Resurrection-my build thread

[chopit25]

I decided to start a build thread as I'm finally starting from the bare frame up. I've had this bike for a little while now and have already spent many hours working on her. The story I got was the original owner bought it new in 73' and rode it for a few years. It was hardtailed and modified in the late 70's but not rode much because it had charging issues. It was last ridden in 84' and parked in storage ever since.
This is what it looked like when I got it.

The wiring was a mess. It was all finger twisted together and electrical taped. The brushes were wired wrong. The whole frame was covered in tons of bondo. Come to find out the hardtail was both brazed and gas welded, both of those processes were poorly executed and sloppy at the actual joining areas. It is made of the original swingarm being extended.
Here is how she sits tonight.

The frame was sand blasted and welds repaired along with all needed brackets. I sprayed primer on the frame to protect it while I build it up to make sure everything is right before paint and final assembly. I got the motor running pretty well before tear down and made sure the electrical is all good. I'm pretty sure I have accumulated just about every part I should need to complete it but from experience so far I am sure something unexpected will come up.
Anyways I am excited to start making some progress.

 

[chopit25]

Well it looks like I did the pics wrong and I'm not sure how to edit. Tapatalk update on my phone and its all different. I'll try again.

 

[I am Carbon]

Looking good so far.
Does the brakes go on the front in 73?
I started to get a tank with deeper tunnel. I like it.

 

[chopit25]

Looking good so far.
Does the brakes go on the front in 73?
I started to get a tank with deeper tunnel. I like it.

Thanks carbon. Yeah the brakes go on the front. I had thought they came off the front but when looking at pictures I freaked out thinking I would have to switch the fork lowers around but the 73 is on the front. I like the tank. I have a couple sporty tanks which would have been easier but nothing has been easy with this bike so why would I do that. Lol it will be really tight above the engine so there is a gap under the tunnel but it looks good to me.

 

[chopit25]

Had a few hours to work on the bike today. Got alot done in about three hours. Pain in the ass getting the engine back in the frame by myself.

The coil mount plate is on the top on this year so I cut it off and flipped it upside down. I think I like it there with this tank.

Still have plenty to do. The rear brake linkage rod isn't going to work the way it is. One bracket needs to be moved a little. Need to space the rear wheel right and mount the electrics box. Lots of cleaning also.

I installed new fork seals from mikes a couple of months ago and one is leaking really bad and it hasn't even been riden just sitting or pushed around.

Made a checklist of things I still need to do to make it a complete rideable bike. The plan is still to do a complete build and ride it a few times then tear down and clean, polish and paint everything before reassembling.

 

[chopit25]

Had to get a 90* street elbow and grind it to get enough clearance. Waiting for a petcock to arrive. The one one there is broken.

Now I need to get the rear brake sorted out. Front brakes cleaned and installed. Mount rear fender and sissy bar or struts, haven't decided yet but I have a sissy bar already. Plus quite a few other things. Lol

What do you think so far?

 

[I am Carbon]

I think she looks fine Man.
You can remove that half of the motor mount if you want more space. Just use the right side mount
That was my plan if my petcock needed more room.
or maybe weld a bunghole in the rear!
She's lookin great

 

[chopit25]

I think she looks fine Man.
You can remove that half of the motor mount if you want more space. Just use the right side mount
That was my plan if my petcock needed more room.
or maybe weld a bunghole in the rear!
She's lookin great

Thanks carbon. A little grinding and it is fitting great now. I am really excited to be making some progress and can't wait to get her completed and go for a couple shake down runs.

 

[chopit25]

I cleaned out the area around the front sprocket. That was packed with cruddy oil. The sprocket is loose enough that I can wiggle it a little and actually see the oil that weeps out. I'll fix that tomorrow.
The push rod seal looks to be in really good shape and the rod seems very stable with no real play or wiggle room. I'm going to leave it for now and see if it starts leaking but I do have a couple new seals in case.

