Wog's '78 Wild Child build

[wog]

Decided to turn one of my '78 stock black wings into my official "UnderGround Custom" bike.

30k miles, titled and plated, stock everything except engine guards.

One of the bikes I started on a few years ago, just never did much with it. I have my original '78 black so this one is going to be my victim.

First mod (and easiest) will be a Sporter seat I picked up awhile back at the local flea market in place of the stock seat I recovered with the standard Ebay replacement cover. Never liked the quality of the cover.

Second, custom aluminum cooling fins incorporated onto the valve cover sides. Kinda like the old Beemers have.

Valve cover fins rendering.jpg

Third, replace the carb rack with a single conversion I have from another bike.
I love the look of velocity stacks on hot rods, so I'm going to go with that look out the top. Not sure if they will be just for show, or functional.
They won't be true velocity stacks, but my very own (read Cheap) version made from a set of stainless steel sauce cups from Sam's Club at a cost of less than $4.00 for 12. I'll cut off the bottoms and weld them to stainless tubing the same diameter.
Not sure if I keep them polished, powder coat them, or as pictured below with heat marks made with a propane torch. Probably go with the multi-level angled look, but that will be fine tuned later...

[wog]

The heated stacks (cups)...

[delling3]

I am subscribed . . .

[wog]

I am subscribed . . .

Hope I don't overwhelm you with subscribed emails as I plan on taking pics and posting as I go.

First remove the valuable '75 blue emblems from a couple of pitted chromed covers with a small metal ruler.
Nice that they are the press-in style, no small screws to break off.

valve cover fins 003.jpg

valve cover fins 002.jpg

Onto the mill.
I used a scrap block of alum to mount them as I didn't want to remove my vices.
Drill mounting holes (13/64") for 1/4" bolts. "Close" is good enough.

valve cover fins 004.jpg

Just used the hand drill to tap, no precision here

valve cover fins 005.jpg

Bolted down...

valve cover fins 006.jpg

I was planning on profile milling a rectangle and plug welding the fin block in, but I think I'll try just surfacing the original fins down and see if that will work.

[Casper]

Looks like a fun project to watch.

[fish]

Wog this all looks great!
Thaqnk yopu for taking the time to document it all & keeping us posted.
The valve cover ideer and velocity stacks are great..
I have often thought of exactly the same things.
I thought real velocity stacks sticking out of the shelter would look very cool but be NOISY! plus if I ever left it outside in a rainstorm I would have to carry a sparkplug socket with me.
I am daydreamiong of valvecovers that look like the old Edelbrock finned Ford flathead V-8 heads

flathead.jpg

[wog]

Might end up going that route Fish.
Even though it's much more programming, might be the shortest way in the long run.
I remember seeing an aftermarket GL1000 cover kinda like that, but it's been many years. Think I've only seen one pair.

Started to fly cut the covers and I think my neighbors from at least a mile away were holding their ears!

Changed over to a indexable mill and was able to knock it down without all the screaming.

[wog]

I was planning on milling the fins from a solid block, but may go this route with seperate bars.

I want to get close to matching the engine guard angle with the fins. I don't really like having the guards on my bikes, but this bike would not be one I want knocked over and have to replace the covers.
(Yes, the silly clamp for the foot peg will be removed.)

[duke182]

Your work is looking good.

I seem to remember someone on the board buying a bike that had finned covers.
It was stated by someone else that they believed them to be mickey thompson pieces.

I'd make a great witness. dont you think? Ha ha!

[sunnbobb]

Thanks for posting, you are saving me alot of time. I planned on doing a flathead set myself.

[fish]

Thanks for posting, you are saving me alot of time. I planned on doing a flathead set myself.

yes!
wire wheels painted red
wide whitewalls
dual strombergs
beehive air filters
suede paint
lakes pipes
kinda' a '50's hotrod theme

[HOTT]

Thanks for posting, you are saving me alot of time. I planned on doing a flathead set myself.

Me TOO!! Argh!
Go get 'em Wog.

[jimmyz3286]

I'm in for the ride on this one. A man with a vision, make it be!

[Roady]

I'm in, this is already very interesting. Go get 'em, Man!

[wog]

I thought I had an extra pair of covers that weren't chromed. No luck.
I tried bead blasting the one I milled down and the plating just laughed at it.
If anyone has a good way to easily remove the chrome and nickel underneath, please let me know.

So I decided to try another pair, and whatdoyaknow, comes off as easy as paint!
Guess there were many "grades" of plating back in the '80's.
Either that, or whatever polish/clearcoat on this pair peels like bad chrome.
Maybe Sunnbobb can tell just by looking at the pic.

Here's the second pair after blasting 1/2 under the badge.

valve cover fins 014.jpg

And making sure all the nickel is removed so I can tig it cleanly.

valve cover fins 015.jpg

Next I tested welding to the first cover to see if the cast aluminum would allow a good bead.
Ground down the chrome in just that area on a sander.
I had a heck of a time trying to tig holes in a GL1000 water pump cover recently. Terrible grade of aluminum to weld.
These worked fine.

valve cover fins 013.jpg