A Little Tinkerin', A Little Drinkerin'

[drivera84]

Hi Leigh,

Since we have basically the same idea for our build, I was wondering how you are going to do your seat and seat pan.

My current seat pan is rotten so i wont be able to use it. Are you going to use the hinges (to be able to access the battery and stuff).

thanks

[Leigh]

Haha I see! I suspect he's just excited the Fat Girl's going on a diet then

Cheeky bugger..

Hi Leigh,

Since we have basically the same idea for our build, I was wondering how you are going to do your seat and seat pan.

My current seat pan is rotten so i wont be able to use it. Are you going to use the hinges (to be able to access the battery and stuff).

thanks

Mate, I have no idea where to go with the seat yet. Mine doesn't have hinges, it lifts clean away.
My pan is spotless. Not a hint of rust on it so I will mostly like be using it as a base.
I'll leave that in the hands of my friend, the motor trimmer.

[Leigh]

Yesterday didn't quite go to plan. (Fancy that!)
I was roped into helping friends move house in the morning, but that's ok, one of them is the ace spraypainter/fabricator/mechanic that will be working on the bike with me.

I decided I needed more room in the shed to work and I needed more storage space.
Off to Bunnings go I. It's a candy store for men.
$80 later I have a 5 tier rack and a couple of plastic storage tubs. More tubs will come with time, no doubt.
I knew I was in for a night in the shed and the weather has been atrocious here lately. The neighbour is building a large boat and gathering animals for some reason.. So I also grabbed three 2.4 metre lengths of 3X2" dried pine.

With a bit of rearranging, a lot of shuffling things about and a bit of throwing it out, I've made more room in the shed.
I know you guys like build photos but I completely forgot to take shots of the racking going up
But here it is completed and amazingly standing upright.


But why the pine? I hear you cry..
You can see the little pot belly stove there?
It's a cracker of a thing and heats that shed up very quickly.
I don't bother with hardwood in it, anything will do and the pine was cheap ($6 for the 3 lengths)


10 minutes later and the jacket was off and the door up on the shed.

My original plan was to fit up the new Rec/Reg and trace any dodgy connections on the bike but the whole house-moving thing had put me off a bit.
But it's here and can sit in it's box on my brand new rack until I need it


I also bought a pack of large ziplock sandwich bags and a Sharpie to bag & tag all the bits I pull off when this thing comes back a bare frame.

So there you have it, more storage plus more room to work.


And before anyone asks, yes my work was supervised from just outside the door.


Although judging by his expression when he came in to inspect it, I may not have met his approval.


Today, I start pulling the bike down.
I've realised you can't build up a bike if it's not stripped down.

[Leigh]

After all that, I sat in front of the fire for a bit and pondered the bike.
How to go about this cafe project..
What stays and what goes?
Clip-ons, Ace bars, straight bar?

The tail piece has to go, I've decided.
Unfortunately, i don't think that shape and the gargantuan tail light lends itself to the style.

Maybe,..
The other thought was to remove the lens, fill in the back part and fit up a nice round tail light.
Maybe..
I still like the ducktail on Beergood's bike.
Hmmm, more research..

[Leigh]

A little more tinkerin'..

I thought something like this might be the go...

[Leigh]

I managed to get an hour and a half in the shed this afternoon and decided to start from the back and work forward.


There are 20 photos of bits & pieces before removal, the photos are all named and ordered for reference later.
I took out a writing pad as well for notes on the wiring colours or any particularities that I might encounter in stripping this thing down.

The worst is yet to come I feel.
I still don't know what to do with the battery/electrical V in the middle.
Cover it up or clear it out.

I'd like to be able to return the bike to original if so desired.
No side covers means no tabs on the frame...

[Curly]

Moving the electronics under the seat includes the extra fun of extending the harness too. Does provide for a very clean look though.

[Leigh]

Yeah, you're right, Curly..
I'll weigh that up when I get closer to putting it all back together I guess.

[pete]

Wow Leigh you're really movin'! Good stuff

Do some Googles on the Dunstall tails... could just be the thing you're lookin' for

So you bought your R/R after me and you have it already??!!!

What's to bet the senile old fools at the post office have "misplaced" yet another parcel... I'll have to chase the seller tomorrow dammit.

Forgot to add I like your supervisor... but he's only grumpy because you were making noise which stopped him curling up nicely beside that pot belly stove for warmth...

[Leigh]

Wow Leigh you're really movin'! Good stuff

Yeah, but backwards. Haha.
The mate with the engineering shop is winding up his business so I have to get the motor out to him pretty quick to get it soda blasted.
I plan on a bare frame by next weekend.

Do some Googles on the Dunstall tails... could just be the thing you're lookin' for

The squarish Dunstall tail was something I had in mind. Thommo has a mold for something similar for a Duc that should be adaptable.

So you bought your R/R after me and you have it already??!!!

Yeah, but the PS3 controllers I ordered before that still haven't shown up.

Forgot to add I like your supervisor... but he's only grumpy because you were making noise which stopped him curling up nicely beside that pot belly stove for warmth...

He ended up crouched on top of the ute glaring at me. I know he wants to eat me while I sleep.

[pete]

Yeah, but backwards. Haha.
The mate with the engineering shop is winding up his business so I have to get the motor out to him pretty quick to get it soda blasted.
I plan on a bare frame by next weekend.

Best you work MLC-speed then! Powder coat or paint? If it's powder coating, don't forget to protect all those threads and holes! You don't want to be removing it from them afterwards...

The squarish Dunstall tail was something I had in mind. Thommo has a mold for something similar for a Duc that should be adaptable.

Mmmmm... Dunstall... you know you have to do the pipes then too don't you?

Yeah, but the PS3 controllers I ordered before that still haven't shown up.

If it's not here this avo' I'll start chasing...

He ended up crouched on top of the ute glaring at me. I know he wants to eat me while I sleep.

Hahaha ours all live inside, but I seem to have one particular one permanently attached to my lap while typing...

[Leigh]

I thought about powder coating but A: Pricey, and, B: Gloss black is easy to patch up.

As for pipes..
This mob in Sydney do a nice range.

[simon kuether]

I thought about powdercoating but ended up going paint (some two pac epoxy).
Easier , cheaper and , after 5 years , no stone chips or signs of wear .
It's a pity you can't try pipes on your bike before you buy them .
Dunstals got that cafe look .
They'd go good with your wire wheels and Grimeca's front and back .

Cheers , Simon .

[Leigh]

I really like the Whistlers.
A longer taper on the end cone.

Something like these..




I'd love to have a set of wires on the bike but I priced them once, felt faint and didn't do it again. The alloys will have to do me.

Grimeca's eh? I'll have to look into them a bit more.
There is a mob (can't remember the name) close by that do discs and the like at good prices. A few of the guys from Bike Me have used them with success.

[Buffalo Bill]

Like, watching a glacer form…

I managed to get an hour and a half in the shed this afternoon and decided to start from the back and work forward.


There are 20 photos of bits & pieces before removal, the photos are all named and ordered for reference later.
I took out a writing pad as well for notes on the wiring colours or any particularities that I might encounter in stripping this thing down.

The worst is yet to come I feel.
I still don't know what to do with the battery/electrical V in the middle.
Cover it up or clear it out.

I'd like to be able to return the bike to original if so desired.
No side covers means no tabs on the frame...

After more than 330 postings, and you're only just getting started…
No need to hurry yourself…I'll just check in again next summer.
Bill