Topic: Foale frame CB750

[ivanhoew]

It does look a bit blue - as you know it is really sort of 'aircraft primer' green, but that just shows how an HTC phone is universally cr*p, not just faintly inadequate. And the frame will be dark charcoal-ish, not baby blue for gawd's sake. If I had a blue frame I would need stabilisers and a whicker basket on the front, and I can't afford stabilisers with alloy rims and stainless spokes.

and
 a teddy bear with an eye patch
and pigtails
and gingam
and a lolly


etcetc

[Gonzowerke]

tony foale is still around.  I would assume that he can make a frame.
not sure what it would run though  and i think if i was going that crazy i would use a dohc motor or cbx

http://www.tonyfoale.com/

[RupertB]

I am sure Tony Foale would at the very least be flattered by the request for more frames - let's face it the worst he will say is 'no', and if you don't ask you don't get. If you are married you will know that you can ask all you like, you still don't get, but with frames it could prove different! If Mr F won't restart production, ask him if he would object to any copies being made perhaps. I could (for an exorbitant fee) provide some help, and I have some old cast iron drainpipe going begging too.
Engine-wise he told me the CB900 engine will fit in the same gap - he thought the engine bolts were in the same place too, and suggested I try it to avoid the dry sump dilemma I have had. I opted to stay with the 750 motor because the CB900 is more complicated and a second hand one could be full of fresh problems, I had already got the CB750 engine to start with, and this is such a damn fine forum that I would be drummed out in shame if I abandoned it for a twin cam.
The other side of the coin is that (apparently) Foale frames can handle horsepower up in the region of 140 plus- hence I have loads of scope for tuning as or if funds allow in years to come. Mond you, check with Mr F, don't take my word for it, and everything else would need uprating a bit, but motor options are very wide, and there is so little of the frame that any mounting points could easily be made using some bits of marine ply, some long nails and a very big hammer. Works for me - I ran a Norton Commando for 26 years...

[Syscrush]

Looking fantastic!

[RupertB]

They always say work expands to fill the time available - well just to give the 'heads up' to those of you who are kindly following this project, I had a call today from the powder coating place to say the disc carriers and sidesatnd are ready to collect. I had these bits done to check that the colour and material look OK, rather than have it all done and then decide I don't like it. The coating is a charcoal powder coat with a hint of metallic, I haven't collected the parts yet, but it is a similar finish to what you get on some Audi wheels. Apparently it looks brilliant, but here's the tricky bit - I can't get the frame coated until it is back from the tank-maker, and even then it has to have footrest and exhaust brackets located and welded on. The lead time for powder coating is about 2 to 3 weeks, and the frame won't be returned until possibly mid April, with me wanting a finished bike by mid to late May.
Meanwhile I have to get the wheels back from the wheelwright (2 weeks still), and the engine needs to go in the frame to see if the wheels have the right amount of offset built into them. The forks have to go and have brackets for the calipers made and welded (or nailed, or glued or whatever) and I just get the feeling that April and May are going to be extremely stressful, mainly for the wife and a few suppliers. Oh and the exhausts and downpipes are now on order from Swarbrick's and he is confident to have them ready in about four weeks or so - but of course they need offering to the frame with the engine in it, and preferably the wheels on, but I can't get the tyres on until the offset is sorted and so it goes on.
As for the budget, well that is right out of the window - every single item or section seems to be a minimum of (give or take) 500 pounds or multiples thereof. But that's only money. The rest is far more important! More news when I have it folks. Meanwhile time ticks by as I wait for the inevitable rush to start!

[maduncle]

Rupert - your bike build program sounds perfectly normal - short of doing some amazing project management gant chart or critical path analysis that will show you which day to do which part of the project - I would just kick back and enjoy the ride, it will be ready when it is ready.

[Terry in Australia]

I'm with Cliff. Dangerous Cliff.

[maduncle]

 

[Sam Green Racing]

I'm glad he didn't pay me a visit Terry. looks a bit strange.

Sam.

[RupertB]

Anyone with a tree growing out of each shoulder is to be truly feared.

[lucky]

Is the frame going to get painted white this time?

[maduncle]

Is the frame going to get painted white this time?

I believe Rupert is going to paint the frame charcoal, I prefer 'baby duck egg powder blue' myself.

[RupertB]

Frame colour-wise, the sample bits I had coated are now ready, just got to get time to collect them. I am promised they are a dark charcoal powder caot with a hint of metallic, which the coating place says looks brilliant. They will be either great or naff, nothing inbetween! Will update with pics before long I hope.

[maduncle]

Frame colour-wise, the sample bits I had coated are now ready, just got to get time to collect them. I am promised they are a dark charcoal powder caot with a hint of metallic, which the coating place says looks brilliant. They will be either great or naff, nothing inbetween! Will update with pics before long I hope.

