Builds 3 days and 3300 miles later (12 Viewers)

[Gus]

Excellent work on the 45 Matt, really professional work; as others have said, this is very inspirational to the rest of us. I just found this thread a couple days ago and I'm having a hell of a time pulling myself away from the computer. The bike is pretty sweet as well, post pics of progress on that as well.

I had a couple questions about your shop building:
Did you build your shop yourself or what manufacturer did you go with?
What are the dimensions?
What are you using to heat it?

Thanks

 

[buckroseau]

Got about 8 hours on the bike today......(I suppose about 30 hours total now and about $530 bucks?)

Started of today by finishing my forward controls, had a few more bushings to make for the brake set up. Then I worked on the fuel tank for quite a while. There were 4 holes in the bottom for some factory stuff that I had to make plates for and weld those shut. Since the tank was for a fuel injected bike it had to fuel petcock. I welded in a 1/4" fpt couple in the lowest portion of the tank and threaded in my new petcock......a sediment bowl off a versitle swather Kinda crude, but wanted an old school look. Used a compression fitting and 1/4" copper line to run to the carb.

Had to make some gussets for an area under the frame, then started fabbing up the exhaust. I had ordered some 1.5" mandrel bend pipe pieces from speedway that were pretty cheap. Pretty much cut and and welded the pieces to get what I wanted, I think it turned out pretty good. The right side had to jog up and go over the oil dip stick. I plan on wrapping the pipes in header wrap......

I got a few other misc. things done, but can't remember all the little stuff? Hoping to get the rear fender supports done tomorrow along with the rear foot pegs and maybe the kickstand.

I think overall it's turning out pretty decent and should look pretty sporting when it's all the same color...

Matt

 

[buckroseau]

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[buckroseau]

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[buckroseau]

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[buckroseau]

What are you using for the headliner?

I see you said you got it from yourautotrim.com

Could you give us more specifics?

Is it this one? http://yourautotrim.com/whiteperf.html
That looks close to the original.

HOW did you apply this? 3M adhesive? What did you do with the edges (of the headliner)? Did you just put it on?

Thanks and keep up the project!!

I think that was the stuff I got off that site, at least it looks like it. I bought exactly 2 yards.

I used weldwood contact cement for the adhesive. I had used the 3M stuff on my 40 about 4 years ago and it fell down in a couple months. I have heard others that have had the same experience with 3M spray adhesive. Weldwood contact cement has never let me down. Pretty much brushed a light coat on each surface and stuck them together. Keep in mind with the weldwood stuff, once you stick it together.....it doesn't come apart....so get it right the first time.

Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Excellent work on the 45 Matt, really professional work; as others have said, this is very inspirational to the rest of us. I just found this thread a couple days ago and I'm having a hell of a time pulling myself away from the computer. The bike is pretty sweet as well, post pics of progress on that as well.

I had a couple questions about your shop building:
Did you build your shop yourself or what manufacturer did you go with?
What are the dimensions?
What are you using to heat it?

Thanks

Pretty much built my house and shop myself. Where the bike is now is part of my house. I have a small shop built into my house that I keep heated all the time.

My paint booth is inside my larger shed that is unheated. The paint booth is and insulated building inside that building. Because there is no water run out there I am able to shut the heat down anytime I want when not in use....which is more often than not. The heaters out in the booth are 4 - 8ft electric baseboard heaters that heat an approx. 16' x 25' booth. The size of the entire building is 40' x 60' with 14' sidewalls.

The heat in my house shop is a combination of underfloor electric over hydronic heat. Also have an electric wall hanging heater in there for when it gets really cold. House/shop dimmensions are approx. 16' x 26' also.

Matt

 

[cruiserbrett]

Matt,
that thing is cool! I like the oldschool look, especially the sediment bowl, copper tubing etc.

How long is the chain?

 

[buckroseau]

Matt,
that thing is cool! I like the oldschool look, especially the sediment bowl, copper tubing etc.

How long is the chain?

Long....about 37" span. I have a sprocket coming that I am planning on making a spring loaded idler sprocket on the bottom to keep the chain from flopping. Not sure if it would or not, but I'm thinking that it probably will so trying to nip that in the butt before it starts.

I kinda like that old school stuff to. I think the high gloss paint and the header wrap on the pipes will look pretty cool when it's done Along with the sediment bowl.

Thanks, Matt

 

[cruiserbrett]

you might look at a dirt bike chain roller guide, they are pretty simple to install, and you wont have the bottom side of the idler gear teeth exposed.

are you going upholster the seat pan or leave it metal?

forward controls look great!

Cool project...

 

[Gus]

Pretty much built my house and shop myself. Where the bike is now is part of my house. I have a small shop built into my house that I keep heated all the time.

