Day One - New Project

[hodakamax]

Wow, winter is here in SE Kansas. It's way too cold to do any prime/paint things on the frame. I'm moving to some other details namely the cylinder. The NOS 93 cylinder has lots of problems to deal with so I think I'll start with the reed valve modifications. Yikes, I haven't done one of these for decades and I'll proceed carefully. Port heights will not change except for the new transfer passages and matching the manifold to the intake. Nothing radical here. I did find some replacement reeds and resurfaced the block where the old petals had actually worn into the surface.

Reporting,

Max

[hodakamax]

Hmmm, not too bad unless one of the Gang thinks I should do more, I'm open to advice and criticism. The reed intake manifold now blends into the cylinder and the additional ports have been made. A little touch up and I think it's ready to fix the flaws in head gasket area and bore it until it cleans up. Quite a bit of progress today!

Still reporting,

Maxie

[hodakamax]

Nothing major going on but it's one of the parts of the process of this restoration. Even though the blast went well it looks as though there's still a few places to work on manually and a small crack in the rear fender bracket that needs a weld. Primer soon!

Still reporting,

Max

[hodakamax]

I don't know if anyone notices, but quite often in my posts is this RT engine in the background. This is to remind one of my very best friends that he needs to pick up (or I should deliver it) this engine that I have rebuilt for him a couple of years ago. It has been posted a few years ago under Road Toad Project. I need to get him moving!

Max

[hodakamax]

Well, my wife is somewhat upset with me for spraying primer in the garage that shares the same central heating unit as the house. Hopefully she will get over it after I explain how important it is to get primer on freshly blasted metal. A friend of mine that has the local body shop recommended this etching primer on blasted metal. It does seem to really stick.

One of many small progress reports.

Maxie

[taber hodaka]

For painting I made a frame holder out of a old engine stand. I fastened a stinger on the stand and then clamp it on the bar holding the coil. I can rotate 360 degrees and see every nook and cranny?? I can paint from either side, right side up or upside down. I can't find the picture .
Clarence

[taber hodaka]

Max that was the wrong picture. Move the project from the garage to the living room I do not recommend to the rest of you.

[hodakamax]

Funny Clarence, I've got to be good, I think I'm almost forgiven. She's cooking breakfast for me which I take to be a good sign.

Maxie

PS--I did put brakes on her Camry yesterday to get back on the "good" side of her.

[dcooke007]

Max,
My brother keeps reminding me of the time I took my Ace 100 apart in the living room. If I remember correctly, I was playing hooky from school and could not be seen out side working on it. Bike was only partially reassembled when my brother arrived home from school. Finished what ever I was trying to accomplish before my parents got home from work. As far as I know they never found out. Those were the days.

My Bad,
Danny

[viclioce]

Danny. I was lucky when I was younger. I was able to keep my bike in the basement. I also had my dad frame out a bedroom in the basement with the excuse that there were only 3 bedrooms upstairs and my sisters were old enough that they both wanted their own bedrooms. It worked! I had my bike in the basement right outside my bedroom door. And I could work on it there whenever I wanted! ; D Victor

[viclioce]

Max. Did you acquire a kickstand for this bike yet? I think I received 4 or 5 kickstands, some shorter, some longer, with these 2 bikes. Let me know what length you might need. I may have a shorter one which will work for you. Yours for postage costs. I believe in Paying It Forward! ; D Victor

[hodakamax]

Thanks Victor, I haven't got to that problem yet and yes I do need one! I've changed out the 17'' front for a 19'' and the wheels are off so I don't have a measurement yet. Soon, and thanks for thinking of me!

Maxie

[hodakamax]

Wow, the thermometer hit 70 degrees F this afternoon---time to act. I did go with the Rust-Oleum Safety Red which sprayed good and was outrageous red as I desired. Two saw horses and a steel rod allowed me to rotisserie it quite well. (I did get into trouble once when I didn't have enough hands and had to cell phone my wife in the house to hand me that board.) Anyway, mission accomplished for now!

Maxie

[taber hodaka]

Max it looks like you are a good shot with a bow and arrow. Who is the old guy helping you paint? Clarence

[Bruce Young]

Be careful there, Clarence, whom is calling whom what. You both look like you can take on the world, it must be the good life you both lead or have led. Max, that paint looks really good, do you plane to put a clear coat on it or just leave as is, so you can touch up without any issues.

Another ol guy, Bruce Young

[dcooke007]

Max it looks like you are a good shot with a bow and arrow. Who is the old guy helping you paint? Clarence

Now that was funny!

Max,
That looks really good, even if you did get some assistance from the old guy.

Danny

[hodakamax]

We does the best we can. ---and if not I hire the old guy.

And Bruce, that paint flowed out nicely, probably no clear coat.

You crazy guys do make me laugh--Thanks!

Maxie

[hodakamax]

Being married to a Graphic Designer has its advantages. I volunteered her to design the graphics for the tank. The smell of primer has finally dissipated in the house and she's in a much better mood! Here's one of the designs that I like. (This is fun.)

Max (And Eweleen!)

[dcooke007]

Very cool...can see fish too??

Danny

[hodakamax]

Just a little filler here. I found a bracket left over from a skid plate change on my KLR-650. It looks like it might be the start of a skid plate for the project. I must say it's more fun to re-assemble refurbished parts than to tear apart bad stuff. Forks all remounted with BBs this time. A little tuning on the fork stops with a file and all is well.

Another small report.

Max

[viclioce]

Hey Max! Thanks to the photo! I was wondering exactly how the foot peg mount goes on. Now I know! Oh, and why didn't you leave the lower tree black? Wasn't black the stock color? ; D Victor

[hodakamax]

Hey Victor, Ceriani forks came with hollow polished aluminum upper and lower trees along with aluminum lower fork tubes. The're really light weight. (A better view on page 7.) As I always say, don't paint anything you can polish!

After assembling the foot-pegs and rear brake pedal I see a problem that I was expecting in that the footpeg bar needs to be raised to allow the pedal to come to a higher position. The foot-peg bar is somewhat small in diameter and probably needs braced anyway. If it bent once it'll probably bend again. Back to the drawing board on this one with some heat, bends and gusseting.

Max

[viclioce]

Interesting. I was not aware they weren't OEM.

As far as the brake pedal goes, might it not be easier to heat up the brake pedal and adjust its angle rather than doing all that work to the foot peg mount? You could even cut a wedge out of the pedal arm, bend it, and weld it back together. Just some thoughts floating around in my head.... ; D Victor

[hodakamax]

Victor, the Ace 90-100s came out with this small diameter foot-rest stay which bent relatively easy. I've already straightend and twisted them about 1/8 turn to allow me to use later pegs. Heating, bending and gusseting them will fix both problems.

Max

[viclioce]

Max it just seems to me that repeated heating & bending of the same part would cause it to weaken further. Just a thought. I hope the gusseting does what you need it to do! ; D Victor