My MKIII rebuild

zackybilly1 · Sep 29, 2009

Coco,

When I first started tinkering with bikes back in the day, I would work on it 15% of the time and stare at it/stratagize (while consuming a few brews) 85% of the time. Finally, I had to develop the "do something, even if it's wrong" philosophy. Then, once you get in motion, you'll surprise yourself about how much you can get done. These days I think they refer to it as "git 'er done". It's my duty to remind you how easy this stuff is if you just stay in motion. I was beginning to think that it would be next Spring before you got to experience the joys of your efforts. But it sounds like your on the right track.

Did they ever come up with a price on the head?...last I heard they received some with shipping damage. I'd love to have one and I think its great that a new & improved is available but I'm running bone stock cams & top end....don't think I'd see much benefit without stripping mine down and starting over (billet crank, Maney crankcase, Carillos, big bore, higher CR, lumpy cams, outboard bearing, etc.). For me, I know what the end result would be....Bang! I'll leave the hot-rodding up to you.

On the motor pic, stock it was rated at 106HP.....now days, they are getting 155hp out of 1000cc bikes that weigh 100 lbs less. It's a dinosaur...nine years younger than my Norton.

Z

Coco · Sep 29, 2009

zackybilly1 said:
Coco,

When I first started tinkering with bikes back in the day, I would work on it 15% of the time and stare at it/stratagize (while consuming a few brews) 85% of the time. Finally, I had to develop the "do something, even if it's wrong" philosophy. Then, once you get in motion, you'll surprise yourself about how much you can get done. These days I think they refer to it as "git 'er done". It's my duty to remind you how easy this stuff is if you just stay in motion. I was beginning to think that it would be next Spring before you got to experience the joys of your efforts. But it sounds like your on the right track.

Did they ever come up with a price on the head?...last I heard they received some with shipping damage. I'd love to have one and I think its great that a new & improved is available but I'm running bone stock cams & top end....don't think I'd see much benefit without stripping mine down and starting over (billet crank, Maney crankcase, Carillos, big bore, higher CR, lumpy cams, outboard bearing, etc.). For me, I know what the end result would be....Bang! I'll leave the hot-rodding up to you.

Z

I do actually just so stuff and maybe 2 times out of 10 I do it wrong and have to redo things. I basically popped my electrical cherry with this job hence why I am taking so long but as you say, once in the groove things just keep happening.

That head will be under $2000 in around $1900 or so. I doubt I'll buy one next year but it's nice to think about. That $2000 would pay for half of an old '77 Sporster I want to buy.

zackybilly1 · Sep 29, 2009

A '77 Sportster?

Man, there is a fellow up the road has a '78 in boxes that I'm trying to talk myself out of buying. It's real cheap but that's how it all starts. If I do go for it, it will be a stripped down XR750 replica with a +/-hotrod engine. Just as soon as I finish these two Katanas (one original, one custom), the '59 Panhead and my little Triumph custom, if I have any energy left.....I may have a go at it.

Finish your wiring, go hydraulic on the clutch (for your carpal relief), forget the head and move on. An artist has to know when to say when on a painting and move on to the next....so I hear. From my experience there is a mileage threshold....my Norton was a project...the first +/-100 miles was tweaking the "project" but after so many miles, then the wrenching status changed from a tweaking a project to bike maintenance. Now the Norton is parked in the line-up with the rest of the ready-to-go bikes. To me, my Norton looked good when I completed it but at the end of a year, I want it to look used as that's why I built it...to ride. In addition to completing two bikes this year so far (and shooting for two more), I've, also, ridden 20K+ miles this year all on long distance trips out of state.

You can do it. Besides finishing the wiring, what do you need to get it up and going?

Z

petejohno · Sep 29, 2009

I'll snap some pics and if you like, I can pretty much tell you what colours of wire I used where, the lengths I used, ect

Thanks Coco, no hurry - it will be a little while before I'm ready to attack the wiring

Coco · Sep 30, 2009

zackybilly1 said:
A '77 Sportster?

