CAFE RACER PROJECT: RE-BUILD DAY 3

RE-BUILD DAY 3

I am finally getting around to getting these updates from last week posted, as I've been out of town on business for the past six days.  All I could think about all week was how bad I wanted to get back to finish this project.  I am so close to being done; I can't wait to start it up and cruise!  Last week I put in about five hours total and the below is pretty much a summary of the work I accomplished.  The biggest updates being that the new wiring is done as well as the work on the engine as far as new gaskets and allen head bolts.

The carbs and the throttle assembly went on at the same time since I had connected the new throttle tube/gel grips to the pull cable mechanism ahead of time.  The carbs went on pretty easily, and I secured them with the fasteners so they wouldn't come flying off.

After the carbs were on good and tight I used two more fasteners to attach the intakes.  One was giving me some trouble because the rubber grommet had either shrunk or the sealant had come off and it wasn't staying on, so Justin had an extra laying around I swapped out.

The kick starter lever was probably the easiest part I installed.  It was a one screw tighten job.  I already cleaned it up and what not when I took it off the old bike.

I moved on to the 13-tooth sprocket next.  This was yet another part I took the steel brush to in order to clean up before I put it back on the engine.  I also got two new bolts for the bracket to help bring it back to life even though no one is going to see it once the chain cover is put back on.  Once I get my new platinum chain on there it is going to look slick.

You can't really tell from this picture but I put two new allen head bolts on the points plate.  There were four screws in there, the two outside ones were pretty stripped and I didn't want them on there for future use.  This was a quick change out.  There was also a bolt I needed to put through the frame that helps hold the engine in place near where the center stand used to be.  Since I had those brackets removed due to my decision to go center-stand-less, the bolt was a little too long on both sides, so I slid on a couple spacers on either end so that the hex nuts could be tightened.

There was a stripped bolt in the old front brake hub where the speedometer cable was supposed to connect, so I had to have Justin drill this out prior to being able to install the new one.  I got to see how he does it and while it's not a complete science I found it to be a pretty incredible process.  After two or three failed attempts to remove it using an impact with a phillips end, we resorted to the drill.  After he drilled in a bit in the clockwise direction, he had me use a blow torch to heat up the area around the screw.  I repeat…I used a BLOWTORCH.  Somewhere Tim Allen is grunting AGGGRRR AGGGR AAAAGGGR for me.  Then Justin used another bit to twist the bit inside the screw in the counterclockwise direction and it finally turned and we popped it out.  It was of course replaced with a new un-stripped bolt and the new speedo cable was installed.  Dunzo!

The last things I did was re-install the old exhaust pipes since I did paint them and they look like they are going to fit with my rear sets on.  We will have to install a couple mounting brackets in order to lock them in place, which I'm hoping won't ruin the powder coat job too much.  They will be discrete but necessary to keep the pipes from bouncing around.  I'm not sure how they stayed clamped on before I took the bike apart, but I think they sat right on top of the foot pegs and that was enough to keep them in place.  The tachometer cable was also installed as well before finally parting from it for the day. 

Overall, lot's done.