And finally, Wookie's 82 begins !

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Happy to report that the saga of the sidepanels is drawing to a close, got the mounts sorted today so just a bit of fine tuning and they will be ready for bodyworking 

 

Looks like you have a little room under there for a bottle of Nitrous! 

I think more power will be "phase two" next winter once I've I have my "sea legs" back after 20 years without a bike   I do have a 1088 A2 block that needs boring due to rust (picked it up for a "week before Christmas kick in the nuts bid" of £40 back in December) so maybe 1170 

I started the day brimming with anticipation that I would be posting pic's of my front end fitted today, after months of delays I finally got everything back from the second machine shop on Thursday ( modified stem and fork extension parts) All that was left to do was knock up a couple of extension pieces for the damper rods that carry the adjuster rods. No problem I thought as I had the inner tubes from the 600 forks I bought for the main extension tubes (£25 for a bent pair and the top caps and lowers are also the same as the 900 ones I'm using) Turns out it isn't quite so straightforward to run a 12x1.25 thread down a piece of blank stock with a fixed die that is intended for thread restoration, so seven failed attempts later I have run out of stock (it appears for me at least it is near impossible to run a straight thread down virgin stock) So now deflated I have ordered a meter of threaded rod (I am hopeful drilling a hole through the middle will be easier than threading the outside) 

After Saturdays biblical failure I took a day out on Sunday, tidied my garage and did some research where I came across a technique using a drill press to run a straight thread on blank stock. During the tidy up I found a couple of off cuts from the 600 damper rods long enough for what I needed so back on it tonight and "success" so the fork extensions are now ready to fit. The tree's are on (where I reduced the stem to take the KZ lower bearing I have pressed a stainless insert into the bottom of the stem to replace the strength removed by the diameter reduction. 7mm of of alloy off, 13mm of stainless in)

 

I managed to get the forks built up last night (I use an old bottom tree with broken lock stops that I picked up cheap to hold forks in a vice without damaging them) really happy that the parts I waited so long to have made fit like a dream and as the extensions are harvested from a scrap pair of 600 forks they look almost stock (just 46mm and fully adjustable)

 

With the forks back together I decided to test fit the front end (and then I got carried away and threw lots of other parts on too) I have to say I am really happy so far, don't know what you guys think but I think the donor parts I have harvested really work well together (visually at least, time will tell) I don't think that in these pictures it is immediately obvious that there are parts from 8 different bike (including the original) being used

 

Looking good! All the parts definitely look like they belong together.

Been struggling to get much time on the bike currently between work and Mrs Wookie (the heating Sprung a leak a few weeks back and the water came through the kitchen ceiling, I have had to decorate the kitchen before the mother-in-law comes for Christmas) so with my duty done I have managed to wrap up the rear inner fender today, I have left in high build for now until I have finished messing with the rear section/closing panel.
A flat panel would have been easier but as I have said before I am trying to end up with something that "could of always been that way"

 

Looks like an original part, impressive!

Your bike will look kind of the Z900RS when done (which I think is among the best looking modern bikes)? Have you thought about color?

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Looks like an original part, impressive!

Your bike will look kind of the Z900RS when done (which I think is among the best looking modern bikes)? Have you tought about color?

I will be more than happy if it has a hint of 900RS about it, at the moment I am thinking Audi "Nardo grey" and "charcoal" with the two shades of grey split by a narrow "Porsche racing orange" stripe

I have been braving the cold today for a few hours (-1 degrees) to make a start bending some plastic for the rear outer fender/light closing panel, also to keep things moving forward I dropped the seat at the trimmer on Friday so in 7 - 10 days I should have the first "completely finished" part 

 

Not getting much time in on the build currently but I did pick my seat up from the trimmer. I couldn't be happier with the result and for a very fair price. Happy to share his details with any UK guys that need seat work. Milestone moment as this is the first 100% finished part 

 

Nice looking seat, and build.