My new Project.. From Chop to...
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Yesterday was one of those days when nothing seems to go right, spent hours making a bracket only to drill a mounting hole in the wrong place, meant it was only good for the scrap bin. Oh well, got it done in the end.
I made a simple card template of the seat base, and had Geoff the welder make it for me in mild steel plate for £20. Wasn't worth me doing it myself, he can do in ten minutes what would take me an hour or more. I was looking online for some suitable seat foam, which all seemed expensive for a small sheet of foam. Luckily I mentioned it to a mate, who happened to have some I could have.
I made a simple card template of the seat base, and had Geoff the welder make it for me in mild steel plate for £20. Wasn't worth me doing it myself, he can do in ten minutes what would take me an hour or more. I was looking online for some suitable seat foam, which all seemed expensive for a small sheet of foam. Luckily I mentioned it to a mate, who happened to have some I could have.
Edited by Merch131 on Friday 10th October 18:45
Next I started on the rear brake mount. Had a piece of 10mm alloy plate, which was a couple of mm too short, but didn't want to buy a bigger piece, so it would have to do. Having drilled the two mounting holes, it now needs to be shaped and drilled to take the master cylinder. Then the peg / lever need to be bushed so it will pivot when the peg is bolted to the alloy plate.
While today I spent the afternoon prepping the frame for paint, tedious but necessary. Normally I'd take the frame to Triple S for powder coating, but that would cost £150 plus another £50 in petrol. Instead its getting a cheap and cheerful brushed on undercoat and rattle can top coat. First coat done, which will be flattened when its dry, then a second undercoat if needed, or if it looks ok I'll just spray it with smooth Hammerite black. Another reason for going down this route is that the frame may need a few changes along the way, so a rattle can finish will be easier to touch up.
Some good progress this week, finally at the point where parts are being fitted for the last time. With the oil tank looking respectable it went back into the frame followed by the gearbox. The rear brake mount was drilled, tapped and shaped and a pushrod made from a stainless bolt and rose joint. The brake lever still needs a bush making so it can pivot.
Made a start on polishing various alloy brackets, including the MK2 rear caliper mount, and sprayed the seat unit with undercoat. Awaiting the delivery of some Ducati Red paint and lacquer so it'll match the tank.
Also picked up some Renthal drag bars, a cancelled order so got them at half price from the local bike shop. Hope to have the yokes back this week, which will also need polishing.
Made a start on polishing various alloy brackets, including the MK2 rear caliper mount, and sprayed the seat unit with undercoat. Awaiting the delivery of some Ducati Red paint and lacquer so it'll match the tank.
Also picked up some Renthal drag bars, a cancelled order so got them at half price from the local bike shop. Hope to have the yokes back this week, which will also need polishing.
Not sure how much detail to include, but here's some of the alloy parts that need polishing. By polishing I don't mean a quick going over with a duster and Mr Sheen, but some bloody hard work. Start off with 60 grade wet and dry to remove the deep marks and scratches. Which in turn leaves its own marks, so then you move on to 120 grade wet and dry, then 240 and repeat till the alloy is clean and unmarked. Then its time for the buffing wheel. Its not difficult, but not many folks are prepared to put the time in to get a decent result.
Edit to add that the two small holes in the exhaust collar I'm pointing to were drilled like that for the springs which hold the exhaust together..
Edit to add that the two small holes in the exhaust collar I'm pointing to were drilled like that for the springs which hold the exhaust together..
Edited by Merch131 on Sunday 19th October 18:40
I was quite pleased with the paint and lacquer on the seat unit, turned out better than I'd hoped, using just rattle cans. It looked even better after it had been polished, though not for long 
I'd fitted a decal that I then decided didn't look right, being too clever by half I used a hair dryer to soften the decal, making it easier to remove. Which worked ok, but unbeknown to me the heat also softened the fresh paint and as I peeled away the decal, the paint came away too.
After I calmed down, nothing for it but to start again, beginning with many coats of filler primer, wont be doing that again.
I'd fitted a decal that I then decided didn't look right, being too clever by half I used a hair dryer to soften the decal, making it easier to remove. Which worked ok, but unbeknown to me the heat also softened the fresh paint and as I peeled away the decal, the paint came away too.
After I calmed down, nothing for it but to start again, beginning with many coats of filler primer, wont be doing that again.
