E-II rebuild progress report PICS.

I've managed to get a few pics of the stripdown so far & a couple that show how far out of whack the frame was, so here's some of the pain so far. Speaking of pain, the forks (previously looked fine) are knackered after all.

When I pulled the top yoke off, the legs went *ping* & sprung together by about an inch! On inspection both are bent quite badly, as is the front spindle. And my computer's playing silly too so eBay's not as useful as it could be... :? Happy days.

On the plus side, my new frame is nice & rust free, guess it must be from a dry-state bike. The new front wheel also arrived this morning with nice new bearings fitted, and the tyre came off the old one without too much of a struggle so it's not all bad news.

Anyway, pictures!

Bent forks & frame,




Some of the stripdown...




Too dark to finish the job!



My front room is full of bits of XJ! 8) :lol:

 

If those forks are not creased at the bend, there's a company on Milbuck Way Ind Est called Dynasurf that can straighten them. I've used them a couple of times and can recommend them.

http://www.dynasurf.co.uk/

 

Oh yeah, they're creased alright! nice big lip on both under the bottom yoke clamp... Ah well, such is life huh. Thanks for the thought

 

Oh, I'm a happier bunny now though. Just won this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Yamaha-XJ600- ... true&rt=nc

Mis-listed as being for XJ600/750, it looks to be a 31A XJ900 nosecone but is in fact a genuine 29R E-II nosecone complete with the headlight, fairing frame & instrument panel (in k/mh plus speed warning light).

Can't believe I just got that for £15 well happy now.

 

Glad to see the progress for your bike's resurrection.
Will this build include a "plumb" pad for safety precaution?

 

Your not married are you?
Watching with interest.

 

Haha O&B that sounds like a good idea, maybe I'll just take to riding in a cricketer's "Box" :lol: I'll have to be extra careful on the CB500 as I've noticed the rear of the tank on that is close to vertical, if I got knocked off that I think they'd get left behind! 8O

And no, not married & never will be tied down with any responsibility other than to my dog & to my bikes 8) it's the only way to live!

Computer's playing nicely now & I've got a pair of 58L forks on their way as a stand in front end for the moment, with luck there's a set of brand new Tarozzi 31A stanchions that will still be available by next week when I may be able to afford such extravagance as brand new parts...

Apart from that not much extra to report on the stripdown for the moment, currently hampered by a missing 27mm spanner & godawful weather so I'm just tatting around refinishing the fork brace & other ally bits with scotchbrite.

 

Not a huge amount of progress so far today, but there's time yet! Welded up the new frame's cracked sidestand mount & built up a set of clocks using the best bits of the 2 sets I have. My set were largely OK but the trip/reset buttons were a bit flaky & the other one works better.

Interestingly I noticed both bikes were within 3711Km (2305 miles) of each other after 30 years! (although the bike my spares came off had seen a lot more of the weather judging by the faded dial faces & rusty fairing frame.)

 

Fitted new head bearings & did a dry run of the 58L fork legs & new fairing. Couldn't resist throwing the tank & front guard on too, looks a bit like a bike again at the moment




Weird electrical problem, when I turn the key nothing happens! :? :lol:

 

Picked up a 27mm ring spanner today so the stripdown's done finally! The bolt/lockwasher side put up a bit of a struggle & would have been easier with the front end in (hindsight's 20/20 they say) but the locknut side practically jumped off when I showed it the spanner... Pulled the swingarm out.




Then put a piece of board under her belly, lifted her down off the centrestand/wooden stake & rolled onto her right side. Pulled the last 2 bolts out & with a little persuasion the frame lifted off nicely, just gotta remember to put the airbox back in first! :lol: Note, I did remove the oil filter housing to remove the engine, it's just bolted back on for protection now.




I'll give the engine a good clean up before it goes back in & get it painted & highlighted properly while I can access all the fins. I'm thinking when I fit the engine to the "new" frame, I'll fit the fork legs & axle to the yokes so I can put the jack under to support the front while I get it onto the centrestand again & I'll wrap the frame in cardboard to prevent scratching the nice new paintwork. 8)

 

Good steady progress there Bloke!

Keep it up and she'll be back better and more beautiful than ever!! 8)

 

Cheers Mick, slow & steady wins the race so I'm told... Maybe not, but it does make for a prettier end result & it'd be a shame to put tatty parts onto a tidy frame

Think I'll see about getting this welded since it's one of the unique parts on this bike. If they were the same as the 900RK with a bolt-on peg it'd be in the bin already but for some reason they decided to make a different casting for the 29R :?

