I got a Half Fairing Cag over the weekend and I'm gonna be using this thread to post all the progress and modifications that are going to be done to it. I don't have a set deadline of when I want to finish this project, neither I know what the end result is going to be like, but I do know that I'm going to have a lot of fun.
Day I got it (October 18, 2008)
Bought it off Craigslist. Previous owner didn't really take good care of it, I estimated the damage to be a few missing bolts, some broken parts but with a new ignition coil I should be able to run it.
Upon further inspection, the body panels and windshield were cracked, footpegs were broken, no ignition coil, but the rest seemed OK.
Let the tear down begin (October 20, 2008)
Took the engine out and all the parts except wheels and brakes. Engine looks to be in good shape, so I will keep that for spare parts or in case the other engine acts up on me. Carburetor looks good and so do the rest of the mechanical parts. The body though is more damaged than I thought it was. Apparently the body was held together with Loctite and some black tape. When I took it out, I almost snapped it, so I will be purchasing a new body after I assemble the engine and I get all the necessary parts. Other than that, brakes seem to be working fine, some adjusting might need to be done, but it should be OK.
Looking good so far, Blue. Now that you have it stripped down, I can see that's the exact same frame that I'm running on my ratbike. That air cleaner was a pain to get off while the engine was still in the bike, huh? .... Any help you need, let us know.
A suggestion? If you or one of your buddies can weld, put a U-bar on the back, under where the seat rests. It'll help you keep the seat section fron cracking right there at the end of the frame. (That's where mine cracked, too.)
(***Side Note: Blue's Meanie.... Jaysus, is someone a Beatles fan .....?)
Spy, when I removed the air cleaner, the engine was outside the bike already. I took all the bolts holding the engine off, and then I worked on taking the engine apart once it was outside the frame, so getting the air filter out was a breeze.
As far as the U-Bar you're talking about, I'm not too positive on which way it should be mounted. I think I have an idea, but if you can post a picture or a diagram that would be awesome, but the seat cracked in between the 2 holes, like right under the foam pad.
As far as your side note, I'm not a Beatles fan, I mean i've listened to a few of their songs but I don't have any of their songs. I just took the name that I gave my car and gave it to the bike haha.
When the body plastics are back on the bike, there's the tail section that hangs out past the end of the frame. What you might want to do is weld a bar on the end of the frame right there that extends the rest of the way out under the tail section to give it more support. Otherwise, you'll sit back too far one day, and crack! Right down onto the hot exhaust pipe ......... been there, done that.
*laffs at the sidenote* Sadly, my g/f IS a Beatles fan, and has most of their stuff on CD. (For those of you who don't know about the reference, the "Blue Meanies" were the bad guys in the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" movie.)
I don't know a welder, or I'd have fixed the rear end on my bike with a U-bar already. Doesn't matter ....... it's not like I'm planning on putting a body section back on it, anyway ....
Make sure you keep us all updated on your build, pictures and all. I enjoy seeing a bike rebuilt from the ground up, all the time and care it takes to make it into a real ride.
DellOrto carbs are pretty popular, but they tend to be finicky. I've also heard they tend to crack right at the intake manifold, too, but don't quote me on that. Personally, I like the race ported stock carb with a jet pack for fine tuning - fewer parts, less to go wrong with it.
Exhaust - Several options here: JetPros are popular, but apparently the IP2 race pipe is really good, too. Again, if you have access to a welder, modifying the stock pipe with more belly is a very good option.
(For those of you who don't know about the reference, the "Blue Meanies" were the bad guys in the Beatles' "Yellow Submarine" movie.)
You're dating yourself Spyguy. I was going to pretend I didn't know what you were talking about, but, couldn't get the song out of my head after you posted it!
I actually had the LP (one of the antique large black disks that don't fit into a CD player!).
One of the big black scratchy vinyl CD's with the little hole in the middle, Raven? I'm not sure most of the kids on here even know what an LP is. (LP=Long Play, from the record industry.)
Tell me about it ...... G/f not only has most of the Beatles stuff on vinyl, but is a hardcore Rolling Stones fanatic, too - has literally everything on vinyl AND CD. (How hardcore? How about checking herself out of the hospital so she wouldn't miss a concert in SF....? Yeah, she really did.) Me, I'm just an ol' skool rocker from California, with classic rock, surf, and some C&W being the mainstays of my music.
Blue, you said you got the name of the bike from your car? What do you drive? C'mon, show us a pic ...
At first I was going to be doing a replica of the car on the bike, but I've seen too many pictures with blue pocket bikes, so I have something else in mind.
good job so far! keep up the build, ive seen lots of half finished builds around here lately
Thanks!
But it will be finished. I finished sanding the frame last night, now when it gets a bit nicer outside, I will be painting it.
Then once that is all done and set, I'll order the parts for the bike. I'm still doing my research on the Full Circle Crank and how that's going to work with the ADA Big Bore Kit. I'm also planning on building the exhaust myself, something that is not seen, or at least I haven't seen it yet. Other than that, once the frame and wheels are done, it's just a matter of ordering the parts and put it together and I'm set!
Frame has been sanded completely. Started with 60 grit sandpaper, then finished it off with 150 grit sandpaper. It's all smooth now, ready for paint. Unfortunately the weather in New York right now doesn't help much. It's cold, windy and raining, so painting might be delayed for a while.