Got the yokes back for a test fitting. The old HD steering stem we used must be the most modified in history. Its been hollowed out to lighten it, had a billet collar on its base so it fits the bottom yoke and has a completely different way of adjustment. All that and it still isn't quite right. That's the problem with having the bike in one garage and the lathe in another across town. Not a big problem, just needs a small spacer making and it'll fine.
The risers look too tall on the bike, and they probably are. That's because they were made before I could sit on the bike and check the riding position. Rather than wait, we made the risers an inch or two longer, knowing that it will be an easy job to mill them down to whatever length will be ideal
The risers look too tall on the bike, and they probably are. That's because they were made before I could sit on the bike and check the riding position. Rather than wait, we made the risers an inch or two longer, knowing that it will be an easy job to mill them down to whatever length will be ideal
With the yokes and bars fitted, the hand controls could go on to, but not so fast. The billet controls are made by the German company RST (Roland Stocker) and came off my old Harley road bike. They are made to fit 1 inch bars, not the 7/8 inch bars I'm using on this bike. You can buy spacers to make up the difference, but I made some instead. Its pretty easy, all you need is a few inches of 1 inch 16 gauge tubing (got it free from the scrap box of a local workshop), then slice it lengthways to make two half circles, and cut them to the width needed. The 16 gauge wall thickness of the tubing is just perfect to fit a 7/8 inch bar. The half circles are a bit awkward to hold, but apart from that its no problem. 
The exhaust system has been giving me a few problems. Basically it doesn't fit the engine. It should, as it came off a similar big inch Evo engine, but it doesn't. Mainly because the heads of this aftermarket engine seem to have deeper fins, which means the springs I use to hold the downpipes together wont fit.
Instead I had the short exhaust 'headers' welded onto the downpipes, no need for springs anymore. But still they wouldn't fit. These headers are 2 inch diameter instead of the OE 1 3/4 inch, which means I had to machine the collets a little, this leaves less room for the nuts which fasten the collets to the head. Don't remember it being such a problem on the old bike, but on this one there's not enough room around the exhaust studs to tighten the nuts holding it all together.
The solution is to use a special narrow type of nut, I've seen them before, but I don't know what they are called. They are long hex nuts, with a thread at one end and a socket head at the other, so they can be tightened with an allen key.
Instead I had the short exhaust 'headers' welded onto the downpipes, no need for springs anymore. But still they wouldn't fit. These headers are 2 inch diameter instead of the OE 1 3/4 inch, which means I had to machine the collets a little, this leaves less room for the nuts which fasten the collets to the head. Don't remember it being such a problem on the old bike, but on this one there's not enough room around the exhaust studs to tighten the nuts holding it all together.
The solution is to use a special narrow type of nut, I've seen them before, but I don't know what they are called. They are long hex nuts, with a thread at one end and a socket head at the other, so they can be tightened with an allen key.
Still waiting for the front wheel to be machined, I've done my bit by sorting out the rims which were cut out of an old Astralite wheel. They were originally anodised black, then sometime in the last couple of decades they were painted gold. Don't know what with, but its good stuff, I found it very difficult to remove.
After an hour of faffing about with the rims, I took them to a local machine shop who have a blasting cabinet. I asked how much to bead blast the two half rims ? The owner (Who I knew slightly), replied we're too busy this week, but the cabinets over there, you can do it yourself if you want. Couldn't refuse .. and an hour later the rims were looking much better. Cost me nothing except some promised biscuits next time I'm passing. I was surprised how fine the glass beads were they use, it felt closer to flour than sand I'd used before. But it worked ok and left a smooth finish ready to be polished.
After an hour of faffing about with the rims, I took them to a local machine shop who have a blasting cabinet. I asked how much to bead blast the two half rims ? The owner (Who I knew slightly), replied we're too busy this week, but the cabinets over there, you can do it yourself if you want. Couldn't refuse .. and an hour later the rims were looking much better. Cost me nothing except some promised biscuits next time I'm passing. I was surprised how fine the glass beads were they use, it felt closer to flour than sand I'd used before. But it worked ok and left a smooth finish ready to be polished.
Got 4 stainless the socket / sleeve nuts for the exhaust from Morgo the Triumph oil pump company, not cheap but they are stainless and do the job, so I'm happy. Though if I get a lightweight chrome moly frame made next year I'll be sure to spec more room around the rear exhaust port. Even with the narrow sleeve nuts bolting on the rear downpipe was a nightmare.
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