"Were going to need a bigger shoehorn!!"

[Grant's trail]

I've got a old Miller 200 tig welder in my Garage, also a Miller 200 mig too. and a set of torches I bought in '79. If you can weld with a torch then you have a great start welding with a tig. almost the same but the foot pedal controles how much heat you have. I'll take a pic when I have the camera out again, but its old and dirty!!

 

[69ST]

This week I've been working on the swing arm, shortened it 1" in the back for a better visual, and lenghtend it 3.25 in front to get the swing arm pivot as close to the sprocket as I can. I turned up 4 spuds to insert into the swing arm tube wherever I cut it.then plug welded them from the side, then tig welded the tube up. Turned up some bushings to press into the new swing arm pivots, and did away with the whimpy 10mm pivot bolt for .500 grade 8 bolt for a little more safey. I'll post some pic's after I drill the frame and can stick it together for another look. I do think the longer swing arm will ride better with a smoother arc of travel.

View attachment 5520 Shortened back 1.125. Haven't changed front yet.
View attachment 5515
View attachment 5517
View attachment 5519
View attachment 5514
View attachment 5516
View attachment 5518

The last pic is looking down into the frame at the new pivot boss. still have to weld it in tomorrow and will add one more pic with all the wheels back on and chain.

I agree with your take on the swingarm. Maybe you should be scared:24: But seriously, with the rear wheel assembly now moving in a larger arc, there are now fewer degrees of swingarm rotation for the same amount of suspension travel; if nothing else, variations in chain tension should be a fraction of what they were.

Mad props to you on the welding artistry & metal fab work. The structural strength you've added to the <normally> weakest part of the frame ought to pay you back in a big way when you snap the throttle open at low speed. As long as the spring rates & valving are well-matched to the GVW, I'd expect this to be a very stable & well-balanced bike, for its size.

 

[Adam-NLV]

Thanks Grant. I was a competent welder in high school, been a long while since then but I want to get back into it.

Keep the posts coming!
This is a Very Good Read.

 

[Grant's trail]

Here's a couple more pic's from today tacked the swingarm boss onto the frame everything seems to line up well, a few more little touchups and then strip the paint off. I got this tach when I bought the engine, and heres a pic of the welder for Adam hasn't been cleaned for a while...a long while. Also the wheel base ended up at 44.5 inches.

 

[Grant's trail]

This last week striped the frame, shot it with black primer notched out the sprocket guard around the swingarm, finished welding the counter sprocket together. I bought a old foot peg set and eng guard when it gets here I'll start on getting the foot pegs mounted.

 

[vrodsss]

Grant ,
Starting to look like a bike . Like the front end - think I'm going to put that on my bike . By the way -- nice t-shirt . :4:

 

[Grant's trail]

That's my favorite sporting goods store shirt. the only thing I not real crazy about on that front end is the bottom triple clamp they machine the holes for the fork legs a little to big you have to really clamp it down to hold them. I have not ridden it yet it, but that's one thing I noticed.

 

[scott t]

Grant I have been following your build and must say quite interesting.

You definetly have the skills and equipment for the job, so I would suggest you weld up the bores on the lower tripple tree and remachine it to a size your happy with.

Thanks for the great thread, keep up the good work.

Scott

 

[Dupa]

Looks terrific Grant. :4:
We will need some good vid and definitely sound when you smoke test it.

 

[P.C.]

That looks great just in primer,a real rat rod look.candy gold would look good with that front end too.great job!

 

[Motorhead]

I can't wait to see what crazy exhaust system shows up on that monster!

 

[hornetgod]

I love how this baby is progressing. I showed my 15 year old son your thread and photos and he thinks it's aweome. Keep us updated. This beauty would make a great motorcycle magazine article once completed. I hope to see it one day flipping through a magazine.

 

[mfro]

I'd try and test fit the rear fender now before painting. You'll probably need to move it back a bit from its original position because of the longer swingarms which will likely result in an ugly gap between frame and fender.

However, I'm pretty sure you and your welder will be able to fix that with two filler patches

 

[mjn]

Maybe you've already covered this...but what are you gonna do to fit the carbs on??? Gonna have to make a custom set of intakes that turn outward?? Doesn't look like there is enough room to fit the stockers in there...

 

[Grant's trail]

Hey mfro, I spent about an hour on Sun looking at the rear fender question. On one hand I would like to keep the CT fender look, but with the wheel about 1 1/2 inches back there is gap to deal with. I also thought about mounting it to the swing arm like I see some of the 50's do. I'm not in a hurry, so it needs some more thought. On the carbs I have a stock set of intake manifolds. I was going to cut them up, put a curve in them to clear the frame. maybe notch the frame with a piece of tubing on each side if I have to. While I was writing this I had an idea for the rear fender. What if you used two fenders? fit one to the frame like normal, then kick the secound one on the angle that looks good with where the rear wheel sits, then trim them up and weld and blend them together?:39:

 

[mfro]

While I was writing this I had an idea for the rear fender. What if you used two fenders? fit one to the frame like normal, then kick the secound one on the angle that looks good with where the rear wheel sits, then trim them up and weld and blend them together?:39:

Hi Grant,

thought about something like tihis (picture stolen from a fellow german forum member):


Regards,
Markus

 

[Grant's trail]

Hi Markus, Yea something like that, and maybe fill in the gaps between the fender and frame. That swingarm looks like its been extended too. also are those shocks off a larger bike over there?

Thanks for the Picture!,
Grant

 

[mfro]

Hi Markus, Yea something like that, and maybe fill in the gaps between the fender and frame. That swingarm looks like its been extended too. also are those shocks off a larger bike over there?

Thanks for the Picture!,
Grant

Swingarms are two cut and welded into one (don't know how much longer than stock, however). Shocks are DIY lengthened (additional spacer between spring and pump rod) Showa/Daytona aftermarket

Aren't you supposed to sleep right now? :37:

 

[Grant's trail]

Yea it's way past my bedtime, its 11:15pm right now ha ha thanks for the info! Grant

 

[theraymondguy]

Fantastic. I love it to bits. More.