Bobber Build by a total Newb

dilbone

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Well,

It all started a few weeks ago when my wife and I were having a conversation about something we might like to have if money wasn't an issue...I couldn't think of anything at all. I feel like I have just about everything a guy could ask for...then this thought popped into my head...yeah that's it..."I would want to have a bobber!!"

After this conversation I started searching bobbers online and found this AWESOME site in the process. I began scouring craigslist adds and quickly saw I didn't have the money for a finished or nearly finished bobber out there...that and there were a bunch of horrible looking bikes out there guys were passing off as "bobbers."

At this point I decided I'd try to find a project bike and build it like I wanted it as funds were available. I finally found an '82 heritage and a '78 special rolling chassis with 3 motors(one with cracked cases), all the stock parts, and an extra set of mag wheels/tires with forks. It was a package deal and he wouldn't separate anything. Only the '82 had a title and the '78 had a bill of sale(which apparently means nothing here in Ohio). Long story short, the guy I bought it off of from Michigan did a bunch of leg work to title it in Michigan so I could actually get it titled here in Ohio. So now I've got 2 full bikes with the extra set of wheels among some other parts for $1070.

I'm keeping the '82 heritage for my bobber build and I'll probably be selling the '78 once I get the title in hand...and keep the motor with cracked cases for spare parts or a rebuild with another set of cases.

Anyway, sorry for the extra long intro. This will be my first attempt at this level of fabrication, so it's probably gonna be a bumpy ride with lots of questions.

Here are the start up pics:
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and I needed a build table with some scrap wood
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Looks like I've got a lot of work ahead of me
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The don't need pile is growing
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wiring harness off, next is the gauges and bars...then I'll be waiting for the TC Bros hardtail
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Here's my first question. What are these? Trying to figure out what I need to keep and what I don't need. Also what are the little rubber mounted boxes on either side of the coils?
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Well, that's it for now...now I just need some cash to get going.
 
Good start dilbone. Those look to be safety relay's and crap you probably won't use.
I don't have any of them on my bike. Nice build table ya got there.
 
The relays at your finger tips I would keep. They are for the starter.
The reserveing lighting unit you can toss just do a search as some wires need to be connected if my memory is correct.
The others I am not sure about
 
Thanks guys already for the responses. I plan on wiring it from scratch, so I'm trying to figure out what devices I will need to make it happen.

I will most likely have blinkers front and rear, head-hi/low, tail/brake, start, kill...maybe even horn if I can find a place to hide it.

I've found a wiring diagram that has what I want on it and I'm pretty confident with wiring it. I know it's going to be much easier to wire it from scratch than to cannibalize the old harness IMO. I'm just not sure what I need in terms of the blinker relays and such from the old harness.
 
What are these two components on either side of the coils? Still trying to figure out what I need to keep and what I can scrap...

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I've gotten a couple of packages already hardtail, clutch push rod-bearing-seal, superbike handle bars, and grips...I still have to get my welder up and running this week. I had to order the 5/32" tubing for the gas and a quick connect fitting, so next weekend the welding will begin and fabrication will follow.
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Welcome to the site. Well there are a lot of things to do without money. Right now from what you have told me. 2 motors unknown condition another with a cracked case. The motors need to be gone over. If they crank and not locked is a good sign. The handlebar switches key switch are good Quality and can work like new with a good cleanup and dielectric grease. I would not fire up the welder yet. Clean up that bonfire on the floor saw dust and wood scraps and welding don't mix. Would Hate to see you Burn down the barn. :D With a low cash build save money where you can. A good build plan if you don't have one is costly. I know the low on funds builds. I have one in the planning stage now cleaning switches. Not a hardtail a flatseat cheaper. Good luck building off to a good start. :thumbsup:
 
Welcome to the site. Well there are a lot of things to do without money. Right now from what you have told me. 2 motors unknown condition another with a cracked case. The motors need to be gone over. If they crank and not locked is a good sign. The handlebar switches key switch are good Quality and can work like new with a good cleanup and dielectric grease. I would not fire up the welder yet. Clean up that bonfire on the floor saw dust and wood scraps and welding don't mix. Would Hate to see you Burn down the barn. :D With a low cash build save money where you can. A good build plan if you don't have one is costly. I know the low on funds builds. I have one in the planning stage now cleaning switches. Not a hardtail a flatseat cheaper. Good luck building off to a good start. :thumbsup:

thanks for the advice scabber...much appreciated.

