What's going on out at GrandPaul's Place

[grandpaul]

Beauty shots (ugly shots?)

I boxed up the rims and hubs, and FedEx'ed them to Buchanan's in Azusa. They've done over 200 wheels for me (and my clients) in over 20 years.

When it's done, the front wheel will have it's normal 2LS drum brake.

I still need to install the wiring harness & battery, then the oil lines. I'll flush the engine, have a peek with my wifi borescope, then top everything up and try to test-fire it...

 

[grandpaul]

At this point, all I need is:

- the correct lower fork leg (presently missing)
- pair of chrome fork spring cups (presently missing)
- wheels back from re-lacing
- new tires & tubes, installed
- install and connect wiring harness & battery (on hand)
- small chrome points cover (in stock, SOMEWHERE)
- fuel & oil lines (in stock)
- drive chain (in stock)

Once that list is done, I can test ride the bike.

Eventually, I'm going to want a set of stock chrome pipes, and probably paint the tank...

Why did I ever sell THIS one?????

 

[grandpaul]

(another) new project:

I conferred with a friend that used to build front engine steadies for Norton Commandos, to pair with the very common TOP steadies that use adjustable Heim (rose) joints to set the engine perfectly in line with the wheels and totally restrict side-to-side movement/vibration. Results in better handling, "taming" the Commando's isolastic rubber system.

Anyway, Bill has consented to allow me to build and sell a batch of these, which I am now planning to do.

The fun never stops at the "Flying Z" ranch...

 

[LaserDave]

Well, that's just slicker than owl poop.

 

[grandpaul]

Well, that's just slicker than owl poop.

Especially on THIS Commando (mine)

 

[LaserDave]

 

[grandpaul]

Triumph Bonneville wheels returned from Buchanan's, tires & tubes from e-bay, so the Suzuki T500 wheels also went along to Pigg Pen and got done.

Suzuki wheels look great, too!

OK, so some wheel parts from the Bonnie must have been missing, as were the fork seal cups, right lower fork leg, and Grab Bar. I got as far as I could assembling both brake plates, but I'll need to source the two front brake arms before I have front brakes; the rear is done. The front axle was also missing, but I "happened" to have a spare in my stash from W-A-Y back in 2007 when I bought out a guys 7 Britbikes and half dozen tubs of spares. "that was handy"

It was a real struggle getting the forks together, it's only been 9 years since the last set that I assembled. I came up with a brilliant plan which worked to perfection - I cut a piece of 2" PVC and used it to "press" in the fork seals in the cups, using my bench vice. Sure, why not?!

The rear wheel assembly took quite a bit of scrounging to find 7 of 8 suitable bolt & nut pairs to mount the brake drum to the bub, and I had to add 4 links and a 2nd master link to the best chain I could find, to make it fit; all done. Chainguard will go on next time, as will the wiring harness and a few other bits...

NOW it looks like a Bonnie! I robbed the points cover from my race bike 'till I can get a replacement.