Think I will do that. I can upload from hard drive as the upload feature here hasn't worked for me in like 5 years. This is the third computer ive had in that time that doesn't work with it.

I am uploading some of my pictures of my build to Flickr as I had a account there since 07. I can use it to replace the broken links on my post here.

Just sucks that they want to blackmail me with a $399 charge per year just to free up photos Ive already shared 3rd party.

 

Well off work early today so I ran to advance and picked up two bottles of Meguairs ultimate I got one compound and one polish along with a three pack of microfiber cloths. I lucked out as it was buy one get one 50% off so I saved a good $6 on the polish.

I used the compound on the dull area of the gas tank for about an hour and it made a considerable difference. So I will go over the whole frame with the compound first smooth it all out then hit it up with polish then hopefully by then the local auto parts store will have the Meguiars show car glaze yellow carnuba wax I can use to top the polish for protection.

Havent got the wheel, when I called today said it would be ready today as the work order was for today. No call so probably get a call tomorrow when I am out of town which means they will be closed by time I get home.

 

smugmug is the way to go, even if you pay its worth it.

 

Well lets try this. I spent about an hour last night and an hour today after I got home using my compound to smooth out the finish on the bike. I have to say I am really liking how its coming out. I don't expect a mirror reflection but in 2 hours I have a brand new car quality reflection. Could get it done faster using power tools but I decided to do this by hand with microfiber towels as I didn't want to risk burning the clear or actually removing too much clear. Anyways I am using flikr now for photos so lets try this upload here.

The following two are from today after 2 hours of compounding on just this side. Most of it was spent on the fuel tank, down tube and seat tube. I spent probably 5 minutes on the rear tubes which made a good difference but will do more tomorrow.







And here you can see the dull spot between the seat tube and the engine mount after I made three passes with the compound by hand.





As far as my wheel goes, no call today when I got home so going to wait till noon tomorrow if no call by then I will drive over there to find out what is going on. I understand they had my wheel scheduled for Friday to be built but I was told last Saturday Friday it would be ready by then was told Wed - Friday and I call Friday was told it would be ready now Saturday goes by and no call still.

I might just have to take my wheel from them and go else where. I hate to as this place has good reviews and they seem to know what they are doing.

Aside from that my spacers came in today, my drop down stand in black came in as well as my brake rotors. I already installed the rotor on my front wheel just waiting on my tires which will be delivered Monday.

 

Looking good..

 

Thanks.

Right now I'm online trying to find a fuel shut off valve. I don't know the thread, my taps are at work so I cant run a tap in to find the size and thread pitch. But I asked on the bike forum I'm on first guy said its a M10x1.0. Which I cant find nothing in that size all fuel shut off valves Ive found online in M10 is M10x1.25 to M10x1.50. Another guy commented after him saying the GT2A he had took a 1/8" MPT standard fitting.

I tried a flare nut I have for a 5/16" brake line and it would not attempt to start meaning the size is smaller than that. I grabbed my bolt box and 3/8x17 started but wouldn't thread as that's a coarse thread and the thread in the bike is fine thread. So now I am wondering do I find a fine thread 3/8" shut off valve or do I just try a M10x1.25 with the hopes it will work.

I hate to email the guy who designed these frames as the guy just seems to be tired of being bugged with questions on his products.

I'm really looking for a shut off valve like this as it would give a vintage look and make the bike look more 1917ish.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/3-8-Inch-NPT...kG1zaxk-jFUPPQ

I just hate to spend that kind of money and the threads aren't right.

 

Well I emailed the guy who builds these frames and he cant tell me what the thread is as he used two different threads on his build the pre 2015 models and the post 2015 models. He also said there are a bunch of different knock offs out there made by others so its hard to tell if I have one of his or not.

So I guess after I finish eating I will head to Lowes and pick up a 1/8 NPT and a 3/8 NPT and see what size fits.

If it is 3/8 NPT which I would think it is as a 3/8-16 bolt started but wouldn't thread in as it was too coarse. But if it is this size I found a bunch of tractor sediment bowls that have 3/8 NPT male thread that would thread into my tank but they have a 1/8" NPT female for the outlet. Not sure if 1/8" NPT would be too small for a fuel supply line but if it isn't the Ford sediment bowls I found look great as they are a filter/shut off valve all in one. Down side is I cant find no information online just how big the filter is as I don't want to wait on something and it ends up being way too big to fit.

 

Has to be 1/8 MIP as that's all I could find in brass that looked close. downside is it only started one thread and locked up but being that this is aluminum I was able to thread it in further but it started in off center a little.

So I am contemplating if I should check my tap set at work for a 1/8" NPT tap and run it in to retap it to this size and hope it works and doesn't screw up the frame. Or do I just say screw it and buy a male/male head head fitting now and just thread it in till flush and leave it be.

Problem is now I need to verify the sediment bowls I am looking at will work as the inlet for the fuel is off center if they are too big they will smack my frame before I can spin them tight. There is one that is centered but no one gives dimensions of these sediment bowls. At least the bright side is if I don't go sediment bowl I can always get a female 1/8 MIP style fuel shut off and it would be better than threading it into soft *** aluminum threads.

