Der Straßenkratzer

[max16v]

Yesterday, I posted about the tie-rod problem which is driving me nuts. Without the tie-rod end completely threading into the tie-rod, it robs me of steering adjustment.



I'm having a hard time finding a threader to fix the tie rod, so, if anyone has a threader (the coveted LH thread) tool that they could lend out to me, it would be uber appreciated.

Here's a pic of the steering box swap, after I cut off the steering dampener:


Here's a pic of the luggage area, that is completely gutted. I made the mistake of cutting right through it - not cutting it out, when I started the chop. I have an idea about filing it with sheet metal and adding in a panel that I can remove to access the rear suspension and clutch cable without crawling under the car. I'll be working with that area after I finish the rear suspension crap.


Feels like my cold is starting to go away, which means I can get back to working on my car real soon.










EDIT: S'more pics that I uploaded from the camera:

Tearing apart the axles


Pitted C/Vs


Cut off the dampener bracket:


Not the straightest cuts doing the "Letherman Chop", so I have to cut out pieces and weld in filler plates

[max16v]

Finally got over a cold that seemed to last several weeks longer than expected.

The Cafe bike was finished up last week after the headache of lacing and truing the new rim, and not to forget, getting the tire mounted, then eventually balanced. The progress has been posted in the motorcycle thread, but I figured why not post here too.

Here's the story:
After getting the 16" Harley rim and spokes dissasembled from the hub, I gave it a good cleaning before lacing up the new 19" wheel to it. After spending a couple hours lacing the new spokes, I took the wheel across the street to an motorcycle shop specializing in motocross bikes, only to have go back and pick up the rim since the guy couldn't figure out how to the get the lace trued. After several attempts of getting the guy to do it, I took it upon myself, with no truening experience. After sleeping on for the night, I realized that the rim was offset of the hub, making the truening nearly impossible. I flipped the rim/hub on the opposite side that I laced the wheel with and got the rim centered and started tightening the nipples down. At that point, I felt that it would be best to have a pro true the wheels, and the guy at the bike shop across the street turned me down for the last time.

Fuck it, I'll do it myself. I attached a straightened paper clip to one of the rear springs and after 6-7 hours, the wheel was finally trued; radially AND axially. I gathered up the tire, tube, and rim strip to a bike shop in Coachella that I have frequented since childhood (thank god they are still in business). 30 min later my tire was mounted and I left. After assembling the wheel on the bike, I noticed that the wheel wasn't balanced.
I took it back down to the bike shop and had it balanced. FINALLY, it was finished. Just to let you know, I gave a shortened version of the story since I don't have enough time to go through every detail, plus, I've probably lost your interest a paragraph ago and now you're busy looking at the pics...

Now for the final product:



Avons, baby!




After that whole mess, I've stumbled across a continuing problem with my points (just one set, and they're brand new). I've been adjusting them every other day so far. No one seems to make quality parts these days, and good parts are hard to find.
When the points are on, the bike hauls SERIOUS ass... even though it's 30+ years old. I forgot to mention, I installed new brake shoes for the rear after the previous set decided to stop working on a ride home from work.

Enough with this tomfoolery, I say, on to the progress with the v-rod...


I got one set of axles rebuilt with new boots and grease and I need to order another c/v to finish the other axle. The lever arm shocks (from a '40 chevy) I picked up at the Pomona swap meet months ago, are finally getting installed. These guys:



I bought a 4x12x1/4 steel plate and half'd it to make pieces that will be welded to the frame head that the shocks will bolt to. I also did more work to the swing axle spring plate conversion, getting the plates cut down, shaped and drilled.

I'll remember to take my camera home and get a good amount of fotos for ya.

More updates soon.

[max16v]

Finally finished up the rear suspension conversion from the IRS spring plates and torsions to the swing-axle spring plates and torsions. Doing so gave me plenty more tire clearance and also made the channeling process a bit less complicated.

Here's the basic the process:
I cut off one end of the double spring plate and used it as a guide to drill the holes.


