{"id":2757,"date":"2018-02-16T21:30:40","date_gmt":"2018-02-17T05:30:40","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jeffwerner.ca\/?p=2757"},"modified":"2023-07-05T14:49:22","modified_gmt":"2023-07-05T22:49:22","slug":"r80-13-top-billing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jeffwerner.ca\/testa\/r80-13-top-billing\/","title":{"rendered":"R80 13 Top Billing"},"content":{"rendered":"

Started the re-build this week. The custom subframe and battery holder from Crowe Metal Co.<\/a> are in so I can start to get a sense of how it will all come together. Still waiting on the engine rebuild from Shail’s in Langley, BC, Canada\u2014I don’t want to do much more until I can work off its placement, but I can get everything ready.<\/p>\n

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Subframe test fit.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

First is a plan of attack. Been watching Boxer2Valve \/ Wunderlich America’s new, thorough and down-to-earth YouTube series<\/a> on the refurb of a literal barn-find Airhead. It’s a good approach they have: just replace what they know and what they find to be wanting, leave the restoration part until after they get it running.<\/p>\n

I like the main wrench’s style in the series. He’s careful to point out a particular process is just the way he likes to do something\u2014not gospel\u2014but he’ll explain why he does it that way. He’ll often show you the $300 special-purpose tool they sell to take your widget off once a lifetime but also the $30 homemade version you can make that works just as well. The videos are recorded in mostly real time, too\u2014less cooking-show-cut-to-plating-and-it’s-perfect and more, “oh, we better tackle this thing now.”<\/p>\n

If I had to quickly think of the order of operations for this rebuild I’d work in the following order:<\/p>\n

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  1. Sub frame on<\/li>\n
  2. Engine in<\/li>\n
  3. Fork and front wheel on<\/li>\n
  4. Final drive on swing arm<\/li>\n
  5. Final drive and swing arm in, rear wheel and brake, attach driveshaft to gearbox<\/li>\n
  6. Carbs on<\/li>\n
  7. Bench test full wiring<\/li>\n
  8.  Controls and handlebars, cabling, lighting<\/li>\n
  9. Wiring harness (with intermittent tank- and seat-on tests)<\/li>\n
  10. Brake bleeding<\/li>\n
  11. Fenders and fairings<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    I realize now the main challenge has been visualizing and building and ordering replacement parts mostly in my head (and a giant spreadsheet), trying to get everything in place (in boxes) and then building all at once. Better would have been to build a bit, order, build a bit. Even better: ride it (it was running, sort of, when we bought it), fix a bit, ride, fix a bit\u2026but for a couple reasons we didn’t: 1. We have some money to spend 2. We want this done in four months 3. Want to save on shipping 4. We’re doing a restomod, not just a restoration, so we’re still figuring what we want and what works 5. It’s my first full rebuild.<\/p>\n

    Here’s a simplified rundown of what has been ordered and arrived so far.<\/p>\n

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    Straight forward, probably 1″ smaller diametre than OEM.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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    Was hard to get double wall heat shrink, vinyl, and the oh-so-hip fabric-like split loom in quantities less than 100′, hence the Revival tax.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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    Surprisingly nice for a $25 boring, but important, electrical part.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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    Battery holder.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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    Tail light tests.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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    Del City is a great source for 12V electrical parts in small-ish quantities.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

    Electrical<\/strong><\/p>\n