Head job...

 After 10 years stored in various sheds it wasn't looking too hot so while the barrels are being stripped and 'stove enameled' this time instead of that chipped powdercoat it seemed a good idea to freshen up the heads and polish the rocker covers. 

The rear cover just didn't want to come off. So after an hour or so of 'give me a fucking break, this fuckers fighting me all the way', it did at last without me damaging it. And this is why, the valve spring collar is tight against the wall of the rocker box and a groove worn in the inside wall. Not something an engineer would notice I suppose.

JT's shitty day

JT 

JT sent me a pic of his shov 

My ride: '76 Shovel in a '57 frame. 

Bought it and rode it home, got pulled over by the law for no tail light and broke down due to a questionable (at best) rear brake setup. 

Indeed a shitty day in paradise!

JT, Birmingham, Alabama

Thanks JT, stickers on their way mate!

she's got to have it...

Phoned Eltec a couple of weeks ago and spoke to Elliott 

(he has the disease too)

Finally got her in the car today

and left all the parts in Elliott's capable hands.

He knows his stuff.

Frame Metallic Graphite Grey (Gunmetal), Accessories Black 

...yeah baby

Swinger time

its going to be a swinging year

courtesy of bbucket

Don't try this at home children...

didn't like these huge rubber mount holes for the oil cooler

 

welder tan - make sure you cover up kids

that's better

 

a hot tig rod burns through clothing

and remember to put on your gloves, cos it can get a little warm in those mechanics gloves, haha

Oh, and when you see a white light it means your helmets up - you tosser

Back on target, onwards and upwards, eccetarra ecetarra

 look who got his engine out

 got a big f%@king rubber hammer and off those barrels popped

some welding to be finished and then...

off to powdercoat - yeeeeeee haaaaaa

not going to plan

Wanted to get the frame off for powdercoat this week

Decided to pull the top end as its looking tatty after 10 years storage, and makes it easier for me to get off the frame unless I lay it side ways.

Freaked when I saw this score mark, but when checked there's no perceptible depth to it, its been bored to .40 over from .20 over, 

was it that bad before the rebuild?

and these fresh looking dings in the front pot, its a bit like having your roof done, who's gonna see it

The powder coat had cracked in some parts and the head bolts had chewed it up as no washers were used. So I was going to fit some washers and maybe new powder coat.

But I can't shift the barrels, if I use anymore force the fins are going to break.

Fuck knows what they were stuck down with, now I know why the base nuts didn't seem too tight, they didn't have to be!

So what to do, its got to come out of the frame tomorrow.

spring clean

 Got the steam cleaner out might as well put it to some use as no fucking work

Circut breaker bracket clip fixing (return)

The glue bought at kempton didn't work, surprise surprise.

George (who worked in the aero industry and did the lathe work for me) said use an araldite, no problems with vibration, used in aero industry. So I used the Araldite Rapid steel already ordered and - bang - it worked straight off.

A Clean engine! I have no air compressor and the steam cleaner certainly got rid of all that grinder muck which seems have got everywhere. 

NOTE: there are less bits attached to the frame, next the engines out - haha.

Sunny Kempton

 enthusiast?

 euro pedal power

pricey ruster

 Hi-Star Rocker 

 busy

 custom!

 girderland

 gorgeous

 go faster lovelies

bargains

shitty stickaz...

 HAVE A SHITTY DAY IN PARADISE on me - haha

- send your details, ask me for a f@%king sticker,

and I'll send you a couple of these beauties,  

and as they say - when they're gone, they're gone

stickers@arcadiacom.com

Hey, if you have a shitty paradise bike day - send a pic too!

formidable...

Our man in Brittany is taking le piss...

if you know my address you'll get it - haha

Merci Roland, very professional stickers, who needs a designer these days.

freedom machine

Nice init

lucky7 

courtesy of buzzkiller

Gotta clear up the Kitchen workshop, her highness is back tomorrow,

ever tried using a grinder inside? the shit goes everywhere haha

the missus' is away so...

Had another go at this ignition bracket

Added sides for strength and its going to bolt under the seat pan

I should have taken a pic when I tigged it up with 2.4 rod (all I had) to give you a laugh, looked like it had a contageous disease, amazing what you can do with a bench grinder - haha.