After measuring several times, I marked where the holes will be and started drilling.
Finished product:


The lever shocks that I'm planning on running were in need of cleaning and new gaskets. I went down to the local AutoZone and picked up a roll of cork gasket material and got the the shocks sealed up.




I used some 20w fork oil for my motorcycle in the shocks, which good to say, works! The gaskets are holding up nice, but the only problem is that the shocks are way to stiff to use on the front suspension. Also the shocks need to be mounted a way that makes attaching the arms to the torsion arms a very difficult task. I might just pick up a set of Armstrong lever shocks for the front and use the other shocks for the rear.

Here's my "new" steering column/ box/ and wheel that I picked up at the Pomona Swap Meet last Sunday for a mere $40 bucks.


Gonna look sooo fucking cool!


Steering box works perfect!


I'll be running a single drag link from the pitman arm to one spindle and running a separate tie rod to both spindles, hot rod style. The only problem is finding a drag link to work with the steering box. I'm scouring eBay and might have stumbled on a few parts that might work.

I've started clearancing the rear fender wells to fit over the torsion housing for the channel job and also trimmed up the front firewall as well. Hopefully I'll be able to run down to the local steel supply to get some sheet metal to fill in the luggage area.

A basic "before" shot.


Started smoothing out the ash tray area.



More updates later.

[max16v]

Not much to update on. I haven't really done any work to the v-rod in a couple weeks since my bike is out of commission due to some very necessary repairs plus the lease on my apartment was ending and I had to spend a lot of time looking for a new place with a garage. I found a studio in my same apartment complex that I can afford, and I still get to keep my garage. Once I get my stuff moved (around a week or two), I can getting some more work done on the car.

Since replacing the rear tire and rim, I've been wanting to replace the front tire as well, due to my paranoia that it will blowout on the freeway (old and cracking tire). I stripped down the front wheel to re-lace and replace the tire but as soon as the tire came off, I noticed just as much rust and rot as the rear rim; not good. This meant a new rim.

I bought, and received (Friday) a new rim off of eBay from an old Kawasaki (same size rim) which is in nearly perfect condition. A little polish here an there will make it look brand new. I'll get the re-lacing and truening done this week.

I was having MAJOR ignition malfunctions with the old, stock coils and crappy Honda knock-off points and condensers. I spent the $50 bucks for a new points plate, which replaces both condensers, points, and wiring. I put that on the same night I received it in the mail but it turned out the coil for cylinders 2-3 went kaput. It sucks since the coils I have on now were off my dad's bike. So, I took the 1-4 coil that originally came with the bike and mated it with my dad's coils - both 1-4 now. I went to start it up and realized that it was still running on 2 cylinders, but was fuel related. I wasn't getting any fuel to cylinders 1-2 since they are both fed by a single fuel hose. I popped open my fuel tank.... and there I found the problem, my tank is EMPTY. It WAS full when I parked the bike, which means some DICKLESS WONDER siphoned my fuel.

Now I have to go down to the gas station and pick up some new fuel. I did get cylinders 1-2 running, but with carb cleaner - so they do work now. I have the timing set without the use of a timing light.

Once I make the trip to the motorcycle shop to get my new tire mounted and balanced, I'll also make a stop at the local parts store to get some new fuel line. Turns out the line I installed is swelling up to much and cutting down on the amount of fuel the float bowls are getting, which is why the bike runs out of fuel on the freeway.

I'll post some pictures on the next update.

[max16v]

Pictures as promised

Original tire, rim, spokes that came with the bike. Definitely needs replacing.


Rusty spokes and badly rusted rim (where the tube sits)


Had to cut the tire off and tore down the hub/rim assembly.


Rim off eBay - from an early seventies Kawasaki H1 in near new condish.






Also another item off eBay - 2 sets of pegs off a Harley Davidson that I plan to make custom rear-sets with. I probably won't start that project until I get my v-rod on the road.

[max16v]

After weeks of getting parts and hours of tinkering, my bike is back on the road.

