2 questions

can I reuse the copper washers for the head bolts ? and would 29 smoothbores work on a stock 76 LTD 900, with a kerker, stock airbox ?

on the copper washers....if they are ok without major wear grooves should seal ok, put the best side down. on the 29's....I have seen them on close to stock 1000's but I really dont know about 900's....will need someone else to chime in on that one.

I would anneal them by heating them up with a propane torch until they are glowing red hot. A propane torch is good because it won't get hot enough to melt them. Then let them air cool - don't quench them. Then lay some sand paper flat and clean them up and remove the old ridges from the nuts.

Yes they will work fine on a 900

+ 1 on annealing them

Thanks to every one for the answers to my questions....I just was"nt sure...Pete

Heat them up and toss them in a bucket of cold water

When you heat something just like a pipe fitting to loosen it up it will expand,but as it cools it shrinks back down.
When you heat up a piece of copper thats been crushed then toss it in water it will stay expanded.

wireman wrote: When you heat something just like a pipe fitting to loosen it up it will expand,but as it cools it shrinks back down.
When you heat up a piece of copper thats been crushed then toss it in water it will stay expanded.

Problem is when you quench it, it doesn't stay soft and is more brittle. If it air cools it will stay soft. Either way they will likely seal just fine.

Ive been sweating copper for a living on/off for last 30 years,copper is not steel cooling it off with water doesnt hurt it like it does steel.
Although people have been tempering steel in brine/salt water since long before either of us were around.

wireman wrote: Ive been sweating copper for a living on/off for last 30 years,copper is not steel cooling it off with water doesnt hurt it like it does steel.
Although people have been tempering steel in brine/salt water since long before either of us were around.

You're right, i wasn't thinking, nonferrous, so same result either way.

If your copper washers are only copper clad [coated with but not made of copper] then Annealing them is a waste of time.

You have two options. Toss them and get new ones or lightly sand them and spray them with copper coat. You could even use a dab of engine case sealer on them.