Nearly finished

It's been a long couple of days but I have finished touching up the paintwork on the engine. 

I have drilled the handlebars and finished all the wiring, i decided to feed the light and horn wiring through the handlebars which was fun (of sorts) it tried my patience as the wires kept snagging inside the bars, but all is good and it's now looking neat, so was the right decision.

I've also fitted the fuel tank and rear mudguard which was a real turning point and I'm very happy with the results.

All that is left now is to fit the clutch and brake levers and connect up the brake lever switch to the wiring exiting the bars, I also need to fit and wire the horn and weld the rear brake pedal, after it got damaged when it toppled over.

I need to purchase the bar controls, so time to surf through Ebay. The bike runs very well and i'm extremely happy with the progress this week.

I'm still not convinced with the horn I got a while ago though... I'll fit it and see how it looks.

She is alive!

Well.... it's been an eventful few weeks.
Firstly the bad stuff.... the bike jack gave way... We'll to be honest the lock wasn't put back by me and the gas strut went down and the bike fell off the stand. Thankfully no big damage was done, however the headlight got mashed so I brought a new one. 

Cheaper alternatives were available but I love the look of the fang style so after import duty I am down around £230, it could have been worse though thankfully no other damage was done. If I had fitted the gas tank I would have been gutted.

I also spilled fuel on the engine and it's stripped a patch (I guess the paint wasn't fully cured). So I'll need to touch up the paint on the engine.

Positives though are I have started her up. Thanks to Chris from P&D for lending me a battery so I can do all the wiring and testing without using my lithium ion one (amazing light weight and small but should never be fully discharged or they are scrap).

After loosely wiring her up and putting a temporary bottle on the bike as a fuel tank she fired into life straight away. She runs beautifully but the first impression would be ..... F*CK ME THAT'S LOUD!!!!!!

It really is epic sounding.... it's  beautiful to look at but with a dead awakining, possessed by the devil roar......really a wolf dressed in pageant material clothing, Perfect.

So I've spent to last few days over the Christmas holidays (between eating and drinking loads) tidying up the wiring. This morning I fitted and wired the brake light and headlight.

The battery compartment is all sorted now. I had to modify it to clear the rear brake reservoir which allowed me to include an integral pressure switch for the rear light. I'm very happy with the way the wiring has turned out so far. I've hidden as much as possible and it's all looking neat.

Next is to finish off the wiring. Drill the handlebars for the horn and main beam switching wiring. I need to locate the horn somewhere. He one I ordered off the Web is larger than I expected but I may use it anyway....Then I can fit tank and rear mudguard. Things are going well and its looking good to have it finished in time for summer.

Perfect paintwork!

It's been a busy 3 weeks at work, with business trips and late nights, so progress has been a little slow lately.... However the tins are back from paint. I'm very happy with the colour, style and finish. Thanks to Tony at 'cycle sprays' who's done a great job.

I've fitted the oil tank and oil lines and filled with oil. 

All is well so far, however with no fuel in the system and with the quad bike battery not quite man enough to fully turn over the engine, the big initial start-up is yet to happen. My plan is to start it up next weekend with a car battery and a bottle of fuel.

I won't fit the gas tank until it's fully running and wired. The tins are things of beauty and I only want to fit them once to minimise risk of damage.

......all is coming along nicely, taking shape and beginning to look mighty fine....looking forward to hearing her roar!

Get the beers in!!

What an afternoon! But first a little catchup.

The tins are out to paint. I've decided a metallic blue base colour with cream panels, a silver pin-stripe will separate the two colours.

Currently I've not bothered sending the front mudguard to paint as I like the look without and I've not got round to shaping it and cutting it down to size. Perhaps I'll get it painted later.... We'll see.

I can't start it until the oil system is complete. So once the oil tank is back from paint, I'll connect it up, fill it with oil and all systems are go.

So, back to this afternoon, with the tanks and mudguard due back at the end of the month, it's time to start the wiring.

I've deciphered the wiring instructions that were for another unit, with incorrect colour codes and after a bit of head scratching.... I've got the starter motor to turn over.

This may not sound ground breaking, but it's definitely beer worthy. It proves the starter system works as it was 2nd hand and unused. In theory I could start the bike now. All breakers are working and diagnostic led's are working like they should.

I've ordered a super lightweight and more importantly smaller than normal size lithium battery which is still in the post.

In the meantime I'm using the battery from my quad-bike for wiring.

So with the engine ready to fire it is time for a beer!

Sadly I only have one beer left in the fridge......

It's been in there for months after the misses picked some up in the summer.

