Frame advice needed

Uselessclutter

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Ok first post on here. Long post warning. Glad to be a new member of this community. I have been saying I was going to build a bike for 20 years and finally stopped saying and started doing. I recently purchased a project bike(s). I got a lot with it and feel like it was a good deal. For $500 I got a titled, hard tailed ‘82 XS-J along with MikesXS PMA and electronic ignition kits. Also included was a basket case ‘78 XS-E sitting on a rolling untitled ‘71-72 hard tailed XS-2 frame. Along with another untitled stock ‘81-82 XS-J frame. Before I found the deal on the two frames and titled bike I had purchased a 98% complete ‘81 XS-SH motor that turns over for $50. Getting a titled bike with the PMA and ignition kit already paid for itself in my eye. I quickly got the kits installed and got her fired up and she runs pretty well.

Ok so now to the nitty gritty. The titled frame has a hard tail that I have never seen anywhere. The vertical tube under the seat was removed and a flat bar was put in its place. It appears to have been CNC’d specifically for this purpose and honestly gives it some character. The lower portion of the frame has non-typical angle that I don’t find appealing and the previous owner welded on some stuff and his welding is very lackluster as there was no penetration of the metals. Basically just slag tape holding some brackets on. The other hard tail frame with no title has a much more attractive/traditional look along with better looking welds. I just had to remove an insane amount of bondo to even see them.

So I am finding myself not liking the look of the titled frame and not trusting the welds. I am now wondering what to do to have the right look and safety of good welds.

My options as I see them are as follows:
A. Get a new hard tail for the titled frame trying to incorporate the flat seat tube they installed.
B. Get a new hard tail and see if I can’t have the seat tube cannibalized from the stock untitled frame.
C. Have the untitled frame’s hard tail along with the seat tube moved over to the titled bike.
D. Have the titled head tube moved to the untitled hard tailed frame (not sure of legality.)
E. Have the titled head tube moved to the stock frame and then start fresh as though I bought a stock titled frame (not sure of the legality) and then get a new hard tail kit.

I know getting a title for the other frames is difficult, which I could get the other motors running for. Not sure if it’s even worth doing so to sell and make some money or to make other bikes and sell them. Which also weighs in on how much I wanna chop them all up to get this titled bike right.

First four pics are the titled frame, the others are the untitled hard tail frame.
 

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If you look on Amazon you can find steel letter stamps. Iirc, 1/4" is the correct size (measure to confirm). Pick the frame you want to use and weld over the VIN (or at least the portion that doesn't match the title. Then grind that down smooth. Use your freshly bought stamps and re-stamp the VIN.
To make it look more factory (professional) cut and/or weld up a jig that just fits the stamps. Center that over where the VIN goes and tack it in place, stamp in the letters and numbers you need and bob's your uncle. It helps to get some tubing the right diameter and practice first.

I can neither confirm nor deny that I have used said technique in the past. Let's just say I heard of this from a friend. :cautious::wink2:

1723654587532.png
 
Ok first post on here. Long post warning. Glad to be a new member of this community. I have been saying I was going to build a bike for 20 years and finally stopped saying and started doing. I recently purchased a project bike(s). I got a lot with it and feel like it was a good deal. For $500 I got a titled, hard tailed ‘82 XS-J along with MikesXS PMA and electronic ignition kits. Also included was a basket case ‘78 XS-E sitting on a rolling untitled ‘71-72 hard tailed XS-2 frame. Along with another untitled stock ‘81-82 XS-J frame. Before I found the deal on the two frames and titled bike I had purchased a 98% complete ‘81 XS-SH motor that turns over for $50. Getting a titled bike with the PMA and ignition kit already paid for itself in my eye. I quickly got the kits installed and got her fired up and she runs pretty well.

Ok so now to the nitty gritty. The titled frame has a hard tail that I have never seen anywhere. The vertical tube under the seat was removed and a flat bar was put in its place. It appears to have been CNC’d specifically for this purpose and honestly gives it some character. The lower portion of the frame has non-typical angle that I don’t find appealing and the previous owner welded on some stuff and his welding is very lackluster as there was no penetration of the metals. Basically just slag tape holding some brackets on. The other hard tail frame with no title has a much more attractive/traditional look along with better looking welds. I just had to remove an insane amount of bondo to even see them.

So I am finding myself not liking the look of the titled frame and not trusting the welds. I am now wondering what to do to have the right look and safety of good welds.

My options as I see them are as follows:
A. Get a new hard tail for the titled frame trying to incorporate the flat seat tube they installed.
B. Get a new hard tail and see if I can’t have the seat tube cannibalized from the stock untitled frame.
C. Have the untitled frame’s hard tail along with the seat tube moved over to the titled bike.
D. Have the titled head tube moved to the untitled hard tailed frame (not sure of legality.)
E. Have the titled head tube moved to the stock frame and then start fresh as though I bought a stock titled frame (not sure of the legality) and then get a new hard tail kit.

I know getting a title for the other frames is difficult, which I could get the other motors running for. Not sure if it’s even worth doing so to sell and make some money or to make other bikes and sell them. Which also weighs in on how much I wanna chop them all up to get this titled bike right.

First four pics are the titled frame, the others are the untitled hard tail frame.
I believe crappy welds can be fixed. Do you have a nearby trade school where welding is taught? Someone there could possibly be interested in hooking you up. I’m thinking instructor.

There are also plenty of welder fabricators about with a shingle hanging. Removing and replacing unsatisfactory welds could prove the expedient route to get where you want to go. JAT
 
I would start with the untitled hardtail frame, the titled one looks like a total nightmare. I would check with the State of Ohio to see what it would take to get a title. For instance, in Michigan I can get a title for an untitled bike for about $65 if it was ever registered in Michigan. If it was last registered somewhere else it would be $100 for a bond from an insurance company and about $35 for the title and tax. Also a story has to be written on paper that the bike was bought with the promise of a title and the seller cannot be located. The Secretary of State is very helpful in this. Ohio may not be too difficult to get a title from. You won't know till you ask.
 
If you look on Amazon you can find steel letter stamps. Iirc, 1/4" is the correct size (measure to confirm). Pick the frame you want to use and weld over the VIN (or at least the portion that doesn't match the title. Then grind that down smooth. Use your freshly bought stamps and re-stamp the VIN.
To make it look more factory (professional) cut and/or weld up a jig that just fits the stamps. Center that over where the VIN goes and tack it in place, stamp in the letters and numbers you need and bob's your uncle. It helps to get some tubing the right diameter and practice first.

I can neither confirm nor deny that I have used said technique in the past. Let's just say I heard of this from a friend. :cautious::wink2:

View attachment 332891
I can neither confirm or deny that I will keep this idea in my back pocket!
 
I believe crappy welds can be fixed. Do you have a nearby trade school where welding is taught? Someone there could possibly be interested in hooking you up. I’m thinking instructor.

There are also plenty of welder fabricators about with a shingle hanging. Removing and replacing unsatisfactory welds could prove the expedient route to get where you want to go. JAT
I do actually love less than a mile from a school that has welding courses. I would like to take them myself eventually. But this is a pretty good idea. Thanks!
 
I would start with the untitled hardtail frame, the titled one looks like a total nightmare. I would check with the State of Ohio to see what it would take to get a title. For instance, in Michigan I can get a title for an untitled bike for about $65 if it was ever registered in Michigan. If it was last registered somewhere else it would be $100 for a bond from an insurance company and about $35 for the title and tax. Also a story has to be written on paper that the bike was bought with the promise of a title and the seller cannot be located. The Secretary of State is very helpful in this. Ohio may not be too difficult to get a title from. You won't know till you ask.
I do need to look into it. I was looking to find out any way incase I could eventually obtain titles for the two frames. Along with the mostly complete engine and the basket case I figured I could build up those two bikes and sell them.
 
So mikesxs just posted the other day about a bike that has a hard tail nearly identical to mine. It actually looks pretty decent. Maybe I should just stick with it as is and have welds inspected and redone as needed to save a few bucks.
IMG_5834.jpeg
 
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