After the timing plate swap, the bike purrs and no longer has a miss at idle. I also did a couple things here and there to help get the best performance, like: installed bigger size fuel line (hopefully will end the fuel starvation at prolonged highway speeds). Also bumped the 130 main jets to a bigger 135 jets to stop the momentary lean condition when accelerating. The bigger jets also boosted mid-WOT and passing power. Last but not least, the new rim/spoke/tire mounted.

I took the tire yesterday for mounting and balancing, which the tire needed NO balancing whatsoever. I pulled about 80-85mph on the freeway today and had not a single wobble. Now for some pics.

Laced up Kawasaki rim (same size rim as stock Honda - 1.85x19)


Nearly perfect condition rim.




How she looks now:






I found out that my brother's roommate owns a 1970 Suzuki 2cyl, 2 stroke cafe bike, so I raced him down Hwy 111 to the liquor store to buy booze, and to clean the carbon off my spark plugs...


Me and my CB on the left and Dustin and his 'Zuki on the right.

Now that I got my bike running again, and after I get moved to my new apartment at the end of this month means I can get crackin' on the volksrod again.

[max16v]

I had to search back to page 5 to find my thread; been a while.

Since I've been working two jobs - or 6 days a week, I don't have much time to get any major progress done, but I have made some progress.
The biggest hurtle is achieving adequate clearance for the body drop, around the wheel wells and luggage area. The rear wheels are pretty tall: 31" that requires a slight tub around the tire and room for the spring plate caps if I decide to adjust the height at time in the future. The stock wheel wells are gone, and in place will be 16g sheet that will be a "mini tub" that follows the shape of the tire. The body is raised with 2x4s under the heater channels to give me room to work around the heater channels.







After the channelling is finished, I'll be able to finish the front roof chop (doors are welded shut and I would have to craw through the windshield opening to do any interior body work). I fabricated several "guides" that are spot welded to the inside of the windshield and door posts that will allow me to weld the roof on without a lot of trouble.





I made the rounded inserts by welding 16g sheet to a piece of 3/8 tubing and hammering the metal around the curve. The 3/8 tubing had a piece of scrap 1/8 x 1 x 4 metal to use as a "handle". I don't have the adequate room to use a vice, so it's all rigged up, but it works great.



The square "guides" were formed using 1" square stock instead of the round tubing; also worked great.



Welded in and ready to rock:


I haven't done much with the bike except for the tune up work I did yesterday - oil change, points readjustment (Honda factory points kick soo much ass and have stayed relatively precise since I installed them months ago ), fixed the exhaust leak (speed bumps SUCK) and fixed a vacuum leak on the carbs by putting a small amount of brake fluid on the old rubber seals to swell and seal them up a bit.

That's it for this update. Depending on my schedule working at Mitch's bike shop, I might be able to squeeze in a couple productive nights and have a better update next time.

Later

[max16v]

Holy hell, it's been a while since my last update. I had no work yesterday, which gave me some time to FINALLY get more work done on the v-rod.
I started out by cutting out the other wheel well (passenger side) so I can start gaining clearance for the rear tire to fit.

Small tangent here...
I've been lucky enough to be able to work with Mitch at his motorcycle shop, which I have gained so much knowledge and have been honing my fabrication skills to the level that he needs and that I can go home and use the same skills on my own project.

That being said, I noticed how crappy my old work has been turning out so I spent most of yesterday redoing the sections behind the rear 1/4 windows and began working on the interior panels behind the 1/4 windows as well. I'll take some pictures tonight or tomorrow and get them posted.

Here's how shitty it looked before (I know, I'm cringing too)




On top of the chop and channel work, I have additional things that I want to accomplish:
1) Finish chop and major body work, the NARROW the body an additional 2-4 inches! I want the rear tires to sit outside of the body and be able to drop the body down and have tires sit above the main body line.

