Well, I finally got the 800 off the lift, and it's done for now. Thought I'd post a few pics. It's been a long time getting done- I've been so busy some times I couldn't work on it for a couple months at at time. I built many of the parts myself, making it take even longer. So here is a list of some of the mods,
OVERALL
custom paint – burnt orange / cream 2-tone (I just love a 2-tone Drifter)
black powder coated wheels
custom brass axle covers
new Michelin Comander II's
Road-house exhaust – powder coated black
blacked-out front end parts, rear bumper, and speedo pod, (used from a 2000)
custom hand-made marker lights (old glass trailer lights)
ENGINE CRASH BAR:
black powder coated the crash bar,
vintage HD crash bar pegs
Vintage Klaxet ahooga horn
vintage CEV horn, custom mount behind forks
HANDLEBARS:
stock bars, powder coated black
Grips- vintage-style coke bottle grips
sand blasted/custom paint - mirror mounts, master cylinder and switch pods
Scootworks Phat risers – powder coated "metal"
custom vintage brass cover for the master cylinder
handlebar clock and thermometer
Helmet hanger post on brake lever
Kuryakyn/ Cruise-Mate throttle lock
FURNITURE:
custom-made leather fender skirts with brass dots and conchos
custom-made tank bib with brass dots and conchos
hand made leather bags (I also have saddle bags to match, may or may not add)
custom seat cover – vintage-style brown
custom brass seat rail (I'm kind of proud of that)
FRONT END:
vintage Do-Ray fender light (truck cab light)
Vintage brass front fender tip
custom 1-off light bar
new black spot lights – (tractor lights with amber lenses)
chrome visors for headlight and spot lights
REAR END:
rear bumper from 2000, modified for tail lights
Brake light – Model A, with shortened model A bracket – on a custom-made aluminum fender mount
vintage-style fender rack
TANK:
custom one-off tank emblems with brass inserts
Ted's design drifter-shifter, with custom brass handle
instrument panel – custom made brass
gas cap key – vintage shot-gun break-over lever
extra tank gas cap and oiler (non operable)
MISCELANEOUS DETAILS
Vintage-style repop HD spark plug box
Aluminum rectifier cover
custom finish air-cleaner cover- "brushed" finish (with a brass nut)
1930's style truck brake pedal
re-located rear brake master cylinder
more pics
and more...
last few....
Before pics:
That's truly a thing of beauty. You must've spent a small fortune. Now get out there and ride it! ;D
Thanks, Tfrank. The expenditure was not all that bad, really. I did not keep track of the total out-of-pocket, but I traded work for the paint job, and made 90% of the stuff myself. I used scrap stuff when I could find it, and bought a WHOLE BUNCH of stuff on Fee-Bay, etc., LOL. Lots of time, mostly.... Of course my wife would agree with you, LOL. ::)
Details details details lots of gorgeous details. Definitely one of a kind riding art piece you made. Great job
Now that's a real beauty and a one-of-a-kind Drifter!!!
You've made lots of mods that I've been thinkin' of, but still am awaitin' for...
GREAT WORK!
Now listen what TFrank said and go ride that beauty!
Went for a ride today, but actually I took the 1500... hadn't been on the 1500 since I took the 800 off the lift, and didn't want her to get jealous, LOL. :o Beautiful day here for a ride...
::) Not going to say much because I have been on this build since day one. I have to say that I think that the exhaust system looks rather awesome, that "should" have set you back a small mortgage payment. I really like the finished product, but I knew that you could make it work. I hope you trailer it up in July so we can all drool on it during Rendezvous. Great job my brother.
Quote from: CDNRatMan on June 24, 2017, 15:03:12 PM
::) Not going to say much because I have been on this build since day one. I have to say that I think that the exhaust system looks rather awesome, that "should" have set you back a small mortgage payment.
I won the Roadhouse exhaust on Fee-Bay, for a great price - $50, and shipping was another $30 USD. It was in really rough shape, I'll attach some pics of the "as found" state, LOL., (how does a pipe get that rusty?!?! ???
I had it powder coated, same time I did the crash bar - I think the combined bill for the pipe and crash bar was a couple hundred USD, can't remember for sure - I traded with the guy on some tires.
Planning to bring the old girl to Rendezvous -- I'm currently looking into getting them both to fit in a small enclosed trailer I have access to.... may need a shoe-horn,LOL
forgot the rusty pics...
Boy that exhaust was in pretty rough shape! Did you sandblast it or something so it won't keep on rusting through the paint?
Yes, I sandblasted it down to bare shiney clean metal.
Again, very nicely done. I wonder how it sounds, I've never heard the exhaust note of a roadhouse on a 800 V twin-- is she a little throaty?
Mr. Tfrank you will be needing to be careful if you have never heard a Roadhouse exhaust in real life you will get a little stiffy. Because it has such a seductive sound....you will be in love instantly.
Quote from: CDNRatMan on June 26, 2017, 19:38:49 PM
Mr. Tfrank you will be needing to be careful if you have never heard a Roadhouse exhaust in real life you will get a little stiffy. Because it has such a seductive sound....you will be in love instantly.
