cx'y 500

While I'm on the subject of polishing I had a go at my yokes this evening.
IMG01020-20110826-1809.jpg

I'm not going to bore the pants of you with a step by step because I think its about as interesting as watching paint dry. Instead I'll just bung up a few photos.
IMG01021-20110826-2008.jpg

IMG01022-20110826-2027.jpg

IMG01023-20110826-2145.jpg

I'm going to go over them again at a later date, but I hate polishing alloy so I'm going to leave it at that for now.
 
Right, back to the fan.
I'm quite confident the 748 fan will do the business cooling the motor as its designed to do from the Ducati 748 up to the 999, and although the Ducati is a L twin apposed the other way its still a twin and so is the CX500.
Now then, soldering wires.
When I was a kid my Dad taught me how to solder wiring, and I've done it this way ever since without problems. My Dad used soldering flux and so do I, although I have been told by quite a few people I shouldnt. I did try to solder without flux but I cant get the solder to run or stick. My mate Porky said when he tried to solder he had the same problem, so he gave up. I showed him what my Dad taught me and what works, works. Now Pork has no problems soldering. If you also have had issues with soldering this is what I do.
First cut your wire to the length you require then trim back the outer coating and twist the end then add flux.
IMG01014-20110826-1342-1.jpg

Do this to both ends of the wire you want to join, then twist the two ends together. Apply solder to the ens of your iron and hold it under, but touching the joint. As the flux burns off it will suck the solder up into the wire. Then with the iron still under the wire touch the top of the wire with solder to get a really good covering and a strong bond.
IMG01015-20110826-1344-1.jpg

Remove the iron and it will set almost instantly, but be careful as it will still be very hot.
Once it cools down just wipe off any flux thats left on the wire with a rag, then slip a section of schrink tube over the joint.
IMG01017-20110826-1348-1.jpg

I like to use a hot ait paint stripper gun to schrink it down as there is less chance of burning the wire than if I use a flame.
IMG01019-20110826-1356-1.jpg

And thats about it really. not hard to do, and its worked for me for 30 years, so why change now.
As soon as the paint dries on the cowel I'll get the fan bolted back on, but for now I'll figure out what I'm going to take my switched live feed from.
 
never soldered wire that way but if it works i'm fine with it. i was taught in electronics class in high school to twist the wires... clean the iron... put some solder on the iron... put it on the thing you want to solder... get it warm... touch the solder to the wire (in this case)... the solder will drawn to the heat source and as a result cover everything in it's path. and since it works for me... it's what i do. ;)

things are looking nice. and yes that fan will work. that is one of the number one fans recommended for this conversion. although i've never seen it mounted the way you are. very nicely done.
 
Got the fan mounted in the new and improved CX mount this morning, but I need the motormount thats in powdercoat at the moment before I can make off the wiring.
IMG01027-20110827-1015.jpg

Once the radiator is back on you wont be able to see the changes I made.
Its one of those mods thats good to do, but you dont need to see it.
IMG01028-20110827-1016.jpg

Thats that then for now anyway.
 
I filled my forks with 15w fork oil this afternoon, so now they are ready for a final fit.
While I was doing it I was looking at the lower halfs and thought they would look good with just a light polishing rather than powdercoat or paint. I like the retro look and thought they might look over restored if I went to town on them
IMG01029-20110827-1522.jpg

So I spent no more than 15 minutes on each leg, and I'm happy with the result.
IMG01031-20110827-1524.jpg

Calipers are all done, so they can go on, as can the yokes
IMG01033-20110827-1533.jpg

I'mreally pleased with the calipers as its the first time I've ever serviced a set.
IMG01036-20110827-1549.jpg

I would never have believed a CX front end could come up so nice
IMG01035-20110827-1548.jpg

IMG01038-20110827-1550-1.jpg

IMG01039-20110827-1550.jpg

When the frame coms back it shouldnt take to long to put somethig together that resembles a bike.
 
Thanks mate.
Today's been a bit of a slow day. I have been looking at the front fender. Now I'm not 100% sure I'm going to go with one yet, but I think I'll need to have one on when it goes for its MOT test.

The CX fender is not a bad shape, but its way, way to big, so I'm going to have to amputate.

I covered the parts I want to cut with masking tape to give me a good surface to mark up on.

IMG01042-20110828-1217.jpg


I put a thin cutting blade in my grinder and carfully followed the line.

IMG01043-20110828-1221.jpg


It will need a tidy up with a file but the grinder saves a lot of work and time.

IMG01044-20110828-1223.jpg


The sides also need a bit of a trim, and I used the same method to chop them.

IMG01047-20110828-1233.jpg


IMG01048-20110828-1233.jpg


The fender is chrome and a bit rough looking so I'll paint it in with the seat and tank.
IMG01050-20110828-1243.jpg


I went over it with a wire wheel in my drill but I think its going to need blasting to get a surface good enough to paint.

IMG01051-20110828-1530.jpg
 
Sonreir said:

I know this got bumped to the side but I have to concur :D
Aside from this one extravagance I am impressed with the short version of John "Lil John" Buterra's Quote : Make each sub assembly the very best you can with available tools talent and materials then the final result will be greater than the sum total of it's parts." (I'm near sure it's not the exact words but close enough) .
On your tool box is a sticker " No Half Measures" . Couldn't put it better .

