Ola Amigos

2016 is nearing the end and contrary to last post, I have actually been good last month.   I attended the lone star rally in Galveston, the annual vintage motocross show at Rio Bravo,  and I have worked on my Triumph MX crossover. 


Let's start with the Lone Star which has got to be the 3rd-4th largest rally in the US.  

This is THE rally to show goofy stuff, and baggers paradise....

Like this bike with Satellite receiver and TV.   Now, please explain to me why anyone would want this.  Bike are meant to be ridden.   Wanna watch TV ??? STAY HOME.

Anyway, still nice to hang out and look at nice little things, like this Indian

or that one.

Well.... or that one...

As I said, always something to look out, but not exactly what you might be looking for...


The following week was time for some vintage motocross at Rio Bravo for their yearly Vintage show and race.   With some nice beauties..

that's some serious stuff. 

But it was also time this month to do some work. 

I finally plug in by cabinet sand machine, and it works like a breeze. 

 So I got carry away cleaning engine parts.  See below before and after.  Back to life baby !!!!

I also painted the frame,

And started working on the engine, first the gear box

   Then ignition and oil pump

Then it was time to sand the upper case and put the valves in

and I started mounting everything back.

As I waited for my new Amal carb, I worked on the front fender which I chopped a bit.

It will give a better look, well, I think!!! too late now since I have not tried it.  Will see how things work out. 

And as I waited for my carb, I decided to work a bit on a tank I inherited with I bought the XS650 two years ago.   First I had to weld the loose gooseneck and then sand and prime it.

I will paint it some other days, just for fun..


Back to the Triumph the Amal carb had finally arrived, with electronic ignition.   I had also ordered a bigger concentric and new main jet to cope with the upgrade of power.   So I replace it and put in on the frame, with my Mum Christmas present a Siamese exhaust pipe.   I will have to chrome it out, trim it and weld it at a later stage but it does look good on the engine. 

I spent few more hours cleaning some parts and getting prep for the final mock up, but I think I will call it a day for 2016.  

Ola chicos

Once again, have been procrastinating with my blog, and everything else as matter of fact.   So last time, I left you, I had just park the chassis more or less completed of the Triumph.  As a matter of fact, all was completed except on little, tiny thing.  That is the back brake.   The triumph engine has the brake on the left foot peg and at brake drum on the right side.  With the rear end coming from the Yamaha, I still have to find a way to handle it.  Would be easy if it was regular brake but drum brake will be a challenge.   We'll see how it works out. 


But this month, I started with my personal pic for support of Breast Cancer.

not bad eh?? 


Awright, now back to business.  I have to be honest, have done more or less f.. all for last few months.  Just been enjoying the ride.  I kicked started the XT500 and took it for a spin but the bloody carb is way out of sync, so will need to show more than just TLC. 

She is parked now in my little shed in the back yard, awaiting my stamina to come back.  
Meanwhile, had to do something, so I picked up one of the CT70.    I figured, it was small enough to get myself going. 


Within minutes the thing was parted into pieces. 

ss

ss

ss

ss

Then I got stuck trying to split the case apart.  Those bloody engineer simply used screw to connect the case, why could not they use normal Allen bolt.   I need to heat them up to split them apart but got no tools for that.  Gotta get my a.. to lowes or homedepot to buy those portable flame heater.  Not even sure how they are called.  

Then I got a call from my friends at Ace Motorworks.  They had finally received the Triumph engine back from Dallas for flywheel, gear, and big bore cylinder and piston had been mounted.  Left to be done, mount the gearbox, ignition, starter, etc.....

ss

ss

ss

Ok so I have got lots of work left. 

And finally, to summarize my last 2 months of procrastinating, I finally got my hands on a Suzuki RV 125.  Some call it Vanvan.  Funny enough when I went to pick it up for a ridiculously low fee, the guy gave me a Z50 as a present.  My daughter will be happy, I will give it to her over Christmas. 

That's all folks

Ola Muchachos

jeee, been a million years since I post something.  Let's try to catch up.  I left you early June building my little garden shed to free up some space in my garage. 

I gotta say, quite proud of myself.  The shed can house approx. 5 bikes.  So, with free space in my workshop, a new sandblaster, a new air compressor horse

and most importantly, space to move around I could start working on the chassis of the Triumph considering I had completed to full dismantling of the engine and sent it to Dallas to have the flywheel balance.

So the idea of the concept was to built a cross over between a MX 360 from 1973 and a Triumph TR6 from 1964.  I started by taking the MX apart,

and strip the front fork and the swingarm. 

It will come as no surprise, the swingarm was 1/4inch too wide for the Triumph frame. 

Grinding here I come... Then I chopped off the back fender of the MX and the Triumph and welded the part back on the frame in order to keep the rear fender look of the MX

Voila.....


Then I did a quick mock-up.  So, I used the Triumph handle bar, and the Triumph Tank which I had clean and prime first.  I used the seat of the MX to complete it.

Not bad isn't it?  I am still struggling, as usual on which paint color to apply but at present am contemplating painting the frame Chocolate brown, and tank and fender, turquoise and yellow, Just like Bill Dodge. 

In the meantime, I had found a cheap frame for my second CT 70, so I quickly mounted on the spare parts the guys had left me when I purchase it from him. 

Back to the Triumph, where I dismantled everything and started preparing the damaged parts,  

then sanding and cleaning

So much bloody rust under the paint.

 But I turns out fine after the primer.  You can also notice on top of the frame that I had to weld a little hook to hold the seat.

 The I decided to try out some light turquoise paint.

 But wasn't satisfied.  Will have to get something bit darker

 So until I get the engine back from Dallas, this one is gonna stay in the shed. 

 Got a headlight from ebay. 

Voila for now.