My paint booth is inside my larger shed that is unheated. The paint booth is and insulated building inside that building. Because there is no water run out there I am able to shut the heat down anytime I want when not in use....which is more often than not. The heaters out in the booth are 4 - 8ft electric baseboard heaters that heat an approx. 16' x 25' booth. The size of the entire building is 40' x 60' with 14' sidewalls.

The heat in my house shop is a combination of underfloor electric over hydronic heat. Also have an electric wall hanging heater in there for when it gets really cold. House/shop dimmensions are approx. 16' x 26' also.

Matt

Thanks for the info Matt

 

[buckroseau]

you might look at a dirt bike chain roller guide, they are pretty simple to install, and you wont have the bottom side of the idler gear teeth exposed.

are you going upholster the seat pan or leave it metal?

forward controls look great!

Cool project...

I thought about the dirt bike roller, and it might work. Because of the span of the chain I thought that it might/could roll off to the side of the roller? Maybe not, but it was a concern of mine. With the sprocket I know it will ride in line on the sprocket and there will be no side to side play.

I plan on uphostering the seat in leather. Got a good size scrap chunk from a local saddle shop for $5 bucks. It is a dark brown, thinking of lacing it around the side in silver wire. I still have to install some rear springs in the seat. I got some chevy 350 valve springs, the stiffness is right, but they are a little short. Going to see if I can round up some longer diesel engine springs.

Thanks, Matt

 

[MDH33]

Bike is looking good Matt. I was wondering about your forward control footpegs though, are they folding? Looks like they might make contact with the road in a turn, and if they don't fold, they are going to bend or break.

 

[79fj40moneypit]

Matt, As a guy who works on bikes a lot I would dump the glass sediment bowl could end up being a bad fire hazard if you dump the bike. Just a safety issue wouldn't want to see you get burnt, my 2cs

But anyway the bike is coming along nicely it will be a blast there's nothing like cruising on a cool ride.

 

[buckroseau]

Got about 7 hours on the bike today.

Started off by cutting about 4 inches off the back of the fender. Then I used a 1/2' piece of re-bar and welded and bent around the back of the fender. Pretty much butted up against the back of the fender and welded. Made to fastening points above the rear axle. My buddy that hooked me up with the Victory tank also hooked me up with headlight, tailight and license plate holder. I made a mount for the both of those and fastened to the frame..I think it turns out pretty decent for making a few parts that weren't meant to go together.

Took apart my forward controls and finished welding those up. Had to drill and tap a few of my bushing for set screws. Took the exhaust off and finished welding that and ground down all my welds. Hacked up my kickstand and reworked it to fit what I had now.

Few other misc. things, but forget. Still have to get my rear pegs mounted and make my idler sprocket for the chain, also have to get the springs mounted on the rear seat. Still hoping I might start painting next weekend?

Matt

 

[buckroseau]

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[buckroseau]

Bike is looking good Matt. I was wondering about your forward control footpegs though, are they folding? Looks like they might make contact with the road in a turn, and if they don't fold, they are going to bend or break.

The footpegs are not folding.....they are actually chrome grips for 1.000" dia. bars. My buddy sent them to be with the tank and some other stuff. I bought some 11 ga. 1.00" tubing and used them for chrome foot pegs.

I thought about that also. I tilted the bike to see when they touch, I know for a fact that I would never turn that hard to hit the pegs. They still might get changed down the road, but for right now I'm going to stick with them.

Thanks, Matt

 

[buckroseau]

Matt, As a guy who works on bikes a lot I would dump the glass sediment bowl could end up being a bad fire hazard if you dump the bike. Just a safety issue wouldn't want to see you get burnt, my 2cs

But anyway the bike is coming along nicely it will be a blast there's nothing like cruising on a cool ride.

I respect your opinion and agree with you, probably some what of a fire hazard. But, I think it's going to have to stay....just the kinda dorkiness I am looking for.

Thanks, Matt

 

[TJDIV]

Dude...there's probably 48 feet of snow on the ground. Quit fxxxing with that bike and get back to the 45!!!!

haha.

JK. I like it. Do a snowmobile next. One that can fly...with a cowling mounted paintball gun....

 

[buckroseau]

About 3 hours on the bike tonight.

The majority of the time, about 2.3 hours was spent making a rotorary chain tensioner. I had ordered a 15 tooth sprocket with a 1/2" i.d. bearing a few days ago. Bought $2.17 in 3/8" and 1/4" steel. I had a wound spring, so didn't have to get that. The bolts will probably change or at least the nuts, maybe chrome or stainless, but the mock up is pretty much done. Got it welded in and springs up and holds the chain well.

Got the 350 chevy valve springs mounted in on my seat, so the springer seat is done. Also made some bushings for the rear pegs, but won't drill and weld those in until I tear down the bike.

Probably start tearing down tomorrow night and try to finish up welding and grinding by Saturday afternoon. Hopefully I can blast and get some primer on a ton of parts by Saturday night.

Matt