2) Add a Ford deuce styled trunk lid for the engine compartment, like so:


3) Relocate the e-brake to the outside (if possible). The cabin will be a very tight fit with the shifter and seats inside.
Here's the e-brake I picked up at the Pomona Swap Meets several months ago:


4) Pop out front window (similar to Nick's runtrod). I happened to find a table that someone tossed in the dumpster and I figured I could use the "slide lock" things to hold the windshield open. Not bad for a freebie.

I'll do my best to keep things updated since I want my damn car on the road already.

-Max16v

[max16v]

Pictures as promised. I know, not much work was done, but I definitely acquired new motivation to work on my car recently.

New 1/4 piece - more aesthetically pleasing and straighter too.





Interior 1/4:





Completely gutted luggage area/ wheel wells:








You can see in the picture above, the tires will interfere with dropping the body. That problem will be corrected by narrowing the body an additional several inches. The plan will be to fill in the wheel well area with a flat piece of 16g sheet.

I'll update with more progress as it comes. Peace out.

[max16v]

How would I go about reviving a build thread that has gone old and gray....

by announcing that work will resume on the once hot-topic, closely watched, much inquired about project! Now with better tools, added patience, and MORE FUCKING SWEARING.

Started the project off by unloading the amassed selection of old parts, new parts, unrelated parts, cobwebs, and sand. Once the car was thoroughly cleaned and blessed, sheet metal work commenced above the doors, filling in the roof gap with scrap metal cut from a donor bug. Today gave me a chance to warm up to TIG welding again with my 175 Lincoln, which makes sheet welding a breeze, but a lengthy process.

Also, I spent a good half-hour tearing out the now-stupid looking TALL shifter and took a good THREE FUCKING FEET out of the center and welding it back together. Now, it wont drag my knuckles on the ceiling while I shift. Much body work, rear suspension work, and engine work will need to be done, but with my motorcycle in need of a new tire tube, I have some free time to dick around in the garage and drinkin' beer.

Next major task that will be completed is channeling. I go back and forth with deciding that the car "looks fine", but only out of sheer laziness. No more will that discourage me from taking a grinder and some filler rod to make this car into a rolling set of tits. After that, I'll be attempting to take a set of Harley shocks, or coilovers and fit them to the rear, eliminating the torsion bar set up, and hopefully engineer upper shock mounts that will allow the ride height to be adjusted by moving the bolt position. Gears are turning.

I know pictures are still probably a must if I require your attention longer than 2 minutes, hell you're probably already scrolling past looking for them, but don't worry, they're coming. Here's my last project, though not 10% done, it's got a couple thousand miles on her and runs like a raped ape.

1956 Royal Enfield Super Meteor 700 a.k.a. The Norfield....a.k.a. "the mistress"

[max16v]

After a couple years of hibernation, she's rolled out into the sunlight.





Firewall cut to for channelling










Floorpans cut to lower body down.

[max16v]

Welding the pans back into place.











Cutting the majority of the remaining firewall out to weld in fresh sheet metal.




Needs some sheet metal to fill in.




I need a fresh idea about an ebrake.

[max16v]

Made new sheet metal to clean up the front firewall, first making a template

















Outside Front Firewall:




Outside Front template.





More updates soon.

[max16v]

Just been working on adding in the door pieces around the windows...which is slow and VERY tedious.

I'll be heading to the local metal supply warehouse for some 16g sheet to make the front firewall piece, and to start filling in the rear luggage area. It will be braced and boxed with 3/4" square tubing and an access panel in the center to get to the starter and transaxle area from inside the car. Still lots of work go, but getting closer.

***If anyone has some door tops to get rid of (the area in red), please let me know!***

[max16v]

Bug is on a short hiatus till I get some sheet metal for the luggage tray area/wheel wells, get some square tubing, and get my Scirocco up and running again.

Been doing some work on the cooling system plumbing, as the P.O. really did some wacky routing with the lines after the factory oil cooler was removed.

Should be back to the bug soon.

In my previous post, I mentioned needing some door filler pieces, and I haven't had any help yet. If you have some pieces to get rid of LEMME KNOW!