So, life was going fine. I was doing good. I'm okay, you're okay, that whole thing... then I meet Kit's bike.
It was sitting in a barn where she used to live, in pieces, all dirty, lonely, no one but Kit to love her. As I came to find out, Kit had never ridden or worked on a motorcycle before, didn't have much spare $$ to put into it but was very determined to finish it, one way or another. Over the course of the last 2 yrs, being the enabler that I am, I do what I can to help her accomplish her task. Fast forward to last week, when we took her bike over to mlinder and the gang to finish her up and they synched the carbs. I've ridden that bike last summer and fall a bit, here and there when she would stay running, but she wasn't quite right. I still thought it was a pretty nice ride considering it is almost 30yrs old and all. Now that Delilah's feeling like she should, I took her for a spin last week with everything tuned so well. I knew I was sunk.
What a cool ride that was!! So what did I do?...
I started looking seriously through craigslist for a little project of my own.
I was thinking smaller though, like a 350... wasn't finding anything that really caught my eye in our price range. Then yesterday, off visiting some friends a few hrs away, I spot online what would end up being my project. Kit got all excited and called the man to get some more details. When it was all said and done, she told him to hold the bike, we would be there in 2 hrs to look at it. Here are the craigslist pics. I will be getting some more detailed ones today when I go back with a trailer to pick it up. $475. We didn't haggle. The guy looks as broke as a church mouse and just had part of his house burned down when his neighbor's entire house burned to the ground. His neighbor (buddy) got burned pretty bad, has MS and couldn't get out quickly enough, so this guy's pretty shook up right now. He lost another bike (750), part of his own garage and living room. Prolly needs the $$ real bad right now so we are doing our part to help out a fellow SOHC4 rider. All in all, I think we both get a decent deal.
At this point, it looks like it will be a rebuild. If we come upon something really bad, say in the engine, Kit will take off what she wants and we will simply part it out. I hope we don't have to go that route though. It really looks like it has potential.
At first glance, it's got some dings in the top of the tank but prolly can be pulled out. They aren't creased. Will put in a new in-tank filter. Petcock seems good. (have spare o-ring) The inside of the tank looks great. No rust as far as we could tell.
Oil down the front of the engine, around the headers... will have to look closer to find out what is going on there. Will definitely need gaskets but wondering about valve seals, etc.
Carbs need cleaned (and cleaned, and cleaned, and cleaned) but we all know that one is a given.
Tires have good tread but that kind are total crap in the rain and with all the rain we get here in the Portland area, they will be changed.
It will need a new headlight bucket and brackets. It's dinged up pretty well.
The faces of the speedo/tach are warped.
Cover over fuses at handlebar is missing. We think we have a spare around though.
The brakes will need done, new lines and replace all cables for throttle, clutch...
The seat was redone but by an amateur, we already have a guy that did Kits seat that will get this one as well.
4-into-4 pipes and still in good condition.
No rust seen, just dirty.
Needs new handgrips. I have no idea how that guy was holding on or giving throttle... they totally twist in your hands like they don't fit or something. Will be easy to remove though.
Maybe replace the turn signal,starter button plastics on the bars since they are weather cracked. Fork seals need redone.
Need new turn signal arm (have a spare already)
Need new brake light red plastic (have a spare)
Airbox chrome covers missing (have spares)
New plugs and wires.
It tries to start, good strong starter and battery, but won't kick over. Then we saw the carb boots were there but not sealed to the carb. Just "nearby"... I'll have to hook those up to wash him down.
I'll get him home, use some Honda brite on him to remove what crud I can, then roll him into the garage. Tuck some carboard diaper under him and, if I have the time, start to pull plugs and whatnot to see where we go from here.
I'm trying to decide if he stays mostly factory like Kit's or we go in a diff direction with this one. Once I get him home, start pulling off parts, looking deep into the belly, I'll decide then if I rat it, cafe it or whatever. Much of it depends on what kind of shape things are in. I remember a sweet cafe someone posted that had a unique taillight setup built into the cafe seat. There was a really great straight on, rear view looking right up the tail. I'd love to do that. We'll play with photoshop to see if this style would even look good as a cafe with the swooping, molded seat instead of flat.
Oh, and Kit has already named him...
Samson.
Start of build pics to come when I pick him up later this morning.
This will be a slow build, little at a time, no need to rush since we both have running bikes.
I think I need a nap first.
