Topic: Drag Bike / The Big 4 Express.

[Terry in Australia]

I remember doing one of those kits for a guy, I couldn't understand why they called them a "605" kit, from memory the actual displacement was 590? I think I've still got a set of sleeves in a box somewhere, we didn't use them because he put them in a 550, not a 500.

[RAFster122s]

Yeah, it does calculate to 592cc instead of 605. Not sure how they got 605 either. It isn't a high compression piston set either, so, the 592 doesn't compare to any of the Dynoman  high compression kits.

[Terry in Australia]

Nope, when I saw the pistons I just assumed that they were from another bike from the same era. They looked very much like slightly smaller CB750 pistons.

[Don R]

 My concern is the CycleX web site says they see these sleeves get loose and rotate. This is a well used race engine that was slapped back together and then sat for years, I'm a lot more concerned with compression blowing past the sleeve to cylinder gap. I found a tight link on the cam chain and still have concerns over why it didn't seem to spin freely and now it does. It was probably the junk Hayabusa starter and possibly weak battery I was using on the stock starter but I have enough doubts to take it all the way back apart.
  The smart move would be to abandon the welded stroker crank, aluminum rods and stroker pistons but I ain't that smart.

[Don R]

 Some guys never learn, I'm talking to a guy about looking at his two old basket case 750 drag bikes. Probably this weekend.  He ran 10's way back when with 836's. I'll say more after I do or don't buy them.
 Frank 754 was going to coach me on prices and parts, maybe partner up on a few things. 

[Terry in Australia]

I’m interested in whatever they have too Don, I need at least one good 67mm piston for my 890 K1 engine, and a stroker crank to go with my Cycle X rods, and maybe some Mikuni smoothie carbs, cams, whatever you buy but don’t need…Shipping to Florida.

[Don R]

 No stroker stuff, and he ran 836's but has the other name brand stuff. He said he's been sitting on this stuff for years hoping to find a guy that appreciates it. He met Russ Collins at his shop and made multiple trips out there.  Where we met, he hung around for a couple hours talking about the bikes and then came back again, was showing my wife pictures of the bikes. 
 I just hope we can make a deal, he wants it all sold together. 

[Don R]

 If I don't spend all my $$ on new/old stuff I'm calling cyclex to see if they can move these sleeves to a fresh cylinder.

 Update on the 900 starter, it has a bolt on the side not a cable coming out. I had saved (hoarded) a rusty starter so I cut the cable off of it and will solder a ring connector to it then put heavy shrink tube on it. I'm going to open the 750 rusty one just to see if there are savable parts inside of it, like low mile brushes or non rusted bushings.

[Terry in Australia]

No stroker stuff, and he ran 836's but has the other name brand stuff. He said he's been sitting on this stuff for years hoping to find a guy that appreciates it. He met Russ Collins at his shop and made multiple trips out there.  Where we met, he hung around for a couple hours talking about the bikes and then came back again, was showing my wife pictures of the bikes. 
 I just hope we can make a deal, he wants it all sold together. 

No worries Don, I'll be interested in seeing what he's got for sale. CycleX can bore another set of cases for your sleeves, I'm pretty sure they adverise the service where they bore them, weld up the bored-through air gaps, bore them again, and press the sleeves in.

[Don R]

  The drag bike guy got time to go through his stuff and sadly it isn't everything he remembered. I'm not going tomorrow but maybe in 2 or 3 days. One title, three frames, miscellaneous broken parts. Hopefully one good 836 and American turbo pack setup. Can't find the 29 smoothbores.

[Terry in Australia]

Ooher, a turbo setup? That'd be sweet! I'll wait for your report (and pics, pics, we want pics!) when you've had the opportunity to check his pile...........

[Don R]

 I was considering to offer to trade my KZ, when I had the list of what he thought he had, now it sounds like a pretty used up pile of stuff from a basement and barn. I'm a scrounger and still want it.

[Terry in Australia]

Nothing wrong with scrounging Don, I sold my 1969 K0 cases, spare rear hub, front disc and axle, a couple of junk tanks and F sidecover and ducktail for $1600 last night, and I'm pretty sure I didn't pay anywhere near that much for them?

The buyer just rang me, and of course I immediately assumed that he wanted a refund, but no, he wants to buy more of my stuff? I'm more than happy to make some space in my garage and top my bank account back up after a couple of years of reckless bike building!  

[Don R]

 Sounds good Terry, It's always good to turn some stuff into $$ so you can get more stuff!
    I was digging through my K0 stuff here. I have a no number replacement diecast case engine out of a sandcast, I drove over 12 hours each way and then a month later 8 hours for a no center bolt diecast head and cylinder to match it. I wanted a correct engine for the K0 diecast. The guy with the head and cyl. put a cb750 engine in an original Harley Servicycle 3 wheeler. I asked why. He said he had both of them.
   

