Two Four Build

[Bezz]

First off just want to introduce myself. I go by Bezz and I am a 30 year old mechanical engineer with a motor problem. I love everything motorized and have been wrenching and modifying my own junk since I brought a 77 F100 home when I was 12.

I have never done a build thread before but decided with this project to document my efforts to hopefully gain some input from the community, provide a place for others to learn (from successes and failures) and keep me motivated.

The build is called the Two Four build because that's what I paid for the bike, 24 cold beers. It is a 1979 xs650 and other than good compression on the motor, has nothing going for it.

Here is what I started with:

Started by completely tearing it down:

Had to make room in the garage to store the last bike I built. Bought it as a write off and completely rebuilt it from the bottom up, minus the engine:

The bottom fairing are removed for an oil change in this picture.

The blue you see in the lower right is my 1970 Nova that I am currently building as well.

 

[Bezz]

My first post was work that took place all in October while I got prepared for the snow to fly in Calgary,AB.

We have a wonderful thing in Calgary called a Chinook.A chinook wind comes in off the rocky mountains just to our west and bathes us in 5-15 *C weather for a few days. Nice break from the -35 *C it is on a day like today.

The last chinook I got my grinder out and started to remove things like the centre stand, kick stand, unecessary tabs etc. I also took of the rear hoop since I ordered the Monstercraftsman brat kit!

As you can see I left some tube there to make sure I wasn't taking too much off to start with. I was still a week or so away from getting my parts in.

 

[Bezz]

I had my good buddy come by and help run a 220v circuit out to the garage for my welder. I picked up a Lincoln 180HD mig with C25 gas and put it on a nice little stand:

Need to get a nice wall mounted folding welding table built and install the 10" barn fan I bought for ventilation. My garage is under part of my house and is not exactly sealed properly. Ventilation of the welding gases will help keep myself and my family healthy!

Then I can get back to practicing my mig skills.

 

[Bezz]

Finally got my parts from Monstercraftsman, not because they are slow but because UPS is run by idiots. Waited until 8pm at the UPS yard to meet the driver on Friday night.

I wanted to see the brat kit on the bike right away but still needed to do some cutting. That chinook I was talking about earlier...gone. It was -20*C out and I can't grind in the garage due to my Nova project...

Doesn't get more Canadian than that! Cold beer, grinder and snow!

I must say that unboxing the Monstercraftsman brat was amazing. The quality of the build is second to none and the welding is unreal!

So I got some more cutting and flap discing done on the frame until I ran out of discs. At the end of the evening I was able to get the brat kit test fit:

As you can see I went with a Frisco style tank. I am super excited about the clean lines and getting the build moving forward!

A keen eye will notice that my swing arm is also removed. I did a week of heat, beat and penetrate with no success. I ended up cutting the through bolt with a sawzall on each side and using an air chisel to get it out. The bolt and tube were welded together from neglect. I did nick part of boss on the frame (pictures to come) hopefully my alignment isn't too F^&ked.

 

[Bezz]

Started doing some parts ordering for various things to make this a roller.

That looks like I need new tapered steering neck bearings! I also grabbed some wheel bearings front and back for the mags from
http://newstore.pandemoniumcustomchoppers.com/newstore/

Not sure when I'll see those, will have to check in with the guys.

Also planning to order some white walls to mount on the mags that I am going to drill and paint. Nothing new here just like the look.

 

[RcRider89]

Welcome! I don't envy your snow lol
I had a hell of a time getting the swing arm pivot out as well. too many of these great bikes are neglected. Hope the rest goes nice and smooth

 

[Airwolfie]

Looks like a great start! I'll be watching this build!

 

[Concrete5]

Nice start!! I grew up in Calgary and know the winters there well!!

I bought a 1980 XS650 a few months back & plan to do a Monstercraftsman brat kit...as well as a frisco sporty tank...

 

[Bezz]

Thanks for the support guys! Airwolfie, yours was one of the first builds I read completely on the site!