 

nice work, keep it up!

what paint do you plan on using for the engine? I've been trying to figure out what would work/be good for my 550 engine.

 

when you do that, be sure to document the cleaning/prep/progress fully!

 

I don't know about that, once I get going I tend to forget to pick the phone up even if it's in my pocket! (that's my camera too lol) I'll try to though...

Not a lot to the cleaning really, I'll be degreasing & washing the engine down, wire brush any loose flakes/corrosion off & then give it a once over with brake cleaner I suppose to make sure nothing oil based remains. Then etch primer on the bare metal & for the colour... I'm not sure yet, going to try to find something that replicates the semi-gloss finish of the cases that's heat/chip resistant too but I'll let you know if/when I find something satisfactory. I used Halford's own brand gloss black rattle can for the frame and probably will use that as the colour coat but as for appropriate lacquer I dunno :?

Still deciding whether to polish the highlights or scotchbrite them too, polished looks nice but I think I prefer the more original look of scotchbrite. And the painting isn't going to be easy outside in winter either :? I've managed panels before using a hairdryer to warm them a little but we'll see. Not going to lug the damn thing upstairs to the bathroom/spray booth lol

Perhaps I'm overthinking it a bit considering its only really the front of the barrels/head & cases that need paint but I want it to stay painted haha

 

Refitted airbox, battery box, coils & wiring harness. Did a little painting, just the centrestand & standing handles & that's about it for today... Done about all I can do for the inside assembly now as I don't want to make the frame too heavy to carry back down the stairs & outside! Just realised I've forgotten where the oil & neutral light wires are routed but I'll sort that when the engine's in again, also think I'll replace the "upgraded" fusebox (it's currently got the only slightly-less-crappy ceramic type fuses & while they've given no trouble yet it'd be nicer to know I had blades fitted.

 

Wouldn't you know it, as the weather was nice yesterday I rushed out to get the front of the engine cleaned up & painted and didn't even think to touch the camera :roll:

Well the engine's back in now & looking not-too-bad. Got to take those covers off though & give them a stripping, rub down with scotchbrite and re-lacquering as they let the plot down at the moment... And when it's all done & together I may even borrow a camera that takes sharp photos so you can see the thing properly! :lol:

 

Alrighty then, today's progress... Degreased, cleaned & sprayed the swingarm & pumpkin.




Taking care of those stickers lol :lol:



Then I decided to have a little go at plastic welding the original fairing, seeing as I've got a decent spare if it didn't go well. This is the results so far...

This...

Became this...


And this...

Is now like this...


Not bad at all, at least I don't think so for my first time plastic welding

 

So you did end up painting the engine? With what paint?

 

Yeah sorry I forgot to take pics of the prep, trying to keep track of the prep on the fairing though. I just used Halfords satin black on the front of the engine, it's not an exact match for the sheen that's on the rest of the motor but not so far off you'd notice.

You can see better what sort of finish it is from the pics of the fairing down there \/\/ as I used the remains of the can as a guide coat for the filler. Don't know if you have Halfords stores over there, they're expensive but the quality of their rattlecan paint's always impressed me.

Anyway, quick skim of filler on the fairing welds...




And a quick scratch coat just to see where we're at with it. looking pretty good if you ask me, apart from the ugly git in the reflection haha

 

Todays instalment, lazy day today only really done a bit of rear master cylinder cleanup, painting brake torque arm, cleaning rear wheel & fitting the rear end back to the bike...

Master cylinder after someone spilt brake fluid years ago... The old frame was stripped/rusting in this area too, some people huh? :roll: :lol:



M/C at the point the battery ran out on my "dremel" tool... Looking better already & now the battery's charged, finishing this is tonight's distraction from the TV



Couple pics of the bike as it now stands, if the weather holds she may be running again tomorrow evening.

 

Today part 1.5... painted/polished rear M/C and shiny standing handles

 

Looking good; keep the pics comin! Those grab handles sooo look like they are hanging in your shower

 

That would be because they *are* hanging in my shower... From the shower curtain rail in fact, that's my spray booth! :lol: Nice and easy to scrub dry overspray off the tiles & tub, plus in summer you don't get dust & flies in your fresh paint (unless I've been "using" the bathroom soon before, might get a coupla bluebottles then!)

 

Brilliant! Ahh it's that whole being single thing.

 

That it is Wouldn't have it any other way, any woman comes into my home has to accept that bikes & dogs are a big part of my life...

