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Re: The Hunley

Posted: Mon Apr 02, 2018 9:28 pm
by pidjones
Painted the rear hoop (grab bar) and air cleaner cover. Wiped down the rear wheel in preparation for painting. Hopefully tomorrow. Bought a package of grommets @ Harbor Freight to replace a bunch of the hardened grommets on the bike. Removed badges from the side covers and sanded the right one (removing the decal). Thinking of filling the holes and not returning the badges. The left cover has the front tab broken off, so I made one from aluminum and have in JB Weld attached. Trying to figure out if I can cut the rear fender about 10" shorter by taking it off the front and rotating the fender forward. I'm planning to paint it, anyway.

Re: The Hunley

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 1:12 am
by Gowing
The red color on motor with the chrome looks really good.

Re: The Hunley

Posted: Tue Apr 03, 2018 3:30 pm
by pidjones
Gowing wrote:The red color on motor with the chrome looks really good.
Thanks! It is actually just polished aluminum. Or, "elbow grease chrome".

Re: The Hunley

Posted: Wed Apr 04, 2018 1:33 am
by sunnbobb
Dat's alot of polishing right there. Hat's off.

Re: The Hunley

Posted: Fri Apr 13, 2018 7:29 pm
by pidjones
I think that all of the parts needing painting other than those that will get dark green (side panels, shelter sides, fenders) have finally been de-rusted, cleaned, primed (etching primer) and painted (most clear coated also). The front fender has been sanded and primed. The side covers have been sanded, primed, sanded, sanding primed, sanded, primed and ready for color. Only the rear fender and shelter sides need preped for color. The saddle is at the upholsterer getting the vinyl sewn. I cut the rear fender down today and just need to pound some bumps in it for mounting before sanding down the chrome and then priming it.

But the big news for today is..... The frame is now back on the engine!!!!! Quite a milestone for me. The wife helped jockey the frame with me and I took her out to lunch to thank her (we rode the GL1800 and rode over Norris Dam on the way home).
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Re: The Hunley

Posted: Mon Apr 16, 2018 1:52 pm
by pidjones
Mounted the radiator and pressure tested - not good. After trial-and-error, decided leak was on the radiator itself. Pulled it back off and took the cardboard that I had taped over the coils off. Pressed up and it was obviously from a small hole on the edge of a tube. Luckily, it was at just the right spot to be able to easily solder. Back on and holding pressure well. Next, I have to dimple the rear finder on each side for mounting bolts, sand off the chrome, and prime it. I found that the upper and lower radiator guard mounts need painted, as well as the radiator guard screen. Will these parts never end? Anyway, that is all prepped for paint. Now to beat on the fender!
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Re: The Hunley

Posted: Tue Apr 17, 2018 7:41 pm
by pidjones
Took the radiator back off to touch up the paint on the sides. Installed the battery box. Pounded some nifty dimples in the rear fender for mounting using a routed piece of oak for a form, a big chunk of aluminum rod, and a BIG hammer. Sanded the chrome off of it and primed with etching primer.

Re: The Hunley

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 8:17 am
by BikeMaine
That came out great Man.

Re: The Hunley

Posted: Wed Apr 18, 2018 10:42 am
by wingrider
That’s pretty cool!

Re: The Hunley

Posted: Fri Apr 20, 2018 8:31 pm
by pidjones
A bit more progress today. I had pulled the radiator to re-mount the fan and add the guard on the front - plus change the upper hose to a new one. Mounted that all back up. Mounted the swingarm/rear drive and reconnected the driveshaft. I have to say that it was very easy to reconnect the u-joint and put the correct external circlip on it. A LOT easier that getting the internal circlip off!

Now, I've begun re-wiring it. Oh, joy! POs have modified, neglected, and generally hosed up the wiring. I had already replaced 75% of the connectors. Discovered that the starter solenoid had been replaced with one with the B connection at the back and M at the front if mounted in the rubber boot. Ended up splicing an inline fuse holder to the red lead and joining the red/white and the upstream end of the fuse to the B terminal (dogbone long gone).

The bike end of the 8 pin connector to the rectifier has three green wires and connectors. The rectifier plug only had two green wires and connectors. I added another connector and green wire and ran it to a good frame ground.

With the addition of the swingarm, the thing is getting a little rear heavy (still mounted on a furniture dolly), so I may work on the front forks and triple tree next. Or finish the carb rack and mount it. I want to get the carbs on before mounting the shelter frame, anyway.
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Re: The Hunley

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 9:51 pm
by pidjones
Carbs mounted up today. Pretty easy with the shelter still off and wiring not that far forward. No photos, though. Thinking triple tree and bars next to let me run the throttle, choke, and clutch cables while the shelter is still off.

Re: The Hunley

Posted: Sat Apr 21, 2018 10:42 pm
by BikeMaine
Excellent.

Re: The Hunley

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 10:24 am
by pidjones
Well, the head bearings are bad (discovered while prepping the triple tree to paint). I made a tool to remove the lower race using a ~1.5" aluminum bar ~ 12" long with a 3/8" tapped hole in the end of it. I used the hole to bolt a large flat washer (thick fender washer) to the bottom that was about 1/8" larger in radius. This gave me a lip to place above the lower race. I alternated front-back, right-left and measured a coupe times to assure me it was was working. About one minute of tapping and the race fell out. I used the bar without the washer on it to tap out the upper race. To remove the lower bearing from the shaft, I had seen and read of cutting with a moto-tool part way and then splitting with a cold chisel. I first cut off the roller cage, then bent the seal out of the way. I cut with one of those thin, delicate abrasive blades (didn't shatter this time!) until I heard a tink! and the race broke open. The chisel then was used to tap the race on off. I have dressed the surface with a diamond hone (a few burrs from someone's previous work) and polished with 3000 and 7000 grit silicon carbide paper using isopropyl as a cutting fluid. BTW, using 91% (or the highest you can get) isopropyl as a cutting fluid for fine abrasive helps to keep the paper useful many times longer by keeping it flushed and carrying away cuttings. I discovered this trick years ago at my paid vocation. Thanks go out to those that have recorded their ideas, tools, and success in this in the various forums. They really encouraged me to try it myself. I won't say my was better - I just happened to have these pieces on hand. Two days and the new bearings will be here. I plan to use the removed lower race to tap in the new bearing with a piece of PVC driving above it. I will use the removed outer races to tap the new ones it.

Re: The Hunley

Posted: Mon Apr 23, 2018 10:56 am
by BikeMaine
The more that I look at that red motor, the more I like it.

Re: The Hunley

Posted: Tue Apr 24, 2018 3:53 pm
by pidjones
Forks have been disassembled, cleaned, polished, reassembled with new seals. Waiting for stem bearings and the weather to dry up so I can paint a little more.