I have nearly everything ordered already except the wiring, shrink tubing, nuts and bolts, some cable ends so I can shorten them, and a ton of tabs-brackets-bungs yet to be fabricated.
I sold off one of my guitars and amps to fund the project so far. Once I sell the other bike that was in this package deal I should have enough then to finish up everything with paint and powder coat.
This space doubles as my wood shop, so I need to make a sweep through and move some equipment around and as you mentioned... and at a minimum sweep the floor...:thumbsup:

I'm just excited to get started. The one motor I'm using that actually came in the '82 was the only motor I new of that had actually run recently. Of the other 2 motors, the one with good cases will be going with the other frame I sell. The 3rd motor will sit until I might need some thing from it...otherwise it may get sold as is or I just might find a new set of cases for it and get it running. Those motors aren't too high on the priority list right now. This week I'll hopefully get the motor in the frame after replacing the clutch pushrod bushing and seal so I can make my cuts and get the hardtail lined up. Now if I run into a major problem with this motor my plan will change and I'll have to use some of the "finishing" money to get it where I need it. It's all good though, as long as progress is being made!!!! Being a teacher will free me up come June to spend A LOT of time on this if I want.
 
We got some freezing rain last night/this morning, so school was canceled. As much as I needed this day to cover some more material before a quiz this Friday for my classes, I was glad to have the day off.

I went out first thing this morning and got the wood pellet stove going in the barn and got to work shortly after removing everything else from the frame. Then I moved on to the motor and got the clutch push rod bushing replaced and put in a new seal.
Here's the naked frame...except for the horn:wink2:
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Had a friend come over and help me get the motor into the frame so I could get to cutting
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It was at this point that I had a bit of a scare. I was giving the kick starter some turns to see if how the compression felt...I had none. I took the right side cover off and saw that the friction disks were loose in the basket. I took the pressure plate off and took out the mushroom end of the push rod and everything looked ok. I put the pressure plate back on and the disks were nice and tight...something must have been hung up somewhere. I gave the push rod some pressure and could see the pressure plate respond, so I think we're good.

After some work with the angle grinder and the sawzall I got the back end cut loose
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Once that was out of the way I had to get a pic with the hardtail
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Now I still don't know what these things are. I can only assume that the 3 prong is the blinker relay, the other I don't know...but they were both on either side of the ignition coils. Any help here?
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3 prong is flasher and turn signal canceler
and welcome to the site

Thanks Carbon

So the 6 wire block is the canceler? huh...I wouldn't have guessed that.

Just tried to wire the flasher to my signals that just came in yesterday...those mini's won't trigger it, looks like I need a new flasher relay.

I've heard some say the 552 will work for the mini bulbs...or should I get the electronic flasher even though they aren't LED?
 
Hey, I'm thinking now that you could go ahead and run a 552 flasher, but mine worked fine with the signals that I'm running. My flasher unit worked with just one signal connected to it. I'm sure you tried the stock one with the stock signals to see if it's working at all.
 
Well, I hooked up the new blinkers to a DC power supply I have from my classroom set it at 12 volts and powered up the blinkers...they're brighter than I thought they'd be for being so small. I hooked up the relay and it clicks but I couldn't get it to cause any blinking...in fact the lights wouldn't even light up with the relay in the circuit. I have no idea if the relay is any good...more testing to come.

The power supply, although 12v, couldn't provide the current needed to light all 4 bulbs in parallel. I'll have to play around with an actual battery tomorrow...or I just didn't wire it correctly...
 
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