Donz '65 SWB Stepper Budget Build...

[likaroc13]

You might look into Flikr for your photo hosting as well. I have a Photobucket account but have been gradually moving my stuff to my Flikr account. I know Photobucket was going through some changes a while back, & things were becoming a hassle. However, I haven't paid much attention to them in a while. Not sure how they compare these days.

[Ta2Don]

Jumped on the Flickr Bandwagon... Ta2don out there… just getting started so any hints will be much appreciated...

[mjh1965]

Looks like you have been working hard . Do you think it will be ready for Clems gathering ?
Thanks for the call to say my parts had arrived . I look forward to getting them so I can carry on my welding speak to you soon Martin

[bj383ss]

Only suggestion I have Don is to organize your photos into albums. Makes it easier to find pictures you are looking for. Since it just loads them all into your photostream based on date they were uploaded.

Bret

[bj383ss]

Found you on Flickr...Following

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by bj383ss

Found you on Flickr...Following

Just saw that… got some truck time in today, had the satellite internet guy install our dish today, so due to the unusually warm weather, I played hooky and got more work in...

Going to post a couple of pics to your thread of that piston I referred to...

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by mjh1965

Looks like you have been working hard . Do you think it will be ready for Clems gathering ?
Thanks for the call to say my parts had arrived . I look forward to getting them so I can carry on my welding speak to you soon Martin

Will get some mailing labels printed and such tomorrow, so I should have your bits on the way by Friday at the latest...

[clemdaddy]

Originally Posted by mjh1965

Looks like you have been working hard . Do you think it will be ready for Clems gathering ?

i hope so buddy. even if it's just running and not painted. but if not, we will still have a great time... guaranteed.

double wow on the piston. i've spun a few bearings and had a rod knock or two but i've never launched a piston. probably because i drive like a grandma.
rather cruise than abuse...

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by mjh1965

Looks like you have been working hard . Do you think it will be ready for Clems gathering ?
Thanks for the call to say my parts had arrived . I look forward to getting them so I can carry on my welding speak to you soon Martin

Originally Posted by clemdaddy

i hope so buddy. even if it's just running and not painted. but if not, we will still have a great time... guaranteed.

double wow on the piston. i've spun a few bearings and had a rod knock or two but i've never launched a piston. probably because i drive like a grandma.
rather cruise than abuse...

Plan is to drive the truck to Clem's this year… If weather forecast remains as is, I hope to have the frame painted by the end of my upcoming 3 day weekend... Which in turn will put re-assembly that much closer... …but for now, I've got a couple go boxes to prepare for a ride across the pond...

[Ta2Don]

More truck time this afternoon...
Another unusually warm day, and due to the fact that I had satellite internet installed today, I skipped outta work and broke out the wrenches, spanners for my mates across the pond…
I also started a Flickr account after recommendations from Bj383ss and Likaroc13... I had previously tried Imageshack, and after a short while they re-vamped their site and made it impossible for me to navigate easily… so far Flickr has me won over…

I removed the front crossmember and got the frame up in the air where I can start cleaning and prepping for paint… Today I was able to get the frame stripped of excess bolts, clips, upper front shock mounts, and very old brake and fuel lines...

Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr

by ta2don, on Flickr

I rolled the front crossmember and Rear-end to the side…

by ta2don, on Flickr

[Ta2Don]

After a quick call to Bret, I figured out the Flickr Pic sharing box and started in… I also posted a pic on his thread of a Piston "Trophy" of mine… Trophy is a term I borrowed from Bret following our chat..

Here's the Trophy… Out of a '72 HD FLH I was riding when it came apart thanks to a bit of gasket sealer that clogged the crankpin oiling port... Seems the shop that rebuilt that motor for me used a lot of gasket sealer which in the end plugged my oiling system...

The rusty bit is a part of the rod…
by ta2don, on Flickr

Kinda hard to see but on the left top edge of the piston you can spot the marks where that valve kissed the piston...
by ta2don, on Flickr

[TJ's Chevy]

Eeeek! That's one wrecked piston! lol

[Grizz1963]

Originally Posted by TJ's Chevy

Eeeek! That's one wrecked piston! lol

Question is.......

