Xs750 896cc engine rebuild and chop!

[datadavid]

Hello from Gothenburg Sweden guys! Been spending time with a chicken yellow, beat and ugly old xs this last year, making it run(reliably) and such.
Here it is, but thats not what i'm here for..
Along with the bike came a rolling frame and a couple of blown engines, one was bored out to some 1000cc's! Every engine but one showed signs of catastrophic engine failure. Oh, the sounds it must have made
Looks like typical oil starvation/overheating so i will try avoiding that...
Will build the engine with 896cc pistons, deep sump, oil cooler, daytona 675 carbs, sachse or newtronics optical ignition, ported head with bigger valves is also planned.
As for styling i want it low on the ground, apehangers and high sissy bar.
Thinking about flake or metal finish.

 

[datadavid]

Mocked up a sissy today with plastic piping!

 

[datadavid]

And yesterday i bent up some tubes with the old hydraulic pipebender, took a few cups of tea, some torching to correct angles and a few curse words to get it looking decent. Its a bit harder making sissys from tube rather than solid material!

 

[datadavid]

Ordered black shocks.. got bright red ones! Well i guess they will work with the otherwise freaky and tasteless color scheme i got planned..

 

[warpt_99]

The sissy bar is nice and high! Did you bend the steel yourself?

 

[datadavid]

Yea we have an old hydraulic machine in the garage, was kind of tricky getting the radius and angles right..! And the bends arent perfectly smooth, but will be covered by a long seat(all the way up the sissy), so it wont be noticed..

 

[datadavid]

Welded up the sissy to the frame last night, also got a few brake rotors drilled out. Lost half a kilo!

Time to start mocking up an engine i think.. getting a parts list together so i can send off a complete head, block and cylinder to the machinist.. looking forward to discussing what needs to be done mechanically with him!

 

[datadavid]

Started hammering out a seatpan, distasteful lovely old king and queen style

Going to need about 1,5-2" space for damper travel, so obviously passenger seat will have to be raised a bit. All good!

 

[datadavid]

Not much happening here at present, except in the old mind.. thinking about hammering out and soldering up a long, lean sportster-inspired tank out of bronze plates.. now where to source 0,40" thick bronze plate... hmmm....

Still mustering up the guts to call the machinist and get a rough estimate of the cost for engine works...

 

[datadavid]

Got a quote from a bronze bearing specialist, 300$ for a 2mX30cm piece of spring quality bronze plate.. this better be good..

 

[datadavid]

Hammered out and tacked the cutout for the tire last night.
Next up is frame mounts and final fitting, then on to saddle making!
Tank is being mocked up. Gotta love cardboard..

 

[datadavid]

Got the plate!
Since i only have one shot at getting this right, cutting it will take some courage(beer)..

 

[treitz]

Man this thing is crazy. I'll keep watching!

 

[1969Honda]

I'm in just to see the tank when finished ;D

 

[datadavid]

Been having second thoughts about the tank so im gonna let it ferment in my head a little.. looking at husqvarna roadracing machines from the 30's now. They have awesome aluminium tanks, not sure if thats gonna look good here though..

 

[datadavid]

I mean, imagine this - in bronze. On my bike. Cant really get an idea..

 

[treitz]

Given the seat and bar setup, personally I think a more peanut style tank would look better. Something more in the bobber/chopper range. For me the long rectangular tank is more fitting on a cafe or brat style bike.

P.S. Where are you located? I might snag that stock 750 tank from you if you plan to sell it.

 

[datadavid]

No idea where boise is, stateside i guess? Its a bit dented the stocker, but fairly rust-free and fresh inside..
Buuuut i'm in sweden..
Yea im going with a sportster style tank with a little stretch.. picked my brain enough now i think..
All the guys in my garage run peanuts(not in bronze though)

 

[treitz]

Oh right... Sweden. Ya, shipping would probably cost a little bit on that. Haha

I think stretched sporty style would be great. Can't wait to see it!

 

[datadavid]

Watching some jesse james youtube clips about metal shaping, just to get some ideas on how to start. Btw, bronze is one tough alloy. Gonna have nicely muscled arms when this is done..