CB450 Tracker

1fasgsxr said:
We need a drooling emoji !!
Haha, thanks very much.

I bought an English Wheel a while ago (well, actually Chinese Wheel if the truth be known), and gave it its maiden run today for the front mudguard. I had a bit of scrap aluminium so, after a fairly steep learning curve, ended up with this:

https://i.imgur.com/A9u4nRt.jpg[/IMG]]

It's not the final piece as it's neither long enough or wide enough, so I will start on that next. The wheel seems to work OK but as it's manufactured and not forged it flexes quite a bit. Seeing that I will probably be only doing small parts on it (no E type Jag bonnets for this boy) I will put some stiffening braces in so that the wheel gap remains more constant which should make it easier to use. Unexpectedly, it bit me a number of times, so I need to treat it with the respect it deserves.

I tried all sorts of different things and somehow managed to get the curve to match the tyre OK (very important IMO) so I'm hoping I can reproduce the result on the final article.
 

Attachments

  • DSC02344a.jpg
    DSC02344a.jpg
    72 KB · Views: 304
Far too hot to even think about making a mudguard or tank tunnel here today so I decided to make a new points cover, a nice easy job on the milling machine. I traced around the original cover and then scanned the sketch, converted it into a .dwg file and picked up all the coordinates in AutoCAD. Then it was just write the program on the mill and machine it up.

https://i.imgur.com/q21Hdlf.jpg[/IMG]]

I left the end open and rebated so that I can fit a perspex disc to it and watch the points arcin' and a sparkin'....

https://i.imgur.com/1WrGoj4.jpg[/IMG]]

https://i.imgur.com/XdINDJ3.jpg[/IMG]]
 

Attachments

  • DSC02354a.jpg
    DSC02354a.jpg
    102.1 KB · Views: 293
Wow, I haven't seen this for a while. Amazing build!!
The points cover is a work of art.. Should be in the Guggenheim...
 
On the subject of the points cover what are your plans for the motor finish??
Black barrel with filed fins? Bead blasted cylinder head or black head? Black motor or polished alloy??
Have you made a decision on that yet??
Amazing work so far. I think we would all like to know more how you converted a scanned piece of paper into a goddam points cover??
 
Thanks JB56.

Haha, points cover in the Guggenheim. If you haven't already, check out the current bike of the month. Now there's a work of art.

The plan for the motor at this stage is black with all the small covers polished and s/s retaining screws, and the end of the fins sanded. I've seen a few like this and they look really good. This of course, is subject to change as we really haven't finished the final colour plan yet.
 
irk miller said:
Late to the party, but very happy to join in.
Thanks Irk, welcome aboard..

I'm waiting on the seat to arrive from the US, which I need before I can do the rear loop or the tank mounts, so I made the first part of the gear lever. I got a short length of aluminium round bar and set it up in the mill and machined the shape into it,
https://i.imgur.com/JB91Z2k.jpg[/IMG]]

I then bored a hole in it with the diameter of the hole being equivalent to the spline minor diameter,
https://i.imgur.com/Klg2dIX.jpg[/IMG]]

and then found a brake cam shaft with the same spline as the gear lever and pressed it in until it bottomed out in the hole.
https://i.imgur.com/nyGyvHQ.jpg[/IMG]]

Once I pushed it back out I ended up with a nice clean spline.
https://i.imgur.com/UsIqujd.jpg[/IMG]]

Then it was a matter of cutting the slot using a slotting saw,
https://i.imgur.com/RtZw8aQ.jpg[/IMG]]

and then drilling and tapping the clamp bolt hole.
https://i.imgur.com/Lr30IV8.jpg[/IMG]]

Once I have positioned the footrests I can make the arm the correct length and weld it onto this piece. I will make the toe part the same size as the original so I can install an original rubber.
 

Attachments

  • DSC02363a.jpg
    DSC02363a.jpg
    73.1 KB · Views: 279
Really nice work mate, living the dream by the way with the mill etc. Good setup. I'm in oz and building a CB450 too. Bike looks fantastic so far and can't wait to see what else you do with it.

I noticed you used the left rear cam cover on the front right to remove the tacho drive, did you drill an oil hole in it to transfer oil from the cover to the cam itself? You'll need to do that unless you are moving to external oil lines like capellini stuff etc. I'm going with a digital acewell speedo/tacho so I'm making the same change. Was just going to size the oil hole the same as the combined area of the 2 holes in the old tacho drive cover. Was also going to make a jig to transfer the cam timing mark onto the new cover. Getting the angle of the oil hole right is the tricky part, to make sure the oil comes out right at the end of the cam journal. I'm ignoring the fact that the oil spiral inside the cam cover journal is now rotating in the wrong direction, time will tell if that causes issues.

Anyways, I'll be following along admiring your work, very impressed so far!
 
Hi Liam,
I have only got up to the stage of seeing if the cover would physically fit, but I'd had a look at the lubrication diagram for the top end and appreciate the need for the oil hole and also the mark for the valve timing, but hadn't given any thought at all to the helical groove inside the journal, which may well be a showstopper. I have a tiny little right angle porting die grinder so I will have a go at doing one by hand on one of my spare covers and go from there. Obviously there will be crossovers between the two paths but the direction of rotation should take care of that.
Thanks very much for taking the time to comment, you've quite possibly saved me a cam and journal.
 
I don't think it would be a showstopper, but it may accelerate wear in the long run. Provided the oil pressure is enough to force oil through the helical spiral despite the rotation of the cam sort of pushing oil in the wrong direction I think it would actually work fine, just something to keep an eye on. I think trying to mess around in there with a dremel might lead to worse problems. The people who normally make this switch convert to needle bearings so it isn't an issue for them but that is a costly and unnecessary change for a street bike.

