Run Red Run: Small Jobs

Added the primary gear and circlip.

Added the clutch with the lock nut (but not the washer yet).

Switched the knock pin from the cover side over to the case side.

Discovered that the nicest of the 2-piece clutch covers wouldn't fit onto the right crankcase cover.  For some reason, the "tabs" along the inner circumference were just a bit too tight.

Summer Session #5: Epic Paint Day Three

Had been both looking forward to and dreading this day, as I was eager to get the bike back together but wasn't sure how smoothly it would go.

Started with clear coat on the frame, bridge and steering head.  The clear coat actually needed an hour to dry to the touch (and a full 3 before handling, supposedly).  Let it dry for the hour and busied myself getting the empty motor together.

Used the Monkey crankcase, the CT90 jug and cylinder head, the Sheng carb and a newly arrived K&N vent filter.


Then, finally, got started on the re-assembly.

• Thought I was smart by first installing the brake pedal so that when I then added the main stand and spring, the spring could already wrap around the pedal and I wouldn't have to jam it in later.  But that was the first mistake, because the free-swinging pedal caused all kind of havoc.  In the end, put a pretty huge scratch in the main stand paint.
• Added back the swing arm.
• Then the cushions... but realized I had forgotten exactly how the various washers had originally been arranged.  Just went with what seemed right.
• Added the rear wheel.
• Steering head assembly
• This was a nightmare.  My biggest mistake was trying to do everything with the forks still attached to the wheel.  I had forks flopping around all over the place as I tried to get the steering head back in place.  
• Fork slipped and put a very nasty gash in the top of the tank.  Good thing that was the test tank otherwise it would have been a very, very bad day...
• Also forgot to put in the metal fork caps until after I'd already put the steering into the frame once.
• Added moly-B to the top and bottom races.
• Very, very precarious trying to get the steering back into the frame.  Need to figure out a more reliable way to hold the bike steady in order to lift the front up enough to get the steering column in.  As it was, I was trying to balance the bike in one arm and get the steering in with the other.  Very nearly toppled the whole thing over.
• Realized that what I really should have done was to add in the steering head FIRST!  Then add the forks, then add the wheel.  Which is all probably already documented!!!
• Added the steering head top (had to run back up to get the pin wrench).
• The forks were falling so far short of the bridge that I was sure I'd done something wrong.  But I used the long bolt to snag one and dial it up.  Then was able to pull the other one into place and bolt it in.
• Added the handlebars back.
• Laid the bike down and mounted the mocked up crankcase.  
• Then seat and tank.
• Finally the headlight but the mounts are so fiddly that I'd rather just replace them.  Inserted a bolt without a nut and that seemed like it would hold them temporarily.

Summer Session #4: Epic Paint Day Two

Today was an 8:00 start and then just 3 hours (had to head to the musical theater performance).

Straight forward session.  Painted the frame (first upside down, let dry, then right side up).  Then clear coated the already painted component parts. 

Decided to paint the bridge white to follow the overall color scheme (white on top, red on the bottom).

Overnight, had realized that the reason I probably couldn't get the steering head off was because with the axle still bolted down, it was torquing the forks.  Loosened the axle nut and presto - steering slid right off!

So was then able to prime and paint the steering head, as well as swapping the springs over to the black ones.

Left everything to dry overnight.

Summer Session #3: Epic Paint, Day One

Was in the garage at 7:00 am! 

Setup the "shop" in the corner in front of the old trash chute, using the TV box to good effect.

First up was a full disassembly.  Dropped the engine, then used the bamboo pole resting on the jack stands to hold the bike while I removed the front end.  Then pulled the rear wheel and finally the swing arm and stand.

Worked the frame with 100 grit for most spots but switching to 80 grit especially for the areas that had the old masking tape on them (which turned out to be as hard to sand down as a bad rust spot).

Thought I would prime the frame using the single can of red primer, but immediately realized it's no good to prime something in the same color it already is - impossible to see what you're painting vs what's already there.