I'm not a big fruit beer fan, but with standard beer stocks run dry during World Cup rugby time..... Needs must.

....... It's not too bad actually! I wouldn't go out and buy anymore though.....but it's done the job.... I'm very happy to toast today's progress..... Cheers!!

Getting it together.

An eventful few days, I've juggled working on the bike with watching the World Cup rugby. All things considered....it's coming along nicely.

Bars are on, throttle cables and carb are assembled along with the electronic module has been fitted after I cobbled together a bracket. No wiring done yet though.

I painted the ignition coil bracket with some of the crinkle paint as it was looking a bit tired.

I also sprayed the voltage regulator with some matt black paint. As the original paint had flaked off.

New plugs are in. Next is to install the coil and voltage regulator. Find somewhere out of the way to put the ignition module and then run the oil lines.

Still plenty to do but she's really coming together now and I wouldn't change a thing I've done. 

She is becoming a thing of beauty!

Engines in!

The engines in. With minimal swearing, no grazed knuckles and only superficial scratches to the paint on the engine. The frame came out unscathed.

Thanks to my bro and my wife for being extra hands when I needed them!

Wheels, rear brake calliper and forks are on, and the paint on the engine has been touched-up.

I've ordered some new throttle cables as the old ones are shot. The Carb & hyper-charger is back on the engine too.

A good days work...Happy days!

Patience and face-fulls of swarf.

The paint dried well. The last couple of weeks I've been sanding back the fins with a dremel and by hand. It's taken a while but I really like the effect.

There are a few small areas to touch up with paint, but I'll do that when the engines in the frame, as there may be a few more scratches to come during fitting.

Overall though I'm very happy with the finish. It's come out better than I thought it would!

Also..... Look what else I picked up today. Smiles all round! It looks great!

He who dares... Paints?!

Well I went for it and painted the engine.

Photo of it while wet.

I blasted It with the heat gun and a portable fire for about an hour. It doesn't look too bad, however it's dark outside so I can't tell what it will look like under natural light.

It may need some extra paint in places....

Additional touch ups next and then I'll sand the fins back to ally. I've got a few weeks until the frame arrives and I wrestle to get it back in the frame.... I'll learn some new swear words in preparation for the task!

Prepping engine for paint.

With the frame out for powder coat, today I prepped the engine for painting.

3 coats in alternating directions, allowing 5 minutes between each coating. Then a blast with the heat gun is my approach. 

However, I'm going to practice with the top engine mount first.

Before:

During:

It says on the can to give it a heavy coating, there are a couple of paint runs on it due to the quantity of paint. Currently waiting for last coat to have its 5 mins drying before blasting with the heat gun.

After:

During heating the paint blistered in one area, so I tried popping it with a cable tie. Won't do that again. Overall though I like the finish so onwards to the engine.

I'll go easier with the heat next  time.

Final weld prep.

Happy with the belt guard. It's fits well and just clears the exhaust. I wrestled with the engine to get it out of the frame again. Took off the rocker covers in the end and pulled the frame clear. Will remove the covers for install too as space is so tight. 

Frame is all set for final welding. 

Tap arrived in post, pulley is now tapped to suit the cover fixings.

Looking forward to seeing the frame when it's coated.

Just waiting

I've stripped the bike down, preparing for some last welding on the bottom of the frame. However I'm currently waiting for delivery of a pulley guard.

Below is a screenshot from the guard manufacturers site.

I just need to ensure it doesn't clash with the pipes. Then the bike is off to P&D for the final welding. I don't have a pulley tightening tool, so I'll get them to drill and tap the pulley to seat the guard.

Then it's time for the frame to go to powder coat, which will be a major turning point in the build. I will paint and detail the engine. The guard is on its way from the states.... All this sitting around waiting is pretty frustrating.

Aligned and belted up!

Well it's back from my welding buddies at P&D. The pulley require a little tweaking  on their machines, but now all is good in the world.

Thankfully the belt fits. The rear axle cutouts were lengthened a tiny bit and no additional mods were required to the frame, so I got lucky there. My maths worked out and the belt I got did the business, so I'm chuffed about that.

The rear brake reservoir which was on the pulley cover is now relocated upon a small bracket on the frame which looks great. 

The original idea of spacing the pulley cover out was scrapped, basically as it looked completely crap. It stepped out too far and looked blocky. 

A new foot brake control arm to meet the reservoire has been knocked up, and although it's something pretty simple, it really does look the mutts love spuds! 

