GWS SPECIAL RT Build

It's been a while. Personal stuff and my health have been slowing me down but this week it changes. I have a new ( to me ) lathe and mill arriving and the garage is almost set up for whatever Mikey and I decide to do in 2015. Theres talk of drag racing, Mikey and I recently went to Blackpool to buy a ZX12 R for him to race. I'll be doing logistics and spannering on the bike. I'm not well enough to race so it's the next best thing as far as that's concerned. Have a splendid week one and all

Been at it for a bit again today. Slow going , the fibro and sciatica are kicking my arse at the moment! I've stripped out the front end and have a bit to do to get them ready to refinish. I have to get new top stanchion guides and I'm replacing the seals and dust covers. I could do with new stanchions but the pitting is not going to affect the stroke as it all seems to be at the top between the clamps. It's almost stripped down to the bare bones now. I used to be able to pull a bike apart in a day, not as quick these days, I'm already into week two but It's coming apart nicely apart from some really seized swing arm pivots. I'm getting some new ones turned up and drilled for pulling when I need to lubricate them. I had to drill the centre of the pivot for a 6 mm bolt, the one Kawasaki put in when they built it was off centre and only a 4 mm thread. The 4 mm bolts were just not up to the job so I did it my way. Which worked first time on both sides. ...

I've had a manic few days with one thing or another so imagine my frustration at coming across the first seized bits on the strip down. The swing arm pivots were stuck more than a very stuck thing. They are drilled an tapped by the factory but it's done off centre and only for a 4 mm bolt to go in. The idea being that you'd bung a bolt in and pull the bearing out. I've had to drill and tap the centre for a 6 mm bolt and use a drilled steel plate to make a simple puller. A bit of heat and a tap with the hammer before  the application of a bit of brute force with a socket had the bugger out first go. I'll have to get a new set of bearings, the old ones are totally knackered but it's a small thing and on a bike this old I'm surprised I've not had a few more be a problem. You can see the hole that the factory did and see how it being off centre may cause issues when trying to pull the bearing. I drilled it in the middle so that it didn't pull fro...

I've managed to secure a Kawasaki VN 750 shaftie at the right price and given that I've not had a ride for six years this year I've decided to put the RT project on hold and do a simple conversion on the VN with a swing arm type rear end. I can't do the RT to the standard I'd be happy with at the moment so will look at that once this is finished. It's not been abandoned, just delayed. I've started to strip the bike down and will be going all the way so to speak. The bike has been laid up for a fair bit and the last time it was started was November 2013. Most of the work will be cosmetic apart from the back end and adaptions. I just think it makes sense to change the wheel bearings, the corroded fixing and it definitely makes sense to clean and paint both the frame and engine. The exhaust is going to be wrapped so won't need too much work apart from being shortened about 4" to allow for the axle centre being in the same place as the bike running...

I've decided to have another look at the chassis. It's going to be way too heavy for the job I have  in mind. I'm going to use what steel I have to improve the storage in the shed and then start again with some steel tube for the bulkheads, it'll look a lot tidier too. More when it warms up and I can do a bit more than two minutes in the freezer. Note to self, if you ever buy another garage ,DO NOT buy a steel one!

Just to update this blog. I've not given up I'm just having to deal with some other stuff at the moment and will be back at it in the spring with a major re-design and better running gear. Regular updates will resume in the spring!

On Friday the 11 October  at about 1pm my mate Alan had a stroke in the garage while we were working on the trike. Happily I realised what was going on and got him an ambulance immediatly. Just over a week since his stroke Al is making a good recovery and has already been able to walk a short distance so I'm hopeful he makes a full recovery. It's a bit crap without his company in the shed but I've muddled on all the same. As ever the lack of money has slowed me down, I'm waiting for some more 2x2 box to finish off the passenger side rails but I've managed to start in on the seat mountings, the tunnel for the gear shift lever and handbrake and the top dash rail. I've got all the wheels now too, I'll sort some pictures of those next time I venture into the shed. My mate Mick who sorted the box section out also delivered what his works deems as scrap. About 30kg of decent enough bits and bobs for engine and swing arm mounts, setbelt mounting points ...

Getting the rest of the steel later this month and then the chassis will be finished. Having a bit of bother with the engine though. Still not had time to turn it over and 3 screws I need to remove to expose the crank end have got  bloody  mashed screw heads.  The front of the chassis is going to have 1" box mounted on plates bolted to the front of the tub. This part will hold the lights and such. The bodywork as far back as the dash will flip forward on hinges for servicing and maintenance. The same at the back with the engine cover. The sides of the tub will have whatever we decide to use permanently riveted to the chassis. Powder coat or paint? That is the question!

Time it seems can be affected by the correct application of power tools. Since we took delivery of a chopsaw on a loan the chassis has sprouted all sorts of new bits and bobs. 2x2 box used to take four passes with a slitting disc on the 4" grinder......... not any more, we are taking less than a third of the time to get stuff cut and into the chassis now. The rear of the tub, it still needs the passenger side doing but it's starting to take shape. The view from the rear of the welders rear and the back of the footpedal top rail. The front with the suspension mount bulkheads tacked in place. Lots of welding to do now, Aliens going to be busy for a few days. Progress but now we are getting into the final bit of the heavy work and getting closer to doing the complicated stuff it's bound to slow down a bit. More as it transpires!

I have a bit more steel, a big jar of decaff and roll ups! It's time to get back in the shed, been a tough few weeks health wise but if I hang about waiting to feel better I may be long dead before this gets done. We have borrowed a chop saw so we can keep the cuts tidier and get them done in half the time. Hopefully Alien and I can get a bit done this week and get it further on. See how far we get with the bit of steel we've been able to get sorted out. I did manage to get a fairly decent set of  Ford rims for the front that will look the part once tidied up and painted.