Another winter resurrection

Danno · Mar 8, 2015

Propane torch around the perimeter was sufficient to break the cover loose. Gasket was basically goo except where it was sandwiched betweeen the inner and outer. Need some more caustic gasket remover to get both pieces clean and then doing the new gasket. I think I'm gonna trim the new piece down so not so much sticks up into the void, uselessly.

Danno · Mar 10, 2015

Made a new alloy bracket for the ignition switch and new ammeter since boring the stainless one I made previously presented problems. Now the ignition switch is giving problems, so I ordered a new one this morning. Sometimes 40-year-old crap is just 40-year-old crap.

New bracket/plate/binnacle on top w/ammeter. Old stainless one on the bottom.

Danno · Mar 28, 2015

Worked the front wheel over today; Spooned off the old, hard tire and took a wire wheel to the inside of the rim:

Spooned on the new skin, balanced and polished the outer rim and hub. Also bolted up the reground and repainted front rotor:

Mounted it back up to the bike. Waiting for new chain, tube for the new rear tire and a tool to overhaul the rear caliper:

tomspro · Mar 29, 2015

I had some trouble sealing up my gearbox until I used this stuff on the gasket.
http://www.gasgacinch.com/
No leaks now and am confident it will not be a hassle to remove the outer case when necessary.
Got it at the local Kawasaki dealer shop.

Danno · Apr 3, 2015

Thanks I might try that.

Did the rear wheel and tire today. Basixcally the same drill as the front except I painted the sprocket and installed and riveted the new chain.

Next up, rear caliper overhaul. Front brake is functional, just needs a fluid change.

Danno · Apr 7, 2015

Got the parts back from the polisher today. Everything looks like British tumbled alloy.

Danno · Apr 13, 2015

Got the ignition/ammeter bracket mounted and the wiring finalized.

Drive side buttoned up tonight.

Also refinished the rear caliper bracket.

Danno · Apr 26, 2015

Spent the afternoon yesterday at my buddy's shop, cutting the Indian-made metal sidecovers down to size. As you can see from the photos, no way they would fit between the frame rails like stock pieces.

The black lines represent what the profile should be, along with where the botom tab must be relocated;

Original fiberglass covers inside the metal ones;

Cut a section out of one 1'2" to 3/4" and 1/4" to 1/2" out of the other. Here they are, ready for the Tig welder.

Also cut the rolled edges off both covers, so they should look pretty close to factory parts when finished.

Danno · Apr 26, 2015

Just discovered via test fitting that the holes and bosses for the oil tank top bolts must be moved forward on the covers about 5/8" and the hole(s) for the stud(s) at the rear of the left side (battery) cover are about 1/2" too low, making the cover sit that much too high.

BritTwit · Apr 26, 2015

Danno said:
Got the parts back from the polisher today. Everything looks like British tumbled alloy.

Beautiful shiny alloy bits.
Who did the polishing for you?

Danno · Apr 26, 2015

BritTwit said:
Danno said:

Got the parts back from the polisher today. Everything looks like British tumbled alloy.

Click to expand...

Beautiful shiny alloy bits.
Who did the polishing for you?

Smothers Brothers Metal Finishing
17 Commercial St.
Millstadt, Il. 62260
618-476-7622

It was $160 for the lot. Other than the primary cover and the outer edges of the Z plates, everything was pretty rough to begin with, especially the inner edges of the Z plates where I cut them out with a jigsaw and filed them a little smoother.

Danno · May 2, 2015

Side covers are at the Tig welder's shop. Mounted the heat shields today. Used some stainless wellnuts, spacers and button head allens along with some stainless hose clamps to attach the shields to the pipes.

Every time I think I'm a paint job away from firing this thing up and going for a ride, another little task pops into my head.

Danno · May 4, 2015

Made a bracket to hold the rear of the sidecover and mount the brake light switch.

Danno · May 26, 2015

Put the fiberglass on just for eye candy until I can get the metal sidwecovers back ansd get them and the metal Hi-Rider tank painted. Getting close......

Danno · May 27, 2015

Got the shorty peashooters today. I like the long Decibel replicas, but these are 1/2 the weight.

ashman · May 28, 2015

Looking good, love the pipes, hope she goes as good as she looks, you be getting a bit excited the closer you get, but don't ride it till its all finished, good luck with the first outing on it.

Ashley

Danno · May 28, 2015

Thanks, Ashley. Since this is my "old" bike and not really a regular mode of transportation, I'm in no rush. Whenever something frustrates me, I walk away for a while and come back at it fresh. The new chainguard need tweaking as do the mounts for the shortys. I've tried to fire it up a couple of times and although I've got spark and fuel, only a few pops resulted. I fired it a couple of years ago after redoing the carbs, but I think I'm just not able to kick it hard enough to get it rolling properly.

A buddy brought his '68 W1 650 Kawasaki (BSA A10 rip) by the other day to goon at. He's looking for someone to rebuild the head, as the intake guides are slopped out from no lubrication on that side due to the oil feed being clogged up with solder from the factory. I'm going to try a trick on mine he got from Dale Walksler; put a hot plate under the engine for a few hours and fool it into thinking it's been run recently. I think it just loosens things up when there's been no fire for a few years. Then maybe I can spin it quickly enough to get it to run.

michael levato · May 29, 2015

If not spinning over fast enough try draining sump as quite possibly wet sumped while sitting.

Danno · May 29, 2015

michael levato said:
If not spinning over fast enough try draining sump as quite possibly wet sumped while sitting.

Thanks, but I already did. Didn't seem to make much difference. The hot plate has been under it all day and it is quite a it warmer than it was, Tomorrow, I'll see if that trick did any good. Spent this afternoon and evening making up some mount plates for the shortys and getting them set up and finished.

Couldn't find any suitable alloy, so they're painted steel for the time being.

o0norton0o · May 29, 2015

It's really a beautiful bike with those high pipes. I have low slung dunstall's on my bike and like their sound. Any reason why you changed your dunstall's out for the pea shooters?