1973 Super Rustbucket Resurrection

[DogBunny]

Onward to the exhaust. The RustBucket came with an outwardly very acceptable pair of original baseball bat mufflers. The interior baffles are completely rusted out, so I'll have to eventually address that.

However, for now, if I expect to win any show awards in the Rat Bike category, I'm going to need something cooler, like this convertible exhaust set-up.

It's inspired by this type of old-school convertible hot rod header. For street use, you run the exhaust through the bypass through mufflers. For strip use, you simply remove the block-off plates.

Here's an example in use.

 

[DogBunny]

The RustBucket came with an acceptable seat.

However, if I expect to win any show awards in the Rat Bike category, I'm going to need something a little more interesting, like this skateboard seat pan with Mexican blanket cushion.

This an actual, working, Kryptonics board. Twice a year, my neighborhood has a bulk trash pick-up, where homeowners get rid of large items like couches, mattresses, old fencing, etc. A couple of years ago, I got this skateboard for free from someone's bulk trash pile. The bearings and bushes are pretty worn, but it does work.
I mounted it to the rear seat rail using a horseshoe bolt and thumbscrews. I had to move the truck back a little so that it would fit, as shown. So, technically, I've screwed up the balance of the board. I really need a board that's just a couple of inches longer. But, this one was free, and when covered with the Mexican blanket, who's to know?

The front of the board fits perfectly in the tool tray.

I think it's more of a southern border state deal, but Mexican blankets and motorcycles are a thing. Probably going almost all the way back to the earliest days of American motorcycling.
Amazingly, I couldn't find a store in Austin that was selling Mexican blankets. I bought this one used on Facebook Marketplace. Paid $10 for it, which was probably too much, but hey, the color is perfect, and it was near-by.

So, here's the look. Still have a few things to work out, but this is what it will look like in Rat Bike show bike mode.

 

[X77S]

Diggin it! I've thought about cutting up an old skateboard to make a solo seat out of. Really thinking about trying it. I think the best part about yours is leaving the trucks and wheels on.

 

[jetmechmarty]

View attachment 193433
The RustBucket came with an acceptable seat.

View attachment 193434
However, if I expect to win any show awards in the Rat Bike category, I'm going to need something a little more interesting, like this skateboard seat pan with Mexican blanket cushion.

View attachment 193435
This an actual, working, Kryptonics board. Twice a year, my neighborhood has a bulk trash pick-up, where homeowners get rid of large items like couches, mattresses, old fencing, etc. A couple of years ago, I got this skateboard for free from someone's bulk trash pile. The bearings and bushes are pretty worn, but it does work.
I mounted it to the rear seat rail using a horseshoe bolt and thumbscrews. I had to move the truck back a little so that it would fit, as shown. So, technically, I've screwed up the balance of the board. I really need a board that's just a couple of inches longer. But, this one was free, and when covered with the Mexican blanket, who's to know?

View attachment 193436
The front of the board fits perfectly in the tool tray.

View attachment 193437
I think it's more of a southern border state deal, but Mexican blankets and motorcycles are a thing. Probably going almost all the way back to the earliest days of American motorcycling.
Amazingly, I couldn't find a store in Austin that was selling Mexican blankets. I bought this one used on Facebook Marketplace. Paid $10 for it, which was probably too much, but hey, the color is perfect, and it was near-by.

View attachment 193438
So, here's the look. Still have a few things to work out, but this is what it will look like in Rat Bike show bike mode.

View attachment 193439

I gotta admit, I just love it!

 

[Jan_P]

May i suggest a red bandana as fork seal around the right fork leg..???
Piece of Pipe as forward foot rest ??? In front of frame ... tassels at the ends ???
As mentioned I have been in this segment...of the market
Spiked nuts and ( rusty or hand painted ) Malteser cross mirror and you are in the winner circle,

 

[Jim]

May i suggest a red bandana as fork seal around the right fork leg..???

