Seat is in

The seat has arrived. Here is to hoping that it will pair nicely with the tank.

Tank is on...sorta

Ran over to the garage today to drop off the tank and play a bit of mario kart 64. Well actually just to drop the tank off, but it turned in to beer and 64. quick placement of the tank, look pretty good to me. I'll have to come back and actually mount this guy for real.

Just not with the seat on, that shit looks crazy. Hopefully its just this seat, because I just ordered a seat with a similar look and shape. Well if I don't like the way it looks I'll have a seat for sale, and have to rethink my seating situation.

And of course, down with the reptilian agenda. Fuck those dudes.

Tank is in!

Picked up a new tank from Lowbrow Customs. It looks awesome, can't wait to clean it up and get this guy up on the bike! little by little, this bike is getting there. Also picked up a copy of what fits on harley-davidson motorcycles, pretty amped on this.

And you gotta love free stickers!
Tanks Lowbrow! (to much?)

Mach 2

I have been thinking oil tank and battery box for a few days now, and the previous thought has evolved to a 'floating' oil bag. Which will hold the battery, and all other electrics in a pocket in the center of the tank. Here was my sketch of this tank.

Time to mock this bad boy up, I hit up the garage and made some semi accurate measurements, and started cutting paper.

This is how it came out. I made a little battery, to pop in the center so i could design around it and some space for the electrics.

Its even better looking on the bike. It is currently being held by some spare wires I pulled from the bike earlier. When the time comes, I'll have to find a better way to mount this.

And just had to pop on the old seat to see how it looked together. I'll have to think about how the fender will align with the tank, I should probably decided on a fender first.

Mach 1

I was hoping to remove the engine last night, but it wasn't in the cards. However it worked out. I was able to to make a few plans for the bike. Mainly, placement of all the electrics, ignition, oil bag, and wiring. I don't plan on running turn signals so that will cut down half of the wires switches and relays I'll need. which is fine by me.

My first thought, was to keep the ignition between the cylinders in its current placement, and mount the coils beneath them. And figure out the rest of the electrics later.

I then mocked up a box that would be welded, or bolted to the frame just behind the neck.

I went this this approach for a bit, and decided I would be able to mount the rest of the electrics just below the generator in front of the engine, between the front engine mounts. Which might be okay, but I'm not sure how hot it will get, and would rather not rise all me electrics burning up. So I took a step back, and moved back. To the oil bag. I started thinking about this guy, Should I mount a round Moon oil tank? and then make a battery box? where to mount all that?

So it looks like no matter what I plan on doing, I'll have to weld something. So lets just make something awesome that can do it all. And I came up with oil box.*not a finished product. It will mount in the rear triangle above the wheel. And its going to be a split oil tank, and in the split, I will mount everything. Well everything except the ignition switch and hi/low switch.

My thought with this oil tank is that it should look like part of the bike, not in a stock way. I had mounted up a round oil tank, and it looked so stupid, and out of place. which, it was. This, isn't some elongated chopper build, that will never see actual pavement. I looked at the lines of the bike, and decided the rear rocked box, was a good line to base the oil tank off of. So i took it from there. Now, I just have to do it.

And on the way home, I got this sight. sorry for the poor photo, I was as obvious as I could be, short of getting up. One of the worst out fits I have seen. But this is ny that shit happens all day everyday, she topped it off with having her fly down. 

Color thought.

So I got to sketching and just went with it. Here is where I landed. For now. I'm not sold.

















I still have no idea what color I should paint this machine. I do need to at least repaint some of the frame, I could go all the way and paint the fucking thing. More color explorations to come.


I think I would like to include a few solid waves as a gentile nod AMF, but again, I'm not sold. I could always go all black everything, that always looks good, but if I'm going to go though the trouble of pulling the whole thing apart, why play it safe and go black? Hot pink and highlighter yellow have also crossed my mind, because why the fuck not? I doubt I could rock a bike those colors though. Lime green is pretty high on my list as well. Now I'm just listing colors, so I'll stop.

One might notice the carb situation I have sketched up in here. Its a dual Amal  system, I got the idea from the Panhead Tyler of Lowbrow recently did. Though his system looks like the intake manifold he uses doesn't keep the carbs and cylinders separate, which is how I would want to do it. My thought is, if you're going to go though the trouble of running a dual carb system, they both better control their own cylinder. So I might still run dual Amals, but it will take a bit more research, plus the Zenith carb on the bike currently is fine. Though I am fond of Amals, super simple, and minimal parts. Less is more (I realize the irony in this when talking about bring a single carb bike to two).

There are a few things I do know about what this bike will need. A badass sissy bar, and the ability to ride two up.  Everything else is wide open, which in all honesty, those two things don't really narrow much down.

Potential Speedo

At the end of last year there were some crazy deals, on seriously everything. I however was saving up to buy an ironhead. Which, *spoiler alert*, I bought. But I couldn't resist on a few deals. One was this 509 Sigma bicycle computer ($10). I have seen them used on a few builds, and have had a computer on every bicycle I have owned, I love them they are great ... for bicycles. I am a bit wary to put it on a motorcycle, though it can track speeds up to 199mph, according to at least 2 places on the internet. (here, and where ever I first read about it). I guess when it comes time to actually mount this fucker up, Ill speed test it with a someone and report back.

A keen eye might also notice some sketches on the notepad. I am starting to think more about the details of this project, rather than the bike as a whole. The possibilities are endless, though, I am going to have to relearn how to weld, and fast. Or else I think I wear out a few friendships pretty fast.

Sorry no actual peeks on the sketches until I have something a little more fleshed out. I haven't even decided on a color scheme for this machine.

