steam/diesel punk elite project By dryshave (Read 13,721 times)

[dryshave]

justbuggin, I'm hoping to have it ready for road testing by the end of may, but don't you want to wait until I get all the extra goodies added and yes madcollie, this is more a new ride..... I wanted to build something totally unique and yet functional and designed for me. You are all welcome to drop by for road testing and tweaking anytime, the only rule is that you have to arrive on two wheels.

I decided to go with modifying the gauges for two reasons... the original gauges (fuel/temp) work with the original sensors, so no messing around and I used to work with a company (that produced artwork for another company) that did automotive gauge conversions (miles to km) locally. I'll take some close up pics of the pieces as they go back together. All I need to do is transfer the artwork onto clear acetate (copy/print) and that gets sandwiched between an opaque layer and a glass layer... it's more complicated to describe than actually do. Once I had taken one of the gauges apart, it was clear how they did it originally. I would have liked to have kept the digital speedo, but far more complicated in relocating the odometer and trip meter.

My past "completed" hemrod projects:
1966 Olds Dynamic - super rocket
1961 Chevy Impala
1951 Chevy 3100 "PEARL"
1961 Vespa VBB
1985 Honda V45 sabre
1985 Honda V65 sabre - fastest bike I've ever ridden, scared the hell out of me.
1985 Honda VT500 (x2) - fun bikes, great towners
1985 Honda Elite 150 (x3)

incompleted
1961 T-Bird - my one regret
1960 Jaguar MK9 - should have done my research first

[justbuggin2]

no rush just keeping in touch and i liking what i have seen so far

[dryshave]

More work completed on the dash. Have got the gauge "buckets" sorted out (good old PVC end caps). Have sorted out the headlight bucket and windscreen mount as well. I'm pretty happy how the new mount works and have cast a new bullet shaped bucket for the headlight - not like I had enough to do!! I should have the faceplates finished this week and ready for sealing them up. With the dash template near completion, I can finish off the wiring harness and get the electronics tested. (still need a new ignition switch).
I'll post pics of the new faceplates over the weekend.
The mini windscreen hasn't been polished yet, waiting until I'm further on.
Looking to take the handlebars in for powdercoating next week, got a little more cleanup to do.

Working on a grill idea, think I'm close.

[dryshave]

I built the new bullet shaped bucket right over the original chrome one (that plus plasticine). Should be able to pull the casting on friday.

[madcollie]

DRYSHAVE! That handlebar, headlight, windshield is F***ING AWESOME!!!

Work of art indeed. Can't believe how good the controls end is looking.

KEEP POSTING!

M/C


BTW, looks like you've cleaned the work area a bit too. ;D ;D

[justbuggin2]

ok i like to have a nice stereo installed as well you can mount the speakers on each side of the windshield

[dryshave]

justbuggin2 - I couldn't agree more, I would like a pair there myself I could see a tear drop shape speaker cone to match the headlight bucket I made (but have the teardrop shape facing the other way.
madcollie - Thx man! It took me a long time to figure out the support configuration - I salvaged the metal curls from a coffee table I spotted on CL. It was the table legs that gave me the idea to incorporate the headlight and the windshield support into one.

Not a lot of photos today, but promise to upload the rest of the batch this week... Finished off the gauge faceplates, they are ready to mount, but I won't seal them 100% until I have completed road tests and temp tests for gauge accuracy.
Working on completing the positives for the 4 pieces to be cast in brass (scheduled for the end of february - getting excited to see them finished). The dash is 100% complete, the brows are finished and I am doing the last sanding on the tail section before priming. I decided to do a slip cast of plaster over all the pieces and then finish sand them with 320 and spray them with spot filler primer. It filled the scratches and smoothed out the finish nicely. The intent of the additional slip cast was to compensate for the shrinkage that will occur through the casting process. They look as good as I could have hoped.
She'll be ready for paint as soon as the castings are back (first week in March) so it's time to nail down the grill and front fender ideas.

Topping up the oil and ready to properly test the engine and wiring harness functions over the next couple of weeks, now that the dash is complete. Will post a video when she's ready for it.

[trailheadmike]

You're really an artist - can't wait to see this thing on the road!

[dryshave]

Thanks for the compliment trailhead mike - more cool stuff to come!

Was hoping for better photos of the gauges... but only managed to get one of the speedo - still a little out of focus - I'll take some better ones next week with a flash and proper setup.
Have finished what I hope is the last piece to cast - the front fender. In the pics you can see the casting process - which after a year I am sure all of you are familiar with - I was able to pull the positive cast out of the mold over the weekend and unfortunately forgot the disk with the pictures on them.
The good news is new keys cut and ready to get everything in place to do a run test this coming weekend.... fingers crossed.
A couple of the new photos show the final mockups for the brass casting.... they go off to the forge on the 15th.
Can't tell you how excited I am to seeing the finished pieces... I can get on to final sanding and assembly on the panels. Getting the seat out for upholstery next week as well and success!!!! I have come up with the front grill design, that pics on the other disk as well. Will upload the image later this week. I grabbed some foamcore and started cutting and drawing, took three templates until I hit the right one, I've got pictures of all three, so you'll see the development process. The plan is to have it waterjet cut - THAT's gonna cost me, but it's the only way to do it.
Waiting to open the doors up and ready to start seriously sanding and ready for paint soon.

[madcollie]

Forgot the disk? FORGOT THE DISK!?!

The pix a little blurred but do I read your speedo right? 120 kph - Warp speed - Reality check? ;D Sniffing the epoxy again?

M/C

[justbuggin2]

very cool keep the updates coming

[dryshave]

here's a couple quickie updates.
Tightening up the wiring harness and have been confused by this wire for a while. The fuel pump is from a helix and the red wire coming out the top. It's not normally there, so I've photoshopped what I have. The wiring to the plug is all correct, but where the heck does the red wire go to? is it supplying power to something else? I wished that I had taken a picture of before removing it from the helix.... any ideas?





This is the design concept for the grill. I'm planning on having it cut by a water jet (same as one used on Senior vs Jr)... gonna have to save up for that one, probably get it done by the end of June - Mid July which is when I expect to have it on the road.


Of course the speedo says "warp speed and reality check", I will probably up the last indicated speed to 140 kph, but anything beyond that.... is a strong tail wind on a steep downhill run. Besides if I'm goin' that fast, how they gonna take my picture

[dryshave]

found where the red wire goes to, when I was dismantling the old helix wiring harness. It connected to the Br/Bu wire - according to the wiring diagram, it connects to the battery switch on the ignition... makes sense I guess.
Got all the wiring harness finished and everything tests for flow through. Fuel lines are complete as well as the cooling system. Will top up the oil / top up the rad and give everything a once "more" over, before trying an ignition test this weekend.. fingers crossed.

[justbuggin2]

good luck with getting it started

[dryshave]

justbuggin2..... luck and the patience of Job I'm thinking. At least I know the starter works, just need a pot of coffee, wiring diagram, voltage meter and start working from the starter out. Here's where I tucked the fuel pump and routing path for the wiring harness