I do have a pretty bad oil leak around the sump plate. When I changed the sump filter I used a new gasket and sealant but it is leaking pretty bad. The manual doesn't specify to do anything special like torque in a pattern or use some special sealant. Could I just torque to like 10lbs in a pattern like the head bolts?

 

[I am Carbon]

I think those bolts are 6-7 lbs
The way I got mine to stop leaking was to use permatex avation form-a-gasket sealant liquid. I love that stuff.

 

[chopit25]

Put the new chain on and found that the axle space between the axle plates was too skinny. I knew it was but I figured it would just be a spacer issue. Well I was wrong. The chain would not line up straight. It wasn't off by a lot but enough that it would have trashed the sprockets and just been wrong. I opened it up with a scissor jack and a heat gun. I don't know if heating with a heat gun really did anything but it worked. Everything is straight and spaced right. Thr chain rools nice and smooth and straight. I think I have the rear brake figured out but need different spring for the end near the brake actuator and the tension return spring upfront. Waiting to pick the kid up from school and then off to the bone yard.
Not much left to have it complete.
Mount carbs, electrical box, front brake, mount tail light and license plate, a little wiring and then just the fifty other things that will come up. Lol

 

[chopit25]

Got the wiring put back together. Fixed the oil leak around the sump plate. She fired right up on the first kick!
Took her out for the very first "ride" just up and down my street and no back firing. Clutch worked great and shifted fine. No weird noises and nothing fell off. Lol
I still need to mount the rear fender, tail light, license plate, sissy bar and front brakes.
A few things I noticed.
I had forgotten the joy of riding with no front fender and I live on a dirt road.
I have five inch springs under the solo seat that made it feel like my ass was fish tailing down the road.
The rear brakes don't work for shit! I just installed new brake pads so I don't know if it is the forward controls or what?
I haven't actually been on a bike in years so I felt like a total newb! Lol

All in all very excited to get the bike completely assembled so I can put a few hundred miles on it before paint and so I don't feel like a total newb on it! Lol

 

[neanderthal]

sweet bike man! post a picture or two of your rear brake set up. it just needs adjusting im sure. and on the springs make sure if you have bolts on both sides holding them in place as tight as you can get it without braking anything, but yeah its going to feel a little sloppy riding on those things.

 

[chopit25]

sweet bike man! post a picture or two of your rear brake set up. it just needs adjusting im sure. and on the springs make sure if you have bolts on both sides holding them in place as tight as you can get it without braking anything, but yeah its going to feel a little sloppy riding on those things.

Thanks Jake. I'll work on the brake adjustment. I have the springs real tight to the seat but it just has nubs at the frame with clips to hold them. I didn't even have them clipped so that may make a difference. I may just have to get used to it.

I can't wait to get it done.

 

[chopit25]

I thought I had cleaned the tank out pretty well but I just noticed a line of fine rust in my fuel line. I'm not too concerned because I have a new filter inline and extras to swap out. I'm guessing since that was the first real shaking it's seen that it knocked a bunch of crud loose. I will keep an eye on the carbs just in case.

 

[Airwolfie]

Video or it never happened!!!

Looks nice, well done!!

 

[chopit25]

Did some tinkering today. Found I have a head gasket leak, fuel leak and a nut fell off of the seat. Fixed the fuel leak and replaced the seat nut and added the isolators and clips and it is much more stable.
I did a bunch of reading on the head torque and will try that. I had thought I ordered the brass washers but I guess I didn't. I will get those as the rubber ones look brittle from age.

I am actually really surprised at how well it seems to be running. The motor sounds really smooth with no ticking or strange noises at all. My only real experience with xs650's has been two that were poorly tuned years ago and I never really took the time to straighten them out before I sold them.

 

[chopit25]

Here is the rear fender and sissy bar mocked up. The passenger pad was super thick so I tore it apart and cut it down to t he thickness of the seat. Didnt quite finish because I can't find my staple gun. I think it looks a lot better now. What do you guys think?

 

[I am Carbon]

Lookin good chop!

 

[chopit25]

Lookin good chop!

Thanks carbon. I'm really diggin how it is coming along.