A Little Tinkerin', A Little Drinkerin'

[SVSooke]

Ooh.
No I'm not sure at all.
Considering this only Day 2 of Operation Fat Cafe I am very open to suggestions.
Those cans are the shape I had in mind until I saw those bent Arrows.


I will be in the shed this weekend plotting & scheming

Yeah they'll look even better on my skunk

 

[Leigh]

Yeah they'll look even better on my skunk

Dagnabbit, grumble grumble.

I thought you were offering a contribution to my bike.
Anyway, the cans are a long way off yet.

I just read Beergood's thread and blog (before I saw Pete's link to it) and am mightily impressed.

I've seen a 1000 cafe'd with the original tail piece like mine (the down-slopey one) and it looks tidy.
I think that might be a path to pursue.

 

[Leigh]

Just to give you a helping hand...

Beergood's latest thread:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=177824

Coastiepete's thread:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=156005

You will be inspired

Thanks Pete. I read Beergood's thread before coming here.
I do like that original tailpiece idea.

Skinnier tank with knee dents.. Hmmm ~strokes beard thoughtfully~

 

[Guest]

Cool, glad you found it, it's a good thread!

I found them both good and very impressive...

 

[Leigh]

Yup, I read Pete's cafe thread too.
Very handy to see what the big tank will look like on a cafe.

Not having to buy a new tail will cut the cost dramatically.
Although there is a joint on Phillip Island called Prix Historics that do all sorts of classic fibreglass work.
Seats, cowls, fairings etc.

Plus I have a mate that is a motor trimmer. He owes me a favour.

Hmmm.. airbox solutions need to be found because I don't like pods.
Maybe a nice oval hotrod type cleaner with 4 holes drilled in the base plate.

 

[Guest]

You're all set! Hoosier Daddy did a cool thing with his airbox and one big foam filter...

And there's a new cafe contender:

http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum/showthread.php?t=183237

 

[Leigh]

I was thinking along the lines of keeping the airbox with the "chrome" covers but replacing that bastardy box with the filter in it.
It takes me forever to wiggle it out of the frame every time I need to get to the battery..

I did see that new thread.. Let's see how that turns out.

Thommo got all excited when I said I was going to cafe the Fat Girl.
That's a good sign, yes?

 

[Guest]

I was thinking along the lines of keeping the airbox with the "chrome" covers but replacing that bastardy box with the filter in it.
It takes me forever to wiggle it out of the frame every time I need to get to the battery..

I did see that new thread.. Let's see how that turns out.

Thommo got all excited when I said I was going to cafe the Fat Girl.
That's a good sign, yes?

Yeah, you gotta check what Hoosier did with his, I think it's along the same lines as that...

Thommo getting excited could be good or bad...

Is he getting excited because the Fat Girl's getting cafe'd?

Or is he getting excited because he just picked up his own Fat Girl he needs some stock parts for? :twistedevil:

 

[Leigh]

Or is he getting excited because he just picked up his own Fat Girl he needs some stock parts for? :twistedevil:

He rode a postie bike from Rocky to Birdsville for the race weekend.
He took his DR650 from Rocky to Freo and back putting 27,500ks on it in 5 weeks.

He has no need for a proper bike.


I'll dig for HD's build thread..

 

[Guest]

He rode a postie bike from Rocky to Birdsville for the race weekend.
He took his DR650 from Rocky to Freo and back putting 27,500ks on it in 5 weeks.

He has no need for a proper bike.


I'll dig for HD's build thread..

Haha I see! I suspect he's just excited the Fat Girl's going on a diet then

 

[drivera84]

Hi Leigh,

Since we have basically the same idea for our build, I was wondering how you are going to do your seat and seat pan.

My current seat pan is rotten so i wont be able to use it. Are you going to use the hinges (to be able to access the battery and stuff).

thanks

 

[Leigh]

Haha I see! I suspect he's just excited the Fat Girl's going on a diet then

Cheeky bugger..

Hi Leigh,

Since we have basically the same idea for our build, I was wondering how you are going to do your seat and seat pan.

My current seat pan is rotten so i wont be able to use it. Are you going to use the hinges (to be able to access the battery and stuff).

thanks

Mate, I have no idea where to go with the seat yet. Mine doesn't have hinges, it lifts clean away.
My pan is spotless. Not a hint of rust on it so I will mostly like be using it as a base.
I'll leave that in the hands of my friend, the motor trimmer.