[Don R]

 I'm going Thursday to look at a rather large load of some performance and mostly left over K2 750 stuff. I told him I'd bring a lawn mower trailer and a full size truck. He offered to put the rest in his bike trailer and follow me home.  The downside is one title, three frames. He did offer to get lost titles if he can find a plate or registration and I pay the fees. Nothing over 836 except maybe a broken rod 915.
 The totes came out of the basement and into the driveway this week. He wants me to make an offer.  I really just want the one turbo drag bike, wheelie bars and carbs.  I'm hoping it has the title.
 

[Terry in Australia]

Sounds like a great haul Don, make sure you post some pics so I can drool over them.

[Don R]

 The volume scares me, I've been reducing the volume/mess here and I hate to overstock again.

[Terry in Australia]

The volume scares me, I've been reducing the volume/mess here and I hate to overstock again.

True, but if you get it cheap enough to flip whatever you don't need for a profit Don, it's a win/win!

[Don R]

 It appears there will be a turbo charged version of the big 4 express. The learning curve just got steeper. The new bike was hand threaded back together and left in a barn, it was out of the dirt and dry. I got the parts in totes that were in a dry basement. The fork Tubes are rusty and the rear axle appears to be held in with sae allen bolts. The Imron paint held up well, I'm going to work on sub assemblies before I attempt to put the engine in and add the turbo.  Double drilled discs on early forks for the street riding part of its life.

[Terry in Australia]

It appears there will be a turbo charged version of the big 4 express. The learning curve just got steeper. The new bike was hand threaded back together and left in a barn, it was out of the dirt and dry. I got the parts in totes that were in a dry basement. The fork Tubes are rusty and the rear axle appears to be held in with sae allen bolts. The Imron paint held up well, I'm going to work on sub assemblies before I attempt to put the engine in and add the turbo.  Double drilled discs on early forks for the street riding part of its life.

The pics you posted on FB looked good Don, I'm interested to see more pics of the haul!

[Don R]

 I have a 30 gallon tote that's 3 inches deep in nuts and bolts and small parts and old spark plugs and car things and hardware and well, you get the idea.  I found an Airheart master cyl, and realized I had seen the billet cap that holds it on the handlebars. I dug it out. I picked up the boost gauge and it fell out of the bracket and broke, it was held in with a nail. I did get to see it make a full sweep of the dial as it broke the needle off at the stop pin and died.
  I'm sorting the rusty and ruined things and I'm finding it's difficult to throw things away. Because, Terry might need that. I spent a half hour trying to screw a beautiful but cross threaded chrome top nut on my triple tree. Pretty but pretty junk.
  I want to take some glamour shots of the best parts.

[Terry in Australia]

I know your pain Don, it seems that every old pile of crap I buy "sight unseen" comes with piles of ruined parts that I can't use. The T500 came with a spare frame and two wheels that weren't good enough for my redneck resto, but the only good thing was it came with a K7/8 front caliper and MC that I need for my CB750A. (currently have a K1-6 caliper on it that doesn't quite fit the bracket)

[Don R]

 I'll post a few pics. I started a show me yours I'll show you mine thread.
  I noticed the awful radiator hose and clamps on the turbo manifold when I threw them away. I remembered that Frank coached me on what hose to get to make couplers for my weber carb set.  I have plenty of silicone turbo hose and 8 new proper clamps for it that wrap around so they don't bunch up the rubber.  Thanks Frank.
  The turbo has a Bendix Zenith 38mm carb like on a Sportster. Someday I may swap to a mikuni if it ever runs.

[Terry in Australia]

Nice. Yep, a lot of the 1970's era stuff was a bit "Bush League" Don, I recently saw some NOS Rickman and Dunstall stuff that a guy was trying to sell me, and I couldn't get over how "Home made" it looked. Don't get me wrong, the bigger parts like their frames and fairings etc are good, but a lot of the smaller parts were after thoughts. My 1973 Iron Head Sportster has a Bendix carb on it, but I bought a new Mikuni conversion kit from Sudco, not that the Sporty has fired a shot since I bought it. (another project...)

[Don R]

 In case it ever comes up, I rolled heavy brown paper and a cardboard tube into the silicone hose to support it and cut it on a power miter saw. Perfect square cuts quickly.
 Putting the header on the exhaust nipples must be a treat, probably why one of them is beat all to hell. I can imagine hours of tapping and swearing followed by minutes of bashing and throwing.