Headlight is now mounted. After receiving the wrong bracket from a supplier from the states, they kindly sent me a free replacement... Still the wrong one though, I guess it's the thought that counts though eh? I may use it elsewhere, it's currently filed in the 'random shite box' which seems to be filling up quite nicely, with old bolts and the original loom.

Anyways here she is. 

All looking good! I shall space the rear fender to be closer to the wheel, also the fender brackets haven't been assembled.

Here's the control arm. I will look into a belt cover for the pulley, I'm hoping a small plate can be screwed to the pulley just to offer a lip to the belt for safety. I'll come up with something.

The oil tank was scalloped by the P&D gurus. There really is no where to move the tank to, so this mod was the only option. I really like what they've done.

Very chuffed with the latest progress on the build. Next is to strip the bike down back to a bare frame so I can get it powder coated black.

There is some minor additional welding to be done which will be far easier to do on the empty frame. While the frame is out for paint, I shall paint the engine, and source some pipe for routing between the reservoire and rear calliper. I'm thinking black coloured solid pipe might look nicer than braided flexi-pipe. I'll see what the web has to offer.

She's getting there though and looking mighty fine!

'Pulling' forward with the build

Offset pulley arrived and it's a thing of beauty. (If pulleys are your thing) the bikes  gone back to P&D for some welding and reworking to the wheel/pulley spacing. I will post photos and full write up when I get it back....watch this space folks....

Pulley problems, one step closer

After weeks of searching for a 1" offset 27 tooth pulley, The closest I've found is a 19mm offset 27t or a 1" offset 28t

I'm worried the 19mm won't be enough. 

I got a quote to have a pulley made. 

£430 plus postage from the states. So I've decided to go for the 28 tooth pulley which set me back £105 including postage from the states.

Now I need to move the rear wheel forward by 8mm, as the belt isn't long enough. Thankfully there is enough material on the tabs of the frame. So these will be widened, hopefully with the engine still in if possible!

The rear fender will need moving forward to clear the tyre.

It's slow progress, but it's progress.

Offset pulley?

After a little measuring it seems that I will need a 1" offset 27 tooth pulley.

I've sent out a few emails to some pulley manufacturers in the states. Hopefully it won't be too expensive, as I don't think I can space out my current pulley. P&D might have some ideas when I drop it off to have the exhaust bracket moved. In the mean time I will trawl the web for pulley quotes.

Get in there you belter!

I have got the 139 Dyna belt on! Which is a right result as you cannot get custom length drive belts, or at least I can't find anywhere to do them, and no shops or builders know of any place and they have been doing this game for far longer than me. 

After taking the sidewall off my rear pulley and wrestling with the belt for a bit, I squeezed it on there and now all seems fine regarding belt length.

The front pulley will need to be spaced out though, as the belt is not sitting straight. Also as the wheel is in at its minimum adjustment position the rear mud guard bracket will probably need tweaking to give the wheel some more space. 

I'm hoping the lads at P&D can modify my transmission pulley, perhaps counterbore the fixing holes or work some magic to keep the thread engagement the same while moving it, otherwise I will need to purchase an offset pulley. But I've not found any 27 teeth ones. If I go any higher on teeth the belt won't fit.

Once this is sorted I can concentrate on getting the brake controls set up and get the frame powder coated. I need some new brake levers too. The cheap ones I currently have look pants and will probably fall apart when i use them. More Ebay'ing.... It's becoming expensive.....who am I kidding....becoming!! It's already cost me a fortune!  I keep telling myself it will be worth it though.

Belting pain in the ass!

I measured my new required belt length, and calculated the teeth quantity of the belt. (Divide belt length by 14mm for those interested).

I calculated it to be 140 minimum, however I spied a 139 tooth belt from a dyna for £30, so took a gamble as it was a standard size.

Yup... It's too short. So I'm now trawling the web for a custom belt manufacturer. I will go 142 teeth to be on the safe side after offering up the 139.

I need to throw the old sportster and the Dyna punt belt on Ebay.

It's also looking like I will need a spacer on the drive pulley. I'm due to have P&D look at it in a few weeks.

I've sourced a new rear numberplate holder, cheap as chips from China, but I'm chuffed with the quality and the look. Will need to tweak it a little to fit though.

The exhaust bracket might be a little close for comfort, will see how it sits when I get correct belt. Also my rear brake reservoir sits on the front pulley cover.

Once the belt and pulley are properly spaced I may need to machine the cover slightly to get it to fit.

So....the belt is holding me up at the moment. Once belt, pulley and cover are sorted I can reassemble rear brake assembly. Make sure all is peachy and then dismantle to get the frame powder coated. pics will follow..... Right! back online to find custom belt suppliers.