The forks are rebuilt, tail section reinstalled, master cylinder installed, new pads on brakes... lots done. All that is left (I think) is to put the tank and body parts on, seat, double check everything and go for a ride!
Bleeding the brakes was a pain in the ass. I ended up buying a Mityvac bleeder (special tool for bleeding [getting all the air out] brakes) and it took five minutes.
Just remembered... need to lube the cables and hook up the clutch too.
Got my plates today. Its all registered and legal and ready to go. Oh oh... one more thing... have to work out something to mount the license plate. The original is bent and missing parts.
See why this stuff ends up taking so long?
Friday, March 27, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
IT'S ALIVE!!! IT'S ALIVE!!!
After five months monkeying around and rebuilding the top end, painting, tweaking, checking and everything else... after two weeks of tinkering and playing trying to get it to startup tonight was magic time! It didn't want to start and as I fiddled trying to get it going my finger covered a small hole in the rear head... viola! Its the vacuum line that is supposed to connect to the fuel tank. I popped a screw in there and POW all at once.
Bare witness...
In the vid you can see my temporary fuel tank solution. The actual tank only works with vacuum supplied via the hole I plugged. I'm waiting on a fitting to connect the hose (I broke the original). Till then the temp tank is the setup de jour.
Now just need to do the fork seals, install my new-to-me clutch lever, new hand grips and all the odds and ends and she is ready for the road.
Bare witness...
In the vid you can see my temporary fuel tank solution. The actual tank only works with vacuum supplied via the hole I plugged. I'm waiting on a fitting to connect the hose (I broke the original). Till then the temp tank is the setup de jour.
Now just need to do the fork seals, install my new-to-me clutch lever, new hand grips and all the odds and ends and she is ready for the road.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Another Prickley Pearch
I was up till midnight again last night working on the beast. It started well. I got the hole tapped for the coil mount and got that all installed.
The problem came when I decided to put the new clutch lever on. I couldn't get it off the perch. The screw head is huge and my regular screwdriver kept slipping out. Oh and it's seized. I ended up pulling the whole perch/lever which necessatated my pulling the electrical box under the headlight and getting the left handlebar switches unhooked and removed from the bar. Oh that required unbolting the handle bar because there wasn't enough slack to slide electrical stuff off. CAN OF WORMS!!!
I present to you the carnage:
Then I spent a bunch (too much) time at the bench vise trying to convince the big screw it needed to come out... here is the big screw:
That didn't work so I flipped it over and cut off the remaining screw and tried to drill it out. (been doing that a lot lately) but the bit started to wander off the steel bolt and onto the aluminum parts (bad) so I stopped and here is where it rests:
I finally gave up and went inside to hit the Internet and see if I could just buy the part... NO! I's unique to the Ascot and not cheap new (if available) and I didn't find any used (ebay). Then it hit me this am... Its a screw that goes through the handle and has a bolt on the other side. I don't think it is "screwed" to the handle I'm trying to remove... I think it's pressed in. I should be able to hammer or press it back out. I'm going to put this to the Ascot Yahoo group to see what they wizards there say. Stay tuned...
As usual pics on the Picasa Page. (new ones start here)
 |
| From Ascot |
The problem came when I decided to put the new clutch lever on. I couldn't get it off the perch. The screw head is huge and my regular screwdriver kept slipping out. Oh and it's seized. I ended up pulling the whole perch/lever which necessatated my pulling the electrical box under the headlight and getting the left handlebar switches unhooked and removed from the bar. Oh that required unbolting the handle bar because there wasn't enough slack to slide electrical stuff off. CAN OF WORMS!!!
I present to you the carnage:
 |
| From Ascot |
Then I spent a bunch (too much) time at the bench vise trying to convince the big screw it needed to come out... here is the big screw:
 |
| From Ascot |
That didn't work so I flipped it over and cut off the remaining screw and tried to drill it out. (been doing that a lot lately) but the bit started to wander off the steel bolt and onto the aluminum parts (bad) so I stopped and here is where it rests:
 |
| From Ascot |
I finally gave up and went inside to hit the Internet and see if I could just buy the part... NO! I's unique to the Ascot and not cheap new (if available) and I didn't find any used (ebay). Then it hit me this am... Its a screw that goes through the handle and has a bolt on the other side. I don't think it is "screwed" to the handle I'm trying to remove... I think it's pressed in. I should be able to hammer or press it back out. I'm going to put this to the Ascot Yahoo group to see what they wizards there say. Stay tuned...
As usual pics on the Picasa Page. (new ones start here)
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Low work weekend
I didn't get much done this weekend on the Ascot. Merry had a mom/daughter day Saturday, and we went out Saturday night. Sunday we watched a friend's kids and then they and another couple came over in the eventing. Basically nothing happened. Monday night was my first go at it this weekend.
I got the carbs on and installed the plugs (I had the old plugs in for the painting). I got a bolt at the hardware store to put in the newly tapped hole that supports the sub frame and right foot peg. It's getting pretty close. I'm planning on logging some hours this weekend. The last parts I have on order are packing that go in the exhaust. Two where the header pipes connect to the middle thing (like a big muffler) and one where the muffler connects to the middle thing. They should be in this week so if all goes well the Ascot should run this weekend.
Oh, I got my new brake and clutch levers in too. They are great looking! I'm really impressed. Only $21 including shipping on ebay! So once the motor is running I still have the fork seals and master cylinder to rebuild then get all the i's dotted and all the t's crossed. Then I can start looking into body paint.