Yes!!

tassels at the ends ???

Yes... tassels on the blanket!! We want tassels!!

 

[DogBunny]

May i suggest a red bandana as fork seal around the right fork leg..???
Piece of Pipe as forward foot rest ??? In front of frame ... tassels at the ends ???
As mentioned I have been in this segment...of the market
Spiked nuts and ( rusty or hand painted ) Malteser cross mirror and you are in the winner circle,

Jan, those are some great ideas. I went ahead and implemented your Piece of Pipe as forward foot rest idea. Looks great, and works great.

I searched for a pair of donor footrests that had poor rubber, and I discovered that the left-side footrests changed in 1974. The mounting hole distance is 3mm shorter, and that's enough to make them absolutely incompatible.

I also took you up on your idea of bar-end tassels. I made these from a rectangle of leather. I meant to take a picture of how I made them, but forgot to. They were pretty simple to make.

Yes... tassels on the blanket!! We want tassels!!

A little hard to see in some of the pics, but the Mexican blanket already has fringe.

The red bandana as a fork seal is a good idea, but I don't want to hide any patina. The Maltese cross mirror is also good, but I already have awesome rusted mirrors, one of which is original.

Came up with a couple of additional simple flourishes, like this Gremlin Bell on the front wheel axle...

...and an electrical tape "X" on the headlight. This seems to be the final look of the bike.

 

[DogBunny]

Diggin it! I've thought about cutting up an old skateboard to make a solo seat out of. Really thinking about trying it. I think the best part about yours is leaving the trucks and wheels on.

Using a skateboard as a seat pan is not an original idea. Leaving the wheels on, and keeping the board functional might be.

The idea was pure serendipity. I was just doing a mock-up, and the front wheels fit perfectly into the tool tray. This will only work with a 1970-1973 frame.

I really like the idea of riding somewhere, parking, and skateboarding. Have to admit, the Mexican blanket is not all that comfortable as a seat foam. I'll be putting the stock seat back on as soon as the bike show is over.

 

[DogBunny]

I'm getting a little ahead of this story, which I want to tell chronologically. After the seat and pipes, the next step was getting the RustBucket running.

Did a head re-torque. Adjusted cam chain tension and valves. Checked the oil pump filter screen -- it was already pretty clean.
Don't have time right now to rebuild a set of carbs, so I stole the perfect working order 1976 carb set off of my 1976 XS650. The RustBucket intake and exhaust are pretty similar to my 1976, so jetting should be about right as is.
Points fatigue me, so I put an old Pamco in that I've had lying around. Don't have time right now to sort out the wiring, so I hooked up the Pamco on a total loss system. The bike now has ignition only, nothing else electrical at all.
I put a Caswell liner in the gas tank some time ago.
Put a new Motion Pro clutch cable on.
Bike started on second kick. Adjusted timing.
This all took place over two weeks ago. I've put a fair amount of mileage on the bike since. Bike is amazing. Runs fantastic. No smoke. Plugs look great. Motor seems stronger than my 1976. This is my first 256 motor, that's probably part of the reason that the RustBucket feels stronger than my 1976.
I couldn't be happier.

 

[DogBunny]

Before that first start, I worried a bit about the open exhaust. I felt that I needed baffles. How to get baffles into a pipe that has a turn-out on the end? I hit on the idea of using fork springs. Decided to use the smaller diameter spring in the pic, which came out of a 34mm fork leg.

Cut the spring exactly in half which yielded two 8" baffles. That early-year spring was symmetrical, the windings at each end were identical. Found a piece of strapping steel that I cut in to a 4" length.

Bent the strapping steel into a loose "U".

The strapping steel is meant to prevent the baffle from sliding around inside the pipe.

It dawned on me that the strapping steel would almost completely snuff the pipe, so I drilled a hole in it.

