| Date |
Costs |
Activity |
| 2/5/2005 |
|
I have 1" rough sawn Sassafras lumber that need to be planed so that I can glue it up for the 1-1/2" thickness for the windshield frame, roof supports and door supports. Planed up all wood, cut into length + 6" for all pieces and glued up. |
| 2/6/2005 |
|
Cut, routed, shaped and sanded all windshield frame, roof supports and door supports. I did not put in the recess for the windshield glass as of yet as I want to talk with my glassier to see about depth required to use safety glass as well as moulding around windshield. |
| 2/7/2005 |
|
Lots of trouble locating steel within a couple hundred miles of me using the sizes specified in plans (1-1/2 x 2-1/2 and others). One person in the Vortex discussion group pointed me to a supplier in TX, but I am in WV and worried about shipping costs. Either I have to order long distance and pay shipping or will need to modify drawings to work with 2 x 3, and do not relish doing this... |
| 2/7/2005 |
$42 |
Ordered up some 15T sprockets to fit #630 chain, only available are for Kawasaki KZ1000 and might have to modify one to fit on the engine side, other one will go on the intermediate shaft so modification is already expected. |
| 2/8/2005 |
|
Received new shocks purchased from eBay. Could not find the type shown in the plans these have a verticle stud at the top, seems that all the ones that I saw were of this style and mentioned compatibility with Triumph Spitfire/GT6. Minor problem as I have not started fabricating the subframes for the front suspension yet and will make the proper top shock mount. (The local auto store wanted $75 each...)  |
| 2/12/2005 |
|
Finished all the roof supports and windshield frame pieces today. Glued up the windshield frame using #0 biscuits and polyurethane glue. For those of you that have not used this glue it is super strong and it expands as it sets (parts need clamping). Because it expands it also fills small voids, it is sandable, stainable and paintable.
The pic above shows a fixture that I made for glueing up the frame, with the parts glued up.
Here is a picture of a glue joint to see about the glue. Don't wipe it! When dry just use a wood chisel and remove any excess.
 
Here is a picture of the roof supports temporarily mocked up. |
| 2/13/2005 |
|
Well the glue job was a catastrophe! Over the years I have used Gorilla polyurethane glue exclusively, well recently when I ran out and went to the store they did not have any so I got the TightBond brand. It is totally crap! I glued up the windshield frame 2 times, the second time I thought that I might have done something wrong - well it turned out to be the glue. After expansion is complete and it dries the glue just fell apart in my hands. I learned my lesson, if I use polyurethane glue it will be GORILLA GLUE!
So I reglued up the windshield frame using TightBond III yellow wood glue (the only other glue I have and use.)
Once you get to this step make yourself a quick fixture to hold the free ends of the roof supports, it will ensure that you have a level roof.
Here is a shot of the windshield frame dummied up into position.
I also mounted the pop-up headlights (1990 Plymouth Laser).
Here is another shot of the front compartment, remember I extended the very front of the vehicle due to adding height in the passenger compartment. It makes lots of room for a nice sized fuel cell as well as anything else that you might want to put into the front of the vehicle like battery for better weight distribution. |
| |
|
Had to take some time off from the project, had to redirect my efforts as sold some mountain ridge top property that I owned and had to clean out the house to prepare for closing.
Also been browsing eBay for some more parts that I have been needing and put out a bunch of bids. |
| 2/21/2004 |
$20 |
Found a suitable 15 x 7 aluminum rear wheel on eBay that suits my styling and won the auction on eBay.
 |
| 2/22/2005 |
$25 |
Working the gearing numbers and determined that I needed to use a 13 tooth front sprocket and 16/17 tooth sprocket on the intermediate shaft, both of them sized for a #630 chain. There is not a lot of choices here as a majority of motorcycles use up to a #530 chain. Found the front sprocket on eBay it was for a 77-78 Honda CB-750. As luck would have it this sprocket fits perfectly on my 83 Yahama FJ600 engine. I did not know that when I found it and assumed that I would have to be modifying it - what luck! Now the 15T Kawasaki sprockets that I previously purchased are extra. |
| 2/24/2005 |
$131.50 |
After determining my gear ratios I needed either a 70 or 72 tooth rear pulley and found one that has similar styling as the rear wheel on eBay. It is made from billet aluminum.
 |
| 2/25/2005 |
|
Been searching on eBay for quite a while for a TIG welder, and finally found the one that I was looking for. I used to own one of these Airco Heliwelders about 24 years ago and like a stupid fool I sold it when I moved to NJ from NY and have been cursing myself ever since... This is a phenominal commercial grade machine capable of 5-300amps AC and DC along with foot remote and water cooled torch.
Drove to Maryland and picked up the machine today, boy just having this brings me back 24 years ago! Due to the winters out here you really don't want to use water cooled torch as the water can freeze up in the cooler - so I will probably use an air cooled torch most of the time.
I am going to use it to weld up the front/rear subframe as well as swing arm, this welder opens up the possibility of using aluminum instead of steel.
 |
| 2/26/2005 |
|
In the plans it does not say how to locate the windshield frame, after futzing around I realized that the incline formed by C11 should be inline with the kick-out of the frame as this intersection forms the front edge of the door. The red line in the picture below shows what I am talking about.
 |
| 2/27/2005 |
|
Something did not look right! Viewing the vehicle from the front showed that the roof line appeared crooked by 1/4". After investigation I realized that the passenger side of the roof frame somehow got skewed and lifted off the jig. In hind-sight I realized that I should have clamped it to the jig instead of just letting it rest on it, so I removed the offending roof support, jacked up the drivers side corner of the window and reglued it so that it was correct. Had I not fixed it it would have thrown off everything, so it's best to be sure that you have it right otherwise you will kick yourself every time that you look at it!
 While I was at it I removed the plywood G8 that goes over the top of the rear windshield and instead of plywood I decided to use a solid piece of 1" sassafras. I cut the 3/4" lip into it to shape the gutter for the rubber molding, and glued into the vehicle when I corrected the roof support. When I made the piece I forgot about how it overlapped the roof supports so had to cobble in some small filler strips.
Also below shows the one of the small side supports for the windshield frame installed. I used some 3/4" oak veneer plywood that I had so that it is nice wood seen from the interior when completed. The top of these pieces should be cut on an angle so that it mates up with the frame and does not leave a gap..
Here is some pics of the windshield/roof support intersection also pointing out the area that needs to be chisled out for the gutter.
 
Here is a view of the very front of the windshield. There is another area that needs to be chisled out so that the angle matches the leading edge as well, see the picture below.
In my application since I raised the height of the roof ended up changing the angle of the windshield, the plans call for it to be 20 degrees and I ended up with about 27 degrees. The front of the vehicle is not the exact same angle as the windshield but it is more like 23 degrees so the front of the vehicle is slightly different but I don't think that it will look bad, most vehicles on the road have the windshield at a different angle as the front of the vehicle.
NOTE: I have to say that I am extremely glad that I did raise the roof line, with my neck condition my head now just barely clears the roof framework while getting into and out of the vehicle. Had I made it like the plans called for I fear that I would not be able to get in/out without a major hassle!!! |
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