Cleaning Exhaust Flanges

While it was quiet at work today I had time to clean my exhaust flanges. Someone had painted them black and they are supposed to be silver according to the picture on my original sales brochure that Mark acquired for me on Ebay.




The first challenge was just to get them clean that took a soaking in oven cleaner for two hours. Then I tried to get the paint off with a Scotch Britte pad it wasn't working so a light bulb went off in my head "duh" I am in a paint store, paint remover would work better. Worked like a charm it did.

There was still some grime left over under the paint but that came off with the Scotch Britte and a little finger muscle. The remaining stains in the picture are rust marks which will have to be removed with a grinder of some sort.

Once completely clean I am planning on giving them a clear coat so they won't rust again and will be easier to keep clean.

Buying Frenzy

Been buying parts for my bike on Ebay.

Bought a newer right side cover, as mine was being held on with zap straps. It isn't the right color but that's OK cause I am painting everything anyways.

Also purchased some Screaming Eagle exhaust ends that are going to take some finagling to work but I have a plan. Even though Mark is unsure if it will work.

The sign shop also has some art work for me to look over, if I can ever find a time to go see them.

The store is really slow right now so I think Saturdays I will start bringing projects to work on, as the bosses are away.

Back to work again

First an update on the speedometer. The gauges are being reworked by a sign shop, I haven't heard anything from them in the last two weeks.

After a short hiatus from working on the bike due to conflicting schedules and sickness.

Today was the day to remove the exhaust pipes, they came off relatively easily because last week I sprayed the nuts with liquid wrench so that probably helped a whole lot. It was a dirty job but I had fun. They are not looking too good haven't decided if I want to get new ones or just clean up these, might just try and find new ends. I would really like it if I could also lower them to make more room for the saddlebags.

The next task was the handlebars because I keep hiting my head on them. First I had to remove the front brake lever and disconnect the clutch lever. Then it was easy, remove the cover of the fuse panel and undo the four bolts underneath.

The rear brake pedal, shifter and foot pegs came off with relative ease.

Also removed the nut in the oil pan so the engine will not have any oil in it when we have to remove it from the bike.

It was a short day of work because Mark had to get back to driving the bus. I brought a few things home to clean up over the next few days.

Investigation Results

Investigation has resulted in a requirement to think outside the box. Discovered an Ebay seller that makes appliques for earlier models of my bike but will not work on mine due to the lighting of the gauges. Older models had amdient lighting mine are lit from behind. I have come up with an alternate plan that I think will work. I am going to get stickers made that allow the light to shine through. But the only hitch in my plan is I will have to sand off the original design on the face. Wish me luck, sanding off evenly will be a challenge.

Current design











Tentative design of new gauges












Heaven help me if I ever want to sell my bike!

Speedometer

Tuesday Nov 18


Work starts on one many of the small projects within the much larger project. I bring the speedometer home it is in sad shape. The numbers on the odometer dont line up and the glass is seriously discolored. The chrome is in serious need of a polish and the underside needs a fresh coat of paint. I start taking it apart and discover that someone has cut the case open in a meager attempt to fix the gas gauge, it didn't work. They duct taped it back together, Mark suggest that I can put it back together better with epoxy. I would really like to change the gauges from black to white but that is going to need further investigation.

The Start of the Journey

Sunday Nov 16th
Time to start work on the bike. Mark and I have a day off together so we headed down to Glenn's to work on the bike, but first we had to clean up the shop. I made a rack to hang up the tires on the wall and we cleaned off the workbench.

Mark and I finally get to work on the bike.

We decide to start with the easy stuff the windshield goes first then the mirrors, cause they always get in the way. Next we tackle the saddlebags and the seat, those are easy I've taken those off may times. The sidecovers and gastank come off without any trouble, I had those off a month before due to a leak in the gastank. Next is the engine guard, no issues there I put them on myself. Now we start getting into the more difficult stuff and we start to slow down, at this point I am thinking I should have brought my camera but at least Mark has his phone with camera in it. The headlight comes off Ok but the wiring inside puts up a fight. But Mark and I wrangle it apart meanwhile he tells me that it will be Ok putting it back together because the wires are color coded and the clips can only go back together one way, I sure hope he's right.

We tackle the speedometer next, that was easy in comparisson. The horn and fork emblem come off with no effort at all.

That's pretty much all the easy stuff from the front end so we start working from the back. The rear section comes off in one piece I had that off once before when I took the sissy bar off and tried to clean the grab bars. the two inner fender pieces came off relatively easy.

Then it was a fight to get the battery and battery box out, one of the connectors was practically fused together, Mark thinks maybe something over heated and the rectifier couldn't handle it because the battery is almost dry. Going to have to get a new rectifier and battery.

The most difficult task was the removal of the carbs, we had to disengage the throttle and the choke cables and they didn't want to let go. There sure isn't much room to get the fingers inbetween the engine and the carbs. But we managed finally.

The last thing we did was remove the air box which was a breeze in comparison, and at this point I am thinking it isn't going back on I am seriously considering four individual air filters instead.

All in all a good start!

Glenn calls tonight and I answer the phone, he jokingly says to me "Someone broke into my garage and raped your bike, haha

Big Plans

Sunday Nov 2nd my bike went away for the winter. I have big plans for her. I am planning on stripping her down to the frame, cleaning, repairing and painting parts as I go. The frame will be painted and then everything will be put back on good as new. With all those extra touches that will make it mine!