I tried running the bike with different iterations of this baffle. Tried it with and without the snuffer hole in the strapping steel. Tried putting the strapping steel in different spring locations. Tried the spring only.

Turned out the bike runs best without any baffle at all, which surprised me. I think that maybe part of the reason is that extra length of closed-end pipe in the system. I think it prevents reversion waves in much the same way that a cross-over tube or baffle does.
The pipes are a little on the loud side, but not too obnoxious, and the tone is good. The exhaust sounds really good on the road.

 

[Jan_P]

OK still to Pretty .,,The Tank
But perhaps
Some faded stickers STP or Loud pipes saves lives. + perhaps anti Gun control

If this was me going to the show I would wet a brush with some water soluble paint
Mint green Pink ( or what now can look real off ) and shake it 60 degree back to front over the tank getting a lot of spots .and running paint on the tank
Perhaps smear it out a bit. As if a rag was used trying to wipe it off
It would look as a mishap painting at the garage .But be possible to wash off

 

[fredintoon]

View attachment 193641
I searched for a pair of donor footrests that had poor rubber, and I discovered that the left-side footrests changed in 1974. The mounting hole distance is 3mm shorter, and that's enough to make them absolutely incompatible.
.

Hi 'bunny.
replace the footrest bushings with bushings that are bored through 1.5mm off-center and it'll fit right on.
Replace the gas tank with two quart-sized soft drink bottles teed together.

 

[DogBunny]

OK still to Pretty .,,The Tank
But perhaps
Some faded stickers STP or Loud pipes saves lives. + perhaps anti Gun control

If this was me going to the show I would wet a brush with some water soluble paint
Mint green Pink ( or what now can look real off ) and shake it 60 degree back to front over the tank getting a lot of spots .and running paint on the tank
Perhaps smear it out a bit. As if a rag was used trying to wipe it off
It would look as a mishap painting at the garage .But be possible to wash off

More good ideas, but I don't want to distract from the vintage pin-striping on the tank. Or disturb or damage that pin-striping.

Hi 'bunny.
replace the footrest bushings with bushings that are bored through 1.5mm off-center and it'll fit right on.

That's a great idea. It will work if you are trying to put a 70-73 footrest on a 74 and later frame. However, if you go the other way, you are going to have clearance issues -- I discovered this when I was trying to get this to work. The actual footrest part on 70-73 is held out farther from the frame than 74 and later. You can see this in that pic I put up in post #67. The 74 and later footrest will contact the shifter and/or the side case. Yes, you could shim it out behind the rubber bushings if you really had to make it work.

 

[DogBunny]

So, as I'm preparing for the Rat Bike category at the East Side Classic motorcycle show, I get wind that the Republic of Texas rally -- our beloved ROT rally, and Texas' answer to Sturgis (not really, that would be the Lone Star Rally in Galveston) -- is on. ROT always has a ride-in bike show -- I won best Metric Custom bike several years ago. They always have a Rat Bike category. I check the website, and it looks like the ride-in bike show is on. Now, I have to prepare the RustBucket for a show a week earlier than I had intended.

Twice a year the city performs a large brush collection for Austin home owners. If you miss it, you have to wait another 6 months. The above Arizona Ash died in Texas' famous big freeze. It was an old tree that had been slowly dying for years, it leafed out, and the the freeze came and did it in.
I had to drop my RustBucket preparations while I cut this tree down so the city could remove it. This is/was the biggest tree on my property, by far.

I spent five very full days on that tree. Two thirds of it was overhanging my house and my internet cable, so care had to be taken. I also had to take care with a fence which was right next to the tree. Most of the time I spent was making the carefully groomed pile of brush above. I have a very limited stacking area that the city can access, and the trimmings wouldn't fit unless I stacked them carefully. That pile is 10 feet deep.

Most of the logs in this pile are 5 feet long. Someone has already come by and scarfed up the really big diameter logs, I guess to be used as rustic stools.