 

[Leigh]

Yesterday didn't quite go to plan. (Fancy that!)
I was roped into helping friends move house in the morning, but that's ok, one of them is the ace spraypainter/fabricator/mechanic that will be working on the bike with me.

I decided I needed more room in the shed to work and I needed more storage space.
Off to Bunnings go I. It's a candy store for men.
$80 later I have a 5 tier rack and a couple of plastic storage tubs. More tubs will come with time, no doubt.
I knew I was in for a night in the shed and the weather has been atrocious here lately. The neighbour is building a large boat and gathering animals for some reason.. So I also grabbed three 2.4 metre lengths of 3X2" dried pine.

With a bit of rearranging, a lot of shuffling things about and a bit of throwing it out, I've made more room in the shed.
I know you guys like build photos but I completely forgot to take shots of the racking going up
But here it is completed and amazingly standing upright.

But why the pine? I hear you cry..
You can see the little pot belly stove there?
It's a cracker of a thing and heats that shed up very quickly.
I don't bother with hardwood in it, anything will do and the pine was cheap ($6 for the 3 lengths)

10 minutes later and the jacket was off and the door up on the shed.

My original plan was to fit up the new Rec/Reg and trace any dodgy connections on the bike but the whole house-moving thing had put me off a bit.
But it's here and can sit in it's box on my brand new rack until I need it

I also bought a pack of large ziplock sandwich bags and a Sharpie to bag & tag all the bits I pull off when this thing comes back a bare frame.

So there you have it, more storage plus more room to work.

And before anyone asks, yes my work was supervised from just outside the door.

Although judging by his expression when he came in to inspect it, I may not have met his approval.

Today, I start pulling the bike down.
I've realised you can't build up a bike if it's not stripped down.

 

[Leigh]

After all that, I sat in front of the fire for a bit and pondered the bike.
How to go about this cafe project..
What stays and what goes?
Clip-ons, Ace bars, straight bar?

The tail piece has to go, I've decided.
Unfortunately, i don't think that shape and the gargantuan tail light lends itself to the style.

Maybe,..
The other thought was to remove the lens, fill in the back part and fit up a nice round tail light.
Maybe..
I still like the ducktail on Beergood's bike.
Hmmm, more research..

 

[Leigh]

A little more tinkerin'..

I thought something like this might be the go...

 

[Leigh]

I managed to get an hour and a half in the shed this afternoon and decided to start from the back and work forward.

There are 20 photos of bits & pieces before removal, the photos are all named and ordered for reference later.
I took out a writing pad as well for notes on the wiring colours or any particularities that I might encounter in stripping this thing down.

The worst is yet to come I feel.
I still don't know what to do with the battery/electrical V in the middle.
Cover it up or clear it out.

I'd like to be able to return the bike to original if so desired.
No side covers means no tabs on the frame...

 

[Curly]

Moving the electronics under the seat includes the extra fun of extending the harness too. Does provide for a very clean look though.

 

[Leigh]

Yeah, you're right, Curly..
I'll weigh that up when I get closer to putting it all back together I guess.

 

[Guest]

Wow Leigh you're really movin'! Good stuff

Do some Googles on the Dunstall tails... could just be the thing you're lookin' for

So you bought your R/R after me and you have it already??!!!

What's to bet the senile old fools at the post office have "misplaced" yet another parcel... I'll have to chase the seller tomorrow dammit.

Forgot to add I like your supervisor... but he's only grumpy because you were making noise which stopped him curling up nicely beside that pot belly stove for warmth...

 

[Leigh]

Wow Leigh you're really movin'! Good stuff

Yeah, but backwards. Haha.
The mate with the engineering shop is winding up his business so I have to get the motor out to him pretty quick to get it soda blasted.
I plan on a bare frame by next weekend.

Do some Googles on the Dunstall tails... could just be the thing you're lookin' for

The squarish Dunstall tail was something I had in mind. Thommo has a mold for something similar for a Duc that should be adaptable.

So you bought your R/R after me and you have it already??!!!

Yeah, but the PS3 controllers I ordered before that still haven't shown up.

Forgot to add I like your supervisor... but he's only grumpy because you were making noise which stopped him curling up nicely beside that pot belly stove for warmth...

He ended up crouched on top of the ute glaring at me. I know he wants to eat me while I sleep.