VINDICATOR - 60's style Cafe Racer TR1

Swagger said:
Sorry TJ, meant to pipe up sooner. I've used MSD stuff on several builds. At this stage in the game the 6a is kind of a slaedgehammer approach, one blast fits all. It might behoove you to consider something with the capacity to tune the ignition curve to suit your engine. Plus most of teh automotive stuff is pretty bulky for a bike.
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Thanx Lee .................. no rush as I am AGAIN looking at "next year" !

I used all sorts of MSD [ and Dr.Jacob's ] stuff on my various cars. The problem is that here in the UK that stuff has gone really expensive [ new and s/hand ]. As you say the 6AL would probably be overkill - and over here in the UK - expensive

Maybe one of the earlier / simplified versions [ 4 series ? ] would do the trick.

As you probably know from my various posts - electronics is NOT my strong point !

As long as I can get a start retard, full advance and top end boost retard, that should do the trick [ ? ] as I'm not using injection [ GBFO SU carb. ]

Space is not so much of an issue as I've got all the space under the seat and will be using a compact GEL battery. I will also be making up some side panels - similar to 60's Brit bikes [ BSA, Triumph etc ], so I can hide a lot of the ugliness.

I've been offered an Avon / Metisse top fairing in excellent condition and complete with the plexiglass nosecone. Again, a place to hide stuff. Not sure on that yet, I'll probably wait until the bike is back in one piece and see what it looks like on there.

All that said - the turbo is still only a 50 /50 deal at the moment, still undecided as I REALLY want to see that Gold Star silencer on there !
 
Slight progress - brake plates have been stripped [ Grimeca x 2 and XS650 ] and prepped and are now in etch primer. Primer by tomorrow and then ready for the Gold top coat. As previously I have 3 different styles of Gold - just need to see which one "looks right".

Wheels have had rim tapes fitted and will be off at the weekend to have the new TT100 / GPs fitted.

Yes, could do them myself - BUT I haven't fitted a tyre up for over 30 years [ no, make that FORTY ] and don't want to make a fuck up now !

Next job is prepping the cycle parts for paint - which now includes the fork legs as I've decided to paint them in the same FO Red as the cycle parts.

The frame / swingarm may well end up in textured [ wrinkle finish ] Satin Black - the same sort of finish that H-D use on their engines. Two reasons - one I think it will be a nice contrast [ Italianesque ] and two - I'm trying to save money without cutting corners., The frame is very good condition and in reality doesn't need to be blasted / powder coated - the swing arm is not so good - but that can easily be dealt with by the judicious use of my favourite Bosch grinder and some wire wheels. Also - there'll be hardly any frame on view after I've made up the side panels to cover the fugging uggerly rear frame.

That leaves a dilemma - the yokes [ triple trees ]. Same finish as the frame, polish or Red ?????????

I've seen quite a few italian bikes with the yokes in this textured finish recently, and quite like it.

The main problem now is I don't want to introduce too many colours and risk the "tart's handbag" look.

Head [ ie wallet ] is saying paint the headlamp shell - heart is saying bite the bullet and have it chromed - NOT cheap here in the UK !

Then there's the two clocks ............ the outer case is painted alloy [ thanx Yamaha ] - so there's the option of polish or paint [ Red to match headlamp shell ? ] Decisions, decisions ........................
 
Union Jack said:
TJ - we need some pics :D
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Pictorial progress dismally slow at the moment - although I will post up the Boranni's / Grimeca once the tyres are fitted. If nothing else it will give me a further kick up the ass to get on with things !

On the positive side, I will be able to leave the dog unattended for an hour or two during the day in a couple of week's time, so I will be able to get out and sort the rocker oil feed lines / gauge kits for the TR1.

Then I'm entering the "spending money" phase with powder coating, polishing, passivating end other outsource jobs.

At least then there'll be an excuse to post up some meaningful pix !
 
Think about an Ignitech ignition system. Fully programmable if you get the right one. Change the timing curve on your laptop and just upload to the "black box". Feel like a MotoGP engineer :-)
 
So, the wheels and tyres [ all £1200s worth ] were left with the bike shop last Thursday.

"Be ready in a day or two" quoth the man - "No rush, I'll pick them up next Monday" responded Beachcomber, full of joyous anticipation that some visible progress would be made.

