Shop work

From time to time, it is necessary to take a break from the projects in your shop to deal with the shop itself. I have been deferring updates lately to the building due primarily to the overload of projects within.






I have refocused to attempt to tighten things up a bit ahead of winter, 2010-2011. As it turns out, it's 6*F tonight and the work isn't done, so I appear to have missed my deadline.




Two rooms on the west side of the barn, one which will be my "tool room" containing the South Bend Lathe and Bridgeport Mill and the other which will alternate between storage and an additional shop area are the subject of the conquest.




Doors have been installed on the entrances created with the handiwork of my shop buddy and neighbor Gumby. Insulation and OSB walls are following. There's a ton to do, but progress is being made!

Rest in Peace, Doug...

I have known a few as charitable and helpful, but none more than Doug "Dragon" Drake, upstate FLA. A walking encyclopedia of motorcycle knowledge, staunch advocate of constitutional government and a dyed in the wool "the south will rise again" proud southerner.

I am better for having known you and you will be missed. Godspeed, brother....

Some progress on the mighty 394 Olds

Not long after Phil bought the 1964 Olds 98 (with a bad motor) we found a suitable replacement on the Detoit craigslist. It was an S code 394 with slim jim (roto-hydramatic), the same motor/tranny combo as original, but the high compression version that was an option in his car but more commonly found in the hi-po "Starfire" application. Fetching it is probably a story in and of itself, but suffice it to say it was an adventure and we got it home for a song.


Over Thanksgiving weekend we pulled it out of the corner and proceeded to remove the slim jim.


After a successful separation it's on the dolly ready to go to the quarter car wash for a bath.


Three bucks in change and a can of Wal Mart degreaser later it is starting to look a little more like something worth going through.


I have no more knowledge of these things than the man in the moon (same seems to be true at a lot of tranny shops), but I'm confident we'll find someone to freshen it up a bit. Supposedly it was a functioning tranny when pulled so hopefully with a cleaning, band adjustment and some seals it will be ready to go back in.

When you are trying to motivate 19.5 feet of real Detroit Iron down the road the equipment needs to be up to the task...

A stale project sees the light of day for a minute...

Had to rearrange for some work in the barn so we pulled the 27 T out yesterday. I will start this project someday....

So yeah, I'm a Luddite... what's it to ya?

I know a number of people will pay the long dollar to put one of these in. I just couldn't feel it.


Now let's get that goofy thing outta there...


I think the good lord intended for centrifugal advance in shovels...


I like the looks of these a lot better...


It seemed somehow disingenuous to hide electronic crap behind this point cover. I feel better now...

Shovel on the lift....

The "monster shovel" is on the lift for a little work to get it on the road. The 5 gallon tanks custom painted by Isaac are off to be returned and the new speedo is on.


Here's the "new 3.5 gal tanks that I picked up from cuppy at Wauseon.


Isaac's neat tanks ready to return...


And some sweet old FL fenders from Doug. Rear may go on soon, but I will probablt wait for winter to go FL with the front end.


Shop is still a mess, but it's my kinda mess...

A fresh project....

I had some frustration getting a title and some other issues with my purple FLH. I sold off the sidehack and then once I finally got the title I dumped the bike. Cool old bike, but we weren't meant to be.

Picked up the bike I should have bought in the first place. BarryW's 70 FL with a new 98" S&S shovel motor . Virtually a new 40 year old motorcycle.





I'm pretty excited...

Baby Steps

Getting closer to doing something on the sidehack for the Moto Guzzi. The FLH is off the lift and the hack tub is on. I need to turn two little holes into one bigger one.




There was a couple looking at this tub when I was still in Davenport. She wanted to have her guy buy it and make a sidecar she could take her two dogs out in. That would have been such a cool idea I would have sold it to her. Apparently it looked like too much work to him.




Needless to say, on the surface that guy appears to be much brighter than me.....

Beginnings of a new chore

Who doesn't love Craigslist? Scored some wire wheel axles for the MGB locally. The guy was even cool enough to drop them in my yard for the price. I slipped him a twenty for the trouble. Too cool....

Just taking a minute to regret...

As I struggle with the mechanical problems and legal misrepresentations from the previous owner of my current project, I will just take a minute to deeply regret selling the FLH I had that I never should have sold. At least it went to a very cool guy...

SU Carbs...

The old 1976 MGB used to get a lot of love around here.



Lately, it has been relegated to the back stall and hasn't really been run for several years.




The carbs had gummed up pretty good so I figured it was time to clean them up a bit...



I spread them out on the bench and found them to be in great condition other than being pretty dirty.



They're all cleaned up and reassembled with new main jets ready to go back in...



I just love old HS series SUs. They are elegant, simple little things...

Pretty Lazy About Posting Lately

Been awful busy getting the yard in shape. (Note to self... get less than three acres to mow when you buy your next house).

The Day the Bridgeport Came to Live With Me

The lengths we go to to feed a cobbling obsession. Dale and Bob brought the Bridgeport down from the northside of Detroit and David and Dan rigged and offloaded it.

The elegant little Logan looked good next to it but it was replaced shortly afterwards with the 14.5" swing South Bend...

Snow- NW Ohio Style

Nothing messes up an old barn with a northern exposure more than a Northeast howling wind and four or five inches of snow in NW Ohio. Five foot drifts and no snow at all around 'em... Gimme the UP any day...

And the Hacks Keep Coming...

So after all the rest, I stumbled onto this one. I was looking for a decent cone shovel for a regular rider this summer and quite by accident stumbled onto a 1980 FLH with a factory hack. The color and the hack mural fuzz the line of dopey, but overall things are promising. I was just loosening up a little room in the barn too. Oh well....