17 April 2011

Resurrection

My brother "found" this a few years ago by the side of the road.  He gave it to me and I only recently came across it in the basement.

Dragged it outside and low and behold, it works.  The motor had a hard time starting the belts, but ran smooth after a little help.

Used it to finish up drilling the holes for my sissy bar.  Now I just have to get the kid to spray it for me (the sissy bar).

14 April 2011

1949 Harley 125 Hummer

This is how it starts.  Thanks Norm, for another very cool story...
 I looked at your blogspot and the first think that caught my attention was the sissy bar.  That is exactly how I made the one for the 1949 Harley 125 "Hummer"

Here is a picture of what the bike should have looked like.  It was rough when I got it and I was going for the Easy Rider look.  I dumped the bars for a set of bicycle (yes bicycle) handle bars from GC Murphy, ditched the bicycle seat and made a banana seat out of 1/2" round stock and naugahyde covering.  The sissy bar was the same steel stock and I bent it around a jack post in my parents basement for the apex.   There was no exhaust on the bike when I bought it, nor magneto I found out later.  But what do you expect for $25 in 1965.  For the exhaust I used flexible exhaust pipe and the muffler was from a friends 1960's Benelli 125 maybe.  Definitly Benelli.  Anyhow I needed more horsepower (or so I thought) and a better sound so I hacksawed the muffler off at the widest point to produce a megaphone.  I installed it a rakish angle up the rear wheel forgeting that my girlfriend (reason for banana seat) might burn her leg on it.  Fortunately it never got that hot or she never complained.  I painted it with Testors Blue Metal Flake model paint.  That's when I learned what "hot fuel proof" meant and the the first spill of gasoline washed it off.  A quick repaint and some hot fuel proof clearcoat solved the solvency problem.  Adding the high bars meant the old cables were far too short.  I ended up going to a Triumph dealer for some universal cables that ended costing me more than the bike did.  Riding was not too bad.  You will notice there are no shocks on the front.  It had what resembled gumbands for suspension.  The sound was great but riding was limited to as long as the battery would last. Remember the missing magneto.  Night riding was less of course.  Got to find the picture of the blue beast.
Norm

08 April 2011

Bonnie in Boston

Spotted today, in Boston.  Wonder if the owner's at Fenway for opening day?

Spray Booth lesson

Joseph working at Gramp's shop. He's getting a better education than I did.

07 April 2011

Birthday gift ideas....

Hey, we live in a material world, and I'm a material girl..err..guy.  I don't think my wife ever reads The Rathskeller, so start dropping those hints.  I'll be on my best behavior.  Promise.


Led Sled Customs' Belt to Chain Conversion kit
Price: $272.20
Product Description:
This kit is easy to install, it comes with a rear 48 tooth sprocket and a 23 tooth front sproket.. the chain is a nickel plated oring chain guaranteed for 30,000 miles... never oil or deal with a mess, just roll on it. The kit fits 1992-2009 sportsters.
 




Redwings

05 April 2011

I need tutoring on making a seat pan...

This is the Old Gold "Cobra King" 2-up seat.
This one fits an 82-03 Sportster.  I need one to fit an 05...and since I'm low on funds anyways, I had the crazy idea I'd attempt to make one myself.


"Crazy" idea because I've never done it before.  I could probably find a "Seat pan 101" step by step guide, but I thought I'd first ask anyone out there for their tricks.  I'm needing a process, really, for the seat pan only.  email me with the wisdom.

Wreak some Havoc...

...GIRLS

04 April 2011

Choke knob in place...

Using a piece from the stock mounting plate, The choke knob attaches quite nicely to the side mounting plate.  You work with what you have, and what I have is limited.  Lesson - Two heads are better than one (especially if one of the heads is thinking).  Thanks again Pops!













A little grinding of the tab might be in order.