Look forward to any updates mate.
 
LiamG6 said:
I don't think it would be a showstopper, but it may accelerate wear in the long run. Provided the oil pressure is enough to force oil through the helical spiral despite the rotation of the cam sort of pushing oil in the wrong direction I think it would actually work fine, just something to keep an eye on. I think trying to mess around in there with a dremel might lead to worse problems. The people who normally make this switch convert to needle bearings so it isn't an issue for them but that is a costly and unnecessary change for a street bike.

Look forward to any updates mate.

Thanks for the comments Liam, I'd probably set the die grinder up in the lathe and do it that way, but as I'm a while away from building the engine I'll just give it some thought in the meantime

The Christmas hiatus is well and truly over and my seat arrived last week so it's time to get cracking again. The seat is well made and just the right size so I will cut the rear loop off next. I will position the seat and tank so that they match up properly, and then go ahead and make the new loop, incorporating the top shock mounts at the same time.
https://i.imgur.com/Y1IxRtW.jpg[/IMG]]

I wasn't happy with the exhaust pipe between the collector and the megaphone, the bend wasn't too good and the seam in the straight pipe was facing the outside, so I made up a new one and it looks a lot better, IMO.
https://i.imgur.com/UDsMNY2.jpg[/IMG]]

I made a S/S endcap for the megaphone and a baffle for inside. I'll pack it with fibreglass which should result in a nice throaty exhaust note when it's finished.
https://i.imgur.com/cYNcyGL.jpg[/IMG]]
https://i.imgur.com/2HEyU0f.jpg[/IMG]]
https://i.imgur.com/HxOlrk8.jpg[/IMG]]

Just need to buff the endcap and make a rear mounting bracket for the pipe and give it a coat of pot belly black and it'll be ready to go.
 

Attachments

  • DSC02375a.jpg
    DSC02375a.jpg
    85.4 KB · Views: 288
Waiting to get the tube for the rear loop so I made the bung and cap for the tank. The bung needs to go in before the tank tunnel is fitted up as I'm going to braze it from underneath.
 

Attachments

  • DSC02379a.jpg
    DSC02379a.jpg
    142.5 KB · Views: 280
  • DSC02380a.jpg
    DSC02380a.jpg
    110.9 KB · Views: 293
Cut off the rear of the frame today, ready to make the new rear loop. First, though, I will get the tank tunnel and mounts fabricated and installed. Once the tank is at the correct height I can then fabricate and position the loop so the tank and seat flow together nicely. Once that's finished I can fabricate and install upper and lower shock mounts and then chase up some new shocks. Thinking about going with Ikons, they are reasonably priced with plenty of adjustment and look well manufactured. Anyone have any experience with them, good or otherwise?
 

Attachments

  • DSC02383a.jpg
    DSC02383a.jpg
    81.1 KB · Views: 279
My experience is with Kona, which are excellent shocks I have on my R100/7. Kona is now Ikon.
 
Salvaged the rear tubes out of the old back end. They originally turned in a small amount to end up inside the top shock mounts.
https://i.imgur.com/OIRxkCt.jpg[/IMG]]

I drilled out the spot welds and ground off two small tack welds to release the tubes from the junction with the seat loop and the shock mounts.
https://i.imgur.com/z2RoJWn.jpg[/IMG]]

I then machined two adaptors that will eventually be plug and joint welded.
https://i.imgur.com/n55YEYK.jpg[/IMG]]

The tubes will now be rotated 45o forward and will meet up with the new seat loop. The top shock mounts will now be in line with the seat loop in the conventional manner.
 

Attachments

  • DSC02385a.jpg
    DSC02385a.jpg
    97.5 KB · Views: 289
My new Bridgestone 350 fuel tap arrived today. The quality looks good and it operates nice and smoothly so it should be good
https://i.imgur.com/OZLPrRp.jpg[/IMG]]

I got this one because, after narrowing the tank, I have fairly limited room available. This one is good because it's fairly squat and both the discharge pipes are in the horizontal plane which will make it easy to thread the fuel lines.
https://i.imgur.com/xUNBHki.jpg[/IMG]]

The mounting thread is M22 x 1.0 so I had to machine and thread a new stub for the tank. I'll braze this in at the same time I do the filler bung and then I can go ahead and finish the tank tunnel.
https://i.imgur.com/FIMnnrh.jpg[/IMG]]

https://i.imgur.com/jLp2prj.jpg[/IMG]]
 
Brazed in the tank filler neck and filled the holes for the tap and balance pipes. The tap will go back in the same place but with a bigger stub and I've relocated the balance pipes to the front of the tank. This is all a result of narrowing the tank but it should all work out fine. The tank sits level so the balance pipes at the front won't have any adverse affect at all.
https://i.imgur.com/Qhc9T9I.jpg[/IMG]]
https://i.imgur.com/totchQX.jpg[/IMG]]

I made the tunnel and tacked it into position and will finish welding it tomorrow. It will be interesting to see how much fuel it now holds. Standard is around 4.5 US gallons, if I end up with three I think it will be OK. I still have to make a couple of patch panels, but once that's done I can mount it up.
(The tunnel is in the centre, it's just the photo angle that makes it look like it's not)
 

Attachments

  • DSC02397a.jpg
    DSC02397a.jpg
    57.5 KB · Views: 296
irk miller said:
My experience is with Kona, which are excellent shocks I have on my R100/7. Kona is now Ikon.

Perfect for a cafe racer...... :)


I suspect autocorrect changed Koni into Kona .
 
Back
Top Bottom