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Made a ton of progress this week !!! With any luck I'll have the old girl back to road ready this weekend.

I have the gauges mounted up and the headlight mounted too, (if only temporarily).

I got that pesky exhaust stud drilled out and retapped. I chased all the exhaust stud threads. Then I started test fitting gaskets, gasket keepers, clamps, new Chrome acorn nuts, etc. and found that my new exhaust studs are 3/16" too long. I got 4 done and my heater ran out of fuel. So tommorrow I'll finish triming those up and should have the new exhaust on by noon !!!!

Then remove the headlight and start plugging all that electrical stuff back in .... test everything. (it all worked when I started ... lol)

Then put the petcock, gas cap, and fuel low sender back on my tank .... install the tank.

Install the seat.

Check air pressures, oil, lube the chain and .... brrooommm - brrooommm

I'm just thinking out loud here I guess, and I'm really probrably being optimistic about finishing up this weekend. Depends on my energy level and family interference ... this getting old crap isn't what it's made out to be !!!

It's really hard to get a picture of my black prismatique paint job ... but I gave it a shot and it sorta came out OK .... the gauges match my tank and side covers. The flake is light activated and really POPS in the sunlight or under bright street lights at night !!!

WOW .... further ahead than I really thought I would be. Yesterday I got everything done except the wiring on the front blinkers. I'll finish that today. All other wiring is done and functioning, new header is installed, tank reassembled, seat installed .... engine turned over but not fired.

As soon as I'm fully awake this morning I'm gonna go finish up the front blinker wiring and reinstall the headlight. Still gotta get some lube on the chain .... go to the gas station and get some fuel.

I'll have her runnin' TODAY !!!! WOOHOO !!!

New V&H installed

As I left her last evening ...


Maybe I'll have some finish pictures toady !!!

The Phoenix rises from the ashes!!! That's really looking outstanding Dale. Since it is sunny today we better see some good outdoor pics. Really nice job.

PS: Just be sure to keep those tractor keys away from Becca!

Very nice, Dale.
(hide the tractor keys now before it's too late)

Thanks Andy and Dave !!! You two have been VERY supportive of me and this project all along ... I consider you friends !!!

Well I got her done today .... sort-of. She's fully assembled, all systems work. BUT ........ and here's the story ... she started up pretty easy on the third push of the starter button. But as soon as the engine caught on it went to full throttle !!!! I used the kill switch to shut it off. So I tinkered around with the throttle cable a bit and tapped on the float bowls and ... well .... it did it again. So it looks like I'm gonna have to pull the carbs off and go thru them again .... jeez. Any thoughts on why this is happening ????

Some new pics ...

Aaron, my son, cleaning exhaust ports yesterday morning.


Becca says Hi.


First outside pics since the crash. Andy, I thought you said it was gonna be sunny ... lol

Dale,
Do you have your idle screw in too far? Or maybe throttle cables are too tight?
BTW..That looks great..Showroom conditionB)

Dale!!! I can't believe you let that Cub get that close to the LTD! Man! You got that bike looking really nice. Excellent work! Maybe the first time around was just for practice.

Hey Dale,

Glad to see you have the whole family in on it. When my bike did the exact same thing, reving to full rpm's, found out I'd left the plug off of the #3 vacuum port.... just a thought

Good luck!

Thanks guys !

I checked the throttle cable and it seems to be adjusted correctly. I never touched the idle screw since it was running last fall ... tommorrow I'll check the vacuum ports and just generally look everything over. I hope I find something stupid 'cause I really don't wish to remove the carbs again .... oh well

I still have some things to do I guess ... so technically it's not finished. First problem is the carb malfunction. Then find a bolt for the right front brake hose stay at the fender, pin my highway pegs to the crash bars. (I just can't get 'em tight enough .. so I'm gonna cross bolt 'em.)

Then a real good wash and wax and polish .... mount up my tool bag and saddle bags ..... and then she'll be "finished".

But really as with all the vehicles I've done up over the years .... I really never get done fixing and/or modifying things. The day I sell them is the day I officially call these type projects finished.

sell me one of those engines lol

Dale it was sunny when I typed that, you work too slow. That new pipe sure looks better than the old Mac. How do you like the new sound compared to the old one?

Seeing your bike done in all it's glory might just inspire me to finish that 81 750 LTD that's still sitting on my front porch. Right after I get that newest 650 going again.