the Hunley, or pidjones needed a project - '78 frame with '75 engine

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A bit more progress today. I had pulled the radiator to re-mount the fan and add the guard on the front - plus change the upper hose to a new one. Mounted that all back up. Mounted the swingarm/rear drive and reconnected the driveshaft. I have to say that it was very easy to reconnect the u-joint and put the correct external circlip on it. A LOT easier that getting the internal circlip off!

Now, I've begun re-wiring it. Oh, joy! POs have modified, neglected, and generally hosed up the wiring. I had already replaced 75% of the connectors. Discovered that the starter solenoid had been replaced with one with the B connection at the back and M at the front if mounted in the rubber boot. Ended up splicing an inline fuse holder to the red lead and joining the red/white and the upstream end of the fuse to the B terminal (dogbone long gone).

The bike end of the 8 pin connector to the rectifier has three green wires and connectors. The rectifier plug only had two green wires and connectors. I added another connector and green wire and ran it to a good frame ground.

With the addition of the swingarm, the thing is getting a little rear heavy (still on a furniture dolly), so I may work on the front forks and triple tree next. Or finish the carb rack and mount it. I want to get the carbs on before mounting the shelter frame, anyway.
 

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Carbs mounted up today. Pretty easy with the shelter still off and wiring not that far forward. No photos, though. Thinking triple tree and bars next to let me run the throttle, choke, and clutch cables while the shelter is still off.
 
Well, the head bearings are bad (discovered while prepping the triple tree to paint). I made a tool to remove the lower race using a ~1.5" aluminum bar ~ 12" long with a 3/8" tapped hole in the end of it. I used the hole to bolt a large flat washer (thick fender washer) to the bottom that was about 1/8" larger in radius. This gave me a lip to place above the lower race. I alternated front-back, right-left and measured a coupe times to assure me it was was working. About one minute of tapping and the race fell out. I used the bar without the washer on it to tap out the upper race. To remove the lower bearing from the shaft, I had seen and read of cutting with a moto-tool part way and then splitting with a cold chisel. I first cut off the roller cage, then bent the seal out of the way. I cut with one of those thin, delicate abrasive blades (didn't shatter this time!) until I heard a tink! and the race broke open. The chisel then was used to tap the race on off. I have dressed the surface with a diamond hone (a few burrs from someone's previous work) and polished with 3000 and 7000 grit silicon carbide paper using isopropyl as a cutting fluid. BTW, using 91% (or the highest you can get) isopropyl as a cutting fluid for fine abrasive helps to keep the paper useful many times longer by keeping it flushed and carrying away cuttings. I discovered this trick years ago at my paid vocation. Thanks go out to those that have recorded their ideas, tools, and success in this in the various forums. They really encouraged me to try it myself. I won't say my was better - I just happened to have these pieces on hand. Two days and the new bearings will be here. I plan to use the removed lower race to tap in the new bearing with a piece of PVC driving above it. I will use the removed outer races to tap the new ones it.
 
Meanwhile, I disassembled both fork legs (actually, ones bought to replace the REALLY bad ones that came with the bike), cleaned, measured, polished, and reassembled with new seals and 200 cc of Dexron each.
 
A little more on the Hunley today (even thought the bearings didn't show up as promised). With carbs on, I hooked up throttle cables, choke, clutch, and tach cables. Not very hard with the shelter not installed yet. Sanded side covers in preparation for filler primer and more sanding.
 

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So, hovering Hunley went out into the sunlight today. Also gained triple trees, forks, handlebars, headlight. All wired up to the point that I was able to get headlights and speedo/tach lights. No indications on the gauge panel, and the starter acts like it is shorted now (it worked a couple months ago for me to do compression tests).
 

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Starter works fine with a fully charged battery! Have signals, headlights, tail and stop lights (no brakes yet, though!) A few more items and I get to see if it will run.
 
Painted the tins yesterday. Taking the side covers out to paint I noticed that the primer will still soft. It had been on for a couple weeks at least. I left them aside and painted the shelter sides, radiator scoops, front and rear fenders, and the little piece that bolts to the back of the shelter under the door. Pretty happy with the way the color turned out. It is just lacquer, so I need to let it cure for a bit and then buff the clear coat. A little orange peel in a few places on the shelter sides, otherwise it looks great. Today I scrapped (sanding primer was so soft a lot of it scraped off with a putty knife) the paint off of the side covers and discovered after trial and error that there is a clear coat on the side covers that the primer (which is lacquer-based) doesn't agree with. I have almost all of that off now, too. Tried some etching primer over them lightly and there are just a few spots left to address. I'll get some more etching primer, seal everything off with that, and then lightly apply the sanding primer. Meanwhile, I pulled the rear brake system apart and got one of the pistons out. The side with the connections wasn't so easy (used air to get the first one out). I have blanked the cross port and applied air, but so far no piston movement. I'll get at it again tomorrow. Oh, and recharged the S10 AC system as it will be my work commute transportation on bad-weather days this summer.
 
Hmm. Well, I got the other rear brake piston out. Read somewhere the suggestion to hook up the front master cylinder to it and yep, pumped it right out. I've put them both on my lathe and polished - still a few very small pits but these for a '78 rear are made from unobtainium, I think. I have a rebuild kit on hand for both front and rear master cylinders now, plus a rear caliper kit. The front calipers seemed real good when I brought the bike home five years ago. The fluid in them looked pretty good. I'll flush them thoroughly and rebuild the front master.

Rolled her outside today and tried starting. Got a little rumble, but before I could go much further the starter quit again. Guess a charged battery won't do it this time - so I've mounted the wheels and will have the wife help steady the bike while I lift under the center cross member with a floor jack and pull the furniture dolly out from under it. I've already re-mounted the kick stand. Since I haven't mounted mufflers yet it will be easy to drop that header and pull the starter. Yep, um hm. Easy. Well, at least I have all of the wiring finished now - even the horns!
 
Well, The starter is out, cleaned up, and back in. Took about an hour once the wife helped me take the bike off the furniture dolly. Left header, shifter, cable, 2 bolts and out. Three screws and apart. One more screw and the brush assembly is free. Commutator looked awful - not identifiable as copper and very pitted. Chucked it in the lathe and spun it with 500 followed by 1200 then 7000 grit using isopropyl as a flushing fluid. Looks nice now. cleaned it up, greased the gearbox (barely had a touch of lithium grease in it) and assembled. Spins nice. Bolted back in and click click from solenoid. Straight shot with a jumper cable and the engine spins right over, so solenoid is on order. Not really surprised. Electrics don't like being under water.
 
Not much to report right now. Saddle is back and mounted along with the shelter lid. Still haven't ridden her as it has been WET lately, and I've had other things going on. Hope to ride her and sort out the baffles (one side is about twice as loud as the other) but it is forecast to rain all week.
 
Got her out and did a quick ride up and down the road. Still way out of tune, doesn't like to be bogged (my other 'wings loved it) and the right front brake is dragging bad. Never got it past 2nd, but shifting was smooth that far. Brakes were very weak, but starting to bed in already. Worst was the front drag which even makes it hard to move around in the garage, so I'll pull that caliper tomorrow and see if I can free it up. I made sure the return hole was open when I rebuilt the master, and it is just that right caliper. I'm sure there is more carb balancing to do, but I was pretty pleased. It idles well, which is a nice thing.
 

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