~kop
 
Thanks mate......... I think :-\ ..... jeez that was deep, but I think it was a complement!!??

If I had have been building a streetfighter mate, without question the turbo would have gone on, but I'm trying to get the look of a Café racer and want the look of heat wrap and a small cone zorst.

On this, a turbo would be a must.

superbike3.jpg
 
Ahhh there it is :D

IMG00873-20110817-1112.jpg


And yes , very much so a compliment . I was only joking about the hair drier as the engines arn't as similar as you may think . aside from compression , top piston ring placement , carbs , cooling , camshaft , ignition and what all ever else yeah sure it's still a CX but ...

I'm enjoying the build as the meat is in the details .

~kop
 
Lol, I thought "What sticker" and went down the shed to have a look, ha ha. The old grey sludge aint what it used to be mate.

I'm glad you are enjoying the build mate, I try to make things as interesting as I can for anyone that is curious enough to look in on me. Its only through feedback like yours I get to know if I'm keeping up my end of the deal and not boreing everyone silly.

Thanks again for the kind words mate :)
 
Tonight I did a bit more to the front fender, I thought it needed a few holes in it to cafe it up a bit more.

IMG01061-20110831-1751.jpg


I went over it with my power file then filled the whole thing

IMG01062-20110831-1758.jpg


Then cut it back with 120 grit

IMG01064-20110831-1926.jpg


Then 400 grit wet and dry.

IMG01066-20110831-1939.jpg


I need to focus on the seat now, then it can go to paint.
 
Anyway, last night I was chating with my mate Dave about my paint job and he has agreed to do it for me. This guy is the business and I'm luckey to get him to find time to do my bike for me.
I revisited my seat and decided to go over it again to get it as good as I could to save Dave as much of his time as I could. I knocked it back with 120 grit first, then went over the whole thing with filler again, then sanded it back with a sanding block that rode over the high spots and flattened them down to the low areas to get them level.
IMG01067-20110901-2017.jpg

The seat base is level, not that it matters to much as its going to have foam on it.
IMG01068-20110901-2017.jpg

Then I took it in the house and flattened it off with 400 wet and dry under the running tap.
IMG01069-20110901-2020.jpg

Poppet wasnt to happy about doing it in the sink, and I had to sign a sworn statement I wouldnt leave a speck of dirt on the sink, counter tops, floor, well you know the score, I'm sure you get the same stuff where ever you are.
IMG01070-20110901-2026.jpg

I think its not a million miles away now, so Dave should be able to crack on. Mind you, saying that he'll take one look at it and start again. Oh well I tried.
 
IED said:
I think its not a million miles away now, so Dave should be able to crack on. Mind you, saying that he'll take one look at it and start again. Oh well I tried.

You've been really thorough, but it's surprising what a coat of primer will reveal, so don't worry too much if Dave gets busy with it ;)

Can't wait to see this in paint. You must be getting toey now too.

cheers
ian
 
With Dave anything less than perfect will be trash mate, so I'm positive he will get jiggy with it.

I gave him the colours I want and told him he has free hand to do what he wants, he liked that. I know the picture in my head of the bike is good, but Dave will add HD to it and knock my socks off.
 
Just went through entire thread, don't know why I didn't sooner?
matey boy, I thought the Harry Enfield stuff was done by now ;)
Don't know if you got starter cable?
Try car audio installers, they usually have bulk length of battery cable when amps or spare battery is fitted in the boot.
Did you check cam chain tensioner and fit new cam chain?
Even the last version of tensioner failed around 20~30,000 miles.
At least it's a simple motor to work on after you get in out of frame

Where are you in Essex?
I spent many weekends in Harlow (harlot ;D )
Best time was less than 2 hrs from Bridgend (South Wales) to Lower Shearing
Used to go to 'Behind the Vine Rally'(s) when Harlow 70's bike club was running (late 70's~late 80's)
Strange coincidence, I was working with guy from Lower Shearing up until a few months ago.
He had a bike shop somewhere around the area in the 90's before he moved to US (Dave Hatt, I think he's about 48~49)
 
Im near Colchester mate,

Well I got my frame back from powdercoat, but unfortunatly I hurt my back and have spent the last three days flat on my back. Today enough was enough and no matter what I was getting off my back and if need be crawl my arse down to the shed.

My son Nick placed the frame over the enging for me, and I told him what bolts went where. I'll go round and tighten everything up when I feel a bit better, but for now my best buddy has made an awesome job for me.

IMG01086-20110910-1730.jpg


I thought the powdercoating Impact coatings did was flawless and I couldnt have been more pleased with the frame.

The Ducati fan sits in there really nice

IMG01085-20110910-1730.jpg


Future builds, I wouldnt even consider painting the frame.

The told me after it was blasted, they zink coated it before powdercoat.

IMG01084-20110910-1729.jpg


I got my hybred cbr/cx pegs on as well as the coolant res

IMG01096-20110910-1905.jpg


They are quite cool and work great. Not rear sets but no biggy

IMG01095-20110910-1904.jpg


Everything from the engin brackets to the battery box looks fantastic

IMG01083-20110910-1728.jpg


Yep, I'm really pleased the the finish and proud of my Nick for doing his dad a solid.

IMG01094-20110910-1904.jpg
 
Back
Top Bottom