Breaker bracket

To be bolted under the seatpan opposite the ignition switch

I made this from some stainless with the idea of tacking the breaker clips to the bracket. They came with pop rivets but didn't fit my gun and messed up the reverse show side. Blew a hole in the clip on first try and then got some stainless rod and it didnt want to know. Fuck knows what the clips are made of, got a shiny gold finish (tin?) the bracket is brushed stainless. So another idea is to velcro them as I found they don't need to be earthed. Anyone?

One year of me me me drivel...

Or maybe this has become part of the blogosphere landscape since my first post on the 8th of March 2010.

The ever expanding Kitchen Workshop 8/3/2011

My build has been a bit of a learning curve, led to a few tantrums and introduced me to a some great people who have helped me along the way. I discovered that this passion we have is something unique to us, its not so much what you do, its also how you do, big bucks and a live to ride 'T' don't cut it.
So thanks you lot of shed building' hi speed lowdrag mofos', and as the dice men say 'F@%k this lets ride' this summer - haha.

'me me me drivel' from back in the day' 8/3/2010:-

ANOTHER SHITTY DAY IN PARADISE

Here's a pic (taken today) of of a sorry tale

Rule one.

Do not take your bike apart (1996)

Why?

Events dear boy, events (mcmillan was right)

The said events not necessarily in order of occurence:-

2/3 years later I collected all the bits from Matts in wales (why 2/3 years? see above)

hate colour I had powdercoated (ferrari red, yuk)

so have it all blasted off, very sensible idea that, not! still now that rust is fashionable...

then its year 2000, I know lets build an extension to house !

we run a small design company from the garage, it seemed like a good idea.

well as you can see it became a rather (due to planning permission) large conservatory .

Ok now everythings really great, nice patio, lets finish the bike...

No I cant do that,

Lets really fuck up the next few years and SELL THE HOUSE (and office)

So...

We move everything to my Fathers house and storage in Peterboro so we can buy in Rutland shire

But we bought a small rental property in chertsey for investment (live 6 months) rent out

And then we bought a slightly larger one (live 9 months) rent out

Looks like we changed our mind on Rutland!

And then another house larger, but still no garage. Move everything back, except the the big plants as they were all dead, and loads of other stuff that went to the dump, office, computers etc

Renovate the property, me myself, now that I'm a property developer!

You can keep graphic design, too easy!

The lads down the pub now recognise me as one of them (must be the brick dust)

We communicate, drink lots of beer and play golf.

3 Years later its sold, or so we think and we've moved back to the small house so the buyer can move in quick, just like they wanted

They pull out.

The shit hits the fan, prices down 20%

I rent it out, bankers fuck up the world

2 years and 2 failed property deals later, we and the two dogs are back

Introducing Frankie and Johnnie

I've now got a (as in small) cleaning company (rental properties need professional cleaning!)

Of course there is virtually no work, recession what recession.

And my lovely wife has been dicing with breast cancer.

aaaaaaand ggggggguess wwwwwwhat?

its today and at last I'm looking at my collection of rusting parts (I'm talking about the bike)

Its gonna be a no money build...

whats new.

Ive called joe at fenland choppers and go up on saturday with my frame (yes up there again)

and I'll let him talk me into having a hardtail chop frame and

BUILD THE FUCKING DREAM

later

Wholy holy...

HipHotSpeedHoles

we like 

 Sergio Pereiras is making frames and what ever else you may require @ rocksolid in portugal and he delivers as spindle can testify! 

pics courtesy of

http://rocksolidmotorcycles.blogspot.com/

fucking. friday.

 cheers dudes

clever tat from buzzkiller

I'd never of thought of it, haha

Wholy holy

courtesy of

http://chopperdaves.blogspot.com/

HipHotSpeedHoles

we like 

an accident waiting to happen...

welded today, the 'lane splitters' won't win any awards for finish

 but they're uniquely fucking mine

in which a lotta pics tell a story...

 A bit of 32mm round bar scrounged from the blacksmith, and cut in half

 measured my handlebars and a plan drawn

 because my friend George offered to help me

 and he has this lovely lathe, a Myford ML7 Trileva

 Turned the round bar to one inch diameter as per my handlebars

a stepped sleeve was then cut each end to the internal diameter

 and the bar bored internally to lighten it

George had very successful business working with the 

aircraft industry on concorde etc - and he has got a very nice shed

 The bar weighed 740g and the newly crated slug a healthy 260g

 Had to grind the internal weld on the bars 

and voila a nice tight fit!  Simples Roland - haha, - not

Tomorrow - welding