Jim's 1980 SG Miss September

Finally got the frame back from the blasters today...
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Cleaned up real good. Even the left inside where all the battery corrosion was. I'll probably start gettin it ready for paint this weekend.
 
I've had freshly blasted frames start rusting within a day.
(Warm, humid south Texas weather)...
Yeah, had the same problem when I lived in Fla. It's not anywhere near that bad here in KC
 
Ever have one of those "I wish I hadn't done that moments?" That's where I am with the frame. I'm welding in the gaps, knockin the high spots off the welds, and smoothing the joint out with body filler so that this...
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Turns out looking like this...
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It really does make the welds look better but damn... this is gonna be one hell of a slog. I'm guessin it will take the better part of this week.
I've already got some of the joints done so it's too late to turn back now. But... if I had it to do again, I wouldn't. Sometimes I just don't know when to leave good enough alone:rolleyes:
 
Friend of mine was a body man, taught me a few things.
Bondo goes thru stages as it hardens.
Putty stage - use putty knife and spatula
Rubber stage - use carving knife
Plastic stage - use cheese grater
Hard plastic stage - use bastard files
Even harder stage - use finer files and sandpapers
Final hard stage - use finishing sandpapers

Preplan it out and get the timing right, you're done in 30 minutes...
 
While gettin the frame ready for paint I started thinkin bout how much I hate painting frames:( Anyone that's hung one up and painted it knows what I'm talking about. They're a real pain in the ass.
Then I got to thinkin... I been collecting metal for a few yrs. to make a frame jig cause the XS1 frame in the basement is bent pretty bad, and for future plans.
Then I got to thinkin... if I made the jig a "rotisserie" jig... I could use it to not only make/fix frames, but I could paint the frames too:)
So... here's some 3"X 1/8" wall square tubing I scrounged a few yrs. back
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Got just enough to make the main frame and the rotisserie frame. A little rusty, but hey... it was free.
Main frame welded...
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Opening is 6ft. You can see by the SG frame in the background that it's plenty big enough for any frame I'll ever work on.
This is a 4'x4' sheet of leftover 10ga. mild steel that a buddy gave me...
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Cut some 3" squares and capped the main frame...
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Two things that have become indispensable to me are laser cross hairs and step drills. If you've never used either, you don't know what you're missin.
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It's gotta be portable so I bought some steel casters from Home Depot and some 1/2" bolts for adjustable feet...
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The caster bar is bolted on so it will be easy to rotate it, allowing the jig to lay flush against the wall for storage...
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That's as far as I've got. so far I'm out 18 bucks to Home Depot for casters and bolts. I need to get off my ass and finish it, but it's cool and damp here in the garage and my new knee is complainin to no end. So here I sit, typing instead of working.
Please, somebody yell at me to get off my ass and get back to work;)
 
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Holy crap Jim - that is cool!! I could use that jig to paint a frame and a bunch of other stuff!

Dammit - I’m comin’ over. I’ve just got two questions:

- what part of Kansas City are you in?
- what day will that jig be done and not have anything of yours in/on it?
- what kind of BEvERages do you like?

OK - that was three. Sorry.

Pete
 
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Holy crap Jim - that is cool!!
Thanks Pete.
1. North KC
2. Spring
3. Any dark beer. The darker the better.:)
When it's done, I'd be agreeable to loaning it out to fellow xs650.com members, but it's gonna weigh about 200lbs. Pickup and delivery is on the borrower.
 
Hey Jim. It's all back together with the new needle bearing up to the clutch plates. Realized I had forgotten to soak the plates in oil overnight so will finish up Monday.
 
Picked up a seat from a Craigslist ad this afternoon for 50 bucks...
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The pan has no rust whatsoever, foam is still pliable, and only had two small tears. Anybody know any tricks to patching vinyl?
Interesting story... got in the truck to drive over there and got a text from the guy changing the address to a neighborhood I wasn't familiar with. Hmmm.... Then I got another text telling me to "just walk around back." Another hmmm... Must be gettin paranoid in my old age. Went back in the house and grabbed the 380LCP II.
To make a long story short, Bob turned out to be a fantastic guy who loves bike just like the rest of us. He was moving into a new house and just started to move his bike stuff. Here's what I saw...
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A 59 Triumph Trophy (I think).
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A 1960 something Honda 160 Dream (I used to have one, CB version)
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And an old Suzuki two stroke 350. He also had already filled a shed with old Yamaha's and Honda's. Was too dark to get any pics. Said he had truckloads of bikes and boxes to move over and invited me back when he's done. Forrest Gump was right... ya never know what you'r gonna get:)
 
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