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Post by agustanz on Mar 25, 2014 11:24:41 GMT 1
Got to the bike today a day late.... spent last night sleeping in my van outside a garage with a leaking frost plug! Fixed this morning. I knew I had the right garage when the 70 year old owner lifted the doors and I was looking at his E type and Mk2 Jags AND his classic racing BSA Goldstar! Fell on my feet with that guy for sure! Really nice guy, one of life's true gentalmen. Got to where the bike was delivered by the movers... already done some work on it... more tomorrow! Reunited after about 13 years! Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Mar 29, 2014 1:15:35 GMT 1
Got set of used AP Lockheed old race style calipers leaving the UK Monday... so that's another thing I can cross off the "parts to buy" list... Going to unload the bike today and have some fun looking it over and seeing what I have to work with. Fun fun fun in the sun sun sun. regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 1, 2014 0:31:57 GMT 1
Made a bench to mount the bike on to work on with a brace for the front wheel... ordered a Talon 520/16 lightweight steel front sprocket and sets of pads and rebuild kits for my Lockheed calipers... and some nice stainless steel clevis joints for the gear change and foot brake. Out with the angle grinder late today after work so fit some new braces to the modified swinging arm... It's funny to have to old bike back after all these years... like getting to know an old friend again. Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 2, 2014 11:17:43 GMT 1
New stainless spokes arrived today from the USA. They look great... will take them to work tomorrow and see if they are going to fit right. Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 4, 2014 21:18:52 GMT 1
Found that the balance tube from a LC will NOT fit YPVS inlets... jumped on ebay and have one it's it's way with clips... Cut and ground two of the new braces for the swinging arm. Looking at how to do the front engine mounts now as the air cooled RD frame has wide mounts and the LC engine narrow off set mounts. I did the rear ones 20 years ago. Making progress. Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 8, 2014 9:04:13 GMT 1
Got my Lockheed brake calipers yesterday, today got a new RK GB520MXZ4 chain... supposedly the lightest in the business... and a nice lightweight Talon steel 16 tooth drilled front sprocket and rebuild kits and new pads for the calipers.... so it has been a good couple of days at the Post Office. Tapped the calipers on the disc today and started working out the new mounts... at this stage I will cut the top mount off and re-weld it near the bottom of the leg and make a plate mount between the two mounts and the caliper. I have also been marking out where to cut down the size of the front guard. Might get the tyres taken off tomorrow so I can polish the hubs and rebuild the wheels with the new rims and spokes. Fun fun fun in the sun sun sun! Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 10, 2014 22:53:18 GMT 1
Some weights... The new Talon 520/16 front sprocket is 159 grams. AP Lockheed calipers without pads weigh 976g, standard 1975 RD350 cast iron calipers weigh 1326 without pads... 350 grams difference each. So my replacing the two calipers on my café racer I have taken 700 grams (minus small adapter plates) off the front end. That's quite a bit of weight gone and a huge brake improvement. Working on overall set up and exhausts the last few days... looking at adapting a couple of curved Magni pipes from an old MV Agusta to fit as silencers... looks the part! Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 11, 2014 21:59:45 GMT 1
Had a good day playing with the bike... set up mufflers to see how they would look. Then had a revelation that the fairing has always been fitted wrong! Which explains why the bike had no front mud guard and bugger all steering lock when I got it... I moved the fairing forward about 40mm and up at the front about 40mm... look WAY better like that... clears the front guard and full compression, has more steering lock and has made the large gap between the back of the guard and the fairing smaller which looks so much better. Finished the day filling some areas inside the fairing with filler so I can reshape the fairings. The fairing will just become a buck for a new mold and I will make a new fairing in the new shape. Pictures to come when I get around to loading them to the flicker page. Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 12, 2014 5:31:26 GMT 1
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Post by agustanz on Apr 12, 2014 5:33:33 GMT 1
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Post by agustanz on Apr 12, 2014 5:34:58 GMT 1
Machined flywheel.
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Post by agustanz on Apr 12, 2014 5:38:08 GMT 1
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Post by agustanz on Apr 12, 2014 22:38:47 GMT 1
Showing the lump in the TZ fairing I have filled in behind with filler and then ground down the outside to flatted that area out. Then I will have a smaller oval lump over the TZ water pump.... like the MV's did over the ends of the cranks. I will also extend the fairing back to cover more of the mufflers and engine. Back to grinding today... get as much fibreglass dust out of the way in one go.. I will reshape the seat, rear guard and front guard today. Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 12, 2014 22:44:11 GMT 1
Rear guard marked up for cutting today... Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 12, 2014 23:01:40 GMT 1
For those who have not looked at the flicker page (link at bottom) and don't know what I started with back in 1986 here is a "as bought" shot. Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 13, 2014 8:36:54 GMT 1
Ground up the seat, front and rear guards back and I think they are good.
