Another winter resurrection

Danno · Feb 16, 2015

Got started on this a couple years ago and then dropped the ball. Trying to get it done this time.

Doesn't look bad for sitting for 15 years.

Carb overhaul first;

This was a mess;

Danno · Feb 16, 2015

Looks like this after re-chroming and m/c overhaul;

Built a workstand to save my back;

shown with the metal Hi-Rider tank I got fom a friend, SS pipes and Dunstall replica mufflers

Danno · Feb 16, 2015

I'm 6'3", so it's plenty tall and quite stable

Removed and repainted the battery tray and installed a new gel battery. Rewired with soldered rather than crimped connectors;

Danno · Feb 16, 2015

While I await some things to arrive in the mail, I decided to mod and make some things;

I had previously made some hangers for the SS pipes using sheet aluminum as a pattern;

apologies for the fuzzy pics

Danno · Feb 16, 2015

Had a spare set, so I turned these;

into these;

Always hated the nasty chromed chainguard, so I made one from alloy;

Will keep this updated as progress happens.

gtsun · Feb 16, 2015

Nice work on those brackets and chain guard very impressive

Danno · Feb 16, 2015

gtsun said:
Nice work on those brackets and chain guard very impressive

Thanks. They are packed and ready to take to a metal finisher for fine polishing.

aceaceca · Feb 16, 2015

Very resourceful. Also nice to see a face to go with a post. Everyone is so secretive with where they live and what they look like. Strange. Is that a 65 Ford under the cover there? Your bike is coming along and is surely in good hand. Carry on.

Danno · Feb 16, 2015

aceaceca said:
Very resourceful. Also nice to see a face to go with a post. Everyone is so secretive with where they live and what they look like. Strange. Is that a 65 Ford under the cover there? Your bike is coming along and is surely in good hand. Carry on.

'66 Galaxie Convertible. Unlike the bike, it runs and gets semi-regular usage in nicer weather. Have been doing mechanical work on it for years. New wiring, brake overhaul, transmission rebuild, rear end swap-out. Last things were conversion back to stock intake and shift linkage rebuild. It's getting down to where I'm gonna have to start doing cosmetic work because everything else is done.

ashman · Feb 16, 2015

Very nice work and love the exhaust system, it makes it even better when you can make your own parts or mods using your own hands, I did the same things when I first built my 850 to the Featherbed everything done with my hands, but now I have a lathe and milling machine in my workshop will make things a bit easier, keep up the good work and be proud of what you have done so far, be even better when you take it for that first ride, you won't be able to wipe the

off your face.

Ashley

Danno · Feb 16, 2015

Thanks for the kudos. Wish I had more machine-type tools to play with, but this being a hobby makes that prohibitively expensive. I bent the first example of the chainguard in a vise with clamps, wood blocks and a sledge hammer, but the bends looked funky, so I took a piece of the 3/32 sheet to a shop and had it more properly bent on a large brake. Helps to know people. The pipe hangers, along with the head steady side plates, were made from an old dirtbike skidplate, 1/4" thick. Made a small binnacle for the ignition switch (and the ammeter that's in the post somewhere) from the cut-off of the rear fender. Both fenders are actually mid-sixties Triumph T120 items.

cjandme · Feb 17, 2015

Danno said:
........... The pipe hangers, along with the head steady side plates, were made from an old dirtbike skidplate, 1/4" thick.........

+1 -- nicely done. I'm currently working on my exhaust and have a 2 into 1 that looks similar to the one you showed in your "before" photo. However the collector was badly rusted, so I was gonna get a new collector from cone engineering and cut and splice it in. Then I lucked into a good deal on some used SS header pipes (which I've always liked the look of) , however I just was the winning bidder (35 bucks) on a pair of regular header pipes -- no balance/crossover tube--and will change direction and get some pea shooter mufflers for them instead. Your brackets look to be strong enough to work really well for the nice looking SS set up you've put together there. Cj

Danno · Feb 17, 2015

cjandme said:
Danno said:

........... The pipe hangers, along with the head steady side plates, were made from an old dirtbike skidplate, 1/4" thick.........

Click to expand...

+1 -- nicely done. I'm currently working on my exhaust and have a 2 into 1 that looks similar to the one you showed in your "before" photo. However the collector was badly rusted, so I was gonna get a new collector from cone engineering and cut and splice it in. Then I lucked into a good deal on some used SS header pipes (which I've always liked the look of) , however I just was the winning bidder (35 bucks) on a pair of regular header pipes -- no balance/crossover tube--and will change direction and get some pea shooter mufflers for them instead. Your brackets look to be strong enough to work really well for the nice looking SS set up you've put together there. Cj

I hope so. Those Dunstall-replica cans are heavy as hell. Would really like some stainless Supertrapp shorties. They are ex-freaking-$pensive.

cjandme · Feb 17, 2015

Danno said:
........heavy as hell.......&......Would really like some stainless Supertrapp shorties. They are ex-freaking-$pensive.

To copy a term my kids are using these days .......I know, right !

Danno · Feb 21, 2015

Started to pull the gearbox outer cover today to change the leaky gasket, but the cover's being quite obstinate. Whacked it with a rubber mallet and a hammer and wood block and can't seem to break it loose. Maybe a little judicious heat?

Northton · Feb 21, 2015

If you leave, or put the shift lever back on, you can use it for leverage to wiggle the cover off.

Danno · Feb 21, 2015

Northton said:
If you leave, or put the shift lever back on, you can use it for leverage to wiggle the cover off.

I'll try that.

Danno · Feb 21, 2015

Good tip, but that didn't quite do it. Tomorrow, I'll apply some heat.

Hobot · Feb 21, 2015

i did a study on the many ways to remove semi glued on subborn AMC outer cover last year to find its lower part needs to move outward 1st and a bit more than the upper so comes off skewed not straight out and best tool for the job was claws of carpentry hammer in the filler hole for light bumping-levering outward the lower part more than the top to eases right off no problemo.

Danno · Feb 21, 2015

hobot said:
i did a study on the many ways to remove semi glued on subborn AMC outer cover last year to find its lower part needs to move outward 1st and a bit more than the upper so comes off skewed not straight out and best tool for the job was claws of carpentry hammer in the filler hole for light bumping-levering outward the lower part more than the top to eases right off no problemo.

Believe it or don't, before I tried the shift lever trick, I actually had the claws of an old carpenter hammer in the very hole, but I was concerned I might bugger something.

And I can't blame AMC, only MDS (mydamnself) for gooing on the cover so securely.