Got some parts rolling in but it's been -35C the last few weeks.

My Pandemonium order came in, nice bunch of folks there and super impressed with their service:

Picked up new bearings for front and rear wheels and some fresh ones for my steering tube. Also grabbed a starter delete...going kick only.

Will definitely be ordering more from them in the future.

 

[Bezz]

Also got an order in from XS650direct. Had some trouble waiting on stock and then when my order arrived they missed one of the parts, the swing arm bolt tube. They sent me a spare bolt for a TX650 if anyone needs that?

Being that they are the only company I can find that will ship those to Canada and are 6 weeks away from getting them in I am going to have to get creative. Any one have a spare?

But as you can see I picked up most of the swing arm parts and some front fork stuff.
Shooting for a roller by end of Feb! March is engine month and then just putting it all together...simple right

 

[Bezz]

Also after a buddy passed out from welding in his garage without proper ventilation I decided to get setup properly. Picked up a nice 10" two speed exhaust fan that moves 400-800 cfm. Will be mounted above the folding welding table I am working on so should dissipate any plume. Will also crack the door for a fresh air draw or look at installing louvers.

 

[Gene]

Just curious, what was he welding to cause him to pass out?

 

[NONclow]

From personal experience, the fumes from welding galvanized steel without grinding the galvanization off first gives REAL bad headaches! FYI

 

[Gene]

From personal experience, the fumes from welding galvanized steel without grinding the galvanization off first gives REAL bad headaches! FYI

I've been working in a fab shop for years, and galvanized metal is nasty stuff. We use a special collector to keep the nuisance fumes away from us. Mig welding aluminum is really caustic too. We've had guys get the shakes, but drinking milk usually clears that up. All the extra zinc kept me from getting the flu..ha!

 

[Bezz]

I've been working in a fab shop for years, and galvanized metal is nasty stuff. We use a special collector to keep the nuisance fumes away from us. Mig welding aluminum is really caustic too. We've had guys get the shakes, but drinking milk usually clears that up. All the extra zinc kept me from getting the flu..ha!

Gene it was a friend of a friend. From what I gather he was tig welding in position and ended up inhaling lots of argon...not sure on the details.

Regardless the more "eau de garage" I can get out the happier the family will be. Personally I love the smell of fabrication and muscle car when I'm watching TV upstairs!

The real issue is sealing the garage from the house. May look at having it spray foam insulated this summer.

 

[Bezz]

Well no progress on the build, been working on my other project (70 Nova) and a bathroom to keep my wife happy!

Plan to tear into my engine sooner than later to get everything ordered up. It has great compression but figured with it out and sitting I'll at least go through the top end.

 

[Bezz]

Back from the dead with a new fury! Wrapped up my 70 nova and got it legal so it's time to turn back to the XS. Going to start ordering parts to get this on the go!

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Bezz,
congratulations on NOT building yet another masochist's special hardtail.
Go here for a Canadian-based supplier:-
http://www.xs650direct.com/products-20.html
Be insanely careful to not drop a bearing ball down between the headrace tube and the steering stem.
Mr Stupid let that happen and found that the ball acts as a rolling lock to jam the lower 'tree inside the frame.
Had to use my biggest hammer to get the thing apart.

 

[fredintoon]

- - - The real issue is sealing the garage from the house. May look at having it spray foam insulated this summer.

Hi Bezz,
for all that Mike Holmes loves the stuff, be real careful who you get to apply it.
If it's not done right it'll puke more noxious gases than your welder ever will.
Me, I'd go old style with rockwool between 2 x 4s with gyprock over top and caulk up all the seams.
That's the technique I used to insulate my basement when we built fiberglass sailboats down there,
I swear we used the same extractor fan as you have, too. Kept the FRP resin smell out of the house
OK but the local teens would hang about my back yard sniffing up a free high.

 

[Vansnxtweek]

Real cool so far man!! I was extremely impressed with Pandemonium and they're treatment as well.