gray
Active Member
Hey guys, I'm new to the ton and I thought I would start a little thread before I finished this thing. This forum has been a tremendous inspiration, thank you guys.
A couple months ago I drove from Orange County to LA to pick up a nice '79 SR500. WHILE I was giving it a test ride around the block, something shot through the engine case, leaving a clean, open hole. SHIT! I totally wanted this bike, so I was about as bummed as the guy selling it. We said sorry, no deal (at this point I was not interested in doing a rebuild) and drove back home.
I couldn't stop thinking about that bike.
A week later I contacted the seller again. He still had it, we haggled on price for a little, and ended up settling somewhere around half of what he was originally asking, seeing as I would most likely have to rebuild the engine. I was stoked.
We picked it up two days later:
I still had to figure out what shot through the case and why. So the engine came out. Once I got the clutch cover off the issue was easy to see. There is a ratchet guide at the back of the kick start assembly. Apparently it is not uncommon for these things to fail, and in my case, the broken piece just happened to catch a tooth on the starter, propelling it through the back of the engine.
EASY FIX!! I ordered a replacement for the broken part and had the case welded! Engine rebuild averted.
A little paint and polish:
Then tires finally came:
(Imagine a lot more painting, polishing, wire wheeling, parts ordering, late nights in the garage, complaining neighbors, and more parts ordering)
So that pretty much gets me to where I am now.
From the other night:
My buddy Brandon giving me a hand
As of right now the thing should be pretty much ready to fire up, and the only part that I am waiting on is the brat seat from Motolanna. (Peter over there has been great at keeping me updated.) I think this weekend I will run new fuel and carb vent lines and get the lights going. I might even toss the original seat on temporarily as I don't think I will be able to resist taking it for a ride up the coast.
I would also like to say thank you to my extremely understanding and supportive wife, and helpful friends for making this project so enjoyable.
A couple months ago I drove from Orange County to LA to pick up a nice '79 SR500. WHILE I was giving it a test ride around the block, something shot through the engine case, leaving a clean, open hole. SHIT! I totally wanted this bike, so I was about as bummed as the guy selling it. We said sorry, no deal (at this point I was not interested in doing a rebuild) and drove back home.
I couldn't stop thinking about that bike.
A week later I contacted the seller again. He still had it, we haggled on price for a little, and ended up settling somewhere around half of what he was originally asking, seeing as I would most likely have to rebuild the engine. I was stoked.
We picked it up two days later:
I still had to figure out what shot through the case and why. So the engine came out. Once I got the clutch cover off the issue was easy to see. There is a ratchet guide at the back of the kick start assembly. Apparently it is not uncommon for these things to fail, and in my case, the broken piece just happened to catch a tooth on the starter, propelling it through the back of the engine.
EASY FIX!! I ordered a replacement for the broken part and had the case welded! Engine rebuild averted.
A little paint and polish:
Then tires finally came:
(Imagine a lot more painting, polishing, wire wheeling, parts ordering, late nights in the garage, complaining neighbors, and more parts ordering)
So that pretty much gets me to where I am now.
From the other night:
My buddy Brandon giving me a hand
As of right now the thing should be pretty much ready to fire up, and the only part that I am waiting on is the brat seat from Motolanna. (Peter over there has been great at keeping me updated.) I think this weekend I will run new fuel and carb vent lines and get the lights going. I might even toss the original seat on temporarily as I don't think I will be able to resist taking it for a ride up the coast.
I would also like to say thank you to my extremely understanding and supportive wife, and helpful friends for making this project so enjoyable.