Was going to mount the lower fairing again and start fitting when I realised I think I need to move the motor. Mucked about with it and figure I can move it 15mm forward before the stud in the exhaust touches the frame, and 15mm down. This will get more weight on the front wheel which can't be bad and help the pod filters clear the rear shock spring some more. I will make special mounts for the headers with shorter studs and slots in the mounts and not holes, so I can still fit headers, with the spring mounting with the frame rails so close. Chain line looks fine still. Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 14, 2014 11:13:44 GMT 1
Spent the day avoiding work and played with the fairing instead... Cut it around and re glassed some bits joined the top to the bottom... reshaped the hole in the front. Made lots if dust and noise. Great! Much more to do... going to cut the very bottom section out and make it fit with quick release fastenings... then extend the sides back further. Ordered a couple of litres of resin today. Got the balance tube and some plug caps in the post and bought a Tommaselli Matador replica clutch lever assembly. Might have sold one of my vintage bicycles so if that deal happens I can see some more nice shinny bits in my future... and maybe the programmable ignition from our man Norbo. Fun fun fun in the sun sun sun Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 15, 2014 10:41:42 GMT 1
Another day "at" work but did no work... BUT mucked about with the seat and the fairing all day!) The main bit for the day was finishing bonding the top to the bottom sections and then extending the left side of the fairing back quite a bit... then running out of resin. DOAH! More should be their on the morning courier. Really should be sanding and spraying the customers bedroom units and the cane sofa and seats... but what the hell, can't ride them now can I??!!!
Bad worker, no biscuit!! Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 16, 2014 12:11:56 GMT 1
Did 90 mile round trip to get resin today, and had time to do some more of the extensions on the fairing, more tomorrow... Ordered some more parts from Norbo...RZ Thermostat, Seals for 34mm RD350 A/B forks, Dust caps for 34mm RD350A/B forks, set of 4 stainless exhaust springs, LC baffles loud type, LC Exhaust studs set of 4, LC clutch plates race £35... Getting down my list of parts needed! Regards Gavin
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Post by mikee on Apr 17, 2014 16:40:15 GMT 1
Getting there gav
Already looks amazing
Mike
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Post by agustanz on Apr 19, 2014 22:17:09 GMT 1
Thanks Mike! Thought I was talking to myself their for a while! Yesterday I moved the engine 15mm forward and 10mm down at the back which will help the airfilters clear things. Spent the rest of the day working on the fairing... got the shape about right then cut a hole for the TZ water pump to poke out the side and covered it and iced it with filler... going the shape up the blob today and keep working on the fairing until it's right. Not sure if I will take a mould off the fairing and make a new fairing from it OR clean up this one and use it as a male mould and take one off the outside.. 2mm larger would be fine... Ordered TZ water pump rebuild kit and should have my RD400 carbs here this week! Regards Gavin
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Post by lukey1965 on Apr 20, 2014 10:25:12 GMT 1
Fabulous story and interesting machine, thanks for sharing.
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Post by agustanz on Apr 20, 2014 21:51:26 GMT 1
Thinking about the fuel tank now... I bought an inline tap and some nice green fuel line off ebay last night... I really don't think that the tank I made from polyester resin 18 or more years ago can be trusted to hold modern gas any more... It is HUGE and I think I found it could hold 27 litres, so I am thinking one option would be to use this tank as a cover for a smaller "fuel cell" underneath that fits to the underside of the tank and feeds from the existing cap. Then I could make it 10 or 12 litres and mount it forward to get weight on the front wheel. Then I could use the void in the back of the tank to put small parts out if sight. I could give it a nice low area by the outlet so it does not run lean with fuel surge in the big tank which I think would have been a worry while racing with a small amount of gas in the tank. I was looking at plastic tanks and today I will measure up my tank to see what can go inside. I might make one in light gauge aluminium. Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 23, 2014 9:09:27 GMT 1
Off in the morning to buy a big sheet of 1.6mm marine grade aluminium to fabricate the tank to go inside the glass tank I made back in the day... talked to my ali welder and worked out the best way to tackle it... Made more progress on the little bit of fairing that now screws to the fairing lowers to join them together today. Had to WORK as well which was a bugger. Will pick up some paint while I am in the city getting the ali sheet... might even pick colours for the bike. Funfunfun in the sunsunsun! Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 24, 2014 20:56:48 GMT 1
Got the sheet of aluminium. Also got another nice horde of new bits from Norbo! I have to say he gives good service and great advice... I am glad I landed on my feet when I came to this site! THANKS NORBO!!! Also picked up a brand new Grimeca 16mm master cylinder (genuine Italian part, not dangerous Chinese knock off) off ebay for the bike which will hopefully work nicely with my soon to be rebuilt Lockheed calipers. Got a coat of paint rolled on the fairing yesterday as a surface to get the swine filled and flat so I can use it as a buck for the new fairing mould. Photos to come tonight... Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 24, 2014 20:57:17 GMT 1
Got the sheet of aluminium. Also got another nice horde of new bits from Norbo! I have to say he gives good service and great advice... I am glad I landed on my feet when I came to this site! THANKS NORBO!!! Also picked up a brand new Grimeca 16mm master cylinder (genuine Italian part, not dangerous Chinese knock off) off ebay for the bike which will hopefully work nicely with my soon to be rebuilt Lockheed calipers. Got a coat of paint rolled on the fairing yesterday as a surface to get the swine filled and flat so I can use it as a buck for the new fairing mould. Photos to come tonight... Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 25, 2014 21:22:42 GMT 1
Made the decision yesterday to make it a track day/Post Classic race bike and not bother with road gear, BUT build it so I can easily put it on the road later if I wanted to. So I filled in the headlight hole and faired it up.... reversing what I did cutting that bit out 25 years ago... So that will make the job a little easier. If I can avoid work enough today I might even get into changing the gas tank and making the mock up in cardboard for the new ali gas tank that will go inside the old one. Regards Gavin
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Post by agustanz on Apr 26, 2014 10:05:35 GMT 1
About to fill in the headlight hole with bog!
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Post by agustanz on Apr 26, 2014 10:06:32 GMT 1
Modified rear guard...
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Post by agustanz on Apr 26, 2014 10:09:35 GMT 1
Right hand side, showing modified fairing with lump for water pump.
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