This is the one I am looking at now as its cheaper than the John Deere one for $44.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Universal-Fu.../191689310872?

 

Well I went ahead and purchased this sediment bowl. The 1/8" NPT fitting is offset on top so will have to wait and see if it will work. If it wont what I can do is order the Brags and Stratton version with the fuel inlet center of the filter and swap over the shut off valve as I like this valve better than the brags version that requires pliers to grab to turn.


I also bought a 90 degree 1/8" NPT barb fitting that has a 1/4" barb so it should work running a hose to the carb straight. Only thing is since I am looking at running the Mikuni VM18mm carb since it has more adjustments to fine tune it I don't know if it will fit with this filter. If not I can get an offset intake manifold that moves the carb further out to the side as well as back. Would also improve low end torque as well for this engine.

 

Got my fuel related parts in today. Just need to check at work tomorrow and see if I have a 1/8" NPT tap as the soft aluminum since the threads were messed up the brass fitting I threaded in went in not straight. It wont leak I bet but I know its not straight to the flange and its going to bug the **** out of me. Even though other people will most likely not even notice it.

Here is the supply side of the sediment bowl assembly, the 90* fitting is angled like that as that's about how it has to be to be level with the bike sitting on the ground. The sediment bowl will be at an angle but that will not hurt its function as a filter.



And here is the shut off valve side of the sediment bowl housing. Hopefully the shut off valve functions, lots of people talked about how the briggs and Stratton brand doesn't fully shut the fuel off. This being a different brand hopefully works.

 

Wow, is that ever crooked...lol

 

lol yep, sad thing is I don't know what size it really is. No paperwork came with the bike and the guy, Don Grubee who designed this frame and sells it he couldn't tell me what the thread specs are for it. It seemed 1/8" straight pipe is what its threaded as.

Ive seen some people retap it to a different thread pitch and they were told not to do that as it will remove some threads and weaken.

All I know is I am going to try and straighten it out with my 1/8" pipe tap tomorrow. Hopefully I don't screw anything up.

Ideally I wanted to thread it in till the brass hex was flush with the bung but I got it that far and just couldn't turn it anymore felt it might break so I said no more I will just have to tap it with my 1/8" pipe tap and it should thread in fine. I will be using that blue petroleum product safe Teflon to seal the aluminum threads anyways since I hate soft aluminum threads.

The brass threads going into the filter housing I wont tape up as they are NPT and those pipe threads should seal once they are tightened up.

But I am happy as at least this sediment bowl filter will work. I just don't know if its going to be in the way of my carb since I am going with the higher dollar kunumi 18mm carb since they have more adjustments.



Fenders I am looking at shorty chrome duck fin style fenders since they wont have bracing to mount and I don't have any place to mount the bracing. I'm also looking at finding a pair of chrome lights for the bike a vintage chrome battery powered headlight and tail light. I think I want to try my hand at bashing it and converting it to a LED light. Headlights I found are powered by 2 C cell batteries. I figured a good LED bulb should put out more light and consume less current than the incandescent bulbs.

 

Looks as though it might have been drilled out crooked . Did to screw in easy?

 

Nope it didn't screw in easy. When I first got the fitting I tried and the best I could get is one thread then it got tight. I think the first thread was already screwed up.

But none the less during lunch I brought my 1/8" NPT starter and bottoming tap and ran the starter tap in as straight as I could. I got it pretty damn straight now, straight enough that it doesn't bother me. How ever looking from under the bike it looks like the filter is cocked to the left side but the hex head fitting I threaded in almost flush with the bung and it has the same gap all around, I think the bung wasn't welded in perfectly true. None the less I got it straight.








I also got my tubes in today, they are Tac9 brand at least that's what the box says the tubes inside are Kenda which Ive heard horror stories of the valve stems leaking. I installed my Mr Tuffy tire liner and installed one tire on the front wheel assembly. I have it aired up to 50 PSI so its sitting over night going to check it tomorrow around this hour see how much air it lost.





Aside from that bike shop called today at lunch they wanted to ask about the wheel job I had with them. They switched systems and the guy wanted to find out whats going on with my wheel. Asked me if I have been contacted, just told him I called last Friday was told it was scheduled to be built that day and would be finished that day and they would call. No call Friday, Sat, or Sun and I called this Monday found out they were having trouble finding the right spoke length and that it should be ready Friday but they will call. No call from them other than this one today. He supposedly was to talk to the mechanic and find out whats going on and would call me back later tonight but he never did. No big deal to me though, if it isn't ready by Saturday I will go in and find out what the hold up exactly is and if they haven't got it I will just take it and figure it out myself and they will just have to pay their mechanic for screwing with my wheel for two weeks out of their own pocket.

Aside from all that I wish I could figure out how to fix my issue I have with my speedometer drive not working with my front wheel.

 

Right now while waiting on a call that my wheel is ready still I am trying to figure out how to make my speedometer drive work with my front wheel. The photo shows how the arm is actually hitting right between the spoke holes in the hub vs fitting over the top of the flange of the hub.