Still progressing

 Hello everyone,

Still taking baby steps , but at least steps. Repaired some accessory light wiring for the bike rear fender and the hack fender, finished installing the switches on the left side handlebar and ran them to the fork terminal board. Checked to see what lights work and which ones need new bulbs.

Picked up the wheels and tires from HD and put the front one on to see how it fits in the fender I modified. I think it’s going to look just about right. I may have to make up some new mounting bracket but we’ll see.

Well, once again I can’t add pics, sometimes computers absolutely suck!!

I talked with the engine guy and he’s as slow as I am. He’s got the flywheels assembled and the cylinders are bored and honed, the heads are almost finished and he’s almost ready for assembly. I have to take the rocker covers up to him and also the timer ( distributor). Probably next week one day.

I’m getting closer to needing the engine back, I need it in the frame to mount the coil and a few more things to fit up around it.

I still need to order up the parts for the oil tank and probably more things I haven’t run across yet.

Well, I think that’s all for now, talk to you soon,

TVI

Making some progress

 Hello everyone,

I talked to “Shop Teacher Bob” a couple of days ago and he got started on a couple of items I needed machined up. In the picture you can see a cardboard mockup of a new oil tank, I’ll have to order the bungs for the fittings and the bolts and the sheet metal, and “Bob” said he could build it for me. Part of the price for putting on the electric start kit.

I repaired the wiring in the right side handlebar and ordered two new switches for the left side with wiring and got those fed through the bar and mounted.

I had bought a repop springer fender for $20, to see if it would fit on the hydraulic front end, it was too wide by an inch. I put a piece of one inch tape down the middle and used a cutoff wheel and took out the inch. I tacked it back together and stuck it on there and I’m actually pretty happy with how it fits. That’s just a tire sort of centered in the opening, I took my wheels and tires to an H.D. dealer and had them mounted and balanced. They’re ready to be picked up, which will be next week sometime. Then, I’ll have a roller!

Have to get a hold of the engine guy next week and see where he’s at. I have a lot of welding to do, and some wiring I can do before the engine comes back. 

The plan is to get it running and driving, then take it apart for painting and maybe some chroming or rechroming, and then( hopefully) final assembly.

Well, I think that’s all for now.

Talk to you soon,

TVI 

P.S. I figured out the picture thing again, what a pain in the ass!!

One step forward…

 Hello everyone,

I’ve made some progress on the bike in between other things that keep popping up. I’ve gotten three of the wheels trued, and started to mount the tires so the project will roll. That turned into a disaster! First I pulled the air valve out of the first tube and then punched a hole in the second one! After some deliberation, I discovered that I had the wrong inner tubes! Oh well, live and learn. I have the electric start mechanism prefit to the transmission. I’ve been trying to make a decision on what front fender to use. Still am not decided just yet. Tried to add photos but it’s not working!

Today, I am currently cleaning the shop up, and am still waiting to hear from the engine guy. After the tires are on, I’ll start running some of the wiring on the front and rear lights , then I’ll start to feel like I’m making some progress.

I guess that’s all for now.

Talk to you soon

TVI

Getting started

 Hello everyone,

Yep, finally putting in some time on the Harley.  And I’ve already run into a couple of snafu’s! Imagine that. I broke the little wrench I had to tighten the spokes up and so I’m waiting for a wrench to come in the mail. I’m leaving next week for the whole week to meet the rest of the family for Thanksgiving.

The next snafu is the oil tank. I have an old Harley police tank but because of the electric start kit it won’t fit without extreme modifications. I sort of knew that but I had hoped it wouldn’t have been so daunting. I’ve mapped out a possible alternative and need to discuss it with Shop Teacher Bob, to see if it’s realistic. 

Other than that it’s 1/2 steam ahead and see where that takes me, hopefully no icebergs!

Well, I think that’s all for now, talk to you soon, 

TVI

Still plugging along

 Hello everyone,

Still kicking, finally fulfilled a dream of mine on the Harley, I ordered the electric start kit and it should be here this week or early next week. I met the guy who makes them probably 10 or so years ago at Waseon, Ohio, at the AMCA swap meet and decided then it would go on this bike. I also picked up the windshield for the side car the frame is in good shape but the windshield itself and the apron need to be replaced. I’ve been looking for one of those for even longer and finally found one I could afford.

I’m still working on the house and such, cutting wood etc.. but am closing in on starting to work on the bike. I’m getting really excited! The engine guy contacted me and I have to run some money up to him for parts, hopefully in the next couple of weeks. 

My little job came to an end unfortunately. Things got slow and he has to let me go, I may look for another job just to keep buying parts, although I can do it without that distraction.

It looks like we may be selling the homestead come next summer, so the bike has to be running at least even if it’s not painted yet.

Well, I think that’s all for now.

Talk to you soon,

TVI

Back at it

 Hello everyone,

Made it back from Canada. Great trip, beautiful scenery, wonderful people! Traveled about 4,000 miles, and enjoyed all of it!

Returned to work on Monday, trying to save a little money for the electric start kit for the Harley. I had enough when I left on the trip but a windshield for the sidecar came up on eBay and I won it at an auction! A little more than I wanted to spend but I know they’re getting scarcer than hen’s teeth to find anymore, and it’s one more piece of the puzzle.

I didn’t get the house completely painted and even though my wife doesn’t think so, I’m fairly certain it won’t get finished until next spring. I’m going to start splitting wood today and cutting in the next few days.

I haven’t heard anything from the engine guy, but that’s ok I’m not in any kind of hurry for that just yet, actually, January would be about perfect.

Well, I think that’s all for now, talk to you soon,

TVI

Still plugging along

 Hello everyone,

Yep, still plugging along. Not done painting the house just yet but hope to be finished this weekend. Leaving Wednesday for the trip to Canada, so I’d really like to be finished up before we go.

We’ll be gone to Canada about three weeks, give or take. When we get back it’s going to be wood cutting time. After that, hopefully, motorcycle building time!

I did pickup an ignition switch for the bike and I got word from the builder that the starter kit is done. I won’t bother the engine builder probably until we get back. I still haven’t decided about paint or powder coating for the frame, but I do have to weld up a couple of things first, so I have a little time.

Well, I think that’s it for now, talk to you soon,

TVI