Cutting down that tree created a further time crunch. So, I didn't have time to get the front brake working. I just slapped the above brake line on, which was long enough to reach the master cylinder, so that at least it would look like the front brake worked. You just have to ride your bike in to the ROT Rally bike show, it doesn't have to be legal. The bike had zero electrics other than a total loss Pamco ignition, and no front brake at the rally.

The ROT Rally was cancelled in 2020 due to COVID. For 24 years, the Rally had been held at Austin's Exposition Center. But, in 2021, the Exposition Center was being used to administer COVID testing and vaccines, so that location was out.
Further screwing things up, was that ownership of the ROT Rally had recently changed hands.
Somehow, the Rally got moved to Austin's Formula 1 and MOTO GP track site, Circuit of the Americas (COTA).
This should have been fantastic. ROT rally on the track would have been so cool. Unfortunately, the rally was not on the track. It was mostly at COTA's largest RV parking lot. What wasn't there, including the main performance stage was way too far away in another corner of COTA. They tried to cobble together a last-minute rally, at a new site, with new owners who didn't know how to put this show on. The result was a total sh*t show. Very disorganized, and very sub-standard.
And there was no ride-in bike show, even though there was a page claiming there would be on the website.
So, big disappointment and waste of time. Not many people who think the ROT Rally will recover from this fiasco.

 

[X77S]

That El Camino! Pretty good looking survivor.

 

[GLJ]

I have the finishing touch for the Bike. Authentic period correct dual horns, bracket and attaching hardware. I know they are authentic because I just removed them from a 73.

 

[650Skull]

when i had no mufflers on my old 500/4 to dampen the noise i used chicken wire. Cut lengths about 10" wide and rolled them into a sausage like structure that was 10" long and tight enough that they wee a firm fit up the header. drilled a hole on the end of the pipe and used a nail through the pipe to stop the netting from blowing out.

Just riding around town the bike noise was acceptable, until i opened the throttle then it sounded great.

Didn't last a long time as the head would destroy the netting

 

[DogBunny]

That El Camino! Pretty good looking survivor.

Funny that you should use the word survivor. Exactly a month ago, 11:00 at night, a probably-drunk driver hit my parked 1980 El Camino in the street at my house. The driver impacted, and then drove the ElCo back 11 feet.

The 1980 would have been driven backwards a lot further, except that it hit my 1974 El Camino, which was parked DIRECTLY behind the 1980. This where they ended up. The 1974 was driven back TWENTY-FOUR feet from it's starting position.

The 1974 is pretty much totaled. This is/was a running, driving car that was very close to being someone's daily driver. In the last year, I did a complete brake job, with new master cylinder, hoses, and new rear drums and drum brake re-build kits.

Here's the damage to the rear of the first ElCo. I got very lucky here. The bumper looks good, and the tailgate opens and closes like it always has. I have a very heavy Draw-Tite towing rig attached to the frame, I think it strengthened everything. And lead to the destruction of the 1974's front clip. The damage to the 1980 license plate holder and trim piece is from the pointed 1974 grill.

This car is my sole daily driver. The driver was hit-and run. The car is on the side street of my corner house, just a couple of houses within sight, none with one of those Ring doorbell cameras. So, I've got nothing.
Miraculously, the 1980 headlight still works, HI and LO. It's been a month, and the rest of the car seems to be okay, no frame or front end damage that I can detect.
Ironically, after sitting on them for almost 10 years, just the month before, I sold two left-side, 1980, one-year only, headlight bezels, exactly what I need. But, hopefully, I have a whole front clip, grill, fender, and bumper on the way in the next couple weeks -- actually a whole car with a good front, for me to cannibalize at my leisure -- thanks to a local El Camino buddy. But, just what I need, one more project.

 

[X77S]

That sucks! You dont see those around much anymore. Especially the 74.

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

I'm enjoying your story very much.
I've got images of Hunter S. Thompson spinning in my head.