Man, there is a fellow up the road has a '78 in boxes that I'm trying to talk myself out of buying. It's real cheap but that's how it all starts. If I do go for it, it will be a stripped down XR750 replica with a +/-hotrod engine. Just as soon as I finish these two Katanas (one original, one custom), the '59 Panhead and my little Triumph custom, if I have any energy left.....I may have a go at it.

Finish your wiring, go hydraulic on the clutch (for your carpal relief), forget the head and move on. An artist has to know when to say when on a painting and move on to the next....so I hear. From my experience there is a mileage threshold....my Norton was a project...the first +/-100 miles was tweaking the "project" but after so many miles, then the wrenching status changed from a tweaking a project to bike maintenance. Now the Norton is parked in the line-up with the rest of the ready-to-go bikes. To me, my Norton looked good when I completed it but at the end of a year, I want it to look used as that's why I built it...to ride. In addition to completing two bikes this year so far (and shooting for two more), I've, also, ridden 20K+ miles this year all on long distance trips out of state.

You can do it. Besides finishing the wiring, what do you need to get it up and going?

Z

All I need to do is finish the wiring, grind one of the old console mounting nubs off the top tree so I can mount a new metal console piece and I have to make a U bracket of sorts to mount the solo seat. The bracket can be crude as it is hidden so some bent steel flat bar with a couple of holes to fit over the back side of the shock mount bolts will work just fine for that. Other than that it's just the engine break in and I'll ride it for a couple of weeks then the snow usually hits in early November.

I've heard '77 and '78 Sporties are the good ones. In '79 they switched to a real ugly frame. I'd even like an older one but up here, anything pre '77 is like hens teeth. I'll probably never do that new CNW head but it's fun to think about it.

Coco · Sep 30, 2009

zackybilly1 said:
A '77 Sportster?

Man, there is a fellow up the road has a '78 in boxes that I'm trying to talk myself out of buying. It's real cheap but that's how it all starts. If I do go for it, it will be a stripped down XR750 replica with a +/-hotrod engine.
Z

An XR replica would be super cool. This is what I'm thinking of doing if I find a nice old specimen, except no gold heads and imagine a 21" spoked wheel up front and a wassel peanut tank:

I hate to hijack my own thread with a Sportster but it's so cool looking.

zackybilly1 · Oct 1, 2009

Coco,

Sounds like you are dangerously close on getting yours finished up. I look forward to seeing some pics of it with a little road grime on it....I guess you do too.

So, when did you say you would be cranking it?

Let me know if I can help.

Z

Coco · Oct 1, 2009

Hopefully soon. It's been miserable out here lately with tons of rain so it makes me want to stay inside but I'm dragging out the heater for the garage until this weather clears. I was hoping for this weekend but as always, life, the day job and work on the house gets in the way. Realistically if I get two solid days in the garage this weekend, Id say by the weekend of Oct 11 should be go time. I tell ya, the first few moments are going to be tense until I see oil flowing back into the tank.

zackybilly1 said:
Coco,

Sounds like you are dangerously close on getting yours finished up. I look forward to seeing some pics of it with a little road grime on it....I guess you do too.

So, when did you say you would be cranking it?

Let me know if I can help.

Z

zackybilly1 · Oct 2, 2009

Coco....before you crank it, take a conventional pump-type oil can loaded with the motor oil of your choice and pre-oil everything. I took some old banjos, a hose with hose clamps, the oil can and rigged up to pump oil in the rocker spindles, into the outlet for the rocker line, into the inlet side of the oil pump, the outlet side of the pump, pumped oil into the head...all the while, oil accumating in the crankcase sump. Pulled the sparkplug and eased the engine over until I saw movement on the discharge side of the pump. Pumped oil up the return oil line until the filter was full and getting returns to the oil tank. Put both lines on the oil junction and clamped the return line. Add oil to the oil tank, slide the suction line back on the oil juction pipe to work out any air. Clamp it off and go to it.