So started in with the white primer (everything Dupli-Color) with the frame upside down.  Went on smooth and no running.  After about 4 coats on the underside, I set the frame aside to dry for the recommended 30 mins.  Had also primed the battery cover.

In the meantime I had already lightly sanded down the brake stay, swing arm, stand, and chain cover.  Again, realized that trying to paint them an ever-so-slightly different shade of red was tricky because it was hard to see what you hit and what you missed.  Probably should have hit everything with a layer of white primer just to give it some contrast...  But anyway, finished the parts with 3 coats of Ford Red while the frame dried.

Had wanted to disassemble the front end, both so I could paint the steering head but also to swap out the fork springs.  But couldn't get the forks to budge an inch!  Decided to leave it for another day...

Set the parts aside to dry (paint needs 60 mins) and started priming the frame right side up.  Did another 3-4 coats and then set that aside to dry.

Decided the only way to really do this right was to leave everything overnight and resume again in the morning because it would take much to long to try to reassemble only to have to not only disassemble but then re-tape everything the next day.

Goal is to get the frame painted tomorrow and clear coat all the parts (short day due to musical theater performance).

Then clear coat the frame on Friday and finally reassemble.

Summer Session #2: Jug Swap

Swapped out the jugs on the model engine.  Installed the new black media-blasted one from eBay for the orange +.25 one which could be a candidate for Red.

Summer Session #1: DMV & Inventory Day

Had a 9:00 am appointment at DMV to try for Red's Title & Registration and fully convinced myself that it was going to go badly.  The appointment line that early in the morning was very short; I got there at 8:00 expecting something like the last time, but was way too early in reality. 

Waited about 20 minutes after they gave me my number.  The lady looked at the paperwork and actually started typing everything up.  My pessimism was still intact but there was a glimmer of hope... until she got up and said, "Be right back".  Never a good sign at the DMV.

She came back a few minutes later and delivered the bomb: the odometer reading on the VIN form can't be "none".  So you're not getting the license plate today.

BUT... she typed everything up, said I was good to go as soon as I got the new VIN form (with an odo of at least 1 mile!).  Even got a temporary license good for a month.  And of course they took my money, $140 total.

So... had to keep reminding myself that the big gamble was simply getting the bike into the system, given the out of state purchase, the separate bills of sale for motor and frame, etc. etc.  Truly this was a win with only the tiniest of hiccups.

Called Office Wong and swung by CHP the next day and took all of 15 minutes to get the new form.

Next appointment is Fri 8/6 at 9:00am.  We'll see how this story ends...


But after coming back from the DMV, still wanted to get in some garage time but knew I only had a few hours.  So ended up doing a big inventory.  Pulled every bin out and checked it against inventory.  Started actually using the little paper tags to identify and label duplicate parts.

Moved the heavier, less-likely-to-be-used stuff to bottom bins and shuffled stuff in the smaller bins around into a more logical setup.

Also checked the spare taillight in the bin and found it does not actually fit the rear fender, but has holes cut into it to mate.  Did I do that?

Odd Jobs

Sunday afternoon odd jobs...

• Checked the plugged up gas cap now that I know to look for the "pinhole" opening near the edge.  It was indeed plugged and I freed it (but didn't test yet).  But then, looking at the one that worked, it seemed plugged up, too!  So not quite sure how that works...
• Ivy - Added 50 mL of oil using the new dispenser bottle from Kamei.
• Ivy - Added moly-B to front axle
• Red - bolted on the exhaust, found that for some reason the hanger on the exhaust didn't quite line up with the boss on the engine, so may need to file it a bit
• Paint audit
• 3 Ford red
• 2 whites
• 1 clear 
• Tested a stock screw (with small head) on the new petcock and that worked to get it flush to the tank
• Carpet work - measured the "$15 Bill" jug at 50.23 to 50.35 (varies due to the corrosion inside)
• Also, the Flexhone jug is a CT90!