OldRed project

[TheBigRed]

Another Small update..

AllBalls bearing kits are in.

Picked up Krylon enamel paint last night, and started stripping the tripple tree.

To my suprise, it appears as thought the handlebar top mount is actually Aluminum :shock:. That being said, I'm tempted to actually sand it smooth (wire brush attached to drill made some groves in it that may kill this idea though) and polish it for just a touch of "bling" up there. However, due to above mentioned groves, and the fact that originally came painted black, I will probably just go the black paint route.

It also appears that the top part of the tripple tree is also aluminum, so I'm going to be much more careful when striping it to paint it. Bottom part is in fact steel though, and it has been cleaning up nicely. I really need a drill press, or a bench grinder so that I don't have to try to juggle the part and drill at the same time.

Oh, the ebay guy has fallen through, and since it's been a week and a half since I told him the money was there for the purchase now, I've given up on him. That money actually got spent elsewhere as I found a deal on some computer bits I needed that I couldn't pass up.

So, shortly I should replenish that account and hopefully Nerobro will have the time to get me a quote on the 650 top end with shipping so I can start the work on the engine.

That is it for now.

Amos

[doug g]

BigRed I was just reading over your project it it looks great. Looks like after all of this time it is finally starting to come together. I see you live in E-town. I used to live in Lititz and now live in Delaware County. Do you know if Eric still works for Papparo? I used to be the parts manager at Trans Am Cycle Sales in Lititz. If you shop there you may have been one of my customers. Small world.

[TheBigRed]

Hey Doug,
I don't know anyone that works at for Papparo, sorta not really interested in heading that way to give him my money, seeing all he has put Hoomgar through with that project. I've only gotten parts from Trans Am once or twice, and that was some time ago. I've actually found that BMA cycles down by the river here is closer, and seems to be on top of things, as well as giving good prices ($40 for fork rebuild and that was dealing with rusted in place c clips :shock. So, I'm actually going to be using them for the bits that I can't do myself, or don't have tools for (steering stem races, etc).

But yeah, it does seem that after all this time it may start coming together. I've been a little discouraged the past week or so that I haven't been able to devote the time I thought I was going toward it, but that will come with time.

Anyway, let me know if you are swinging back by the area, and we can go for a scoot..

Amos

BigRed I was just reading over your project it it looks great. Looks like after all of this time it is finally starting to come together. I see you live in E-town. I used to live in Lititz and now live in Delaware County. Do you know if Eric still works for Papparo? I used to be the parts manager at Trans Am Cycle Sales in Lititz. If you shop there you may have been one of my customers. Small world.

[TheBigRed]

Ok, it has been far to long for this update to happen.

Long story short, if you would have talked to me a week ago, I'd have called this a dead project and was looking to unload it.

Fast forward to the weekend, got talked into finishing it off with the help of a very Generous member here. He is going to provide some much needed guidance and motivation, actually, since he has the tools etc he's going to re-build the power plant for the bike, thus motivating me to take care of the rest of it. I'm hoping that I will be able to give assistance in that part of the project as well.

So, I've gotten a fire lit under my pants to finish this thing, and here is where we stand:

Keeping the bike a 550, new standard size rings are on order (though the order status is listed as "pending")
As stated above new bearings have been purchased and will be pressed in.
Then all the bits and pieces start getting put back together.

Even after all this is done there are going to be expenses that I'll need to come up with money for, however they are routine maintenance items anyway (chain/sprockets, Tires, maybe brake pads (depending how the old ones look, etc) and I'll have to really pinch the budget to get the funds, or pick back up on the side work. Then I'll have to make a decision on what to do with the 650..

Amos

[Hoomgar]

Old Red Will Ride Again!

We need to finish what we've started bro! No matter how long it has been. It is obvious at this point that Paparo is a lost cause for me. I might as well start looking for someone else to help me finish the head.

Anyway, that is about my project. This thread is about your project! Sounds like good things are happening. It will be so cool to get these old goats back on the road in pristine shape and ride again.

Hg

[TheBigRed]

That is the plan at this point. Though there are some bits and pieces that may not be pristine to start with, but with money limited, I'm just interested in getting the powerplant back in and it all back on the road again. With the frame being taken care of, most of the rest of the cosmetics (bolts etc) can be taken care of bit by bit.

I'm really hoping that this bike can be back in my garage by March at the latest ready to be registered and inspected shortly thereafter. (Though with the research I've been doing it doesnt look like I can jump directly to personalized plates anyway, so that may wait till money is a little looser.)

You will have to give us a status update on the 1000 if you get a chance.

Amos

We need to finish what we've started bro! No matter how long it has been. It is obvious at this point that Paparo is a lost cause for me. I might as well start looking for someone else to help me finish the head.

Anyway, that is about my project. This thread is about your project! Sounds like good things are happening. It will be so cool to get these old goats back on the road in pristine shape and ride again.

Hg

[TheBigRed]

Not much of an update, but here goes.

Rings are still "Pending" though they said they should have recieved them today or tomorrow and should be shipped and to their destination by the middle of next week. We will see with the Christmas holiday and all.