I had everything full & lubed and didn't have to wait for results. Could probably get by with alot less but too late is too late.

Crank it when its ready to crank.

Z

Coco · Oct 2, 2009

zackybilly1 said:
Coco....before you crank it, take a conventional pump-type oil can loaded with the motor oil of your choice and pre-oil everything. I took some old banjos, a hose with hose clamps, the oil can and rigged up to pump oil in the rocker spindles, into the outlet for the rocker line, into the inlet side of the oil pump, the outlet side of the pump, pumped oil into the head...all the while, oil accumating in the crankcase sump. Pulled the sparkplug and eased the engine over until I saw movement on the discharge side of the pump. Pumped oil up the return oil line until the filter was full and getting returns to the oil tank. Put both lines on the oil junction and clamped the return line. Add oil to the oil tank, slide the suction line back on the oil juction pipe to work out any air. Clamp it off and go to it.

I had everything full & lubed and didn't have to wait for results. Could probably get by with alot less but too late is too late.

Crank it when its ready to crank.

Z

Thanks. I've got some pretty strict break in instructions to follow made up by CNW. I was going to prime the pump ect but I think I'll use some of your extra suggestions as well. Like you said......too late is too late.

zackybilly1 · Oct 19, 2009

Coco,

How's it going?

I'll be firing this one up in a week or so.

Let me know if I can help.

Z

Coco · Oct 19, 2009

3 weeks of earlier than normal cold and snow shelved everything. I'm just going to wait until spring now as there is no point in getting things going just to store it away. I may putz with a few small things but this won't be running until spring.

Any concerns with storing a bike, with a new motor rebuild which is fresh? Kick it through once a week maybe? I was told not to spray anything into the cylinders by CNW and to just kick it through once in a while. It will be in my unheated garage with temps down to -25 centigrade. The only fluids in the bike is fork oil so no motor or tranny oil.

grandpaul · Oct 19, 2009

I would do whatever Matt suggested.

Jeandr · Oct 19, 2009

Make sure there is no condensation where you store it, even if it's below freezing. I once store a bike in a barn and it took one winter for rust to form everywhere, even the aluminum was affected.

Jean

Coco · Oct 19, 2009

Jeandr said:
Make sure there is no condensation where you store it, even if it's below freezing. I once store a bike in a barn and it took one winter for rust to form everywhere, even the aluminum was affected.

Jean

My garage is pretty moisture free. I have had some raw steel laying out for quite some time and there is zero surface rust. Winters here are also notoriously dry and I have to keep a humidifier going in my house all winter to keep my hard wood floors from shrinking.

I just don't want anything funky to happen since the motor has not even had a break in yet. I'm being paranoid perhaps.

shredne · Oct 19, 2009

Dude, that is one GORGEOUS motor! Much respect!
I had to laugh, too, when every other post had you saying, "I don't know what I'm doing!". I sense a theme developing...

chris plant · Oct 19, 2009

hi coco,you could always use a vac bag to store it in,ive heard some good reviews on these

bpatton · Oct 19, 2009

Space permitting, I'd consider den or family room. Your pictures are great. I've done it, and it's a long winter..

Fullauto · Oct 19, 2009

Coco said:
I'll probably never do that new CNW head but it's fun to think about it.

Yes, you will. Think positive! I have to eat too, you know.

Hortons Norton · Oct 19, 2009

I agree put it in the house, I'm married and got away with it. Then you can check on it more often and talk to it, Have you named your bike yet? But on a more serious note I think the cold won't hurt it but moisture would. So if it's dry I think your o.k. Must be tough to wait being so close and yet so far. It will come soon, And hope to see you in Lumby. Chuck.

My MKIII rebuild

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