Phone Monday AM - no reply, phone Monday PM - no reply. Ah, maybe they close on Monday as they are open at the weekends.

Phone Tuesday AM etc.,etc.,etc. NOW getting a little concerned. A trip to the shop didn't bode any better - the shutters were banged up and the bloke in the next unit said the owner had been in briefly in the morning to collect his mail.

Warning bells buzzing now - the classic "Shut the doors and do a runner", AND with my fargin wheels and tyres ! Phoning all day Wednesday - phone going straight to ansafone - NOT looking good. Another trip to the unit resulted in the same response from the guy next door - this time there were 2 other disgruntled [ can you be "gruntled" ? ] owners there trying to get hold of bikes they'd left for service / MOT test.

By now I was fearing the worst - £1200's worth of Borrani / Grimeca / TT100 taken a walk. I was so depressed that I even considered selling the project up for spares! ::)

New cunning plan for this morning - set off at Sparrow fart while MrsB looked after the dog, and catch him early -IF he turned up for his mail.

Arrived there - doors open, all his bikes for sale out the front and a cheery "hello" from our man !!!!!! ;D

Turns out he's been at the hospital for tests for 3 days and the answerphone got filled up and that's why I couldn't contact him ........ooooops. :)

There was a reaction when I sprayed the Gold finish on the rear hub, so waiting to check the "other" Gold finishes I have before respraying them all.



 
Holy eff Beach! Those wheels are awesome! But you're building a bike "too nice to ride" - I'd be afraid to park it anyplace!
BTW, being a horse trader, fabber and cheapskate of the first water, I dunno if I've got 1200 quid in my whole bike - but if you figure in my labour, probably 10 times that LOL.
Anyway, outstanding job mate!
Pat
 
Thanx guys - it's feedback like yours that keeps my juices flowing!

Pat ....................... as one Horse trader to another [ see my Tales !! ] the parts are WORTH £1200, but ....................................

The Rims I worked off with my pal AC at RAM shox when I fronted a show for him a few years back.

Cost £220 pair
Ditto with the Grimeca hub / brakes. I did a deal for the last TWO sets in captivity with the importers just before Grimeca went into receivership. One was for a bike I was building for him - the second ostensibly because we had to buy two to get a good deal ! Some time last year I bugged him so much [ like a little kid after an ice cream ], that he gave in and let me have the Brake / hub "on account".

Cost £695
The rear hub came with a complete XS650 alloy rimmed rear wheel for £50 ..............
broke the rim out and sold it for £55 and had the hub polished for £5.

The actual pound notes cost was the building of the rims with new stainless spokes. I got Central Wheel Company in the Midlands to do that - trade discount of course [ ! ] and even then the bill was still £200.

And on the contrary - this WILL be the last Cafe Racer I build - and it HAS to be right for that reason [ Swan song ? ] AND IT WILL GET RIDDEN and not wrapped in cotton wool.

The £200 HAS to be the single largest outlay so far - even buying the base bike [ with 18K miles on it ], by the time I'd traded out all the parts I didn't need I actually ended up with the donor parts AND £450 profit towards the parts ! I am keeping a true log of the build in my "projects" book.

The front tyre [ new ] was bought as part of a pair for £45 - and I sold the other for £60.

The rear was an E-bay purchase for £25 [ honest ! ] again brand new.

IF I go with the Vincent 'esque Siamese exhaust [ to go with the Stainless Goldie silencer ] - then THAT will undoubtedly become the largest outlay - I'm anticipating £300 'ish to have it made [ stainless ].

Still undecided about the tank though ................ as you have probably seen I've knitted up a G50 'ish styled tank which is almost ready for moulding, but a Manx TT tank is swirling around in my head. It will require surgery to the top "frame" - probably replaced in part with a Manx type top structure. The reasoning here is I can use an alloy tank [ secondhand of course ! ] and side step the inevitable Ethanol related problems.

Anyway - I've gone from the depths of despair this morning [ AND couldn't sleep last night ] thinking I would never see the wheels and tyres again - to total euphoria after I picked them up.

I'll sort out the "Gold" I'm going to use over the weekend and re-do the rear plate and mask up and paint the Grimeca fronts.