Not much to report today except for the generosity of strangers... My weedy little compressor coupled with cold weather making the tyres less pliable meant I couldn't get the XJ's front tyre to seat on the new rim, nor could I get the CB's new rear wrap to pop on either.

I strung some shoulder straps on the wheels out of rope, hopped on the little CB400 (which started admirably despite the cold weather & having sat for a month) & popped down the the local Honda dealership to get them blown onto the rim by their huge vane compressor, which the mechanic did. He also took the XJ tyre back off, lubed it & put back on when it refused to seat first time. Best bit is he refused to take even a couple of quid for the Xmas drink fund (said he didn't drink, but even so it's jolly decent of him!)

Come to think of it, it's the same guy who put some valves back in a C90 head for me before I had a valve spring compressor too... People like that restore my faith in humanity

So a big thanks goes out to the mechanic at Crewe Honda Centre

Oh, and had a nice surprise when I went to clean up the XJ's shocks too. I knew they were Koni but only when I popped the little caps off the top did I notice they're Dial-A-Rides! Bonus 8)

 

Well she's alive again although I've only run her for literally 5 seconds as the oil light refuses to go out. there's oil to just below the top of the window and I'm 95% that I've either trapped the wire or the sensor has stuck from laying on it's side, but 95% isn't enough to risk the motor so I've left it now till tomorrow when it's light.

Also forgot to take any pics due to running round looking for a missing spacer (which still hasn't materialised so may have to make one if anyone knows the dimensions ) but shes looking OK now anyway

 

Glad she's coming along.
We'll remind you of that post about how a woman is going to accept things when your future post rant comes along about having to remove bikes and bike parts from the house. :lol: Then we can all say: Whhapeesshhh, your whipped! 8)

 

Never going to happen mate, never going to happen... :lol: if I ever get asked to remove said bike parts I'll just refer her to this thread

Right it's getting light outside now (slowly), a gallon or so of strong coffee and I should be ready to go diagnose the oil light issue & try to pull a wheel spacer out of my... errrm... :?

 

Just a quick update and couple of pics from so far (stopping for lunch now! ) The oil light is behaving as it should now so I guess the sensor was just a bit stuck after being empty/sideways for a couple of days.

EDIT-: lunch break over, back to it...

Not long after starting, fitted replacement fairing for now while I finish repairing the original.





As I left it before lunch...

 

Ahhh nearly at the end of the long road back Thanks to Gunnabuild1 for the spacer dimensions which just so happened to be the same on the 750RL!

Just completed the first test ride to the petrol station & back and she's running well, tracking straight and feeling fantastic.

To do now is-:

Finish repairing the original fairing
Find a left sidepanel
Get the lug welded onto the pillion peg hanger
Find a right side handlebar as I've noticed it's slightly bent
Find replacement stanchions for the original forks

Last on the list is skimming over the dings in the tank and getting some paint mixed for a respray, and if possible find a pair of decent silencers (mufflers) to swap for the bent & scratched originals. But for now she's at least running & rideable again...

 

it's about time

 

Had a bit of a break from the XJ due to weather/health & playing with other "toys" but I've got a sidepanel on it's way, and a front brake lever since the original was bent/straightened & I don't trust it. It's always the same for me with projects like this, the bulk of the work gets done in days but then I'll ease up and take forever & a day getting the small finishing touches sorted!

 

Good looking project. Don't feel too bad about the extra time at the end. 80% of the project is 20% of the effort. Took me a day to tear my 900 mill in half and rip out the transmission. About 3 or four months later after tearing down a second engine procured from Rick-O-Matic and a sitting on a box of parts from Chacal, I've finally started putting the engines back together.
You just keep running into little things, like I need to redo the wires from the pickup coils/oil pressure switch/neutral switch before I do anything besides seat the bottom case to the top half of the engine. Order a new set of friction plates for the clutch, then there's final transfer gear lash and shims, and while the engine's out of the frame, might as well do valve clearances....
It's almost like home ownership, always something to do...

 

Oh no, I don't feel bad about that I was just explaining to Mr. Polock the reason behind the slowdown in progress I'm quite happy now she's running & riding (when I get the new, "trustworthy" lever), to do the rest of the work as & when I get round to it. There's tons of little detail bits I haven't even mentioned because they'll just get done when they bug me enough (like rubber boots on the gear lever joints, I've got perfect spares on a scrap Honda linkage but can I be a**ed to fit them yet? lol)

I think old bikes are never really "finished", especially if they're being used. The only one of mine that is "complete" is the CB500, and that's only because it's my winter hack & I've already done the fork seal, changed the oil & fitted a new tyre so it's done till next chain adjust :lol: