Jim's 1980 SG Miss September

[kshansen]

'Doctor's notes:' "...the patient is using the restoration of an old Yamaha motorcycle as physical and emotion therapy. It seems to be going quite well. So is the patient..." The Xs is a great therapy animal. When I was being treated for the cancer, and last year when I had my heart fixed, all I could think of (well, not ALL) was about how I was going to work on "The Basketcase". It is no exaggeration the Xs brought me back to life. Hope it does the same for you!

So was wondering if the parts for the XS could be claimed as a medical expense?

 

[Jim]

So was wondering if the parts for the XS could be claimed as a medical expense?

I like the way you think....

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

Interesting on how this thread has gone from Jim restoring a 1980 SG to restoring Jim!

I went to the doctor about what I was thinking was a sinus infection and now she is sending me to a Rheumatologist!
Probably need to ask why she's going that route.

Yes, we need to question our doctors, and even challenge them.
They are just human beings who are under lots of pressures to perform.
Sometimes they fail.

I have a number of real-life circumstances from the past two years of my health care in which I had evidence with which to confront my health professionals.
Just yesterday I wrote to my audiologist (I have tinnitus and hyperacusis) regarding the audiogram she sent me, on my request, regarding the pure tone audiometry exam she gave me, which revealed a mild hearing loss. She had misread her own simple data points, and reported them incorrectly, and sent this "bad" data on to an ENT doctor who I will be seeing, soon. I got a response, today: "Sorry about that", she said. At least she admitted to her errors.

Two years ago, as the surgeon was closing up my chest from a quadruple bypass operation, he accidently dropped the cauterizing gun, and left an interesting moon-shaped scar. Reminiscent of that Cat Stevens song...

I wish you the best with your foot problems, Jim. That's a bitch of a physical pain.

 

[robinc]

Jeesh Dude, good thing you have the background and knowledge to pick up on these things. The rest of us poor sods are at their mercy.

 

[Jim]

Yes, we need to question our doctors, and even challenge them.
They are just human beings who are under lots of pressures to perform.
Sometimes they fail.

Ain't that the truth. I have terrible luck with Docs. Back in the 80's we blew out the aft cargo door at 30,000 ft. The explosive decompression ruptured my lt. inner ear and all the fluid leaked out. I couldn't even crawl without falling over and throwing up. The sob treating me finally sent me to an ENT specialist after 5 days. He patched it... then showed me in a medical text where there's an 80% chance of saving the ear if plugged within 24 hrs. 48 hrs was 50%. 72 hrs.... well you get the picture.... If the sob woulda swallowed his pride and admitted he was in over his head.... I'd still have 2 good ears.
Unfortunately, I have too many stories like that..... including the first specialist I went to last week.... who I got up and walked out on.

 

[robinc]

Man Jim. You've been to hell and back. More times than we can possibly imagine I expect. You paid way more than your fair share in your service.
For that that as an appreciate neighbor, thank you.

I wish you all the best of luck in all your future dealings. Take care my friend.

 

[grizld1]

I could share plenty of stories about current American medicine. I once had to back my mother's primary care doc against a wall and threaten him with a fat lawsuit. My mother had been mentally acute until she was dosed with Demerol and started exhibiting symptoms of opioid metabolite poisoning. The SOB had tried to put her confusion down to Alzheimer's disease. When the Demerol was withdrawn the confusion ceased. A few months later the knothead put her on Darvocet, with the same results. I informed him that he was on very thin ice, got the Darvocet withdrawn, and got her a new doc.

Part of the problem is modern corporate medicine. My father practiced medicine for over 50 years. In his day most hospitals were nonprofit community organizations with volunteer boards. The medical chief of staff ran the show, and he was the only chief. Then we got corporate medicine, with medical staff jumping through hoops for Chief Executive Officers, Chief Operating Officers, Chief Financial Officers, Chief Marketing Officers, all pulling down salaries and bonuses ranging from strong three figures into the seven figure range, where there was once a business manager (AKA Hospital Administrator) directing clerical staff. Docs are often treated like serfs and worked till they're ready to drop. It's a nasty system, and we're fools to tolerate it.

 

[YamadudeXS650C]

Man Jim. You've been to hell and back. More times than we can possibly imagine I expect. You paid way more than your fair share in your service.

I second that emotion.

 

[Jim]

Part of the problem is modern corporate medicine.

This Doc I just saw is a keeper. We talked for almost an hr. I can't quote him word for word.... but he said the big problem with modern medicine comes down to the pursuit of the almighty dollar.... to the point that doctors lose sight of the fact that their (chosen) mission in life is to cure peoples pain... not to throw pills at them so they can quickly move on to the next dollar sign... er.. patient. Except he said it much more eloquently than I just did.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

For those of you dealing with arthritis, Google "Wallach pig pack".
The vids explain it better.
Warning, a deep rabbit hole...

 

[electra_boogaloo]

knees blew out on me about a year ago and had to do the same. shot in the butt and a pack of steroids. my uncle always swore that a squirt of wd-40 would help his bursitis. it's probably cheaper now to get actual medicine though.

 

[Jim]

Goin' Commando....
I picked up the EMGO Commando pipes from Amazon a while back. Cheaper than Mikes and free shipping to boot. The quality of the pipes is about what I expected. Time will tell.... The hanger brackets that came with 'em are, in my opinion sketchy.... Time to make some better ones. Used some wood and tape to hang the pipe (muffler) about where I wanted it... and grabbed the cardboard.

On the frame, I picked up the exhaust stud as well as the rear peg stud. From there it tapers aft to the pipe mount, and forward to the exhaust manifold clamp. Transferred that to some plywood...

...and cut two of 'em out of a sheet of 10ga. mild steel. Tacked the two pieces together and ground the edges smooth....

Drilled the holes and used the 20T press to make the required bends...

Test fit, tweek... test fit, tweek... test fit....

Welded the rear peg bracket in place...

Paint, bake at 175 for two hrs. Used some 1/4" mild sheet to make the pipe brackets.

Drilled and tapped for 1/4-28 bolts....

... and put it all together.

One side down, one to go.

 

[Meddy]

Very nice Jim, good to see you back on your project.
Did you have to use any spacers between the muffler & header?

 

[halfmile]

Jim that looks great! But you forgot to drill them full of holes.

 

[Jim]

Thanks Mick. Yeah.. had to use two of the three spacers. I ground the little tabs off 'em so I could recess 'em up inside the muffies...

It ain't the best solution, but it's about all I could think of at the moment.

 

[Mailman]

Brilliant work Jim! Your usual high standards, I think it looks super clean and very solid. I like the way that you tacked the two pieces together and ground them as one piece , to make them mirror images of each other.
I’m also happy to see you back thrashing in the garage.
Go get um brother!

 

[Jim]

Thanks Bob. Yeah... a little trick I was taught when I was a kid.... anytime you're making multiple parts, tack 'em together, drill, grind... whatever. Then grind 'em apart. Perfect match every time.

 

[Jim]

Jim that looks great! But you forgot to drill them full of holes.

Thought about it... decided not to 'cause I didn't want people to think you made 'em for me.

 

[SpeedUp]

looks great

 

[mrtwowheel]

I really like those bends that you put on them. That's the kind of parts that, in a couple of years, you'll find it hard to believe that you done that.

Scott