Did you come away OK ??

I know sometimes these catastrophic endings have wider repercussions.

[Ta2Don]

Long Story short… I was riding in a pack of about 80 bikes, fortunately I was in the very last of the pack... We were on I-65 in N. Central Alabama doing about 70mph when I heard, and felt, a loud Hammering noise... I immediately grasped the clutch lever and switched off the ignition as I, followed by our chase vehicle, slowed to a safe stop on the shoulder. A tentative push on the kick starter confirmed the engine wouldn't spin. We loaded my disabled bike and made our way to our destination. Later, we returned to our starting point and unloaded. A few days later I pulled the top end apart and noticed the Valves had kissed the rear piston... The end result… The shop that rebuilt my motor prior to this event used copious amounts of gasket sealer which ended up plugging the main crankpin oiling port… The rear rod came out egg shaped with a piece lodged in the bottom of the piston… This all happened in '94, Bret's post of his engine that blew a rod out the oil pan, prompted me to post a pic of my trophy on his thread first…
Here's a pic of my former ride… the grey bike in the foreground, pic taken in front of my studio in Montgomery Alabama...

[Grizz1963]

Changing of the Guard at Windsor Castle

There you go Don, just for you and the other Monarchy lovers.

Changing on the Guard at Windsor Castle - YouTube

It was the first time I saw it and enjoyed it thoroughly.

[Ta2Don]

Thanks for the video Rian.. Pretty Neat to see, will chat soon...

[Ta2Don]

A bit more work done today... in and amongst keeping Mrs. Boss happy with some HoneyDoos thrown in the mix!

Started out preparing to dismantle old unused dog pen, no pics… trimming trees and removing a small stand of briars that had invaded a small portion of the fence line...

Then time to Pressure Wash the frame to remove the crud build-up…
Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr
Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr
Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr

Next, with the help of future Son-in-law, we Dis-assembled a hand built dog house and shade structure…

Following that, I made my way over to my neighbors to collect a free gas pedal and throttle cable from a square body cab... Free is ALWAYS good!!!

Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr
Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr


Set the now dry frame upside down and located the rear-crossmember for the Chevy trailing arm set-up and marked and drilled the bottom 3 holes per side...
Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr
Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr
Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr

I bought this DeWalt Drill bit set (1/16" - 1/2") and it is sure nice to have sharp bits, made quick work of the holes... Second pic is of one of the bits and a spiraled piece of 50 year old frame...

Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr
Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr

Two more days off with great weather forecast... so the plan is to get the rear crossmember cleaned and painted, Clean and Paint the frame, and get the crossmember and Track bar mount bolted on….then the to Rear-end swap will be almost complete...

That's all for now Guyz and Gals...

[Bomp]

Nice to see truck time full on.

[Ta2Don]

Originally Posted by Bomp

Nice to see truck time full on.

Just a Heads up my friend… I'm bringing my points to the August meet….Obsolete or not...

[dwcardfan]

Nice progress my friend!!!!

[Grizz1963]

No wonder you were so quiet.

Great progress Don. More than I got done.

[Ta2Don]

Finally finished dismantling an unused dog pen… Honey-dos outta the way, I rode into town to pick up some grade 8 hardware to use on re-assembly of the frame...

Upon returning I began cleaning the bottom side of the rear end and was able to get some paint brushed on… I'm using Eastwood's Rust Encapsulator… after cleaning the frame with a wire brush on a drill, I painted the rear of the frame...

On to the pics…
Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr
Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr
Untitled by ta2don, on Flickr

[mjh1965]

Looking good Don

[clemdaddy]

making good progress Don... looks great.
we got a week of nice weather coming, maybe.

[Ta2Don]

Thanks Guyz!!!

Gotta get after the rest of the frame now... I was curious to see how the paint did with the temp around 60F… Checked it this morning and all is well... As long as the Sun shines as forecasted, and the mercury rises again today I plan to at least get the remainder of the bottom, sides, and crossmembers in paint... Gotta clean and paint the remaining crossmember and track bar mount as well…

Another step closer to re-assembly...