drill and various dremel bits removing extraneous casting sprue?? from airways between cylinders on barrel and through head. Cooling very important here in tropical Queensland. Amazing how much more "open" they look.
* Base of barrel I blued - scraped - filed, blued - scraped - filed, blued - scraped - filed, blued..... 4 hours of work later the many gaps between crankcase and barrel were reduced from 0.008" to only a couple at 0.001" - 0.0015". I figured this is good enough. Will use Loctite 518 without gasket for this joint. Just painted the barrel with hight temp engine enamel and baked in the oven for an hour.
* Had K2FC magneto professionally rebuilt - but cam ring was not concentric with shaft (not happy!) but texasSlick's advice on the site helped - all good now
* I think I might have a fetish for fasteners (not quite as bad as the carb bolt vs stud thread though) but in my eye Dominators look "right" with slotted screws in the right places - work well too if you use the correct size screwdriver,
* Homemade engine stand looks a bit sad but will have to do as I can't weld
Anyway, as I said above I'll post more as it progresses
Cheers
Rob
It is my dream rebuild but also gives me some distraction time whilst looking after my better half who is very unwell at present.
I'll start with a few shots of the motor (test assembled without pistons or timing gear) together with some info on the motor to date (I'll post more later as time permits):
* The crankshaft is in good condition, original journals size so I disassembled, cleaned, rebuilt and had dynamically balanced to 65%.
* The conrods were mismatched so got some good commando ones of evilbay.
* Pistons and rings are good, like new - first oversize
* Carbs are original - with June '64 date stamped on flanges. Thought they would need resleeving as slides were quite loose. Got new slides from Burlens and they wouldn't fit, it worked out the bodies were out of round - a bit of careful "oversqueezing" with soft timber and clamps and they're like new!
* Main bearings only had 0.001" shrink in cases. This together with the fact that I want to fit lower rear reed valve crank breather (Jim Comstock design/idea) and did not want to adulterate the matching numbers casings meant a hunt for an "orphan pair". Eventually found some on evilbay that gave 0.0035" shrink on bearings (they're 1960 numbers - so at least a bit of Bracebridge Street on the bike)- you'll notice the oblong ports (bigger to minimise pressure loss) and tappings for the reed valve in the closeup rear photo.
*Using superblends, shimmed the outer races to 0.010" crank endfloat
* Spent some time with 1/4" drill and various dremel bits removing extraneous casting sprue?? from airways between cylinders on barrel and through head. Cooling very important here in tropical Queensland. Amazing how much more "open" they look.
* Base of barrel I blued - scraped - filed, blued - scraped - filed, blued - scraped - filed, blued..... 4 hours of work later the many gaps between crankcase and barrel were reduced from 0.008" to only a couple at 0.001" - 0.0015". I figured this is good enough. Will use Loctite 518 without gasket for this joint. Just painted the barrel with hight temp engine enamel and baked in the oven for an hour.
* Had K2FC magneto professionally rebuilt - but cam ring was not concentric with shaft (not happy!) but texasSlick's advice on the site helped - all good now
* I think I might have a fetish for fasteners (not quite as bad as the carb bolt vs stud thread though) but in my eye Dominators look "right" with slotted screws in the right places - work well too if you use the correct size screwdriver,
* Homemade engine stand looks a bit sad but will have to do as I can't weld
Anyway, as I said above I'll post more as it progresses
Cheers
Rob