Superstitions

I am very much a superstitious rider, well I have found a pattern and developed it, in to a superstition. Before every ride I must have three completely none ride related items. One; a hat to cover helmet hair, two; headphones obviously for music, and three; a valid metorcard. I have found that if I ever leave even just one of these items at home before a ride, something happens, and I can't fix the issue on the roadside. And I end up taking the train. If I have the three items I am able to fix whatever the issue was that stopped me in the first place. And those items are unneeded. (I don't normally have to fix things on the side of the road very often.)

Now to reason the reason of me telling this. Yesterday, I rode out to my garage, which is about 5 miles from my apartment. <sarcasm>Oh the joys of living in the city. </sarcasm> oh html has worked sarcasm in to its code yet? I digress, upon arriving I notice my lights aren't functioning. So I figure, I'll just deal with this later. And I move on the the iron head, I pull a few more items off the bike. Nothing to exciting, I drained the few oz. of oil that was in the oil bag, and removed the battery and oil bag, then cut the wire harness off the bike. fun fun. I then dick around for a few hours with a few members of the garage, see what they are working on and just chat. When the eventual time comes to leave, I remember, fuck my lights don't work. At this time the sun has set, and every 'real' man is saying "man up you pussy and ride home in the dark" or "In the 60s I once rode from sanfran to LA at night with no lights and didn't going less than 100mph, the whole way".

Well thats not me, I pull the bike back in to the garage, and start going though the harness. I can't find the problem, and I had left all my electrical tools at home. I do what I can, but to no avail. So i do the only sensible thing. I text Phil and request help. If you don't know Phil, he is the type of guy who has forgot more about bike than I'll come to know in my lifetime. So I take off, and prepare for an early morning working on the bike. Ugh, I had to take the train home. This wouldn't have happened if I had brought those three items, I left all of them on my coffee table.

So this morning I pick up a few supplies, and since I have to hack in to the wire harness, its a perfect time to get the high beam working, and toss in a proper inline fuse. Long story short, my day consisted of a fucked up train ride, two different automotive store, radio shack, a fun little ride on a cb125, fixing the entire lights set up on the harness, and riding the Triumph home.
Fuck there is nothing like riding a tiny underpowered bike, and then hopping the Triumph to rekindle my love for it.

Now to go get some Barbecue! Hill Country here I come.

Lets take a look at what I'm working with: part 2

After popping on the new shocks I started pulling a lot off. Silly order I know. But I got a deal that was to good to pass up on the shocks.

The seat is falling apart at the pan. It looks like its had a long life on this bike. Almost a shame to separate them, but this ain't a love story about a seat and the machine.

The fender was pretty worn and crack at nearly every mounting point. Not to worry. I planned on tossing it anyway.


The frame under the seat was the next thing to be noticed. It looks like the busted up seat pan has been chipping away at the subframe for a awhile now. Nothing a wire wheel and fresh paint can't fix though.

Off with the tank. This will sadly also not make it back on the ironhead. Planning on keeping it around as a test piece. Wether it be for painting or cutting and welding. I keep it around for a bit. Who knows maybe ill surprise myself and do a good job on the first test and then I will pop it back on. Doubtful though. I know my skill and its as rusty as the bolts holding this machine together.

I started to carefully remove the headlight assembly but ended up saying fuck it. I'm rewiring this rats nest anyway and the promptly busted out the snippers. It came off quick. Soon followed the switches. None of that can stay, as I plan on using 7/8" bars. Because contrary to popular belief, bigger is not always better.

Looks like I'll need a newer triple tree top.

Here is where the day ended. A rather naked machine

This ironhead looks like it was ridden to hell and back, luckily it stole a bit of hell fire and stored it in its engine.

Installed shocks

After a long night wrestling with rusted and miss matched bolts the new shocks have been installed. And it already looks so much better. Though I will have to remove them pretty soon as the frame and swing arm will need some tlc.

Original Shocks

Progressive 11" Shocks
Plus a sweet fender mocked up by none other than
Henry "Give me a Sec" Carter

Old purchases' to hopefully make an appearance

This project has been on my mind for a while now, and a few months ago I started picking up some stuff I had come across that I liked in someway shape or form. Hoping that maybe they would work on the eventual project I would get my hands on.

My first purchase was a sweet set of Mule bars, from a fellow CC member. Over at Jumpstreet Customs he can whip up what ever you can imagine in the handlebar department, possibly more, just gotta ask him.

I might end up making some slight modification to the bars, depending on how the feel once mounted, I think a small amount of pull back would do nicely.


I also stumbled across a pretty rad amber bulb TV light, not sure if it works, never got around to testing the bulb, but its rad as fuck either way. I'm not to worried, I found an sealed amber beam supplier on the endless interwebs just in case.

They feel like a proper couple.

SHOCKS! SHOCKS! SHOCKS!

Thats how that song goes right? ... oh its shots shots shots? well i guess i do some of that later.

But before any drinking happens today, I just received my new shocks in the mail today! its a nice set of 11" Progressive 412 series shocks. I am currently running a 12" progressive setup on my triumph, and it was one of the best improvements I made to it. So naturally, if the plays works, run it till it doesn't.

They are actually chrome, you can't tell because the dungeon I work in have no visible light, other than the hell fire in the corner, and glowing red eyes of the devil across the hall. But at least the work space is carpeted, right? gotta count for something.

Let take a look at what I'm working with: part 1

Here it is the day I picked it up. Pretty clean. Some rust spots on the tank and frame. The engine could use a clean as well. But for the price I would say I struck gold, or silver at least. According to the previous owner, the bikes only issue lays in the generator, some how it is faulty, other than that. She runs like a champ.

The process of stripping and cleaning starts today. Lets see what other messes we might find.

Yes this is same photo as the hero image at
the top of this page. Good eye.

You can see my 76 Triumph poking out
in the top left of this photo