Thanx again fellas
 
Damn TJ, those out great. You have sold me on what to do with my set of Borrani now.
 
Brodie said:
Damn TJ, those out great. You have sold me on what to do with my set of Borrani now.
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Brodie,

My pal AC has ONE Grimeca hub / brake ass'y left [ same as mine ] - as he's abandoned his build now.

I spoke to the old UK importer for an update last month - Grimeca have NO plans to bring the motorcycle related products back into production.

A good alternative [ reasonably priced ] are the BSA / Triumph conical hubs - although they too are getting expensive now. Last time I looked the Suzuki 4LS hubs were more expensive than the Grimeca !

BTW - have you heard about the uproar here in the UK re: Borranis ? The NEW versions that is. Borrani Italy are importing rims made to their specs from China and finishing them off [ nipple holes etc.] and stamping them with the original Borrani logo. No foul there, but the UK agents for INDIAN wheels are up in arms as they have been charging Dick Turpin prices for their rims !

MY rims were the prototypes that Borrani commssioned and the Chinese were naturally flogging them off to all and sundry. If you got in on the early days and ordered 50 rims they were $30 [US ] each !!!!

I have some genuine NOS Borranis in my garage - honestly - I can't spot any difference in quality or finish.
 
I have seen a bit about the "New" Borrani rims, I don't see what the fuss is if they are the same quality.
I have no idea how my GS ended up with an original set but I am glad it did. I would not mind vented drum brakes for the rear but I feel it is time for me to take the leap to disks and see what the fuss is about.
That and I know that I need a new charging system more than I want a vented hub.

How is the tank going? I managed to pick up the same tank at a swap meet for $50 (30 pound) and was going to install a monza cap as it came without petcocks or the cap. I feel a bit like a mimic after re-reading this thread.
 
Brodie said:
I have seen a bit about the "New" Borrani rims, I don't see what the fuss is if they are the same quality.
I have no idea how my GS ended up with an original set but I am glad it did. I would not mind vented drum brakes for the rear but I feel it is time for me to take the leap to disks and see what the fuss is about.
That and I know that I need a new charging system more than I want a vented hub.

How is the tank going? I managed to pick up the same tank at a swap meet for $50 (30 pound) and was going to install a monza cap as it came without petcocks or the cap. I feel a bit like a mimic after re-reading this thread.
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Brodie,

The twin discs didn't look too out of place when I mocked the bike up with the wire spoked wheels - just that when the opportunity came along for the Grimeca - no contest.

Re: the tank. I went with the original tank [ modified in shape ] so I could get away from the potential Ethanol problem. The other problem is the height and width [ at the rear ] of the "frame". IF I could trust folks doing what they say, when they say - I'd simply modify the top frame to take a tubular Featherbed style framework and Robert's your Pater's sibling.

When I started out with the tank, there were going to be at least 3 copies, so it made sense to make the pattern, pull some moulds and use the panels as a "clamshell" around the original tank. That shape then would fit many other stock steel tanks. Because of that, the main shape was made with modelling foam and then moulded with filler. That means although the shape is good to go for moulding purposes, I'm not certain is the foam would be stable enough to use the pattern tank as the finished item - Also it's bloody heavy !

I will probably still go ahead with the moulds as several people have asked for a copy set.

As to being a mimic - we are ALL that, nothing new under the sun ..............just don't use another fargin Benelli Mojave tank !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



 
Again - duplicated here as it's probably the cause of many an engine wrecking itself.

I've looked at all the options, and the most practical is mounting on the head itself at the top union bolt.

This way it will fit all models, and more importantly monitor the oil supply directly at the source of the potential problem !

I'm having some bolts modified so that there will be an option of front or rear head OR both ! That will allow for a good quality 40mm gauge. I will go with the Stainless case versions, and they will be back mounted. That said - a bottom mount will probably be visible from the seat whilst riding.
 
Top oil union bolts and gauge off to machine shop last Friday. He says they'll be ready early next week - a bit more to the jigsaw.
 
Bolts back from machine shop.

The first pic is of the rear entry gauge [ 40mm stainless case ].

And the second is the side entry, which can be positioned to put the gauge in the rider's eyeline while riding



 
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