Naff!

You pillock, what if the muppet painting the parts gets it all tits up and everything goes pear shaped?

See - I did learn how to speak proper when I was over.

Geeza.

[RupertB]

No worries mate, they are a bonzer team of blokes. I think that's what you would say anyway.  They'll do a good job, just the timing that is tight.
Spoke to Nigel the engine builder - apparently it is all together bar the head which is waiting for a couple of valves and will then be going on. He will send me a pic of it if he can manage to work a digital camera!

[maduncle]

He will send me a pic of it if he can manage to work a digital camera!

Just give him the torque settings to operate the camera and he will be fine.

[UYD4L]

How's this coming along? Very interesting for me.

[RupertB]

It is coming on very well, but it is a bit 'calm before the storm' at the moment - The engine will be ready next week, the tank and tail will be ready by end of April, the wheels by mid-March. Then comes the fun part - I want to get the thing finished by the end of May to take to a show in Shetland which I go to when it is held every two years, so I have to get the frame back from the tank builder as soon as he has finished with it which won't be until perhaps end of March. Then I have to dry-build it all to see that everything is in place including obscure stuff like offset on the wheels and where to mount the rearset support brackets and exhausts (due end of March as well!) - then I have to strip it all down again to get the frame powder coated which has a lead time of 2 to 3 weeks minimum, then build the whole thing back up again and get it roadworthy for Shetland. So things are gradually building to a sort of crescendo which is actually rather exciting. Obviously if it isn't ready for end of May then so be it, but it would be nice to meet the self-imposed challenge. I also worked out that I still need about 4000 pounds to finish it!!! I haven't dared work out what the total cost will be - far too scary.
I have to say I am slightly surprised how much interest it has generated and hope the end result doesn't disappoint! More news as it arrives, and remember - you heard it first on SOHC4.net!

[RupertB]

Still waiting for the frame to be finished with from having the tank measured up to fit and so on, and in a fortnight or so Mr Swarbrick should have a nice set of exhausts ready for me. The last valves went into the engine today so that is a finished entity, and thanks to two bidders both wanting my Henry Abe wheels, they are now in Japan and I have paid for the spoked wheels with money to spare! Pic of the rims should be below, and also of one of the discs, and it actually shows the slight metallic effect in the black powder coat - this is currently the likely finish for the frame but final decision in a few weeks. Cheers for now!

[maduncle]

Good news on the wheel sales there (some pople have strange tastes) and that black looks like a great frame colour.

[RupertB]

Cheers Terry - I think I will go with the stuff on the discs for the rest of the frame, but the dilemma is they showed me a really nice alternative which was a paint as opposed to powder coat, and it was like a dark steel grey. The glitter black isn't a deep gloss, so the grey appeals for that, but then the black will probably show the frame off better (which is the main feature of the bike) and there will be an awful lot of shiny metal so maybe a less shiny frame will bring it down to earth. Also they can do the powder faster than the paint so if time gets short before I go to Shetland it would be powder regardless!

[RupertB]

One further thing regarding the engine - it was found to have a knackered crank which was then replaced with one sold to me at a very generous discount by a UK forum member (thanks Karl), which has gone in fine. But when it came to the oil pump it was found to be absolutely jammed up with really claggy 'orrible oily yuk, which rendered it beyond reclamation, so a good second-hand one has been used (I trust my engine builder!). So the death of the Abe-piston 810cc engine was probably all down to not bothering with a few quids' worth of oil and a filter, and a job that takes not much longer than it takes to drink the coffee you made to watch it drain. Could also explain why it took such a song and dance to get the filter housing off, and why the oil left in it smelt of ponds! Anyway it now has all new mains and big end stuff, so fingers crossed it works when that great day comes. I'll try to get a youtube clip for the firing up, which will be a novelty because I've never posted on youtube. What a good time to start...

[Terry in Australia]

Good news on the wheel sales there (some pople have strange tastes)

Ouch! I've got the same Henry Abe wheels on my K1 Cliff, and I love them! I might have to sell them to pay back some of my Triumph repair bill though, Hey Tom, can you tell the losing bidder that I'll sell him mine, I've got a set of Borrani's like your new ones in my garage, so it's no biggie. Cheers, Terry.

[maduncle]

Good news on the wheel sales there (some pople have strange tastes)

Ouch! I've got the same Henry Abe wheels on my K1 Cliff.

I know...



(This time it is really me in the picture).
 

[Sam Green Racing]

The two trees have been felled from his shoulders but a notice board has sprung out of his chest, he is a remarkable man our Cliff.