While poking around at the bike I began to think the handle bars aren't stock. they are a little high angled and they kick out a bit. You can kind of see what I'm talking about in this shot. I obviously haven't ridden it yet so I don't know if they are uncomfortable but they don't look it.
They should look more like this. You can see these turn almost 90 degrees and then another 90 to where the grips and switches are. Looks like a more comfortable upright bar and that's what I like.
I got the carbs on and installed the plugs (I had the old plugs in for the painting). I got a bolt at the hardware store to put in the newly tapped hole that supports the sub frame and right foot peg. It's getting pretty close. I'm planning on logging some hours this weekend. The last parts I have on order are packing that go in the exhaust. Two where the header pipes connect to the middle thing (like a big muffler) and one where the muffler connects to the middle thing. They should be in this week so if all goes well the Ascot should run this weekend.
Oh, I got my new brake and clutch levers in too. They are great looking! I'm really impressed. Only $21 including shipping on ebay! So once the motor is running I still have the fork seals and master cylinder to rebuild then get all the i's dotted and all the t's crossed. Then I can start looking into body paint.
While poking around at the bike I began to think the handle bars aren't stock. they are a little high angled and they kick out a bit. You can kind of see what I'm talking about in this shot. I obviously haven't ridden it yet so I don't know if they are uncomfortable but they don't look it.
They should look more like this. You can see these turn almost 90 degrees and then another 90 to where the grips and switches are. Looks like a more comfortable upright bar and that's what I like.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Grey...
I guess someone had the same idea as me.
I like the look of this and it makes me lean (get it?)grey. I think it would be even nicer with my blacked out motor. Now if I can get a hold of a fairing from a VT500E I'll be in grey-t shape! (See what I did there?)
I like the look of this and it makes me lean (get it?)grey. I think it would be even nicer with my blacked out motor. Now if I can get a hold of a fairing from a VT500E I'll be in grey-t shape! (See what I did there?)
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Cycle Gear
I went to Cycle Gear yesterday to kill some time while I was waiting for Merry and the kids. I wasn't that impressed. I mean if you are looking to spend a bunch of money on apparal or you are crazy for motorcross it might be your thing. Not me. The only thing there of interest to me is the LED licence plate bolts. My stock plate mount is pretty shot so I'll probably have work something else up and these are pretty cool.
I'm also thinking about some flashing brake light accessory to be extra visible. Especially consisdering the fact that I was rear ended in my car a month ago. These are pretty cool but I'd like some thing that flashes 3 or 4 times the goes steady. I don't want it flashing the entire time I'm at a red light for example.
They have a little video too... it's kind a dorky but you get the idea.
I'm also thinking about some flashing brake light accessory to be extra visible. Especially consisdering the fact that I was rear ended in my car a month ago. These are pretty cool but I'd like some thing that flashes 3 or 4 times the goes steady. I don't want it flashing the entire time I'm at a red light for example.
They have a little video too... it's kind a dorky but you get the idea.
Nothing new last night
Well I didn't work on the Ascot last night. Only vegged in front of the TV. I thought about getting the carbs on but it was later than usual for me to start and I didn't get much sleep the night before so I decided to veg for a while then go to bed.
The only real new content I have to offer is the question of color. I don't think I'll be painting the tank and other parts for a while but I have still been thinking about paint. Of course there are the two standard colors for this bike; red and black. But since I have not been doing a restoration but rather a revival (read the title of this blog!) I have felt a little latitude in how things look in the end. This is why I blacked out the motor.
So in the vein of color I was tossing around two main contenders: Atomic Orange and a deep grey.
The grey would probably be easier and cheaper since I would use a thick grey paint with no metalic or anything. Jut a shiny grey to contrast all the black on the bike. Here is a non-artists rendering of what this might look like.
The orange I am thinking of on the other hand is a deep burnt orange that is best summed up by the Corvette color Atomic Orange as seen here.
The reason I included the shot of the vette is clear once you look at my non-artists rendering of the Ascot in orange... you have to imagine all the tangerine parts as the vette color above.
So the Atomic Orange would probably be harder to paint but is more unique and makes hte bike stand out a little better (read safety). However the grey is more subdued and would probably be cheaper (non metallic) and easier (non-metallic).
Since I probably won't do any paint work (prep yes paint hell no!) till the summer (read my posts about the paint booth, garage, smell etc) I have put up a poll open till the fourth of July asking what color it should be. Let me know. And I may (or not) use your advice.
The only real new content I have to offer is the question of color. I don't think I'll be painting the tank and other parts for a while but I have still been thinking about paint. Of course there are the two standard colors for this bike; red and black. But since I have not been doing a restoration but rather a revival (read the title of this blog!) I have felt a little latitude in how things look in the end. This is why I blacked out the motor.
So in the vein of color I was tossing around two main contenders: Atomic Orange and a deep grey.
The grey would probably be easier and cheaper since I would use a thick grey paint with no metalic or anything. Jut a shiny grey to contrast all the black on the bike. Here is a non-artists rendering of what this might look like.
The orange I am thinking of on the other hand is a deep burnt orange that is best summed up by the Corvette color Atomic Orange as seen here.
The reason I included the shot of the vette is clear once you look at my non-artists rendering of the Ascot in orange... you have to imagine all the tangerine parts as the vette color above.
So the Atomic Orange would probably be harder to paint but is more unique and makes hte bike stand out a little better (read safety). However the grey is more subdued and would probably be cheaper (non metallic) and easier (non-metallic).
Since I probably won't do any paint work (prep yes paint hell no!) till the summer (read my posts about the paint booth, garage, smell etc) I have put up a poll open till the fourth of July asking what color it should be. Let me know. And I may (or not) use your advice.
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