Head and Barrel

In order to get things moving forward again I sent some parts off to a machinist who specializes in restorations and has experience with old Triumphs, some of them Cubs.  I packed up the head, barrel and old piston and sent them off to Baxter Cycle in Marne, Iowa.  About 5 days after dropping the box off at the post office I got a call from their machinst.  After a brief chat about my options and extimated costs we had a plan.  The very next day the phone rang and my parts were ready to be shipped back.  In the reassembled head I had: 2 new valves, 2 new valve guides, miscelaneous washers and a cleaned and painted head.  The barrel got a re-bore and a new piston and rings to match.  It was also cleaned up and painted to match the head.

This post can't go without a few pictures.

As you can see, Baxter Cycle did great work and I was shocked how quickly they got my little job finished up.
I've got to get some parts ordered so I can start reassembly.  There is still the hi-gear bearing to remove from the case and some general cleanup but that can happen while I wait for parts to arrive.  I'd better get ordering.
More pictures again next time.

Let's get this thing back on track

Well, it's been quite some time since an update was made here.  Since this is my first restoration project I can't compare my progress to past persona experience.  From reading about other people's restorations it seems as though there are two types, in general.  Those who get a bike, collect everythign they need to restore it, then set about doing the work in, more or less, one continuous stream.  The second type are those who get a bike, do some work, have a delay for whatever reason, get back to it, have another delay, maybe waiting for work or parts, then make more progress.  I have definately fallen into the second type.

Like some others my work is fairly seasonal, although opposite of most.  I can't work in my garage in the summertime because it's too hot.  Mostly I read about people not working the winter because they don't have a heated space in which to work.

NEW GOAL:
I'd REALLY like to be able to ride this bike by the end of this year! The weather is good. I've got some funding for my project, having sold a bike, and I'm making progress again.  Step one.

CURRENT STATUS:
It's pretty much like it was after my last post.  The rolling chassis is still sitting in my garage ready for more part to be bolted onto it.  I sent the barrel and head out to a machinst who rebored the cylinder, provided me with a new piston, fitted new valve guides and valves the reassembled the head with some other new parts and gaskets.  He also blasted and painted the cylinder so it should be ready for reassembly to the lower end.

I sealed my gas tank with a 2-part epoxy last weekend.  That process was fairly simple and as described in the instructions.  Now it's ready for sanding then painting.

NEXT STEPS:
Engine reassembly.  I have to remove the old bearings from the cases and order a hi-gear bearing before reassembly can begin.  Everything is apart and cleaned up so it should just be a matter of fitting everything back together.  I'd like to build an engine stand so I can do the engine work on the bench, instead of in the frame.  That may just be more work than I want to do, however. It's far easier to just put the bike up on the bench, so we'll see.

There you have it, an update at last. Hopefully it won't be months before the next one.  I promise pictures too.

Now We're Rolling

Now it feels like I'm really making progress. With a day off for Memorial Day I decided I'd better make some progress on the Cub so I assembled the fork and mounted it, along with the wheels, to the frame to complete the rolling chassis. I had a few problems but you can see the final results. I'm happy with the way things are looking and can't wait to get more work done.






I'm putting together a list of parts I'm going to need to get the engine back together.  That will be the next endeavor.  There is still a long way to go but having a sub-assembly complete is very motivating

Frame Assmebly Time

FrameAssembly1
Originally uploaded by Gym_x

I planned this post to be a shot of the before and after pictures of the shocks since I spent quite a bit of time rehabilitating them, but I got on a roll and started bolting things together last night.

Since I'm working by myself and didn't have three or four other hands to help hold things I strapped the head to my shelving with the frame sitting on a make-shift work table (a cardboard wardrobe box with a piece of masonite for a top). It isn't perfect and would have been better if I'd have built some sort of frame holding jig, but it got the job done last night.

What you can sort of see in this picture is the completed frame with the rear sub-frame and shocks mounted. the fabricated bushings are great and everything bolted up with only a few headaches. For some reason the rear sub-frame shrank, or was bent, between disassembly and assembly. I had to put the lower bolts in then really pull on the top to get the upper mounting stud in place. I don't remember it being difficult to remove but it was quite a while back - November 2008.

I'm really happy with the results so far and can hardly wait to get the fork reassembled and the wheels on. You can't tell from the cluttered picture but I've actually cleared a spot for the rolling chassis to wait for the engine work to get finished - started first, then completed but you get the gist.

I'm energized to get things moving along more quickly on this project now and need to get on top of ordering parts for the engine work. I only need a few pieces and some gaskets to get thngs moving forward. I'd better get on that.

One more shot of the frame from another angle.



FrameAssembly3
Originally uploaded by Gym_x