The worlds gone quite crazy as of late since Covid unfortunately....
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Survivor Special '79 - 6737km
- Thread starter lakeview
- Start date
I like red. Just sayin'.
Tailight Reflector Replacement
My spare fender had a light that someone had hacked off the reflector mount and left a sharp mess. Found my best spare unit and cleaned it up a bit. As usual, took about twice as long as I expected, but done now.
Was quite indisposed close to 2 weeks because of a cold that wouldn't quit, seemed to come around a couple times at me, starting with a sore throat, hope it's gone now, at least I feel like participating in my hobby.
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Brake Lines Roughed In
One of the goals of this project is to put it together from stuff I have left from other bikes.
Wheels, fenders, tank, headlight, exhaust all were sitting waiting to be used, even these braided brake lines. So they are set into place to confirm they fit pretty OK, so next to assemble the had to buy new pads into the new caliper and see if they can be bled.
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$100 Dollar Dent in a $25 Dollar Tank
A pal had this tank in the way so I got it as sometimes I have delusions that I can do body work and a spare tank can have experimental colors applied to it just for fun.
I had a suction cup on a slide hammer that did nothing, so then thought of applying pressure from inside. Crow bars and such items weren't doing much other than marking the tank opening, so I tried a tube shoved inside and inflated. Showing promise, but I think I need a much smaller inflatable bladder to do the trick like maybe a wheelbarrow tube.
Set it in the sun to see what pops.
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I've seen videos of folks using blood pressure cuffs stuffed in there and pumping them up with some success, I've never tried it though.
Maybe try that, I'll live vicariously through you.
Have a look at this:
Thanks Adamc for that. I had thought of cutting the big tube I had, but I was going to fold the ends and glue the seam. Gathering it with wire looks effective and I can trim the too large tube down to manageable size.
Bleedin' Difficult
Opened up both the master cylinder and the caliper cleaned them and reassembled. Really nice condition, little corrosion, consistent with miles shown.
Put a fresh braided line on and spend a half hour trying to bleed it no luck, but I expected a tussle.
Tomorrow I will take the line off the caliper and prime it with some brake fluid to see if I can speed up the process.
pull the 12mm head bolt to slide the caliper off the carrier turn raise so the line is all up hill to the caliper bleeding will MUCH easier.
even easier is https://www.xs650.com/threads/rebuild-front-brake-need-to-bleed-it-nope.58245/
even easier is https://www.xs650.com/threads/rebuild-front-brake-need-to-bleed-it-nope.58245/
Bondo It Is!
I shortened a 19" tube by about half and bound the ends with wire twisted, shoved it in the tank and applied pressure. Very surprised that the tube rubber blew out before the twisted wire seal did.
And now the shop smells like musty old '80's air.
Didn't budge the dent. It's got a pretty sharp crease in it, looks like something fell on it in storage.
It'll go on a shelf for a while, don't need it and was just a relief distraction from finishing my brakes.
Onward!
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It's a Win!
After the tank fail went back to the brakes.
Methodically from bleeding the master on the bike to the line at the caliper and then bleeding the caliper itself. Didn't take any time at all, musta bin the practice I had yesterday! A little tidying up left to do yet.
Momentarily repositioning the brake pedal helped with being able to reach everything handily.
Next the front brakes - should be a piece of cake now, eh?
Gapped and Good
Brakes were working so I thought I would do a test run in the drive, but the bike that fired so readily the first time round would only do that 325 thing. Pushed back in and let it mellow for a few days. Got to it today, filed, cleaned and regapped the dead side and got a spark. Very pleased.
Now on to air boxes, indicator lights and so on.
Fun Day Wiring
Whoever says that? Well it's fun when it works. Rear brake switch adjusted to work, neutral light wire connected, front brake switch working. direction lights will work when I modify a front to fit the back with its shorter hollow bolt.
Yesterday replaced a washer on a mounting bolt for the gas tap and eliminated the leak, so all good.
Whoever says that? Well it's fun when it works. Rear brake switch adjusted to work, neutral light wire connected, front brake switch working. direction lights will work when I modify a front to fit the back with its shorter hollow bolt.
Yesterday replaced a washer on a mounting bolt for the gas tap and eliminated the leak, so all good.
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Put a Bow On It!
Air boxes, check, grips, check, cotter pins check. All ready to book a time for the Ontario Safety Certificate, which sounds more imposing than it actually is, but it is a government requirement so must be completed.
Now to clear my trailer of all the winter detritus to get it to the shop.
Then book an insurance appraisal to qualify for cheap vintage insurance, etc., etc.
Happy, happy!
Just noticed that I need to put mirrors on it.
A few more heat cycles and do a head retorque.
A few more heat cycles and do a head retorque.
Ontario Government Approved!
Just got back from getting the Safety Certificate (not really a big deal, lights tires mufflers brakes, yer good) hoping to get the insurance coverage tomorrow, we'll see how this rescue works.
Might Need That Levee
Ominous sky that switched to sun in 20 minutes. Bike beside a new retaining wall to hold in the Thames here in flat SW Ontario.
I have pronounced the project done, but lots of little follow ups on the list. I want to spray a spare tank and side covers bright red, but that will be only in a while - the atmospheric spray booth is still a bit chilly.
Surface Tension of Liquid Solder = Win
Well I'm not a welder but I have soldered some plumbing bits and I wanted the holes from the emblems gone, so gave it a try. Quite surprised that with only a few do overs, the solder bridged the gap and sanded smooth without falling through.
Tomorrow the word will be "feather edge."
Far From Good, But Filler Will Smooth It
Post 45 showed this dented tank, I found a piece of metal from the safety release of a garage door that had the proper curve in it to get in the filler neck and down to the dent. I fastened the tank onto a saw horse so it was stable and went to prying inside and tapping outside and bit by bit got it back to good enough. Not taking this to Peeble Beach, eh.
Got a couple cans of rattle can red so look out!
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