Lou's Bobber Project

[loulizard]

Ok Guys the frame is now a roller and she can stand on her own. How many 2 week old babies can do that? Got a narrow glide front end, 12" apes on 1.5" risers & 19" front wheel with11" disc will run a sporty headlight visor but haven't worked out if I will run a bates 4.5" or the nice 3.5" lamp I spotted online or build a custom light box to hang off it. Ordered the 3.5 gal flat side tanks & mounts, old school round coil, rear billet 4 spot caliper to mount on the Jay brake bracket I already got. bringing her home this Weekend. So will post pics of progress when I get her. wheels need chrome stripped & painting, engine needs cylinders painted, rocker boxes to be polished as well as some prettying up of the cases. same for the cog box. Think I'm onto some used heads at a good price. Saw a repro, retro, hinged pan rear guard at good price too, will follow up on that. Got to go the softail needs washing before Sundays shovel run & unfortunately the wife is working so I got to do it my self.

[Bearcx]

Far out, Lou.! Thats a heck of a shopping list.......

Good luck with it all, and looking forward to seeing the pics.

[loulizard]

Picked up the heads today

[loulizard]

Busy day picked her up introduced her to my wife she likes my new girl too. Always nice if that happens. took these pics.

bare front.jpg

bare rear.jpg

bare left.jpg

then I polished the chrome on the box, controls & started to remove the scratches on the timing case, got bored with that so I wire brushed the rear wheel it was 99o/o rust 1o/o chrome now is presentable. It will need more work prior to painting front wheel is painted in some sort of fake chrome. You might ask why secondhand wheels, got them including good tyres for $150. so a little elbow grease is very cheep compared to new wheels & tyres. test fitted the rear caliper the seat pan put the box back in the frame. I might post some more pics to show the difference after i return fr4om the ride tomorrow. but can't promise as some of the others are coming round to inspect her. so we might have a few.

[loulizard]

[/attachment]

bare right.jpg

Here's a before shot of the rockers I will polish them up on my bench grinder in the coming days,[attachment=0]rockerboxes.jpg

[Prof]

No kicker Lou. What's the gearbox.

No worries re wheels. You can always upgrade later. My shovel has gradually changed as I've had time, found the parts or done swaps etc

Chrome don't get ya home, but it is easy to maintain and doesn't chip like paint but I wouldn't worry. Built my shovel over 10 years ago and still haven't got shiny pipes yet. In fact the first set of temporary pipes lasted til last year (made up of a pile of old bits and pieces)when they finally got so thin they kept cracking.

[loulizard]

Hi prof
it's a 5 speed waiting for the rest of the kicker conversion to come out of hiding from my HD hoarders loft. I'm also looking for an open primary clutch pulley to suit a 1987 or later 5 speed, he only found a 4 speed one so I is drive-less.He spent a couple of hours this morning trying to work out why it wouldn't fit, then the penny dropped. 4 onto 5 won't go. Just goes to show even the experts suffer brain fade now an' then. Now I got a hope for both to turn up as it's kick only for shovels and older in our group, or ya is a sissy. Might catch up with you in person at chopped as a couple of us are planning on cruizin' over there that weekend, it's only 30 minutes from here and the music is so kool.

[Prof]

Mix and match can be tricky, but at least possible on Harleys. I'd prefer kicker only too, as my shovel starts reliably, but a busted right knee and worn hips from broken legs in a car accident means I unfortunately need the electric leg. pm your mobile number. Mine is 0428 562 554. I'll not be at chopped all the time as we want to catch up with a pile of CA members in Vic as well.

[loulizard]

front 2.jpg

Did some more today

fore & Aft front done.jpg

polishing fabricating of tank mounts

tank fitted.jpg

[loulizard]

finished & mounted

Tank brackets finished seat mocked up.jpg

Rear fender mocked up.jpg

rough position only may make a flat fender yet mocked one up last week looked tough. OK all for this weekend got a club show N Shine tomorrow so no work.

[loulizard]

Quiet weekend Sat I had to mow the forest so the wife could hang out the washing. Then I sealed the tanks with KB's sealant that's a 2 day grind wash rinse, rinse, rinse, surprising lot of gunk for new tanks weld slag mostly, then acid wash and rinse, rinse, rinse, dry them thoroughly for the actual treatment on Sunday, pour it in then roll, roll, roll, then roll some more, to coat evenly the entire insides. Then wait and roll some more, to even out the excess that wouldn't flow out the fuel filler holes then clean out the fuel line bungs as it sets hard and permanently. Wipe off the outside muck with thinners and let it set. whilst that was happening made a front hinge and welded it on for the sprung seat, drilled the mount holes for the spring mounts my old mig is not up to it or the wire is too old (rosin cored wire)no gas, so made a mess of the welds will get a mate to bring his tig over and tidy it up and weld the spring bungs on. made a bracket for the rear guard and mounted the same.next step will be to under coat the frame tanks and guards. so strip down again for that.

[Prof]

It's coming on. Before you paint the frame, make sure you have all brackets welded in... exhaust pipe mounting, battery mount, brake switch mount, horn mount, coil mount, switch mounts and any clips tubes/holes for wiring.

Hope to catch up with you in person shortly.

[Bearcx]

Great job on the polishing, lou. Come up a treat. Really pushing on with it, good progress.

[loulizard]

Thanks prof, the frame has all the mounting points as standard ( being paranoid bout fit I test fitted all,except for the brake switches), which I will attach to the forward control assembly or fit a hydraulic switch on the masters, not old school I know but simpler when making custom brake lines. The wiring loom won't know the difference between earth from a mechanical switch or hydraulic one anyhow and most onlookers wont spot it either. Looking at oil tanks with battery box to hide the acid bag, ordered a belt drive with built in oil filter and provision for electric foot when I get too arthritic to jump on it the way I feel tonight that will be before Xmas. Mate came round tonight and re-welded my efforts and the seat bungs,why do boiler makers think no one else can make a weld!!!But I do admit his look prettier than the ones I did so I guess I saved some dough on body filler to cover them up!!
Cheers see you at chopped.

[loulizard]

Ultima loom arrived yesterday, so I fitted it to the frame via 2 nut certs and a home made aluminum bracket nice and neat. Then I grouped the wires, {left & right handlebars} {headlamp & front signals} {rear signals, tail & stop lamp} {coil, battery & starter} {rear brake sw oil sw neutral sw} { Dash & ign} and fed it into the heat shrink in those groups. Wont shrink it together till I test the circuits. Then I dismantled the tanks & guards prepped them for the etch primer and sprayed away. Will post some pics after the second primer coat tomorrow.