Day One - New Project

[Bruce Young]

Max, you are not boring anyone whom appreciates your attention to detail when you work on a project. You are not alone, there are several of the other seasoned Hodaka builders out there that do the same. Some are not able to show their work in pictures as you do with such great detail and expert comments. I know this has come from many years of working in the Hodaka world as you all have. I marvel at your ability to do this fine work. You have molded and shaped your machines from a stock OEM position, rather rudimentary, to a beautiful work of art. You are not alone as this forum points out several experts are out there. We the newbies, learn from you all. It makes no difference the outcome as a rider you use or a object of art you have created. And I say you are only as you feel, I use the word seasoned, not "OLD." Please don,t stop doing what you are doing.
We have an obligation to the newbies in the Hodaka World to try and show them what can be done with a little extra effort.
Thanks again for all you and other do. You know whom you are. Bruce Young Hodakaparts.com IDAHO

[hodakamax]

Hey Bruce, thanks!--May I use you as a reference on my next venture? Just kidding, thanks for sure!

Max

[hodakamax]

Max-
Mike Lake contributed a nice article to the Resonator a couple years ago on upgrading & reinforcing an early (Wombat/Ace) brake lever, using an after market folding tip. You might find that useful.

Bob

Ah, found it, Volume 2-number 4. I also looked up the IMS folding tip on Ebay which is about $16 w/FS. Looks like a fun project but mine is too nice to chop up. I'll rummage around for a bent one. Thanks Bob!

Max

[bobwhitman]

It's a good design, Max. We duplicated it to good effect on our Combat racer.
Bob

[mac]

Hi Max,
I have been lurking around the forum and following your build/transformation of the Partridge bike.
I just wanted to comment that you are doing a most excellent job on the build.It has inspired me to get off my dead bum and get on with my Ace100 build for light trials competition and trail riding for,hopefully,my daughter.
I took the frame and swingarm to work today to give it a rattle can paint job.I didn,t bring a camera so I will have to post pictures a little later.I do have a pic of the old guy that did the painting.As you can tell he can get a bit grumpy when tired and under fed.
I think next time I will get paint from Paul and use an automotive spray gun so I don,t have to listen to the old guy complain about his finger cramping up and poor vision.

Keep up the good work and cool post! Mac

[hodakamax]

How strange, only yesterday I was wondering what had become of you! Welcome back and it sounds as though we on similar paths on our Ace 100s. I've quoted you a few times when I show friends the beginning of the project about the Partridge family bus paint scheme. Good to hear you are alive and well and back on the right path.

Keep us posted on the project!

Maxie

PS--you'll soon be smiling again.

[Bullfrog]

Mac:

I can't help but ask . . . "tired, underfed" . . . and the team is losing?? That would make me grumpy too!

Ed

[mac]

Yes,the team was losing,we were in the student pep section (extra loud),I had just returned from the concession stand which was out of popcorn and then was caught by surprise from my wife with the camera.When I saw the photo she took of me it did make me laugh!

[viclioce]

Max. Have a question for you....

Where does the rear lower tab for the chain guard bolt to the frame? I'm looking at it but can't figure it out. Looks like it should be somewhere behind the left shock? And I'm guessing it has to be bolted in place before mounting the rear wheel? Please let me know. ; D Victor

[hodakamax]

Max. Have a question for you....

Where does the rear lower tab for the chain guard bolt to the frame? I'm looking at it but can't figure it out. Looks like it should be somewhere behind the left shock? And I'm guessing it has to be bolted in place before mounting the rear wheel? Please let me know. ; D Victor

Victor, I don't have anything with a chain guard but I did find some picts on the SH site under "Your Bikes" (which is a cool place to show your bike if you haven't checked it out.) Hope this helps.

Max

PS--aren't these beauties? Wow! It reminds me of uncrating new bikes in the day.

[hodakamax]

I was going to wait until I had this bracket finished but since little is going on on the Forum I thought I might show you the next challenge which is mounting the front fender. The first problem was that the fork stem was interfering with the fender. The lower tee has two holes already drilled in it. I think the fender needs more attachments than that and I didn't want to bore a big hole in the fender to accommodate the fork stem. I shortened the stem with the Sawsall and am designing a 1/2'' spacer. I also had to put some parts on to see if it was going to clear my weird exhaust. The prototype spacer is plastic and when finished will be built from aluminum and I'll try to not make it look like a block. All sounded easy at first.

Maxie

PS--now that I'm looking at the pictures and see that I have clearance the spacer might not have to be that thick with a little more sawing on the stem. That's what prototyping is for I guess.

[hodakamax]

Happy Birthday Ivan!

[ossa95d]

Hey thanks Max! I forget how old I am until I walk past a mirror and see the old guy looking back at me. YIKES!!

My grandsons stopped by today and the oldest got out his dirt bike and gave the younger ones rides. The youngest actually rode a two wheeled bicycle by himself for the first time too. I can't remember too many February's where that was possible in Vermont, but it was great to watch them enjoying themselves on two wheels.

Thanks again and all the best to you.

(OK I'll ask, how did you know it is my birthday?)

[hodakamax]

Ivan, I am all knowing about birthdays because I have much more experience.

[ossa95d]

I bow to your superior knowledge, oh ancient one!

[hodakamax]

My that's close, but it does fit. I didn't have a shifter case in possession at the time of design. I claim that I meant to do that.

Max

[Bruce Young]

Max Little tough to grease the shifter. But seeing how you work you are already working on a fix. Great work. Bruce

[hodakamax]

Heh, heh, heh.

[Bruce Young]

I knew it, Can,t keep a good man down bruce

[hodakamax]

Couldn't resist, Winter has returned and I'm bored.

Maxie

PS-- how was that for a quick turn around?

[hodakamax]

Piston mod time. A .030 Wiseco 2-ring piston cleaned up the rusty bore nicely. This is the replacement for a model 93 from SH. I haven't done a holy piston job for decades and I proceeded with extreme caution. This is a very conservative example for me but it should be well suited for trail riding and a long service life. That was fun! The bottom holes are mostly intake and the top ones are mostly transfer hence the angled approach. Anyway that's how I used to do it only much larger openings. Oops, I haven't notched the intake skirt yet, and I might raise the top holes a bit more, but that's next.

Maxie

[mac]

Very nice work Max ! Thanks for the pics and update.

[hodakamax]

Hey Mac, thanks, good to have you back.

Max

[hodakamax]

After doing a reed valve piston (the first in 40+ years) I noticed how much room is available in the piston skirt to pump more mixture both in intake and transfer. Our two short trackers of the day probably had twice the piston intake area of my latest example. Of course you soon run out of structural strength in the piston skirt. We tested the limit of what was possible in the day and soon learned the limits of how much you can remove from the intake side of the piston. We inspected the piston after every event and noticed that the piston was trying to shed its skirt after the limit was reached. Fortunately no catastrophic events occurred but we did find the cracks of imminent failure. The engine was certainly responsive to large intakes and transfers through the skirt but there was a limit. It brought back old memories today while ventilating the piston.

Maxie

[viclioce]

Looking pretty nifty Max! How long did it take you to drill all that out? ; D Victor