Ain't that the truth... LOL. It does indeed sound throaty. It came with a baffle which I cleaned up and painted and put back in. The baffle has no packing on it. It's louder than I thought it would be (to my extreme satisfaction), but it's still not as loud as the Hard Khrome duals were, to my memory... It seems to me a little throatier than the Roadhouse on the 1500 for whatever reason.
Make sure you come up to Andy's for Canadian Rendezvous, and you should be able to hear a few of them.
does she sound something like one of these? ;D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yggVeXqrpP8 (this one, it's the second exhaust he's running)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfAwc6d4j_s
The blue bike sounds more like my Roadhouse pipes other than the idle is set to low that is the sound.....
Yeah you were saying in order for the oil to pump properly it needs to idle at about 1000 so that guy's got turn it up a bit
Looks awesome! Couple of questions:
- How did you achieve the black wheel and spokes? Powder coat? Paint? It seems that you left a strip un-blacked around the outside of the rim - was that to allow for mar-free tire changes?
- How is the gloss black powder coating (I think I read that) holding up on the exhaust heat shields?
- Did you consider doing the muffler in gloss black too or were you thinking the gloss black wouldn't hold up to the heat?
Looks great! Well thought out with awesome personal touches.
QuoteYeah you were saying in order for the oil to pump properly it needs to idle at about 1000 so that guy's got turn it up a bit
Tfrank: I was told by the local Kaw guy that a Vulcan engine had to idle at 1000 rpm or the oil would not get to the top of the engine properly. The engine is meant to idle at 1000. This is the guy that I would trust to work on my bike and to do the right job. So if he says it is so then it is so. I have heard this from other mechanics as well. So mine is idling at 1000 rpm when warmed up and ready to run.
Mine too :D
Quote from: Tfrank59 on June 26, 2017, 23:22:02 PM
does she sound something like one of these? ;D
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yggVeXqrpP8 (this one, it's the second exhaust he's running)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfAwc6d4j_s
Yeppers, sounds a whole lot like that blue bike in the second vid. I'll have to see if I can figure out how to do a short video.
Quote from: Bucko on June 27, 2017, 00:32:06 AM
Looks awesome! Couple of questions:
- How did you achieve the black wheel and spokes? Powder coat? Paint? It seems that you left a strip un-blacked around the outside of the rim - was that to allow for mar-free tire changes?
- How is the gloss black powder coating (I think I read that) holding up on the exhaust heat shields?
- Did you consider doing the muffler in gloss black too or were you thinking the gloss black wouldn't hold up to the heat?
Thanka Bucko nand Old Drifter for the compliments. Bucko to answer your questions:
-The wheels were sand blasted and powder coated gloss black, then I had my pin-stripe guy hand-pinstripe them. He's over 60, and he's been doing this for a long time. He did the pin striping on the tins as well, and also did my 1500 pin-stripe work.
-the pipes are doing fine so far- I don't think the heat shield will give me problems. I actually would have preferred the whole pipe, muffler and all, to be the same matching gloss black, however they did not have a "gloss" high-temp black- only the "matte" in the high-temp. When I got them back, found out the "matte" also has a lot of texture, which I'm not really nuts about. Not sure how it will be to keep it clean. I may have to clean it with a brush, and live with how it turn out, we'll see. They assured me the gloss would be OK for the shields (they don't get as hot), and actually thought the gloss "might" be OK on the muffler but I made the decision to go with the "high temp" for the muffler.
Greenbarn...nice job. Particularly like lots of the little details....rear light set-up and tank badge aesthetics to name a few.
For the greater good: I was also interested in the powder coat in gloss. Last saw you at Drift-in in 2013. I finished the black roadhouse on my 800 with high temp flat black exhaust paint, followed by semi-gloss black engine paint. (rattle can)
- This scheme worked on the exhaust tip, which is showing no degradation
- The canister has a hot spot that is peeling the top layer of engine paint, but not disturbing the underlying flat exhaust paint.
- The heat shields had to be unbent so were refinished with the semi-gloss engine paint and have held up fine.
Exhaust paint good for 1000 degrees F; Engine paint good for 500 degrees F.
So, was your powdercoat guy out of gloss or did they tell you it wouldn't hold up? Anybody ever try black chrome or porcelain finish? No looking to do anything immediately. My experiment largely worked....and a rattle can touch every couple of years is cheap.
Photo below when completed in time for Drift-In 2013. Will follow with a current photo.
Good job Mr. Greenbarn, now that's a retro bike! :)
And nice tank badge, you make that?
When I brought my bike in for the dyno tune up he set my idle and told me the same. (So did the Ratman)
Quote from: greenbarn on June 27, 2017, 21:07:07 PM
.... they did not have a "gloss" high-temp black- only the "matte" in the high-temp.
Yes, a durable high temp gloss black seems to be the 'holy grail' of exhaust coatings.
Quote from: greenbarn on June 27, 2017, 21:07:07 PM
-The wheels were sand blasted and powder coated gloss black,
Were the wheels powder coated with the spokes in or spokes out?
I just had them done with the spokes in. I checked them to make sure they were straight before sending them.