Anyway, on a related, but not related note. The 650 currently has the carbs that belong to the 550 on it, because I needed to clean the 650's original carbs, and it was quicker to get the rebuild kits for a 650 to get the jets etc, and rebuild the 550 carbs to put in the 650 so I could keep riding. Well long story short, the bike was running so well, I never got around to cleaning the carbs. So, my task (as assigned by my task-master ) was to get them cleaned and back on their proper bike, then rebuild the 550 carbs back to 550 spec. So, that is what I started tonight. Let me say this, and this only, I don't think these carbs were cleaned by the PO (even though it was stated that they were), and if they were inside them, well, not a very good job, and putting broken pieces back in.. grrr.. *end rant*

So, starting tomorrow I'll start the dipping process, track down the broken part and probably some new carb gaskets (the good news there is the ones on the 650 currently are probably new enough they can be re-used).

Then we'll see where the engine is at in it's build up. I should be spending time with the builder next Friday to hopefully get the plant up and going. (Though that may really depend on if the rings come in or not).

Anyway, enough of a non-update for now.

Amos

[TheBigRed]

Progress being made... (Pictures to come)

Well, I went to the builders place on Friday and though his wife didn't seem to notice any progress, we actually got a lot done.

I went through parts and organized into piles according to function/location. The builder was able to clean some more parts up nicely, and I assisted with getting the engine back together.

By mid-afternoon (around 3ish) we were ready to start getting the engine mounted in the frame. Which is easier than it sounds. Easiest way to do this is put the engine on it's side, then drop the frame over it. Well, things were going well, then we realized just how thick powder coating was. So we had to spend some time grinding away at that in order to clear the engine, actually had to do this in several locations. Oh, I had also earlier cleared powder coating out of some of the orifices that needed to be cleared for parts to make it through and operate smoothly (namely the rear brake pivot joint, and Swing arm pivot joints).

When all was said and done though, the engine is mounted in the frame, and the frame (with engine) is loaded onto his motorcycle jack and tied down.

I brought carb parts back home to finish the rebuild there with new bolts (that I need to go pick up). And he has the rest of the bike there. When I left he claimed he was going to have some fun cleaning and putting things together, but I told him not to have too much fun.

That is it for now.. Pictures will come either tonight or tomorrow sometime.

Amos

[TheBigRed]

Here are the pictures

Well, I really didn't take a lot of pictures, but here you go:

Frame Waiting on the sidelines, though I did mount the inner fender while I was waiting on other items:



Two of the engine. We didn't have the gasket installed or the cam cover torqued down, but that doesn't change the apperance too much. Oh, and before anyone says anything about the case covers, these are scrap ones we're using for assembly/mounting into the frame:






TBC

[TheBigRed]

Cont..

Two angles of the frame sitting around the engine (Taken while looking for tools to get rid of powder coating):





And here it is, Engine installed, Bolts all in place, and sitting on the builders motorcycle jack:





Now the fun begins, as all the bits and pieces that surround the guts go into place making the piles of parts into what is known as a motorcycle.

Plan is to head back down on New Years Eve and spend another day working on this bike. We should be able to make a fair amount of progress, as I've already addressed the Powder coat issues in a couple of areas. Just going to have to grind it out to create some good ground points.

Amos

[TheBigRed]

Well, last night I put the 550 carb jets etc back into the 550 carbs and put the rack back together.

I know, they aren't as pretty and shiny as some of the carbs you see around here, but last night I came to the realization that I need to focus more on getting the bike on the road at the moment, next year I can worry about making all the little details pop more. And besides that.. the carbs are hidden behind the side covers anyway.

So, without further delay.. the obligatory pics:

Boxed up and ready to go:





And here is a close up of the choke assembly etc. ( I'm actually amazed I remembered so quickly how it attached to the carbs)



So, that is my update for now.

Looking forward to spending another full day on the project tomorrow at my builders place.

Amos

[catbed]

might want to turn the motorcycle 90 degrees on that stand now to prevent moving it when is got everything else on it. the two arms on the stand are supposed to be perpendicular to the frame. nice project though!!

[TheBigRed]

might want to turn the motorcycle 90 degrees on that stand now to prevent moving it when is got everything else on it. the two arms on the stand are supposed to be perpendicular to the frame. nice project though!!

That is the plan once we start getting the other bits. For now we just wanted to get it on and secured down.

Hopefully the swing arm and triple-T are back tonight with bearings installed, then we can start the rest of the assembly process tomorrow.

I need to be more aware and take more pictures from here forward.. Maybe have the bike in one location and the camera set at a fixed position and sort of do a time laps with stills of the bike going together might be fun.

Hmm.. now, where is that tripod at..


Amos

[drhach]

Not to nit pick, but how could you stick that dirty inner fender on that shiny new frame? At least wipe it down with Windex or something.

[TheBigRed]

Not to nit pick, but how could you stick that dirty inner fender on that shiny new frame? At least wipe it down with Windex or something.

Good point. Actually I was just starting to work out what pieces went where, and how everything mounted up earlier in the day (It has been almost 5 years since I started taking things apart) and I didn't get that taken back off to clean it up.

I'll put it on my list of to-do items for tomorrow.

Amos