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Another year dawns ...... and I pick up my project [ s ] pretty well where they left off in November !!
Pal who was going to weld my frame and press in wheel bearings suffered a double whammy of Covid and a close family member death.
He is just about getting himself back to normal and hopefully I will see my frame and wheel soon.
It's YEARS since I last fitted a tyre [ 45 ? ] and I don't trust myself NOT to damage my newly powder coated rims, even with my plastic rim fitting protectors. I have another pal who races with his son nearly every weekend in the season [ motocross ] and fitting tyres is second nature to him. he's volunteered to do the fitting as soon as my front wheel comes back with new bearings fitted.
I should be finished with the bike ramp soon [ for the Boardtracker ] so the Glemseck KZ750 Cafe Racer can go back on.
Progress ? Nothing substantiual as I'm still waiting for the frame to be welded and returned !
I have also suffered a return of the CKD [ chronic kidney disease ] after being stable for the past 6 years or so, not at critical levels, but enough to slow me down. Almost stabilised now - just in time for a final push this year to get it finished.
However the rear wheel has been built up with the tyre and I finalised the rear brake plate - painted in matching colour and satin lacquered.
I'm collecting my front wheel on Thursday - it was at the welder's to have front wheel bearings fitted.Yes, I could [ should ?] have done it myself with bolts wshers, but I didn't want to risk damaging the powder coating.
The pal who fitted the rear tyre [ 3 hours after waiting for THREE MONTHS ], will fit the bearings and the tyre.
In the event the frame isn't welded I'm going to have to look for yet another " yes no problem" welder.
The bike was pretty well dry built with all the essential parts fitted and bracketed. Just final positioning of the pedals and foot controls, seat and finalising the hand gearchange assembly design.
Finally, finally ................................ when I went to see my mechanic to drop my trusty old Volvo V70 off for it's annual MOT [ tech inspection ] I collected the wheel and unfitted bearings and on the way out I bumped into an old pal who took over my old workshop next door. He has been battling cancer [ and now won ] for the past 7 years so he hasn't put in much time at the workshop, so I kept missing him. He's doing 3 days a week now [ full remission ] and when he heard about my welding issues volunteered immediately ! So I took the frame round straight away and he says he'll get on it in the next couple of weeks - result.
Then yesterday afternoon my other biker pal called round to take the front wheel away to fit the bearings and tyre. Happy days.
Pix of my old unit back in the day with bodies awaiting collection / build.
I must be cursed .................................... I took the frame round to the workshop next to my MOT guy ................... "No problem, be about a week" - THAT WAS NEARLY 4 MONTHS AGO, and yes - it's still not done.
Well that's THIRD "leave it to me no problem" welder who has let me down.
However, my machinist has said he will do it for me.
Also on my shit list is the guy who was going to make the Edoardo Bianchi chassis plate - remember him ? After 3 months he got back to me to say he wasn't going to do it due to possible copyright infringements !! E-B stopped making motorcycles in 1951 and NEVER made a Boardtracker.
Anyway, I've now found a guy that WILL produce anything you want as long as it's for personal use and not for re-sale.
He produced and delivered a sample in 3 days and is now making the finished article together with mounting hammer rivets and the E-B logo.
Can't compliment this guy enough - happy to [pass on his details .
Sadly I had to collect the frame from welder # 3 today. Good news is that my machine shop guy says he'll do it. I've seen his welding and it's super neat.
All I gained from the last 6 months is a load of rust on my pristine new tubing.
Sadly I had to collect the frame from welder # 3 today. Good news is that my machine shop guy says he'll do it. I've seen his welding and it's super neat.
All I gained from the last 6 months is a load of rust on my pristine new tubing.
Sadly I had to collect the frame from welder # 3 today. Good news is that my machine shop guy says he'll do it. I've seen his welding and it's super neat.
All I gained from the last 6 months is a load of rust on my pristine new tubing.
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